Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
You'll arrive at Noi Bai International Airport and get transferred to Diamond Legend Hotel in the Old Quarter. Check-in starts at 2:00 PM, so you'll have the afternoon and evening to either explore the Old Quarter's narrow streets and local shops or rest after your flight. It's a good time to get your bearings and grab dinner somewhere nearby when you're hungry.
Optional Activities
- Stroll around the Old Quarter
- Day 2
Hanoi
Join a half-day cooking class and choose your time slot: morning runs 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, or afternoon from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM. You'll start at Ngoc Ha Market to see what local cooks use, then head to a home kitchen where you'll make four traditional Vietnamese dishes. By the end, you'll sit down and eat what you've prepared with your hosts and other travelers in the group.
- Meals
- Lunch/Dinner (Home-style meal featuring dishes you prepared during the cooking class, shared with hosts and fellow travelers)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Ngoc Ha Market with local vendors
- Hands-on cooking class learning four iconic Vietnamese dishes
- Culinary culture exchange session with Vietnamese folklore and stories
- Welcome refreshments and snacks
- Round-trip transfer to/from Old Quarter Area
Landmarks/POIs Ngoc Ha Market - Day 3
Hanoi to Ha Long Bay
An early pickup gets you to Tuan Chau Harbor for a full-day cruise through Ha Long Bay. On the Cozy Bay Premium Cruise, you'll spend 5 to 6 hours cruising past limestone cliffs, stopping at Surprising Cave and Titop Island for the views. In the afternoon you'll kayak through Luon Cave, and later there's a sunset party on deck. You'll head back to Hanoi around 9:30 PM, so it's a long but full day.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Freshly prepared lunch served on board the Cozy Bay Premium Cruise)
Included Activities
- Scenic drive to Ha Long Bay via expressway
- Cozy Bay Premium Cruise with freshly prepared lunch
- Visit Surprising Cave with stalagmites and stalactites
- Visit Titop Island with sandy beach and climbing to Titop Peak for panoramic views
- Kayaking or bamboo boat through Luon Cave lagoon
- Sunset party on sundeck with tea, cakes, and music
- Group transfer back to Hanoi
Optional Activities
- Seasonal swimming at Titop Island
Landmarks/POIs Ha Long Bay Surprising Cave Titop Island Titop Peak Luon Cave Tuan Chau Harbor - Day 4
Hanoi
You've got two options here. Take the Vietnamese Coffee Workshop in the morning (9:00 AM to 12:00 PM) or afternoon (3:00 PM to 6:00 PM) to learn roasting, grinding, and brewing five Vietnamese coffees, plus a traditional lunch with wine pairings. Or skip that and join the Old Quarter Street Food Tour at 5:30 PM instead, walking through lantern-lit streets and finding hidden food spots throughout the evening.
- Meals
- Lunch (Full-course traditional Vietnamese lunch featuring five iconic regional dishes)
Included Activities
- Coffee heritage and culture session (30 minutes)
- Hands-on brewing masterclass making five iconic Vietnamese coffees (90 minutes)
- Full-course traditional Vietnamese lunch featuring five regional dishes
- Free-flow soft drinks, beer, and unlimited local wines during meal
- Welcome refreshments and light Vietnamese snacks
- Round-trip transfer to/from Old Quarter Area
- Recipe book provided
- Free digital copies of coffee books
- Professional certificate if requested
Optional Activities
- Old Quarter Street Food Tour (evening, 3 hours) - guided food crawl through lantern-lit streets sampling curated local stalls and vendors
Landmarks/POIs Hanoi Old Quarter - Day 5
Hanoi to Da Nang to Hoi An
After breakfast, you'll have a relaxed morning to do some last-minute shopping in the Old Quarter or just chill before heading out. Your driver takes you to Hanoi Airport for a domestic flight down to Da Nang. Once you land, a local guide meets you and drives you to your hotel in Hoi An. Check-in happens from 2:00 PM onward, leaving your evening free to wander the town on your own.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Last-minute souvenir shopping in the Old Quarter
- Day 6
Hoi An
A 5-hour cooking experience in Hoi An starts your day. You can pick morning (8:15 AM to 1:00 PM) or afternoon slots (2:30 PM to 7:00 PM or 3:30 PM to 8:00 PM). From Hai Scout Café in the Ancient Town, you'll visit the central market, take a 25-minute boat ride on Thu Bon River, tour a herb garden, and then spend 2.5 hours in the kitchen making dishes. You'll finish by eating everything you made.
