Asia is famous for its street food, with each country being so unique and diverse. Vietnam is no exception and the street food of Hanoi should not be missed by any traveller! Vietnamese food has a lot to offer, but finding where and what is the main challenge when visiting the bustling Old Town of Hanoi. On this tour, our expert guide takes you by the hand and allows you to sample some of the most famous dishes to some of Vietnams hidden delights.
We start the street food walking tour with an insight into traditional Vietnamese food at different eateries. Well, the first stop is near the Hoan Kiem Lake called "Bun Cha". It is mixed grilled pork meat with noodle and sweet & sour sauce.
Then, we could continue to tour with other food. On the way, the guide will tell about history of the Old Quarter and Hanoi whilst you observe locals' daily life and work.
The guide will then take you to one of the best cafés in Hanoi. You'll be so surprised until you savor the drink with an off-putting name yet delicious taste - egg-coffee.
Next, you'll go to Quan Chuong Gate - an architectural work and a cultural, historical and geographical vestige of Hanoi. This gate has been one of the twenty-one city gates of Hanoi since 1749. We'll also stop by the traditional house at 87 Ma May street is typical of the traditional architecture in the Old Quarter. It was recognized as Vietnamese National Heritage in 2004.
When we leave the old house, it's time for drinks. Enjoy local beer (draught beer) with chips at the "international" corner Ta Hien where each night, hundreds of travelers and a large number of locals flock here to hang out. Rest on small plastic stools, drink beer and observe the local daily life of the Old Quarter.
If your stomach still has some space, keep going to try the steamed rice pancake rolls (banh cuon). This dish is made from rice starch and maybe grilled pork, if you choose.
We finish the tour at Hoan Kiem lake. Before saying goodbye, the guide will tell a legend story referring to this lake. Then, you can either continue exploring on your own, take a taxi or ask the guide's assistance for directions to get back the hotel and suggestions anything.
HALONG EXCURSION DAY TOUR ON DELUXE CRUISE
(6 Hour-Route : Sung Sot Cave – Titop Island – Kayaking at Luon Cave)
ITINERARY:
8.00-8.45: Get picked up at the hotel in Hanoi Old Quater/ Opera House to depart for Halong Bay Our journey follows Hanoi – Haiphong- Tuan Chau Highway (about a 3 hour- drive) On the way, we stop for a short break for 30 minutes to relax
12:00: Arrive at Tuan Chau Harbor, get on Luxury Cruise with our crew’s warm welcome Enjoy the welcome drink then start the excursion to discover the beauty of the world heritage site
12:30 Enjoy Vietnamese lunch on the boat .While having lunch, the boat will pass by the beautiful scenery on both sides with thousands of limestone such as Fighting Chicken and Incense Burner Islets – 2 symbols of Halong Bay
14.00: Arrive at Bo Hon Island, and you will visit Sung Sot Cave – the most beautiful cave with a lot of stalagmites and stalactites
14.45: Do kayaking or bamboo boat through Luon Cave to discover the beautiful lagoon.
15.15: Visit TiTop Island with its sandy beach. You can go swimming here or trek up to the top of the island for sightseeing all of Halong Bay
16.30: Back to the boat for the sunset party (with wine, tea, fruits, and biscuits) meanwhile the boat is cruising back to the harbor
18.00-18.15: Arrive back to the harbor. Get on the bus and return to Hanoi
21.00 : Get dropped off at the hotel. Tour ends
Vietnam is well known as a country has a range of different and delicious foods. Joining with us, you will have a chance to taste so many kinds of popular street foods, which is also considered as our unique heritage culture.
ITINERARY
Our guide will meet you in the hotel in central Old Quarter (or our appointment if you stay away the Old Quarter). This is a walking tour so that you will have a lot of chances to meet locals, to hear interesting stories and to experience the local lifestyle in closest way. During the way, our guide will give you a short brief information about Northern and particular Hanoian food typical. Walk around the Old Quarter to taste some popular food on street vender, which is forming our unique culture/habit. Visit some café/restaurants that is kept from generation to generation. With over 1000 year of history, surely you will have unforgettable memories with those hundred-year old shops.
