Secrets
of Vietnamese kitchen
Day
1: Arrival in Hanoi (D)
Upon arrival in Hanoi, you will clear customs and
immigration, and be met by our tour operator and head
to hotel. After relaxing and a brief lunch, you will
take a charming cyclo ride around the city.
Perhaps the most interesting area you will visit is
the Old Quarter. Here many tiny streets join to sell
a huge diversity of products.
You spend some time visiting several of the most respected
galleries, meeting with the owners and artists.
After your ride, you will return to the hotel and
prepare for dinner. Before you eat, there will be
a short, informal talk on Vietnamese mythology and
how it is presented in different forms of Folk Art.
The welcome dinner will be in the restaurant. Overnight
at hotel in Hanoi.
Day
2:Half Day Hanoi City Tour & Cooking Lessons (B)
(L) (D)
This
morning you will have your first cooking lesson. The
experience starts with a walk, accompanied by the
Chef of the Spices Garden Restaurant at the Sofitel
Metrople hotel, to the local market, where you get
a chance to learn all about Vietnamese ingredients.
A cooking demonstration will follow, which takes place
directly in the kitchen and where everyone has the
chance to get involved. After the class lunch will
be served in the Spices Garden Vietnamese Restaurant
to sample all the different dishes prepared during
the demonstration.
Cooking schedule:
10.00 a.m.: Proceed to the market
11.00 a.m.: Cooking demonstration
12.30 p.m.: Lunch
After
lunch, you will begin to tour Hanoi, accompanied by
your guide. Your route will take you past the granite
and concrete mausoleum where Ho Chi Minh lies in state
and the government buildings to the Museum of Fine
Arts. Here you will have one of the country’s most
famous artists as your guide. In front of the museum
is the Temple of Literature, called “Le Pagoda des
Corbeaux” by the French because of the huge flocks
of crows gathering in the mango trees near the entrance.
It is here that Vietnam’s first university was founded.
Leaving the museum, you will walk around Hoan Kiem
Lake in the middle of the city passing the One Pillar
Pagoda, built in 1049 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong to
celebrate the birth of his only son, and Ho Chi Minh’s
house, given him by the people of the country in thanks
for his leadership. Overnight at the hotel.
Day
3:Hanoi - Ha Long Bay – Hanoi (B) (L) (D)
Head out of Hanoi to Ha Long Bay, recognized as a
World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Board a boat for a
5 hour cruise to explore the mystery and beauty of
Ha Long Bay, where among the approximately 1500 square
miles of water, sprout numerous limestone islets and
strangely shaped rock sculptures. The name, Ha Long,
or ‘Descending Dragon’ evokes memories of the many
dragon legends that are part of Vietnam's long history
and the mystical belief in yang, the dragon energy
and Ying, the mountain energy. Enjoy a leisurely boat
trip through the bay stopping to explore some of the
many islands, caves and grottoes. Return to Hanoi
following a lunch on board of freshly caught seafood.
Visit to Dong Trieu pottery village on the way back
to Hanoi. Evening is at leisure. Overnight at the
hotel.
Day
4:Hanoi – Hue (B) (L) (D)
Catch an early morning flight south to Hue, the imperial
city of the Nguyen Kings. Your home for the next two
nights is the Huong Giang Hotel, overlooking the Perfume
River. The lobby of the Huong Giang is quite ornate
and reminiscent of an Imperial assembly hall, and
your rooms will overlook the Perfume River. After
checking in and dropping your bags at the hotel, you
can begin to explore the city.
In the afternoon, you can head into town by cyclo
to visit the market and the ancient Royal Citadel,
constructed in 1805 and the greatest legacy of the
Nguyen emperors. If time permits, you might want to
walk back to the hotel along the river, passing the
book and card sellers. Overnight in the Huong Giang
Hotel.
Day
5:Cooking Lesson for Vietnamese Royal Cuisine (B)
(L) (D)
Today
you will learn how to cook some of the most famous
Vietnamese Royal foods such as Phoenix Spring Rolls
(Nem Phuong) and one of the most traditional Hue foods:
Mussels with Rice (Com Hen). All of the lessons and
practice will be done in the best kitchen in Hue.
Spring rolls are called Nem Ran by northerners and
Cha Gio in Hue and the south. Although it ranks among
Vietnam's specialty dishes, Nem Ran is very easy to
prepare. Consequently, it has long been a preferred
food on special occasions such as Tet and other family
festivities. Ingredients used for Nem Ran comprise
of lean minced pork, sea crabs or unshelled shrimps,
two kinds of edible mushroom (Nam Huong and Moc Nhi),
dried onion, duck eggs, pepper, salt and different
kinds of seasoning. All are mixed thoroughly before
being wrapped with transparent rice paper into small
rolls. These rolls are then fried in boiling oil.
