Taste of Vietnam
Taste of Vietnam
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:
Tour code:
221
Specialist Group:
Singles Solo
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 20
Age range:
8-95
Special diets catered:
Request dietary needs
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Cultural, Foodie and Wine Tours, Gardens & Nature Tours, History
Activities:
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
Itinerary
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
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Transport
Transportation is provided by air-conditioned minibus and flights.
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Accommodation
Accommodation includes stays in 3 to 4-star hotels.
What's Not Included
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Meals
Meals are not included in the tour package.
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Personal Expenses
Personal expenses such as souvenirs and additional activities are not covered.
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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
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What type of transportation is used during the Taste of Vietnam tour?
The tour uses an air-conditioned minibus and includes flights for transportation.
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What type of accommodation is provided on the Taste of Vietnam tour?
The tour provides accommodation in 3 to 4-star hotels.
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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).
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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.
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When is my balance payment due?
60 days prior to departure
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.