Get your tastebuds ready for this immersive day tour for food lovers. Experience an in-depth market tour with your very own chef guide who will explain the local ingredients as you sample delicious street food. Then get hands-on experience in a Vietnamese cuisine cooking class inside a 100-year old Old French Colonial building, where you'll transform those ingredients into local cuisine. Sounds tasty right?
17:00 - 18:00: After picking you up from the hotel, you will be taken to a home in Hanoi for the dinner.
On welcoming you to the host’s house, you will be offered a cup of hot green tea - as a traditional custom of Vietnamese family used to showing respect to their guests.
Then you will come to the dining room and enjoy the meal prepared by the host. You will have a chance to try the traditional dishes in a cosy atmosphere at home.
See how the local enjoy their dinner, what their kitchen looks like, and also witness some customs during the meal: the children need to invite the elders before eating and after finishing meal, you will be shown how to use chopsticks in the traditional manner, and how to put chopsticks to express that we finished meal. Through all of that, you will clearly see the difference between Western and Eastern dining etiquette.
The tour will end at around 20:00 - 21:00 and you will be dropped off at the hotel.
Vietnam, motorbikes and foodie paradise. This tour combines all! Be whisked away by your driver on the back of a classic Vespa and sample what food delights Hoi An has to offer.
You`ll be picked up at your hotel in Hoi An at 5:30 pm by a guide with a Vespa Scooter. Starting out at our central Hoi An café, sample the delicious local street food delight, Banh Can, while watching the streets and stalls come to life and sipping a cocktail. After the first taster, head out on the Vespa to try the famous ‘White Rose’ in town.
We then head to lantern-lit An Hoi Islet and jump in a local boat for a slow ride alongside the ancient town to Cam Nam Island where we join the locals for a seafood starter overlooking the Thu Bon River as the sun sets on Hoi An. We can enjoy a few cold beers.
A leisurely drive along the banks of the river and through the alleyways & streets takes us to a lively local restaurant where we cook a hot pot at the table and learn the art of wrap ‘n’ roll – Vietnamese style!
A short ride through the busy streets and alleys takes us to our last port of call, and a recent addition to Hoi An’s vibrant dining scene, a modern Vietnamese restaurant where we tuck into some awesome BBQ specialities, grilled DIY style at our table! As is customary, cold beers are consumed, and we finish with the delicious dessert of Banh Flan, a light version of crème caramel.
The trip ends at 9:30 pm at your hotel.
8:30: Our tour guide will meet you at your hotel and we will start the trip by going for a Vietnamese-style breakfast. This could be a unique experience for you, as we will be waiting on quite a long queue like other local people at a famous restaurant in the Old Quarter to have our breakfast served.
The main dish could be either a pack of sticky rice or a bowl of Pho - the best Vietnamese noodle soup. You will not only have a chance to enjoy delicious dishes but also can experience the bustling atmosphere of Hanoi in the morning and the pace of life here.
After that we will go for a cup of egg coffee - also known as Vietnamese cappuccino - at one of the most well-known coffee shops in town, which has been featured on a lot of international travel magazines.
Next, we will take a short walk around the Old town and drop-in some ancient houses to witness the architecture in mixed Vietnamese and Chinese style, and explore some streets among the famous “36 Streets of Hanoi” which has the street name originated from the popular goods produced and sold at that street. Try to figure out how to cross the streets and how to bargain in Vietnam.
12:00 - 12:30: It's time to dig deeper in Vietnamese cuisine from the North to the South by dropping by some Hue or Ho Chi Minh local food stores based in Hanoi, which keep the truest taste of the local dishes, and also are guaranteed for high hygiene. You can choose to enjoy either the super tasty traditional cakes from Hue for the Middle Vietnamese style; or Bun Bo Nam Bo (Southern Vietnamese noodle with beef) or Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Pan Cake) for the Southern style.
After that our bus will drop you back to your hotel. End of our services.
On your must-do list during your time in Hanoi should be a rickshaw ride and water puppets. This tour combines both of these and even throws in a dinner on top.
