Taste of Vietnam

Taste of Vietnam

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10 Days From

$2175

Taste of Vietnam

10 Days Starting in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and ending in Hanoi, Vietnam

Visiting: Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi

Tour operator:

Encounters Travel

Tour code:

221

Specialist Group:

Singles Solo

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

1 - 20

Physical rating:

All Ages / Not applicable

Age range:

8-95

Special diets catered:

Request dietary needs

Tour operated in:

English

Trip Styles:

Active

Activities:

Sightseeing

From: $2175

NB: Prices correct on 12-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

This is a sample private tour itinerary and we can customise the daily itinerary, duration and accommodation levels and styles as much or as little as you wish.

Highlights

  • Explore the vibrant culture and history of Vietnam.

  • Discover the bustling streets and markets of Hanoi.

  • Experience the stunning landscapes of Halong Bay.

  • Visit the ancient town of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

  • Enjoy the delicious and diverse Vietnamese cuisine.

  • Immerse yourself in the local traditions and customs.

  • Take a scenic cruise along the Mekong Delta.

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Arrive Ho Chi Minh And Transfer To Hotel

Location: Ho Chi Minh City

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Ho Chi Minh City hotel

Arrive Ho Chi Minh Airport. After customs and immigration formalities you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to rest and recover after your flight, or start to explore the area around your hotel.

Day 2 : Ho Chi Minh City, Mai Home Cooking Class

Location: Ho Chi Minh City

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Ho Chi Minh City hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

We start our culinary exploration of Vietnam with a morning hands on lesson on how to shop for and cook authentic Vietnamese cuisine. You'll meet your local chef at the Ben Thanh Market where you can stroll amongst the market stalls learning how to identify the best vegetables, herbs and spices. Then you can choose your ingredients for the mornings cooking.At the Saigon Culinary Arts Centre your learn the basics of south Vietnamese cuisine, which is generally sweeter and spicier than in the north of the country. As so many south Vietnamese have emigrated to the USA and other countries, this is the most widely recognised style of Vietnamese cooking.The rest of the day is free for you to enjoy at your leisure and perhaps exploring more local markets or some of the many small cafes and eateries that are ever present throughout the city.

Day 3 : Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta Tour

Location: Mekong Delta

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Ho Chi Minh City hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Starting early, we head to the delta town of Ben Tre, where we board a small boat to start exploring the region know as Vietnam's rice bowl. The climate of the delta is just about perfect for producing rice, two to the harvests a year, that Vietnam is one of the world's top rice exporters. The other major produce of the area is seafood, and in particular shrimp and catfish.Your first stop is at a factory that processes coconut, separating the oil from the flesh and the husks to produce many products like candy and matting. Next we transfer to a larger rice barge and continue exploring the mazy canals of the Mekong Delta. You'll get the opportunity to join a demonstration of Vietnamese cooking and also enjoying a mouthwatering three-course lunch of Mekong specialities like claypot!After a little more sightseeing you'll return to Ho Chi Minh City, where the evening is free for you to relax and unwind.

Day 4 : Ho Chi Minh City, Flight To Danang, Drive To Hoi An

Location: Hoi An

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Hoi An hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today we leave behind Saigon and fly north to Danang, from where we transfer by road to the sea side village of Hoi An.From the 16th to 18th centuries, Hoi An was a thriving international commercial port for Chinese, Dutch, French, Japanese, Portuguese and Arab merchants. Today, Hoi An is a quaint riverside town, renowned for its silk and popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, tailors shops and numerous cafes. Some of the buildings in the narrow streets have remained unchanged for more than a century and much of the town is now heritage-listed.Your day is free to start exploring this interesting and charming fishing village or relax and unwind.

Day 5 : Hoi An Cooking Class

Location: Hoi An

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Hoi An hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning scour the local markets in search of fresh produce before making out way to the Red Bridge Cooking School where you'll enjoy an informal cooking lesson. Your local chef will introduce you to some of the famous local Hoi An specialities, often including noodles, like Cao Lau a mix of pork, peppers and noodles, and Mi Quang, another noodle dish featuring quails eggs and chunks of baked rice cakes.The afternoon if free for you to head to the beach and enjoy some sunbathing or perhaps search out a tailor for that new suit or dress.

Day 6 : Hoi An To Hue

Location: Hue

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Hue hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today we cross the Hoi an Pass en route to the former imperial capital at Hue. After some sightseeing and a boat ride on the Perfume River, the evening is set aside for a talk by a local chef to learn about the regional cuisine before enjoying an authentic Hue dinner. A must is the small, tapas-sized cakes made from rice or tapioca flour - they're so delicious!

Day 7 : Hue, Flight To Hanoi

Location: Hanoi

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Hanoi hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

This morning we take a tour of the Emperor Minh Mang's Mausoleum, perhaps the most impressive of all the Nguyen Dynasty Emperors' Tombs.In the afternoon we fly north to the countries capital Hanoi and after settling in to hotel we enjoy dinner at one of Hanoi's oldest restaurants. The specialty here, "Cha Ca," is an aromatic blend of grilled fish, fresh dill, peanuts and vermicelli rice noodles.

