The Culture and Cuisine of Vietnam 10 days

When you arrive at the airport in HCMC, you will be greeted and have private transfer to the Park Hyatt Hotel Saigon for a two night stay. You will have free time in the afternoon and evening to explore, and perhaps have drinks in the Club Lounge, before dinner at Vietnam House.  Here, you will see that the cuisine of the South uses many herbs and spices and has been influenced by Cambodia, Thailand and India, among others. Curries using coconut milk are an example of this influence. The South also has a wide selection of tropical fruits and vegetables that are not readily available in the cooler North.

After breakfast, you will depart for a half day city tour, including the Unification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Saigon Post Office and Cholon, the city's lively Chinatown. Traditional "pho" shall be served for lunch at a local café on Pasteur Street.  You will have free time until evening drinks in the Club Lounge, followed by dinner at Nam Phan restaurant. The elegant Nam Phan restaurant offers a menu of beautifully presented Vietnamese cuisine, described by the owners as "high-end", with classical dishes and modern interpretations all freshly prepared to order by the resident team of professional chefs.

After breakfast, you will have private transfer to the airport a flight to Danang for a one night stay at the Furama Beach Resort Danang, recently voted the best beach resort in Vietnam.  You will have free time for the rest of the day to enjoy the resort amenities, before enjoying dinner and wine served at the hotel.

After breakfast, you will have private transfer to your hotel for a two night stay.  Hoi An was a major Asian trading centre in the 17th and 18th century and many of the original buildings remain. You will enjoy a guided walking tour of the ancient town centre, including the 400 year old Japanese covered bridge and the colourful local market area of this unique city, which has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.  The rest of afternoon is free before dinner at the famous White Lantern restaurant for a five-course meal featuring Hoi An's unique cuisine.

After breakfast, you will have a morning cycle tour through the paddy fields as you venture down to the nearby beaches. Here, you will have free time in the afternoon to enjoy the sun, water and sand.  You will then have dinner at Tam Tam restaurant, which is situated in an old colonial villa and run by a French expatriate. This renowned establishment provides a great combination of food, wine and people watching.

You will depart Hoi An after breakfast and head to your hotel in Hue for a two night stay. On the way, you will stop at the Tu Duc Mausoleum to view its traditional Vietnamese architecture.  You will have free time for the rest of the day, before enjoying a cyclo ride to the Tinh Gia Vien restaurant for dinner. Food in Hue tends to be spicier than in most other parts of Vietnam, and represents a kind of Oriental Nouvelle Cuisine.

After an early breakfast, you will depart for a cooking class run by the owner of the Y Thao Garden House.  Starting at the Dong Ba Central Market, she will give instructions on how to choose food for your cooking lesson and your lunch will be the food you have prepared yourself!  In the afternoon, you will travel by Dragon Boat down the Perfume River to visit the seven story Thien Mu Pagoda, which stands by the riverbank.  In the evening, a royal banquet will be served at the Huong Giang Hotel situated on the banks of the river.

You will transfer to Hue Airport for a flight to Hanoi and private transfer to the Sofitel Metropole Hanoi Hotel for a two night stay. Depending on flight times, in the late afternoon you may take a cyclo tour to the lovely Nam Phuong restaurant set in a beautifully restored French Colonial Villa. The chefs serve up Northern Vietnamese specialties, and there will be a traditional folk show during dinner.

You will have a full day tour of Hanoi, including the Fine Arts Museum, French and Chinese influenced architectural sites, the Lake of the Restored Sword and the "Old Quarter.” You will then have dinner at Le Tonkin restaurant, which specialises in preparing authentic Northern Vietnamese cuisine.  You may then enjoy drinks afterwards at Vertical bar nearby.