Cooking Class Tour 11 Days

 Hanoi - Hue - Hoi An - Ho Chi Minh City

Code: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, G = Guide  

Day 1: Arrival at Hanoi (D, G)

Arriving at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you'll be met and driven to your hotel.

17.15: You'll be picked up to watch the Water Puppet show an art form unique to northern Vietnam, and a good, light-hearted introduction to its rural culture.

18.30: Your Welcome Dinner will be served at one of the best local restaurant.

You'll spend the night in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi (B, L, G)

In the morning, you'll be picked up from your hotel to the restaurant where you'll learn cooking Vietnamese cuisine. You'll have chance to buy or bargain as a local people in the market. When you come back the restaurant, Vietnamese teacher will prepare and help you to cook your lunch. The rest day will be free in the bustling Old Quarter. You'll spend the night in Hanoi.

Day 3: Hanoi/Ha Long (B, L, D, G)

8.30: You'll leave for Ha Long Bay, one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Areas and the world's largest marine limestone "karst" landscape.

10.00: You'll take a short break at Hong Ngoc Embroidery workshop.

10.30 - 12.00: You'll continue driving to Ha Long Bay.

12.00: You'll board your boat, a wooden junk built from the model of the old Vietnamese court vessels. It will take you first to the World Heritage area where you'll visit Amazing Cave and a famous beach in Ha Long Bay. You'll be able to swim, fish, climb a hill for an overview of the Bay's remarkable seascape. All your meals will be provided on board, usually based on fresh seafood.

You'll spend the night on the boat.

If you don't like seafood during this trip, please let us know what you like so we can arrange for you.

Day 4: Ha Long/Hanoi (B, L, G)

7.30: You'll have western breakfast on boat.

8.00 - 8.30: You'll venture into some of the sea level caves in a small sampan.

8.30 - 11.45: You'll spend the morning cruising Ha Long Bay, followed by lunch just before docking to the harbour.

11.45 - 15.00: You'll drive back to Hanoi for your overnight accommodation.

Day 5: Hanoi/Hue (B, G)

Your time will be your own until you'll escorted to Noi Bai airport for your flight to Hue. On arrival, you'll check in your hotel in the city centre and have a Hue city tour in the afternoon.

14.30 - 16.30: You'll be picked up to visit Imperial Citadel, once the seat of the Emperors of the powerful Nguyen Dynasty that ruled Vietnam from 1802 to 1945.

16.30 - 17.30: You'll visit the bustling Dong Ba market, which is one of the most famous markets in the Centre areas.

You'll spend the night in Hue.

Day 6: Hue (B, L, D, G)

In the morning, you'll visit one of city's "garden houses" in Hue. You'll then learn to cook some traditional typical food in Hue, you'll also prepare for your dinner. By the time you finish your cooking is the time to sit down for dinner in the pleasant surroundings and a comfortable atmosphere of another of the garden houses. You'll spend the night in Hue.

Day 7: Hue/Danang/Hoi An (B, L, G)

7.30 - 8.30: Breakfast at your hotel, you'll then be picked up to travel to Hoi An.

8.30 - 12.00: You'll drive to Lang Co Beach and the lagoon far below. You'll then cross the high mountain pass of Hai Van with excellent view to see Danang spread out.

12.00 - 14.00: You'll have lunch at local restaurant and have a brief to visit Cham Museum, a remarkable Hindu statuary.

14.00 - 15.45: Driver and guide will take you to visit Marble Mountain, Stone Carving village where you can admire the stone products of local people.

15.45 - 17.30: You'll continue driving to Hoi An and have a time to visit  Hoi An Town, and enjoy its considerable significance in the history of Vietnamtown.

You'll spend the night in Hoi An.

Day 8: Hoi An Cooking (B, L, G)

In the morning, you'll cycle to the local market to buy material to prepare for your lunch. You'll then come back the restaurant to learn and cook traditional food in Hoi An. The rest day will be free to relax on the beach or in the Old Quarter as you wish. Your overnight stay will be in Hoi An.