Phoenix Spring Rolls are basically like normal ones,
but require more delicacy in presentation, being shaped
like a phoenix.
Steamed
white rice is part of every meal in Vietnam, but only
in Hue’s ‘mussels with rice’ dish is the rice served
cold. Hue people, after deciding that no food should
be wasted, have designed this dish using leftover
rice. This dish includes Chinese vermicelli, bamboo
shoots, lean pork meat, and an assortment of green
vegetables (banana leaves, mint, star fruit, etc.).
The broth obtained after boiling the mussels is used
to flavor the rice. Ginger, sesame and chili are also
added to the broth. This dish is very spicy and it
is common to see people with watery eyes and sweaty
faces while eating it; nevertheless, everyone congratulates
the cook for such a delicious meal. Overnight at the
Hotel.
Day
6:Hue – Saigon City (B) (L) (D) Flight
Today we get morning flight to Saigon. Upon arrival
in Saigon, you head to visit Saigon. Built on the
site of an ancient Khmer settlement and an outpost
for early pioneers in the 14th century, Saigon (now
known as Ho Chi Minh City) did not begin to come into
its own until the early 17th century. The derivation
of the name, Saigon centers around the waterside location.
Some say the name comes from the Annamese word ‘Thay
Ngon,’ meaning a highly populated area near a dammed
river. Others claim it is a transcription of the Khmer
word Prei Kor or ‘Kapok Tree Forest.’ In any case,
the city is fast regaining its reputation as one of
Asia’s most vibrant cities. The tree-lined boulevards
and French colonial architecture hearkens to the city’s
recent past, while the bustling markets, changing
infrastructure and dynamic people look to the future.
You might want to shop in Ben Thanh Market or head
over to Cholon, the Chinese Quarter. Overnight in
Saigon
Day
7:Cooking lesson at the Vietnam Cooking Center (B)
(L) (D)
In the last cooking lesson, you will learn some of
the best southern dishes: Caramel Pork, steamed rice
in coconut juice and Sour Fish Soup or ‘Canh Chua.’
Canh Chua originated from the Mekong Delta, more specifically
from Dong Thap Muoi. Canh Chua is a fish sour soup
made with fish from the Mekong River and the So Dua
flower. This dish is mostly served when the So Dua
flower first blossoms at the end of the rainy season.
A feast is organized and the Sour Fish Soup is among
the delicious meals prepared for this event. Sour
Fish Soup must be eaten very hot. It must also
be eaten all at one time since the taste is not the
same when it is reheated. Overnight in the Hotel.
Cooking
schedule:
09.30-10.00 am: Welcome drink and Vietnamese Cookery
Art presentation
10:00-11:00 am: Cooking demonstration
11:00 am-12:00 pm: Lunch
(A
cooking handbook, souvenir gift and Certificate of
Completion will be provided after lunch)
Day
8:Depart from Saigon(B)
The day is free at your leisure until the transfer
for your departure from Saigon’s Tan Son Nhat airport
| Rate
in USD per person - Validity Until 31 Dec 2007
( except for Christmas and New Year ) |
Currency
Converter |
|
-
Number of Persons -
| Class |
2-3 |
4-5 |
6-9 |
Single
Sup |
|
4 stars |
1086 |
935 |
869 |
350 |
|
5 stars |
|
|
|
|
|
Hotels selected
in this trip ( click
to see ):
| Cities |
3
stars |
4
stars |
5
stars |
|
Hanoi |
|
Sunway
- Club classic room |
|
|
Hue |
|
Huong
Giang - Deluxe river side |
|
Saigon |
|
Rex
- Rex suite room |
|
|
Tour
Cost includes:
- Full transportation by private car or bus as tour
program indicated.
- Full meals as indicated ( L, D ) at the local restaurant.
- Breakfast at hotel.
- 2 domestic flights : Hanoi - Hue, Hue - Saigon
- English or French speaking guide
- Entrance fees.
- Cooking fees
- Visit Market fees
- Private Boat trip in Halong Bay, Tiengiang river
in Mytho.
- Twin-share accommodation ( AC room)
Tour
Cost excludes:
·
International airport tax in Hanoi at USD 14.00 nett
per person
· International
airfare to/from Vietnam
· Personal
insurance
· Expenditure
of a personal nature, tips, such as drinks, souvenirs,
laundry, emergency transfers & etc.
· Visa
to Vietnam
|
Weather
