Ginger and Lemongrass – Vietnam Culinary Tour in 11 Days

Your Vietnam adventure begins with your arrival in Hanoi. Your private driver will meet you at the airport, holding a signboard with your name. He will escort you to your accommodation right in the heart of the city, with the fascinating Old Quarter at your fingertips. You can easily explore the city at your own pace or relax at the hotel after the flight.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Meet with a local food expert for a mouth-watering tour of Hanoi—indulging all five of your senses on a journey through fascinating markets and delicious food. Start the day with a visit to Thanh Ha, a busy, eclectic market alive with the sounds and smells of Hanoi. Capture the essence of Vietnamese culture while browsing the food stalls, hearing about local culinary culture, and sampling unusual Hanoi delicacies. Carry on to the Dong Xuan market, where amid the stalls selling handbags, clothes, and other goods, you'll find some of the city's most popular noodle shops. Sample treats such as pho sot vang (noodle soup with pork and herbs), and bun dau (tofu served in soup with rice noodles and fermented shrimp paste). Your guide's extensive culinary experience will help illuminate the secrets of these dishes and Vietnamese culinary traditions. Meander to the Old Quarter and explore the maze of laneways of this historic neighbourhood. See ceremonial cake stalls and stop to taste a special French-influenced dessert as your guide explains the tradition of food gifts for celebrations. Continue walking along Hang Cot Street where preserved fruits are sold and onto other streets with unusual and special items for sale. Wrap up your culinary adventure at one of Hanoi's small, busy coffee shops. Sit down for a sweet iced coffee or a slow-dripped hot brew while watching the passing scenes of local life.

Overnight in Hanoi.

In the morning, check out of the hotel, and get picked up by the Cruise team. Take the most scenic route to reach Halong Bay, taking you across the Red River Delta with emerald green rice paddies stretching for as far as the eyes can see. On arrival at the pier, you will board the cruise and enjoy the fantastic views of limestone rocks and the karst grottoes. Have an utterly delicious seafood lunch and enjoy the time at the sundeck exploring the Bay. The cruise will stop in a secret place where you will spend time kayaking or swimming, so you can explore the karst grottoes closer. Towards the evening, you will return to the boat for an early dinner, followed by some time at leisure. You can optionally attend the activities taking part on the boat or just relax.

Overnight on cruise.

Note: In case of bad weather (the boat is not allowed to push off or not allowed to overnight in the sea), the Ha Long bay tour could be cancelled without notice. We will consider other replacement tours or a refund based on the specific circumstances.

Rise early today to view the sunrise at the wonder of nature with breakfast served in the dining room. A Tai Chi class on the sun deck will awake your mind and muscles.

Then head off to visit the limestone cave full of stalagmites and stalactites. After your exploration return to the boat to check out and enjoy the brunch while the cruise is sailing back to the harbor. Later you will be transferred to your accommodation in Hanoi.

Relish the remaining moment in Hanoi before your private driver escorts you to the airport to take the flight to Hue. When you arrive at Hue Airport, your driver will pick you up and transfer you to your accommodation in the city centre. The rest of the time is free at leisure.

Start today's explorations of Hue with a visit to the Imperial Citadel, a grand UNESCO-listed complex where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. After exploring the ruins of this vast monument, take a cyclo ride through the Old City to Tinh Tam Lake, where the Emperors used to come to relax. Decorated with blooming lotus flowers in summer, this peaceful spot is popular with university students who come to study at the many local-style coffee shops along the shore. Continue to Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the oldest and most beautiful pagodas in Vietnam, then break for lunch at a local restaurant. More sightseeing awaits at the Mausoleum of Tu Duc. Built decades before its occupant’s death, this tomb was used as a palace retreat before becoming the Emperor’s hallowed resting place. Continue to Khai Dinh’s Tomb, which combines traditional Vietnamese design with European touches to create one of the city's most unique and beautiful structures. Your evening comes to a close at the Ngoc Son Princess House, where you'll sit down to dinner amid the splendour of this beloved garden house. Enjoy a meal of traditional Hue specialties prepared by the family at their historic home while you hear stories of the city's fascinating past.

Have breakfast at the hotel, and have free time until our driver will meet you for a transfer to the airport for your next flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the hotel. After the hotel check-have some leisure time in Ho Chi Minh City.

This morning your personal tour guide will meet you with a motorbike for a half-day tour of the city. Hop on the back and head through the city's lively streets, passing the many Vietnamese guitar makers’ stores, interesting eateries, and residential apartment buildings. The walking portion of your explorations starts from Nguyen Thien Thuat Street and ends at Ban Co Market, where you'll be invited to try chè (a Vietnamese dessert made of beans, sticky rice, and coconut milk). Continue to Districts 10 and 5 to witness the colors, smells, and sounds of typical Ho Chi Minh life as you pass shops and street food stands and dodge passing rickshaws. Stroll along the traditional medicine streets of China Town,  then visit the Chinese Thien Hau Temple (dedicated to the worship of the Heavenly Queen). End your adventure at a local restaurant for a lunch of local favourites like com tam (broken rice) or bun bo (beef noodle soup). Afterwards, your guide will take you back to your hotel by motorbike.

Depart from Ho Chi Minh City around 8 am, and head to Mekong Delta, the land of nine dragons. Upon arrival at Cai Be, you will board the boat, which will take you through Mekong’s fertile alluvial water, which shapes the richness of the land, to Mekong Lodge.

Upon arrival at the resort, check-in your private bungalow and enjoy a delicious lunch by the riverside.

Have some rest, and get ready for a cycling trip to Tan Phong Island. Here you will visit some local handicraft workshops and see how locals make banana leaves hammocks, water coconut leaves thatch, or home decor products made of water hyacinth. Visit fruit gardens where you can enjoy freshly picked fruits and Vietnamese folk music. Then take a small rowing boat trip through the canal.

Have dinner at the restaurant and have a relaxing evening at the resort.

Begin our second day at Mekong Delta with a buffet breakfast. Then take a boat trip to Cai Be floating market, a cultural feature of the Mekong Delta. You will see the most vibrant scene on the Tien River with hundred of boats gathering for the fresh produce trade. Then spend some more time on the island visiting more handicraft villages. Then check out of the hotel and drive back to Ho Chi Minh.

Relish a healthy breakfast on the final day of your trip. Complete the hotel check-out formalities after which you can visit the local markets and buy souvenirs for your loved ones. Later, proceed for departure and board your flight back home.