Vietnam culture & food tour
| country: | Vietnam |
| location: | North Vietnam, South Vietnam |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 20 Sep, 18 Oct, 1 Nov, 29 Nov, 13 Dec, 27 Dec 2009: 3 Jan, 17 Jan, 31 Jan, 14 Feb, 28 Feb, 14 Mar, 28 Mar, 30 May, 13 Jun, 27 Jun |
| price: | From £715 (15 days) excluding flights. Local payment US $200. Optional single supplement £225. We can arrange flights from the UK. All departure dates are guaranteed |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
15 days Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
Hanoi, local markets, cooking demonstrations, Hoi An, Hue, Nha Trang, Dalat, Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City
Learn about Vietnamese cuisine from the experts!
Eating and preparing food is intrinsic to the Vietnamese way of life. As we dine our way from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh, we indulge all the senses with delicious tastes and tantalising aromas.
The perfect trip to gain an understanding of Vietnamese history, culture and culinary delights.
Hanoi, local markets, cooking demonstrations, Hoi An, Hue, Nha Trang, Dalat, Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City
Learn about Vietnamese cuisine from the experts!
Eating and preparing food is intrinsic to the Vietnamese way of life. As we dine our way from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh, we indulge all the senses with delicious tastes and tantalising aromas.
The perfect trip to gain an understanding of Vietnamese history, culture and culinary delights.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-2: | Hanoi. Absorb the essence of one of Asia's most beautiful cities with a cyclo ride around the Old Quarter. Don't miss a performance of Hanoi's famous water puppets. |
| Day 3-4: | Hue. Before we leave Hanoi, learn the intricacies of Vietnamese cooking at KOTO, a unique training restaurant designed to teach hospitality skills to disadvantaged youth. Then it is on to Hue, where imperial cuisine and a floating restaurant on the Perfume River are a delectable complement to the colourful local market, historical citadel and emperors' tombs. |
| Day 5-7: | Hoi An. Explore this World Heritage site to appreciate Hoi An's rich multicultural history. Head to the market for a discovery tour of the local produce and wrap up a cooking lesson by sampling the fruits of your own labour. |
| Day 8-9: | Nha Trang. Take a sunset cyclo trip through an idyllic seaside town fringed by golden sands and brilliant blue waters. Lounge on the deck of a converted fishing boat and cruise the islands while enjoying a sumptuous seafood banquet lunch. |
| Day 10-11: | Dalat. Ascend through magnificent rural scenery to relax in this former colonial hill station. Visit an organic farm, explore palaces and pagodas, wander cobbled streets and beautiful gardens and dine in one of Vietnam's finest restaurants. |
| Day 12: | Ho Chi Minh City. Before boarding the short flight to Ho Chi Minh City, stop to admire the magnificent silk and cotton weavings at the tribal 'Chicken Village'. |
| Day 13: | Mekong Delta. The serpentine waterways of the Mekong Delta are known to the Vietnamese as 'Nine Dragons' and offer a route to our tranquil homestay, nestled amongst fertile orchards and paddy fields. |
| Day 14-15: | Ho Chi Minh City. The day starts early in the Mekong Delta. Experience the busy Cai Be floating market before returning to Ho Chi Minh City. Explore more of the city before our 'last supper' at one of the city's finest restaurant. |
travellers' tales
Great time, fantastic guide, good balance between organized activities and free time, unforgettable food experience, plenty of contact with local people. (more)
small group adventure holiday
This is a 'small group adventure' - on our group trips you'll be with a maximum of 11 like minded travellers and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting people from other parts of the world as well as seeing new places! (more) Because of our small group size, we're able to guarantee departures for all of our trips. Once you have booked and paid your deposit, your trip is guaranteed to go!
highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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We believe that one of the best ways to understand the history, economy, religion and culture of a people is through their food. This trip provides an opportunity for travellers to gain deeper insight into the various cultures of Vietnam, including many opportunities to meet and interact with local people. Your leader and our local guides will help to brake down your barriers in your interactions, and to explain cultural differences and how we can minimise our impact.
In Hanoi we are able to support KOTO Restaurant. KOTO is a training school, which provides 18 months of hospitality and life skills training to former street children. This project was established by former Intrepid leader Jimmy Pham, and is enthusiastically supported by all food lovers.Our tour in the delightful World Heritage town of Hoi An will introduce you to its rich multicultural history. We can recommend attending a nightly cultural performance, which helps to keep local dance and music traditions alive. A visit to the Hoi An orphanage can be rewarding for both the children and those who are prepared to spend some time to assist at meal times, or with the children's general chores. In the Mekong Delta our local guides introduce us to the daily life, floating markets and cottage industries of the Delta's rich waterways. Our homestay host family welcome us with a dinner of local specialities and we have the opportunity to ask questions and gain insight into customs, schooling and religion in this area. Ask your leader to share with you the many projects Intrepid supports in Vietnam, some of which can be visited in your spare time. At the end of our journey travellers may donate any unwanted clothing, medicines and bandages, which are distributed to appropriate local charities. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |