Vietnam Culinary Delight 12 days

Up on arrival, you are welcome by our tour-guide and will be transferred to your hotel in Hanoi. In the afternoon, you will have short tour briefing and take a cyclo ride through the Old Quarter, the best way to get to know the ancient lane ways and local people. In the evening, enjoy the welcome dinner in one of the finest restaurant. We will hand to you all travel documents and any of your questions related to this trip will get the full explanation from our staff.

Meals : Dinner.
Accommodation : Hotel in Hanoi

This morning, your tour guide will take you to the cooking class. Discover a local market and learn about ingredients, flavors and see how the local prepare for meals. Next is a short talk on the art of Hanoian gastronomy, vegetables, herbs & spices & learn how to prepare & use them. The Chef will share to you her pride of Vietnamese cuisines and the secrets how to make it good. Enjoy the local food in Hanoi style.

In the afternoon you will explore Vietnam’s charming capital. With its wide tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and ancient oriental pagodas, Hanoi is an eclectic mix that offers something for everyone.

Your city tour will include Hanoi’s key sites: Ho Chi Minh Complex, the Temple of Literature; Hoa Loa Prison (formerly known as the “Hanoi Hilton” during the Vietnam War); West Lake including the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda and walking tour in old quarter of Hanoi

Meals : Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Have breakfast in hotel and drive to Halong Bay (180km about 3.5 hours) passing the countryside of the Red River Delta to the UNESCO World Heritage site.

A traditional style Vietnamese Junk Cruise is awaiting your arrival and will set sail at noon today for the 23 hours cruise on this magnificent bay. Lunch will be served on board amidst spectacular views of the bay. Afternoon will visit one of the largest caves in Halong Bay and a beach stop where you can swim in the refreshing waters of the South China Sea. Tonight enjoy a fresh seafood dinner onboard your Junk.

Note: The following Halong Bay itinerary is a sample for our standard service on a 3 star junk/ cruise. Different programs are available through our luxury cruise itineraries (Please contact us for more details)

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: on cruise

Participate in Tai Chi on the top deck or simply watch the sunrise over the magnificent bay. Enjoy your morning cup of coffee or juice before setting out to the nearby cave on a row boat. Watch for monkeys high on the cliff tops. Return back to the Junk where breakfast is served, while sailing around Bay Tu Long bay where the movie “Indochine” was filmed.

Your cruise will end at noon and you will meet your guide & driver for the trip back to Hanoi and then transfer the Noi Bai airport for your flight to Hue where your driver will await you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.

Note: The different of Amo Vietnam Travel’ tour is the maximum flexibility. You could have a choice to go back to Hanoi for further Shopping or visit one place: But Thap Pagoda or Tho Ha Village or Phu Lang Potery Village before the transfer to Noi Bai Airport.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hue

In the morning, enjoy a scenic boat trip on the Perfume River to visit the Thien Mu Pagoda or Heavenly Lady pagoda, one of the oldest ancient architectural structures for religious worship in Hue. Situated 4 km upstream on the banks of the Perfume River, it is an active Buddhist monastery with its origins dating back to 1601.

Visit the Imperial Citadel of Hue with the Purple Forbidden City.

The Hue Citadel is situated on the Northern bank of the Perfume River. It covers an area 500 ha and has a system of three circles of ramparts: Kinh Thanh Hue (Hue Capital Citadel), Hoang Thanh (Royal Citadel) and Tu Cam Thanh (Forbidden Citadel). The Hue royal complex has been officially recognized by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Lunch at a local restaurant, continue to Tu Duc Royal Tom, the Emperor of the Imperial City built his own tomb during his reign and today you will visit one of the most beautiful mausoleums.

Back to hotel, dinner is on your own and overnight in Hue.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hue

Journey from Hue over scenic mountainous roads with spectacular views over the coastline. Halfway between Danang and Hue lies the dramatic Hai Van Pass, the high dividing line between the climate zones of north and south Vietnam. Continue southwards passing Lang Co, a lovely stretch of beach curving outwards between a clear blue lagoon and the South China Sea, and the large coastal city of DANANG before arriving in Hoi An.