One of the best ways to actually see Hanoi is from a seat in a rickshaw (locally known as cyclo). Your expert guide takes you through the crowded streets to sites you wouldn't be able to find by yourself. You can see how each street is dedicated to one particular product creating unique features such as bamboo street or party street.
The water puppets, a culturally unique performance shows how rural life, folklore and legend takes place. The best in the city is the Thang Long theatre where we shall take you.
Itinerary:
Pick you up at your hotel at around 4:00 pm or 6:00 pm, cyclo ride around the trading area in Hanoi Old Quarter. Around 5:15 pm or 9:15 pm stop at Thang Long theatre for Water puppet show. After the show finish, enjoy a dinner at a local restaurant with a special dish of Vietnam. Then transfer back to your hotel around at 8:30 pm or 10:30 pm
Motorbikes/scooters and Hanoi go hand in hand! There is quite simply no better way to get around and see the city. This tour puts you on the back of a Vespa while the driver safely whisks you through the streets and traffic to see the sights as a local would.
Itinerary:
6:00 pm. We meet at our stylish local Café and start the evening with a cocktail or another kind of drink (coffee, tea, juice, etc) and a delicious snack from one of the nearby nighttime vendors, before
jumping on the back of the vintage Vespas.
After weaving through the magical, busy back streets of the Old Quarter, we soon arrive at a fascinating local joint, right on the railway tracks (literally!) where we try some infused rice wine and a buffalo jerky appetiser.
Back on the bike through the narrow streets again, as we head toward our next foodie place, a lively local restaurant serving Bun Cha. This quintessential must-taste Ha Noi dish of rice noodles, grilled pork and meatballs, with a side of Nem (spring rolls). Simple but delicious.
We then head out of the Old Quarter and ride toward West Lake to try the local speciality of Pho Cuon, and learn the art of wrap ‘n’ roll, Vietnamese style with these fresh & fragrant ingredients, and the Pho noodle!
A short ride on the Vespa takes us to our final port of call, next to the superb Opera House. The halcyon days of the 1930’s may be over, however, this Jazz Club will wow you with a truly unique blend of styles – 30’s style Jazz & traditional Vietnamese music!
Stops are used to take in the vibrant evening food scene of Ha Noi, eating and drinking among the locals, as well as to brief clients about local culture, lifestyles and traditions. The ride is designed to take in the history and night time atmosphere of this fascinating city.
The trip ends at your hotel in Hanoi around 10:00 pm.
The tour is available from 8 o'clock in the evening. The pickup time depends on your own requirement. Our guide will pick you up at your hotel around Old Quarter Hanoi (or at the appointment if you do not stay close to the Old Quarter).
You will start your walking food tour to immerse in the aromatic scents wafting from street hawker stalls, where you can get everything ranging from exotic fruit to seafood. You will be told interesting stories about Hanoi's food culture, the traditional ingredients, and favorite northern Vietnamese specialties.
Moving around the busy Old Quarter district, you get the chance to taste a variety of fruits and street snacks. You will visit some famous and specialty food stores, as well as small restaurants operated by local Vietnamese chefs. You will be able to observe the chefs at work and sample some of their special dishes (your choice or our recommendations). Vegetarian food or any special requirement is available upon request.
You can also add something sweet to the menu by tasting the local specialty of fresh fruit slices served in a cup with crushed ice and condensed milk. You may also sample the local favorite egg coffee, or enjoy a chilled beer at a corner cafe (a tucked-away cafe) near Hoan Kiem Lake with amazing views.
You will end your food tour here, so you can resume exploring the Old Quarter on your own or opt to go back to your hotel.
Morning class: 9am – 1pm
Afternoon class: 4pm – 7pm
You will be picked up at your hotel and decide which local market to visit with the chef. You will stroll around and visit food sections with their wide selection of herbs, vegetables, meat and sea food, which gets you closer to the simple daily life. It will be also fascinating to observe and learn how to choose and buy the best quality of the fresh food from numerous food stalls in the market.
With the help of the chef, you will know how to buy ingredients for your cooking lesson, including herbs and spices, which play an important role in Vietnamese food. After the lesson, you should be able to go back home to prepare and cook Vietnamese dishes all by yourself.
