Vietnam Culinary Tour April 2011 SUGGESTED ITINERARY Please note that this itinerary is just a suggestion and can be easily amended to suit your needs. Let me know if you would like to make any changes at all and I will be more than happy to suggest an alternative itinerary for you. Day 1: 07Feb Arrival Hanoi (D) Upon your arrival, our guide will meet you at the airport and accompany you to your hotel. Rest of the day is free at leisure. Tonight we enjoy welcome diner with your guide at Quan An Ngon Restaurant. The concept at Quan An Ngon is a one stop shop for Vietnamese street food of every region and variety. This is a favorite haven for tourists who want a safe and easy introduction to the local street food in a boisterous and fun setting, but the place is also packed from morning to night with mostly Vietnamese clientele. When eating at Quan An Ngon, your approach should be to browse the menu or circle the stalls, and sample as much as possible. The menu is simply organized into categories of food such as noodle soups, dry noodles, salads, and wraps. Day 2: 08Feb Hanoi Morning City Tour Evening cooking class at Hanoi Cooking Centre (B.L.D) The tour is split into a morning and afternoon schedule with lunch in between. Morning: pick up at 08:30, we enjoy half day tour to visit Ho Chi Minh Complex: Completed in 1975 the complex contains Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum, his former stilt-house residence, the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh museum. The Temple of Literature: Originally built as a temple to Confucius, this is the site of Vietnam's first university dating back to 1070. We then take lunch at one of Hanoi's many fine restaurants. One hour cyclo tour (cycle rickshaw) through the Old Quarter: Also known as the 36 streets, this bustling area of narrow streets is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. Afternoon: transfer back to your hotel after lunch for fresh up. Pick up again at 16:30, transfer to Hanoi Cooking Centre for an evening cooking class. Learn the secrets to preparing a great Vietnamese dish on this half-day cooking tour in Hanoi. Your Hanoi cooking tour will begin with a quick walk to the famous Chau Long market, where you will learn more about the various ingredients that go into a Vietnamese dish. It's then onto the Hanoi Cooking Centre for your hand's on cooking lesson followed by a chance to try your new creation. Your half-day tour begins with a walk around the famous Chau Long market, nearby Truc Bac Lake. Here you will learn more about the various local ingredients including vegetables, fruits and Vietnamese herbs and spices.
Two-minutes away from the Chau Long Market is the Hanoi Cooking Centre. The Vietnamese cooking class is to enhance interactivity with the head chef. You will have one cooking station between 2 persons for your hands-on lesson. In the evening, sit down and enjoy your own Vietnamese creations accompanied by local beer or wine plus receive detailed recipes cards to take home. Day 3: 09Feb Hanoi Halong Bay Paradise Cruise (B.L.D) share boat, private transfer with guide In the morning pick up at 08:30 we drive to Ha Long Bay (approx 3 hours), with refreshment break en route. Board Paradise junk on Tuan Chau Island and meet the crew. Enjoy a welcome cocktail & cruise into the bay, enjoying an Asian buffet lunch along the way. In the afternoon explore a famous limestone grotto (cave) and traditional fishing village. Continue peacefully cruising through the majestic islands of Halong Bay, a perfect time for taking photographs as the sun is beginning to set, arriving at your anchorage for the evening. Take kayaking, before enjoying a fabulous dinner comprising of fresh seafood. Evening entertainment includes movies, board games or spa treatments. Day 4: 10Feb Halong Bay Hanoi Flight to Danang Hoi An (B) Optional Tai Chi this morning and then a buffet breakfast, before cruising through the Bay back to Tuan Chau Island, arriving at 10.30. Our awaiting private vehicle will pick you then transfer to the airport to take flight to Danang. Then our transfer will take you to your hotel in Hoi An. Day 5: 11Feb Hoi An Half day walking tour Cinnamon Sunset Dinner Cruise (B.D) From the 16th to 18th centuries, Hoi An was a thriving international commercial port. Today it is a quaint riverside town popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, tailor shops, and cafes. We enjoy a half-day walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, Assembly Hall, the 200- year-old Tam Ky house, and the Japanese Covered Bridge. Pick up again at 16:30, we walk to Thu Bon Pier to get on the Cinnamon cruise for dinner. The Captain and crew will greet you as you step onto the boat. Once on your deck, our hostess will escort you to your private table and a complimentary cocktail and snack are served upon boarding, setting the scene for the unforgettable evening ahead. Don t forget to have your camera in hand to take nice photos as the sun going down behind the mountain and all fishing activities on the river while cruising on Thu Bon river. Dinner provides a unique experience to dine on the water and enjoy a seafood platter including fresh local prawns, fish, squids and crabs complemented perfectly by our excellent wine list available for purchase from your service team together with fresh tropical fruit for your dessert. A great way to start your evening is by watching the boat cast off from our outside observation deck. The dinner cruise lasts a leisurely 2 hours, giving you plenty of time to sip some
