home about us late availability vouchers & booking gifts campaigns travel tips ezine community contact us

Vietnam cuisine tour

country:Vietnam
location:Mekong Delta, North Vietnam, South Vietnam 
departures:2009: 5 Dec
price:From £1470 (15 days) excluding flights. Price includes domestic flights only as per itinerary, based on twin share. Single price option also available. Maximum group size is 15 people. We can arrange flights from the UK from £650 per person including taxes.
vouchers:Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday
 
the amazing things you'll be doing
Indulge both stomach and mind on this journey through Vietnam’s highlights.

Just as Vietnamese cuisine is all about yin and yang, so this journey is one of balance. Over 15 days experience guided tours through local markets, partake in cooking schools, and enjoy lavish meals at some of the country’s best restaurants. From Hanoi and Halong Bay to the historical charms of Hue and Hoi An, the beaches of Nha Trang, the mountains of Dalat, and buzzing Saigon – only a visit to Vietnam can truly reveal the country’s cooking tradition in all its diversity.

Price includes: 13 nights hotel accommodation, 1 overnight boat, flights as specified, and three cooking classes, all road transport by air-conditioned vehicles, all sightseeing as specified (excluding entrance fees), Western tour leader (7 or more travellers) and local English-speaking guides throughout, arrival and departure transfers, breakfast daily, 7 lunches and 3 dinners
day-by-day itinerary
Day 1-3:Hanoi & Halong Bay. Arrive in Vietnam's capital and transfer to your hotel. Tonight, sample your first taste of delicious Vietnamese cuisine. While in Hanoi we'll learn all about Ho Chi Minh at his former home and mausoleum, visit the ancient Temple of Literature and infamous Hanoi Hilton prison. An overnight cruise on World Heritage-listed Halong Bay is simply unforgettable. Hotels: Galaxy, Overnight boat
Day 4-7:Hue & Hoi An. Fly to the former imperial capital, Hue, where we explore the city’s historic sites, including the Citadel, elaborate emperors’ tombs and the Thien Mu Pagoda. Drive through spectacular coastal scenery towards Hoi An, where we discover the town’s many charms on a walking tour. Also take part in a full-day cooking class in the tranquil surrounds of the Red Bridge Cooking School. Hotel: Saigon Morin, Ancient House
Day 8-11:Nha Trang & Dalat. Vietnam’s premier beach resort. An island boat cruise provides the chance to relax, swim and enjoy a seafood feast. From here we drive to the Central Highlands and the former French hill station, Dalat. Visit the last emperor’s summer residence and a local artist monk, and enjoy the mountain vistas on a cable car ride. Hotels: Yasaka, Novotel Dalat
Day 12-15:Saigon & Mekong Delta. Drive to Saigon, Vietnam’s largest city. Stroll along historic Dong Khoi Street – the former Rue Catinat – and see the sights on a city tour. Explore the amazing Cu Chi tunnels, and spend a day cruising in the Mekong Delta. Your journey ends with an airport transfer on day 15. Hotel: Palace
small group adventure holiday
These small group journeys have a maximum of 15 like-minded travellers which ensures that all travellers have an amazing overall experience with the destination and that they enjoy the flexibility that comes with the small group dynamic. On this trip you will stay at boutique accommodation with character. Our numbers are discreet enough for us to interact with local families in their homes and meet people in markets, bazaars and temples – something that’s just not possible when you arrive as part of a large tour group. Along with our unique combination of Western tour leader and local English-speaking guide this will ensure an unforgettable travel experience.
how this holiday makes a difference
We believe that travel should entail an exchange of knowledge and perspectives, a sharing of wealth, and a genuine appreciation of Vietnam’s beautiful natural environments. This philosophy underpins the heart and soul of our style of travel. We recognise that poorly planned itineraries or poorly informed tourists contribute less to cross-cultural understanding and less to the livelihoods of local people.

Halong Bay on Vietnam culinary holiday Combine a love for food with a passion for travel on this unique journey from beautiful Hanoi to industrial Saigon. In Hanoi there is the opportunity to visit Koto’s (know one, teach one) – a not-for-profit restaurant and vocational training centre staffed by disadvantaged young people – to try their infamous Koto smoothie. Our offices also finance the Loretto Foundation in Saigon (which assists disadvantaged, poor and disabled children through education), and The Fred Hollows Foundation (which provides ophthalmologic services to underprivileged Vietnamese).

On this journey our local guides are trained to share their knowledge of cultural and other local issues in a balanced, informative way; in this journey alone you are likely to meet several local guides from different provinces in Vietnam. They share real experiences from their own lives and insights into their family life, influences and beliefs, thus providing our travellers with a deeper understanding of the places they visit. This is what motivates our guides, not shopping commissions.

Our offices in Saigon, Danang and Hanoi are staffed with local people wherever possible and we have a long term aim of filling management roles with competent local staff. This presence in Vietnam means we are much better able to control the content, the actions of our suppliers, and the style of our small group journey.

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.

Convert currencies