Day 8 : Hanoi City & Street Food Tour

Location: Hanoi

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Hanoi hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

We start today with a visit to Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, the resting place of the countries founding president, and the Temple of Literature, an 11th century university. We then enjoy a scenic stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son temple. We also take a cyclo ride around the busy old quarter to explore the narrow streets.Later in the afternoon we start our adventure into the world of street food with a taste of the local brew called "bai hoi". This very fizzy draft beer originated from eastern Europe. We continue though the streets and stalls, sampling the many wonderful culinary delights on offer, including Vietnamese flame grilled barbecue of meats, tofu and vegetables on skewers and much more.We end the evening with a wander around the lake and take dessert at Hanoi's most famous ice cream parlour.

Day 9 : Hanoi, Cooking Class

Location: Hanoi

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Hanoi hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Today is filled with a full day cooking course at the well known Hanoi Cooking Centre. The expatiate owner has written many Vietnamese cooking books and the centre offers and excellent chance gain hands on experience of north Vietnamese cooking.To start off your chef and guide will explain the basics of what you will be cooking, before heading out into the nearby Chau Long Market to explore and purchase many of the ingredients necessary for your day's cooking. Back in class it's quickly hands on to learn how to make a traditional dish.

Day 10 : Depart Hanoi

Location: Hanoi

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today is at your leisure, until you are transferred from the hotel to the airport for your departure flight.

What's Included

  • Transport

    Transportation is provided by air-conditioned minibus and flights.

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation includes stays in 3 to 4-star hotels.

What's Not Included

  • Meals

    Meals are not included in the tour package.

  • Personal Expenses

    Personal expenses such as souvenirs and additional activities are not covered.

  • Travel Insurance

    Travel insurance is not included and is recommended to be purchased separately.

More Info

This is a sample private tour itinerary and we can customise the daily itinerary, duration and accommodation levels and styles as much or as little as you wish.

Mode of Transport

Travel conveniently with our air-conditioned minibus and flights, providing a seamless and comfortable journey across Vietnam.

Accommodation

Stay in comfort with our selection of 3 to 4-star hotels throughout the tour, ensuring a pleasant and relaxing experience after each day's adventure.

Check out our Q&As

  • What type of transportation is used during the Taste of Vietnam tour?

    The tour uses an air-conditioned minibus and includes flights for transportation.

  • What type of accommodation is provided on the Taste of Vietnam tour?

    The tour provides accommodation in 3 to 4-star hotels.

  • Is travel insurance compulsory?

    Yes! Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our tours and needs to cover personal accident & liability, medical expenses and repatriation, travel delay & abandonment. We also strongly recommend that you take out cover against cancellation and lost/stolen baggage. Personal medical insurance does not normally provide sufficient cover and is generally not suitable for travel on our tours. You will not be able to join your tour if you have not provided us with details of your insurance or if you arrive without cover in place (no refunds will be due in this event).

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    You are always able to change your travel date. However, some charges may apply depending on how long before your departure you make the change. Our flexible booking conditions and reduced charges will apply if you are changing date because of a Covid-19 reason or because your government is advising against travel to your destination. Please check our detailed booking conditions for full details.

  • When is my balance payment due?

    60 days prior to departure

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    On most of our group tours, solo travellers may choose to form a temporary 'tour bubble' and share a room with another traveller of the same sex in the group. If a room share is not available then a single room supplement may be payable, with the costs for these kept as low as possible. We have also removed compulsory single supplements from many of our tours, and are reducing the cost by 50% on s

  • Can I transfer my booking to someone else?

    Customers may transfer their booking or any Credit on File to another person who satisfies all the relevant conditions to the tour, provided that we are notified not less than 7 days before departure, and the transferee agrees to these booking conditions and all other terms of the contract between us. The Client and new booker are jointly and severally responsible for any outstanding payments and a transfer administration fee of GBP50 / USD75 / CAD100 / AUD100 / NZD100 / EUR75 / ZAR1000 / INR5000 or GBP100 / USD150 / CAD200 / AUD200 / NZD200 / EUR150 / ZAR2000 / INR10,000 if the transfer is made less than 60 days before departure. Important Note: Certain arrangements may not be amended or transferred after they have been confirmed (for example flight tickets, Gorilla Permits) and any alteration could incur a cancellation and rebooking charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements.

Reviews of this operator

Jasmine Montaque (Google Reviewer)  

We had a Great 9...

30-Aug-2023

We had a Great 9 day trip to Egypt ! Everyone we “encountered” were excellent! We absolutely loved our guide. We are Looking 👀 to book another trip with Encounters Travel!

sandra mooney (Google Reviewer)  

From the time we landed...

24-Aug-2024

From the time we landed in Cairo we were treated as VIP’s. Nadine our Tour leader kept on checking on us throughout the journey. We were fortunate to have Fayed and Hossam as the tour guides, they took their time to explain the sites throughout each excursion. Everyone made us feel safe and well looked after.

Miriam Huguet (Google Reviewer)  

I did the Discover Egypt...

06-Jan-2022

I did the Discover Egypt and I definetely recommend it. They take care of every detail (they manage to do our PCR with the stamp that we needed). They book quite comfortable hotels and the guide and the local guides are extremely good and passionate about their work. I would repeat it!! :)

Aries FFPro (Google Reviewer)  

Wish I could rate Encounters...

04-Dec-2021

Wish I could rate Encounters higher! From the onset, Anthony (Ant) was professional and extremely knowledgeable, and far more helpful than I had hoped. He always had time to respond to my inquiries and never showed any sign of frustration...no matter how many times I asked the same question. Meeting Saul at the Cairo airport shows just how valuable the RIGHT travel rep is: he had us go from the gate to getting our visas to picking up our luggage and out to the waiting van in 15 minutes! UNBELIEVABLE! Saul also checked in with us almost daily to make sure everything was to our satisfaction. Our guides Big Mu and Mahmoud were fantastic in their knowledge of the sites, the history of the area and where to get the best bargains. Encounters Travel made this trip of a lifetime 100x better than anything I had hoped for. I cannot recommend Encounters strongly enough...if you have Egypt on your bucket list, like we did, book safely and securely with Encounters!

Renee Hage (Google Reviewer)  

I so appreciated the care...

18-May-2024

I so appreciated the care taken by all the staff ensuring that we were well taken care of and had no problems. They were very responsive to all of our questions. The tour itself was incredible!

Erin Scott (Google Reviewer)  

Just finished a dreamy 9...

05-Dec-2019

Just finished a dreamy 9 day Discover Egypt Tour with our guide, Mohamed El-Maghrabi. I can’t say enough about this tour and Mohamed. Everything exceeded my expectations. Somehow each new day was better than the last. The tour was perfectly laid out and organized, and everything went super smoothly. Mohamed was attentive and thoughtful to each of our individual needs. From early check-ins, delicious pre-arranged restaurant excursions, and assisting with trip add-ons, Mohamed was a superstar. Not to mention his knowledge and passion for egyptology. The additional encounters support staff at each location was an added bonus that enhanced an already smooth operation. The trip went way too fast! I didn’t want it to end. I recommend this trip to anyone who wants to see as much of egypt as possible in a short amount of time! I’ll never forget this whirlwind adventure!

Claire Carter (Google Reviewer)  

I was unsure what to...

25-Oct-2023

I was unsure what to expect but it was far better than I thought. Collected from the airport and thoroughly looked after until I was returned to the airport 10 days later. The times, travelling and food was as advertised. The guide and sights were beyond my expectations. Fantastic tour.

Mary Radoccia (Google Reviewer)  

Northern India solo trip. ...

09-May-2024

Northern India solo trip. Some of the hotels were past their prime as 4 star establishments. Paid a substantial amount for side trip to varanasi which was supposed to be 3 days, 2 nights. It turned out to be really 1 day, 2 nights. Plane left after 8pm and we didn't arrive at hotel until after 11pm. Had to leave at 5.30am the following day and we didn't get back to hotel until after 10pm. The following day we had to leave hotel at 8am for flight back to dehli. We could have left for varanasi in the afternoon as originally implied and left on a later flight back to dehli. Everyone not staying extra days then had to spend 6 to 10 hours waiting for their flight home.The one day in varanasi was great but I wouldn't have gone if I knew the time frame. Not worth money either. Also bus used on trip was old, bad suspension and rattled Window style was old so not very good for taking photos. My view was shared by most of the other travellers. I think the standard of travel via Encounter has dropped over the past years based on comments from some of the others.

Melissa Goodwin (Google Reviewer)  

BUYER BEWARE Before you book anything...

17-Jun-2024

BUYER BEWARE Before you book anything with Encounters Travel, be SURE to read all of the fine print. This is especially important regarding their cancellation policy and the deposit you will forfeit. I didn't find that we'd completely lost our deposit until I contact the company to process a cancellation. I thought I could cancel for a full refund up until a certain point, but apparently I was mistaken. I booked a 3-night late-September boat trip at the end of May, and mid-June we realized we couldn't take it. It's been less than 3 weeks since I booked the trip and it's over 3 MONTHS until the trip will take place, so you know they will have no issue filling our two spots. Even so, we are out $250 each for our trip. They are within their rights to not refund the deposit - I should have waded through the fine print to find this buried detail. But they also have the choice to refund the deposit given the circumstances. Don't make the same mistake I did. READ EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU BOOK. Better yet, consider not booking with Encounters Travel.

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Book with Confidence

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Encounters Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform encounters travel, 60 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Encounters Travel requires a minimum deposit of 150 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of encounters travel charges.

    Up to 61 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 35% of booking price.

    At 41 days before tour starts: Forfeit 70% of booking price.

    At 27 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.

    At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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