Day 1: Hanoi Arrival

Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, you will be welcomed by our guide before transferring to the hotel. Have a welcome dinner at a local restaurant and stay overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi – Cooking class

Have breakfast at the hotel before taking part in a cooking class with a local family in Hanoi. You will go to the market with the chef and buy necessary ingredients while learning more about the art of traditional Vietnamese cuisine. After that, cook your own dishes under the instruction of the local family, then enjoy your delicious D.I.Y. dishes with the family. In the afternoon, visit the impressive Museum of Ethnology, filled with many exhibits, photographs, and real houses that were inhabited by some of the ethnic minorities of Vietnam. Then visit the renowned St. Joseph's Cathedral and enjoy a one-hour rickshaw trip around Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi's Old Quarter. At eventide, enjoy a water puppet performance show before having your own dinner. Spend the night at a hotel in Hanoi.

Day 3: Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Van Long

After having breakfast, you will depart for Ninh Binh, one of the most famous historical and tourism destinations in Vietnam for its long history and impressive limestone peaks. Upon arrival, visit the two King temples of Dinh Tien Hoang and Le Dai Hanh dating from the 10th century, then take a sampan cruise to discover the naturally reserved Van Long “Nature Reserve,” visit the naturally crafted karsts, and take part in some fishing activities. Have lunch with the locals in Van Long. In the afternoon, go cycling around Van Long and enjoy its fabulous scenery. After that, return to the homestay for the next cooking class. Have dinner with your own dishes with the locals and stay overnight at a homestay.

Day 4: Hoa Lu – Hai Phong – Halong

Have breakfast at the hotel. You will take a new road to Ha Long through vast rice fields of the Red River Delta. Arrive in Hai Phong and visit a flower market, a fish market, Du Hang Temple, and Hang Kenh Communal House. Have lunch at a local restaurant. After that, depart to Halong through the fabulous scenery, arrive in Halong Bay, check into the hotel, and take your free time. Have your own dinner and stay overnight in Halong.

Day 5: Halong – But Thap – Hanoi

Have breakfast at the hotel before transferring to Halong Bay, then get on board for a 5-hour cruise in a beautiful wooden boat to visit the most beautiful and magnificent Sung Sot Cave. You may also swim in a quiet and beautiful bay. Have lunch on the boat with an excellent seafood menu. Back to the pier and return to Hanoi. On the way back, you will visit But Thap pagoda, which is known as the cradle of Buddhism in Vietnam and as the most beautiful and the oldest pagoda in the region. Have dinner on your own and stay overnight at a hotel in Hanoi.

Day 6: Hanoi – Hue by flight

After breakfast at the hotel, visit some of the popular tourism destinations of the capital, including Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, traditional houses on stilts inside the Presidential Palace, the revered One Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature, and Quan Thanh Temple... then go for a walk along the shore of West Lake to visit Tran Quoc Pagoda. Have lunch at a local restaurant before transferring to Noi Bai Domestic Airport for the flight to Hue. Upon arrival at Hue Airport, you will be met by our guide before transferring to the hotel. Take your free time and stay overnight in Hue.

Day 7: Hue – Discovery

Have breakfast at the hotel before visiting the Tu Duc Emperor’s Tomb and the Tu Hieu pagoda. Then you will visit Hue Imperial, including places such as Tu Cam Thanh, Hoang Thanh, etc… Then visit Dong Ba Market—the biggest market in Hue—before having lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the pier for a riverside cruise on the Perfume River (Sông-Hương). During the cruise, you will have a stop at Thien Mu Pagoda, the magnificent architecture founded in the 17th century, and Minh Mang King’s Tomb. At eventide, have your own dinner and stay overnight in Hue.

Day 8: Hue – Danang – Hoian

After breakfast at the hotel, depart for Hoi An through the well-known and stunning 1A Highway. During transition, you may stop at the top of Hai Van Pass for a panoramic view over Danang and its surrounding areas or take some pictures at Lang Co Beach. After passing through Danang, visit the Cham Museum, and then continue the tour to Hoian—recognized by UNESCO as one of the World Cultural Heritages in 1999. Upon arrival, have lunch at a local restaurant, and walk in Hoi An through charming streets or swim at Cua Dai beach late. Have your own dinner and stay overnight in Hoi An.

Day 9: Hoi An – Cooking Class

After breakfast at the hotel, visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Chinese Fukien Temple, the Phung Hung ancient house, and the Hoi An Central Market. Have lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, have a small tour around the local market to buy necessary ingredients for your cooking class. Next, you will learn about the Central cuisine and its differences from that of Northern and Southern Vietnam at a local restaurant. After having finished the class. Have dinner with your own dishes and stay overnight in Hoi An.

Day 10: Hoi An – Danang – Saigon by flight

Have breakfast at the hotel, then take a free walk within the small streets in Hoi An with many tailor-made clothing shops for souvenirs. After that, transfer to Danang Airport for the flight to Saigon. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by our local guide before transferring to the hotel for a check-in and having lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit some of the most historical sites of the city: the Central Post Office with Romanesque art and French style, the Presidential Palace, the renowned Notre Dame Cathedral, Cho Lon, Thien Hau Pagoda... Later, take a walk through the rue Catina (also known as Dong Khoi Street) to discover the remains of old colonial buildings. Have your own dinner and stay overnight at a hotel in Saigon.

Day 11: Saigon – Cooking Class – Cu Chi Tunnels – Saigon

Have breakfast at the hotel. Next, depart for Cu Chi to visit the bonsai, herb, and vegetable garden. Then the chef will show you the menu of the cooking class and explain the ingredients and how to make these dishes in the South. After that, you can make these dishes by yourself. Enjoy lunch with dishes prepared by you. In the afternoon, go on an excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels, which are located 30 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City. This highly complex system of tunnels, 250 km long, connects the northern part of Ho Chi Minh City with the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The trail was dug day and night by the locals and Viet Cong during the war against the French and then against the Americans. After exploring the tunnel, you will be imbued with the living conditions of the Viet Cong. Go back to Saigon in the late afternoon. Have your own dinner and stay overnight at a hotel in Saigon.

Day 12: Saigon – Cai Be – Cooking Class

Have breakfast at the hotel before departing for Cai Be. You will take a boat trip from here to discover the beautiful Cai Be floating market with local people selling, buying, and trading goods and products from their boats. Go to the local village to visit many orchards and rice paper-making factories or observe the process of making crisped rice, etc., and discover the daily activities of the local people. Have lunch at a local restaurant on the Tien River. In the afternoon, go walking or cycling through the village, visit the orchards, or taste tropical fruits... for your leisure time.  At the end of the day, take part in your final cooking class, learning more about the uniqueness of the Southern Vietnamese cuisine, especially in the Western region. Have dinner and stay overnight in a bungalow.

Day 13: Cai Be – Saigon – Departure

Have breakfast at the lodge before an early return to Cai Be floating market by speedboat, where the locals come to trade various local products. Then, visit a Vietnamese coconut popcorn handmade factory and freshwater fish farms or savor some local tropical fruits. Have lunch with the local people, then return to Saigon and transfer directly to the airport for your departure flight. The tour ends.