The Flavors Of Vietnam

Saigon, Vietnam’s biggest city with  7 millions inhabitants and 2,5 millions motobikes is full of life. Colors, ordors, and bursting energie of youth will not fail to awaken your senses as soon as you get out of the airport. This city is a cosmopolitan place, where you can find virtually all flavours of the country, from simple streets stalls to fine, fancy restaurants.  Enjoy your free time in your first day in this city.
 

The morning is devoted to discovering the culinary art in Saigon. Your cooking class begins with a stroll to the local market for a good selection of fresh ingredients. Then, the chef will help you learn to cook some dishes. While in western cuisine, the cooking process usually takes more time than the preparation, it is the opposite in the case of Vietnamese kitchen. You will notice that chopping, cutting, peeling etc...are an important part of the business, and that often, the actual cooking takes much shorter time. The extensive use of aromatic herbs is another characteristic, as they not only yield sprecific flavors to the dishes, but also balance their energetic properties.  Lunch will give you an opportunity to taste what you have just made and to sample additional dishes prepared by the cooks. In the afternoon, visit some historic sites of the city:  Heaven Lady Temple in Cho Lon, the Saigon Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral and Ben Thanh Market, all are part of the colonial heritage.

You will spend your entire day exploring the nature and people of the Mekong delta. Discover the languid charm of the fabled Mekong River as you explore the quaint byways and Cai Be floating market, and be sure to sample fresh-picked exotic fruits from the many orchards. Be impressed by the vastness of the river and the diversity of the vegetation on the islands formed by alluvial deposits over hundreds years.  Stop off for a rural yet tasty lunch in the orchid garden of a local resident. You will feel the simplicity and generous nature of the inhabitants of the delta, which is endowed with good weather and fertile soil. You will arrive to Can Tho  by road at the end of the day.

Boarding the Mystic Mekong for a cruise to the lively, colourful floating market of Cai Rang. On the way, the crew will serve a breakfast with coffee, tea and fruit juice. Is there any better way to make your breakfast more abundant than with fresh fruits purchased directly from the market, while surrounded by a crowd of busy traders and brim-full boats engrossed in their business? You will be surprised by the huge variety of products sold at the market, from well-known fruits like mangos and bananas, to exotic ones like mangosteens, star apples. the sweetened longans and the very odorous durians. Once satisfied with the fruity flavours of the market, you will enter the labyrinth of the channels and streams surrounding Can Tho. From the Mystic you can observe daily life on the river, catch the simple happiness in a sitting grand-father’s eyes and join in the laughter of children swimming in the clear-brown water.

Hue was the last royal capital of Vietnam and is well-known for its sophisticated culinary art. The dishes to be presented to the king should be tasty, nutritive and well decorated. In the morning you will be taken to a house in the style of Hue’s typical garden houses, where your cooking class is held. Accompanied by a chef and her assistants, you’ll spend about two hours making some traditional dishes. They willl also teach you some basic decoration principles. At lunch you will have the chance to taste what you have created and to sample additional dishes prepared by the chef. After lunch, you’ll visit the the old city of Hue and the Imperial City to get a feel of the past royal life and learn something about the history of the Nguyen dynasty.

In the morning, transfer to the Perfume River to visit the Thien Mu pagoda where you will be introduced to the Buddhist culture of Vietnam. Then, board a traditional sampan for a cruise up the placid river to the Tomb of Nguyen Dynasty Emperor Minh Mang. It is a place of serene beauty, a large compound surrounded by pine trees and still lakes. Depart to Hoi An via the scenic Hai Van Pass to view one of the most beautiful panoramas in Vietnam as you look out over the central coastline. You will also stop at the quiet, white sandy beach of Lang Co peninsula. Continue to Danang to visit the Cham Museum, which contains the latest sculpture collection of the once-glorious Cham civilization, which was heavily influenced by Hindu culture. Arrive in Hoi An late in the afternoon.