Cooking Demonstration:
Your cooking lesson with us is guaranteed to be educational and memorable. You will be confident to set up an elaborate dinner party for your friends and family back home.
You will learn how to marinade with spices and decorate dishes with carrot flowers, lemon grass stems, banana leaves and curved chili. You will learn to make the authentic magical sauce made from fish sauce, water, sugar, lime, chili, garlic and herb.
Then you can enjoy your meal featuring what-you-have-cooked. The chef will taste the meals you have cooked and and give rewards to the best dish.
As you leave, you will be awarded a little gift and all of the recipes from your Hanoi cooking class.
Menu of cooking class for reference (this menu is subject to change without prior notice):
Option 1:
Nem Ran (Hanoi spring rolls)
Cha Ca Hanoi (Grilled fish Hanoi style)
Com Nau Tom (Rice cooked with shrimp)
Che (Sweet potato with ginger pudding, a kind of dessert)
Option 2:
Nem Cuon Tom Thit (Fresh spring rolls with shrimp and meat)
GaNuong la Chanh (Grilled chicken on skewers with lemon leaf)
Ca boc la sen hap (Steamed fish wrapped in lotus leaf with tamarind juice)
Che long Nhan (Dry longan pudding)
This tour lasts from 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm and takes you to some great destinations. The time in each destination is flexible as per your request, as long as it doesn’t affect the whole plan.
At 3.00 pm, you will be greeted and picked up by a local tour guide. He or she will be your motorbike driver and take you to all the spots of the tour.
Firstly, you will be taken to Con Market which is now the largest wholesale and retail venue in the central region. In addition to providing customers with the best place to shop, the market also attracts young people with its wide range of unique junk food such as spicy snail, jackfruit salad and sweet soup. Youth in the city have even nicknamed this market “The Heaven of Street Food”.
In this market, you will have a chance to enjoy “Bun Cha Ca” (fish cake noodle soup), a specialty of Da Nang. You will also have the opportunity to taste the sweet soups which include healthy ingredients such as lotus seed and peas. The recipes and cooking methods of these foods have been perfected over many generations.
For the next stop, you will ride along the seafood street. It’s not far from My Khe Beach and features variety of restaurants all offering a delicious selection of shellfish dishes, which are perfectly complimented by a mug of beer.
The moment you enter the restaurant, you will be impressed by the mouth-watering smell of steaming and frying foods. While you are waiting for your food, you can observe the ocean in front of the restaurant and enjoy the cool wind bringing in the salty taste of the sea.
After enjoying cool fresh atmosphere by the sea and having meal with delicacies, you will be taken back to your hotel.
End of tour.
Set out on a meticulously designed 10-day journey in Vietnam, perfect for couples seeking romance, shared adventures, and tranquil escapes.
Begin your adventure in Hanoi, strolling hand-in-hand through the charming Old Quarter. Immerse yourselves in Vietnamese culture with a visit to the traditional Non La (conical hat) and incense-making villages, where you’ll learn to craft these iconic items alongside locals and capture stunning photos to treasure. In the evening, enjoy a vibrant city tour, exploring both famous highlights and hidden gems, while savoring local delicacies under the sparkling city lights.
Next, marvel at the awe-inspiring beauty of Ha Long Bay on an intimate overnight cruise. Drift through majestic limestone karsts, enjoy serene moments on emerald waters, and soak in the breathtaking scenery from the comfort of your private cabin.
Fly to Da Nang and continue to Hoi An, the ancient lantern town where romance meets tradition. Glide through lush coconut forests on a peaceful boat trip, craft your own lanterns, and share a memorable cooking class in a picturesque countryside setting.
Conclude your journey on the tropical paradise of Phu Quoc Island, a haven of pristine white sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, and unforgettable sunsets. Unwind, explore, and create lasting memories on this idyllic island escape.
This thoughtfully curated 10-day itinerary blends cultural exploration, hands-on experiences, and serene relaxation, promising couples an unforgettable romantic getaway filled with cherished moments.