Day 1: Hanoi Arrival – Food Tour
Upon arrival in Hanoi airport, meet Andy Travel’s representative and transfer to Hotel in Hanoi centre, drop your luggage and relax after your flights. In the afternoon, our guide will meet your at the hotel lobby and show your around the Hanoi hidden lanes to discover and taste the special dishes and drink of Hanoi. You will try some well-known Hanoi food such as Banh Mi, Spring Rolls, meat balls, fish balls…to name a few. After the food tour, rest at the hotel.
Day 2: Hanoi – Sightseeing Tour (B,L)
In the morning you’ll embark on a guided tour of Hanoi. you’ll visit Ba Dinh Square and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the dominating structure that serves as the final resting place for the revolutionary leader. This is followed by a stop at the nearby One Pillar Pagoda, one of the most iconic Buddhist temples in the city. Move on to the Temple of Literature, which was built in the 11th century and is dedicated to Confucius. This temple was the first university in Vietnam, and it’s still a place where students burn incense and pray at the altars for academic success.
Afterward, your guide will lead you north to West Lake and the Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi. Dating to the 6th century, it was built during the reign of Emperor Ly Nam De during his dynasty of 544-548 CE. This 11-story, 49-foot (15-meter) Buddhist shrine has undergone several changes and renovations over the years, but it is still home to Buddhist monks who pray every day at various shrines on the temple grounds. Your guide will take you to the local restaurant for lunch at the well-known Bun Cha Obama restaurant.
Next, you’ll head to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. This massive museum complex preserves cultural heritage by offering information on the 54 different ethnic groups in Vietnam. Some highlight exhibits include full-scale replicas of village homes and ancient artifacts like traditional jewelry and wedding clothing.
You can also stop at Hang Be Market. Located in the heart of the Old Quarter, just a five-minute walk from Hoàn Kiếm Lake, this municipal market has been open for over 100 years. It offers a wide variety of products, from fresh produce, meat, and fish to dry goods, flowers, and clothing. More than a center of commerce, Hang Be is a meeting point for locals from all walks of life, and spending time here is a great way to get to know the people of the city.
At the end of the day, sit down and relax watching the interesting water puppet show in the Thang Long theatre near old town.
Day 3: Hanoi – Halong bay – discover Natural Wonder of the world – Lan Ha bay or Bai Tu Long Bay (B,L,D)
Meet our driver at 8:30 AM at your hotel lobby, remember to check out hotel and bring your passport, we need passport to travel Halong bay. Your transfer today may be a private car or by a limousine van. The vehicle will be confirmed upon booking time
Your destination today is the coastal retreat and fishing community of Hạ Long Bay. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the true natural wonders of the world. In this sweet spot where the land meets the Gulf of Tonkin, over 1,000 karst islets rise above emerald waters. Legend has it that these islands originated as precious jewels that were sprayed into the water by a great dragon who was doing battle with invaders in Hạ Long Bay centuries ago. Mythology aside, you can’t deny the otherworldly beauty of the seascape here.
On arrival, you’ll board a boat that will depart from the port for an unforgettable tour of the bay. Not only will you enjoy fresh seafood for lunch and dinner, but you’ll overnight aboard the ship as well. This will give you an opportunity to see the sunset over the water.
Day 4: Halong Bay – fly Danang – Hoian (Brunch)
Another great day at the wonder before transfer to the ancient town of Hoian.
In the early morning, you’ll wake up to a spectacular sunrise over the bay. After a leisurely breakfast onboard the ship, you’ll cruise the bay a bit longer before returning to the pier. From here, you’ll transfer back to Hanoi by bus, then to the airport where you’ll catch a short flight to Da Nang, located on the coast of Central Vietnam.
Upon arrival in Da Nang, you’ll transfer to adjacent Hội An and check into your hotel. This colorful city sits on Vietnam’s central coast at the entrance to the Thu Bồn River and has a long and storied history. You’ll get a sense of it as you stroll its old streets along the waterfront. Feel free to spend the evening relaxing and enjoying dinner out in town.
Day 5: Hoian Cooking Class Tour (B,L)
This morning we will have a cooking class tour:
We start our morning today at 8:15AM with a drink at Hai Scout Café our meeting point. Visit Hoi An’s colourful market, and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and purchase some of the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later. We board the red bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. This is a chance to view local river life, so make sure your camera is handy. On arrival, we explore the cooking school’s herb and vegetable garden, before learning about some of Hoi An’s and Vietnam’s well-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours – each dish is first demonstrated by the Red Bridge chef’s, before we prepare the same dish ourselves. Included in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration). After the lesson, we sit down and enjoy exactly what we have cooked.
Recipes:
- Making fresh Rice paper
- Fresh Rice Paper Rolls of Shrimp
- Crispy Hoi An Pancakes with Shrimp, Herbs & a Peanut Sauce
- Seafood Salad with mixed Vietnamese Herbs served in Half a Pineapple
- Vietnamese Eggplant in Clay Pot
- Food Decoration – Tomato Rose & Vietnamese Cucumber Hand Fan
- Lunch includes the above meals as well as:
- Steamed Ocean Fish on a bed of Freshly Chopped Vegetables (not included in the demonstration)
Day 6: Hoian – Free and Easy
Indulge yourself at the spa or hotel pool side for relaxing; walking and shopping in the nice street of Hoian old town, sightseeing and photography the ancient houses and temples in town.
Day 7: Hoian – Departure
Free this morning until transfer to Danang airport to fly out. End of your Vietnam 7 day tour package. See you next trip.