- Meals
- Lunch/Dinner (Full Vietnamese meal featuring dishes made during the cooking class, including fresh rice paper rolls, Hoi An pancakes, seafood salad, Mi Quang chicken noodles, and BBQ lemongrass beef)
Included Activities
- Welcome drinks at meeting point
- Guided exploration of Hoi An's colorful central market
- Scenic 25-minute boat ride on Thu Bon River
- Herb garden discovery and learning Vietnamese aromatics
- Hands-on 2.5-hour cooking class with local chef
- Preparation of multiple Vietnamese dishes from scratch
- Full meal made by your own hands
- All recipes and notes provided
- Transfer back to central Hoi An
Landmarks/POIs Hoi An Ancient Town Thu Bon River Hai Scout Café - Day 7
Ba Na Hills
Pick up happens at 7:30 AM for Ba Na Hills. You'll take one of the world's longest cable cars (11,587 meters) up the mountain to see Le Jardin D'Amour Flower Garden and walk the Golden Bridge held by massive stone hands. There's also the Linh Ung Pagoda with Vietnam's tallest Buddhist statue. After lunch at 11:30 AM, you can check out French colonial architecture at French Square or hit Fantasy Park. You'll cable car back down around 2:00 PM and return to Da Nang by 4:00 to 5:00 PM.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at mountain restaurant with scenic views)
Included Activities
- Pickup at hotel at 7:30-7:45 AM
- Cable car ride (11,587 meters - one of the world's longest non-stop cable cars)
- Visit Le Jardin D'Amour Flower Garden
- Visit Golden Bridge with giant stone hands
- Visit Linh Ung Pagoda with Vietnam's tallest Buddhist statue
- Lunch at mountain restaurant
- Visit French Square with French colonial architecture
- Return cable car descent
- Group transportation back to Da Nang
Optional Activities
- Fantasy Park - indoor amusement center with games and activities
Landmarks/POIs Ba Na Hills Le Jardin D'Amour Flower Garden Golden Bridge Linh Ung Pagoda French Square - Day 8
Hoi An to Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City
Breakfast at KimAn Hoi An Hotel wraps up your time there, then your driver takes you to Da Nang Airport for a domestic flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Your driver meets you and transfers you to Prague Hotel downtown on Backpacker Street, walking distance from Bui Vien and near Independence Palace and Notre-Dame Cathedral. Check-in opens at 2:00 PM. You'll have the rest of the evening to explore Saigon at your own pace.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks/POIs Independence Palace Notre-Dame Cathedral - Day 9
Ho Chi Minh City
You'll do Saigon's history in two parts. The morning heritage tour runs 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM, hitting Independence Palace, the outside of Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the War Remnants Museum. After some free time for lunch, an evening cultural experience starts at 5:30 PM. You'll catch a traditional water puppet show and take a 2-hour dinner cruise on the Saigon River with Vietnamese food and views of the lit-up skyline, finishing around 9:30 PM.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Set-menu dinner featuring authentic Vietnamese cuisine on Indochina Queen Cruise during Saigon River Dinner Cruise)
Included Activities
- Morning heritage tour with English-speaking guide
- Independence Palace (Reunification Palace) with architecture and war bunker exploration
- Notre-Dame Cathedral exterior viewing and French Gothic Central Post Office
- War Remnants Museum documenting Vietnam War history
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (District 1 only)
- Water Puppet Show - 1,000-year-old Vietnamese art form
- Transfer to dinner cruise
- Saigon River Dinner Cruise on traditional-style boat
- Set-menu dinner featuring authentic Vietnamese cuisine
- Evening hotel drop-off
Landmarks/POIs Independence Palace (Reunification Palace) Notre-Dame Cathedral Central Post Office War Remnants Museum Water Puppet Theater Saigon River - Day 10
Ho Chi Minh City to Departure
Your final morning includes breakfast in Ho Chi Minh City and a chance to soak in the last bits of Saigon's energy. If you've got time, pop into a local market or grab a strong Vietnamese coffee and think back on everything from Hanoi to Hoi An to here. When you're ready, your driver picks you up and takes you to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for your flight home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit local market for last-minute shopping
- Enjoy Vietnamese coffee at a local café
Landmarks/POIs Tan Son Nhat International Airport