Day 9: Hoi An/Ho Chi Minh City (B, G)

You'll be free and then be picked up to Danang airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On your arrival at the Tan Son Nhat airport, you'll be driven to your hotel. You’ll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 10: Ho Chi Minh City Cooking Class (B, L, G)

You'll join a cooking class in the morning held at Ho Chi Minh City's Cookery Centre. You'll learn how to cook five traditional Vietnamese dishes representative of the all three regions in Vietnam:

09:30 - 10:00: chat over a pot of Vietnamese tea

10:00 - 11:00: making green papaya salad and cooking Vietnamese spring rolls 

11:00 - 11:20: relax and enjoy the first two dishes

11:20 - 12:10: cooking the three main course dishes

12:10 - 12:30: lunch!

12:30: awarding of certificates of competence and souvenir gifts

The rest day will be free. You'll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City departure (B, G)

Your time will be your own until your private car and driver arrives to take you to Tan Son Nhat airport for your departure flight.

Prices per person in US$:

Valid until December 31, 2008

Surcharge for peak season of hotels are not inclusive in the prices above.

Contact Us for more details

Prices include:

• Breakfast and accommodation sharing a double room.

• Domestic flight tickets: Hanoi - Hue, Danang - Ho Chi Minh City, including domestic airport taxes.

• Boats cruise as programme. 

• Travel by private, air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver.

• Bicycles as mentioned in the programme.

• Teacher and facilities to cook the meal in each place as mentioned.

• The services of experienced English-speaking guides as indicated in the itinerary

• Where necessary, entry fees for all visits as mentioned in the programme.

• Lunches and dinners, as specified, in the local restaurants and full board on the boat in Ha Long Bay.

• Government taxes

Prices do not include:

• International flight tickets and airport tax.

• Visas

• Dinners, except as specified above.

• Drinks, gratuities and personal expenses.

• Insurance.

Hotel list for First Class standard 

• Hanoi: Sofitel Metropole Hotel (***** colonial building in, city centre) or similar

• Hue: Saigon Morin Hotel (****colonial building overlooking the Perfume River, Deluxe room) or similar

• Hoi An: Victoria Hotel (**** resort on China Beach, Deluxe Sea View room) or similar

• Ho Chi Minh City: Caravelle Hotel (***** colonial building) or similar

Hotel list for Deluxe standard

• Hanoi: Sofitel Plaza Hotel (***** overlooking the West Lake, indoor swimming pool) or similar

• Hue: Saigon Morin Hotel (****colonial building overlooking the Perfume River) or similar

• Hoi An: Victoria Resort Hotel (****modern resort hotel on China Beach) or similar

• Ho Chi Minh City: Majestic Hotel (**** colonial building in the city centre overlooking the Saigon River) or similar

Hotel list for Superior standard

• Hanoi: Sunway Hotel (**** comfortable boutique hotel 15 minute’s walk from the city centre) or similar

• Hue: Huong Giang Hotel (**** on the bank of the Perfume River) or similar

• Hoi An: Dong An Beach Resort (**** beside Cua Dai beach) or similar

• Ho Chi Minh City: Grand Hotel (**** in the heart of the city, colonial building) or similar

Hotel list for Midrange standard

• Hanoi: Army hotel (*** city centre with swimming pool) or similar

• Hue: Heritage Hotel (**** city centre with swimming pool) or similar

• Hoi An: Lotus Hotel (*** with swimming pool, 2km from town centre) or similar

• Ho Chi Minh City: Empress Hotel (*** city centre) or similar

Hotel list for Budget standard 

• Hanoi: Nam Hai Hotel (** city centre) or similar

• Hue: Green Bamboo Hotel (city centre, local standard) or similar

• Hoi An: Pho Hoi Riverside Resort (*** near the Old Quarter) or similar

• Ho Chi Minh City: Le Le Hotel (city centre) or similar