cocktails and relax over a delightful dinner while listening to music. Upon your return to the Cinnamon Cruises pier, the crew will wish you farewell. Boarding time: 16:45-17:00 Cruising time: 17:00-19:00 Day 6: 12Feb Hoi An Morning cooking class at Dao Tien Shool (B.L) We start the day (08:15am) pick up at the hotel. We then visit Hoi An s colourful market, and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and purchase some of the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later. Then we board the Dao Tien boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River to Cooking School. This is a chance to view local river life, so make sure your camera is handy. On arrival, we explore the cooking school s herb and vegetable garden, before learning about some of Hoi An s and Vietnam s well-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours each dish is first demonstrated by the Dao Tien chef s, before you prepare the same dish yourself. Included in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration). After the lesson, you enjoy exactly what you have cooked. Day 7: 13Feb Hoi An Danang airport Flight to Ho Chi Minh City (B.D) Small group tour Pick up from your hotel to Danang airport for a short flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon your arrival, we accompany you to your hotel. In the afternoon, pick up at 12:30 for lunch at a tradition Pho restaurant before your half day city tour. Pho is the local noodle soup and traditional eaten at breakfast or lunch. It comes in beef, chicken or vegetarian varieties. Afternoon city tour to visit: The Reunification Palace: Here on April 30th 1975 the war officially ended when tank 843 of the North Vietnamese Army crashed through the gates of what was, at the time the residence of the President of the Republic of Vietnam. War Remnants Museum: This is a poignant display of the futility of war. Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post Office: Built between 1877 and 1883 this is one of the best examples of classical French colonial architecture. Day 8: 14Feb Ho Chi Minh City Cai Be Princess (B.L) Small group tour This deluxe sampan cruise starts along the Mekong canals to Dong Hoa Hiep Island located between Vinh Long and Cai Be. During this cruise you will discover beautiful landscapes along the river and observe the typical Mekong delta rural life. These evergreen islands among the Mekong River still remain unknown to many people. Lunch awaits you at Le Longanier restaurant at La Residence de Phu An resort, a superb Indochine style restaurant. After a short walk along a narrow canal, the
excursion will end at around 15:30 where the vehicle will await you for your transfer back to Saigon. During the cruise, fresh cotton towels, hot green tea, mineral water and exotic seasonal fruits will be served on board free of charge. Day 9: 15Feb Ho Chi Minh City Cooking class at Saigon Cookery Centre (B.L) Pick up at 09:00 from your hotel, transfer to Saigon Cookery Centre for a morning cooking class. During the morning course you will have the opportunity to learn a selection of favourite dishes and learn about local ingredients during a trip to the colourful central food market. You will be introduced to the traditional Vietnamese kitchen with cooking utensils still closely linked to the Vietnamese way of life in the past. You will also learn a touch of oriental science with the Yin-Yang balance, and some of the history of Vietnamese Cuisine from its roots in the Hue Citadel Imperial Cuisine to the effects of various influences from both the West and other Eastern Cultures. Finally you will understand the intricacies of the Vietnamese dining Etiquette and the technique to master the chopsticks! Transfer back to your hotel at about 13:30. Day 10: 16Feb Departure Ho Chi Minh City (B) A private transfer pick you up at your hotel, transfer to the airport for your flight out of Vietnam. End of services.
Hotels: City Hotel Website Room Type Hanoi Silk Path Hotel www.silkpathhotel.com Silk Deluxe rooms Halong Bay Paradise Cruise www.paradisecruises.org Superior rooms Hoi An Life Heritage resort www.life-resorts.com Superior Garden view rooms Ho Chi Minh City Duxton Hotel www.duxtonhotel.com Deluxe rooms Tour includes: Accommodation based on twin/double shared at above selected hotels with daily breakfast Check-in time at all hotels is 14:00 and check-out time at all hotels is 12.00 Early check-in and late check-out is subject to availability with surcharge. Meals as mentioned (B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner) Local English speaking tour guide during guided time only Entrance fees All transfers as mentioned by air-conditioned vehicle Flight tickets: Hanoi Danang Ho Chi Minh City (economy class) Tour excludes: Travel Insurance (Compulsory) Visas Other flights not mentioned above (ie ex Australia) Meals, drinks and other those mentioned in the itinerary Laundry, telephone calls and expenditure of a personal nature Tips and gratuities COST: $3500 per person, twin share NOTE: If paid in full by 30 November, further discounts apply Earlybird payments: Pay by 30 November - $3000 per person Pay by 30 September - $2800 per person No further discounts apply