Visit Truoi Market, an authentic and typical market and rarely contact with foreigner. Visit Cham Museum: this houses probably the best collection of Cham art to be found anywhere in the world. There are more than 300 artifacts in the museum, many dating to the 4th century. There are beautiful sculptures reflecting the 1000 year Cham period.

Lunch at local restaurant, then continue to the charming historic city of Hoi An, known to early Western merchants, Hoi An was one of the major trading centers of Southeast Asia in the 16th century. Hoi An has a distinctive Chinese atmosphere with low, tiled-roof houses and narrow streets; the original structure of some of these streets is still virtually intact. Many of the houses were constructed of rare timbers and decorated with lacquer panels engraved with Chinese characters and pillars carved with ornamental designs.

Meals : Breakfast & Lunch
Accommodation : Hotel in Hoian

This morning enjoy a cooking class at the Red Bridge Cooking School. Meet at the Hai Scout Cafe in Hoian’s Old Town. From there we will head to Hoian's colorful market. Explore the market and interact with local vendors to purchase some fresh ingredients for today’s cooking class. Next, board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely 25min cruise along the Hoian River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. Discover the school's herb and vegetable garden before starting your cooking lesson. The class runs for about an hour and 15min and includes demonstrations from the school's chefs as well as time to help prepare traditional dishes. At the end of class, enjoy an introductory lesson in the art of Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration).

In the afternoon, take a walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the ancient town centre, visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, the Chinese Assembly Hall, the 200-year old Tam Ky ancestral house and the famous Japanese Bridge. Rest of the day you are free at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoian

Have breakfast at the hotel then drive to Danang Airport to catch your flight to Vietnam’s modern metropolis: Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). Arrive in the early afternoon and transfer to Ben Nay for lunch the folowed by a visit Cu Chi Tunnels, where you will visit the vast underground network of tunnels built first as a defense against the French, and later expanded during the American war. See secret trapdoors, underground kitchens, living areas and meeting rooms. Those inclined are invited to crawl through selections of the tunnels to better understand what life was like for the Vietnamese soldiers during wartime.

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City

This morning you leave the city for Ho Chi Minh Cooking Class. Here you have chance to study variety of many kinds of flora and herbs and mushroom before starting your cooking lesson. The class runs for about an hour and 15min and includes demonstrations which will help you gain insight into the diversity of the Vietnamese cuisine, as well as time to help prepare traditional dishes.

After indulging in your creations, enjoy an orientation tour through Ho Chi Minh City’s bustling streets en route to the hotel. You will visit such sites as the Reunification Palace, the War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, the City Post Office and Ben Thanh Market.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon.

You have breakfast at hotel before departing for Vinh Long in Mekong River with a stop for coffee break at Mekong Rest Stop. On arrival in Cai Be Town, board motorized boat to visit local corn/ rice pop making family. Continue by boat to go pass & visit Cai Be floating market. The cruise will later take us through tiny winding canals for a close up view of Mekong lively river life. We will have many photo opportunities of the fish traps and fruit gardens along the canals. Lunch is at bonsai garden with with elephant ear fish, Mekong specialty and opportunity to sample local wine. After lunch, re-board our boat to cruise towards Vinh Long downtown. From there it takes you another 30’ driving to Can Tho for 01 night stay. 

Meals : Breakfast & Lunch
Accommodation : Hotel in Can Tho  

After breakfast, check out hotel and board the boat for a cruise to visit Cai Rang floating market with stops at a Bun Tau noodle factory and a rice husking mill. You can even try passing one of the many fragile monkey bridges along the canals. Leave Can Tho and drive back to Saigon (3.5 hours driving) with a lunch stop at My Tho. Arrival in Saigon and transfer to hotel.

Meals : Breakfast
Accommodation : Hotel in Saigon

Driver and guide will transfer you the airport for departure flight.

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