This morning is devoted to discovering all the different aspects of Vietnamese cuisine. In the early morning, we venture into Hoi An market to purchase necessary ingredients for the cooking course. Accompanied by your chef and guide, you'll have the leisure to discover all the varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, meat and fish which are sold at the market. This will give you a better understanding of the habits of Hoianiens’ food preferences. After visiting the market, we will take you to your kitchen in a local restaurant, where the cooking begins. The chef will guide you in cooking some Vietnamese traditional dishes and provide some tips you can use when you are back home. Then enjoy the lunch you have prepared. The meal will be supplemented by other dishes prepared by the chefs on spot. In the afternoon take a stroll to visit Hoi An town, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site because of its unusually well-preserved ancient streets and homes. Set out to explore the quaint cobblestone streets of the town with more than 2-century-old Chinese houses. Sites include the Japanese Bridge, the Chinese Temple, and Phung Hung Chinese-style trading house. Then you have some free time in which you can visit the local market for souvenirs and handicrafts.

In the morning, transfer to the pier of Victoria Hoi An Resort for a boat trip to Cua Dai (approximately 30 minutes). Upon arrival, you can join the daily activities of the local fishermen. Afterward, take the coracle – a round basket boat -- for a tour to the mangrove forest of coconut trees. Disembark at around 10 a.m. for a bike ride to visit the village of vegetables -- Tra Que, about a 20-minute cycle from Hoi An. Tra Que village is known for its special aromatic herbs, mint and basil; leaves of those plants are smaller than you might expect; however, they have a very particular aroma. Together with local people doing their daily work, you will learn how to plant and water vegetables. Then learn to cook some local specialities, for example Tam Huu, a set of shrimp, pork and aromatic herbs, and then enjoy what you have cooked. Return to Hoi An in the middle of the afternoon. Transfer to the airport for the flight to Hanoi.

In the morning, start your cooking class by strolling to the local market to buy ingredients. Going to the market is also a good chance for you to experience the daily life of the Vietnamese: the market is not just a place to buy things, it is also a place for socializing. You will notice some vegetables, herbs and spices that you have not seen in the previous markets. Then for the next hour and a half in your cooking class, you will be taught to cook Hanoian traditional dishes under the instructions of the chef. Hanoian cuisine is definitely different from that of the centre and the south, using less sweetness, sourness and spices. As usual, during lunch you will taste what you have just made, plus some additional dishes prepared by the cook. In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Literature, also called the first university of Vietnam where you will learn about the ancient educational system and its important role in defining the country’s traditional culture and values. You will get an overview of Vietnamese hill tribes at the Museum of Ethnology, which represent quite well their cultural richness and diversity.

In the morning, you will travel to Ha Long Bay, where you arrive at noon. Ha Long Bay is a World Natural Heritage, covering a huge area of 1500km2. You will board a beautiful wooden junk for a 24-hour cruise to discover the stunning beauty of its 2000 limestone towers. As the junk is navigating through the bay, you will have the chance to see several fishing villages, where people live on floating houses and the kids go to school by rowing  their own bamboo boats. Depending on the season, you can have a swim in the sea, then watch the sunset  as you lie relaxing on the junk’s sundesk. The junks are well-equipped: air-conditioned cabins with two beds, private bathrooms and toilet, to make sure  your night on board will be as comfortable as it is exotic.

Set your alarm clock and enjoy a spectacular dawn over the bay. Enjoy your breakfast on-board as the junk weighs anchor and head  back to the pier. While returning to Hanoi, you should enjoy the lively sights of people working in the rice fields, children returning home from their schools, and even live ducks, chickens and pigs transported on motobikes. Stop en route to visit a traditional pottery village where hand-made products are made using archaic kilns. Arrive to Hanoi at the end of the afternoon.

Free time until you transfer to Hanoi airport for your flight departure. Your room is available until noon.