About this trip
Food is the thread running through this 11-day private tour, taking you from Hanoi's street stalls to imperial dining in Hue and bike-powered snacking in Ho Chi Minh City. Local guides and food experts do the introducing, so you get the stories behind the dishes as well as the dishes themselves.
You start in Hanoi with market visits and alley-side tastings before heading to Halong Bay for a cruise among the limestone karsts. From there it's south to Hue for a taste of old imperial cooking, then on to Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta for river life and tropical fruit.
It's a private, partially guided trip, so the pace and focus can flex around you while still covering the country's major food regions.
What you'll do
- Explore Hanoi's markets and hidden alleys with a local food expert, tasting cha ca, bun cha and pho
- Cruise UNESCO-listed Halong Bay and eat fresh seafood beneath the limestone cliffs
- Visit Hue's ancient imperial sites and dine like former royals at Ngoc Son Princess's house
- Cycle through Ho Chi Minh City on a foodie-focused bike tour
- Drift along the Mekong past paddy fields and gardens, sampling tropical fruit
- Private tour, so the itinerary can be adjusted to suit your pace and interests
- Heavy focus on food and markets throughout, good fit if that's what draws you to Vietnam
Worth it if you're genuinely curious about Vietnamese food and regional differences. Think twice if you tire easily from constant travel between regions.
- Hands-on cooking lessons included, e.g. spring rolls, alongside tastings across Vietnam's provinces.
- Overnight Cai Be stay and Halong Bay visits break up the food focus with memorable experiences.
- Climate changes between three regions left one traveller fatigued by the tour's final days.
- Guides handle special requests well, but the itinerary's packed schedule demands stamina.
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Getting there
Opens Trip.com, pre-filled — one-way so you can book your return whenever. Prices & booking shown there.
Where to stay
A night before your tour in Hanoi · 20 Jul – 21 Jul
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