Vietnam Gourmet Traveller - 15 days

Drifters Price: £665.00

RRP: £700.00

Trip Code: INTVGT

Local Payment: USD$200.00

Days 1-2 Hanoi

You and your fellow travellers will be arriving at all times from around the world today, so there are no arranged activities. Your leader will organise a pre-trip meeting for the early evening where they will collect your local payment (USD200 cash). This will be followed by a group dinner. Look for a welcome note at reception in the joining point hotel explaining where to meet. Note that hotel check-in time is 12 noon.

On day 2 we enjoy a visit Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum and House On Stilts. The rest of the afternoon is free to wander along tree-lined avenues and around pagoda-studded lakes. In the early evening we take you on a cyclo ride into the old quarter, where we sample traditional northern fare. After dinner we attend a performance of Vietnam's famous water puppets and, if you like, maybe stop for an ice-cream and coffee on the lake.

Days 3-4 Hue

Before leaving for Hue, we enjoy a morning cooking class at KOTO's. Take the opportunity to learn about the intricacies of Vietnamese cooking at this unique training restaurant, designed to teach hospitality skills to disadvantaged youth.

We bid goodbye to Hanoi and transfer to Noi Bai Airport for the short flight (approx. 1 hour) to the old imperial capital of Hue. We arrive in the early evening of day 3.

Day 4 is spent touring the remarkable tombs of the Nguyen emperors and the imposing Citadel. Boarding cyclos, we visit the bustling Dong Ba markets before enjoying a short cruise and a royal banquet dinner consisting of nine dishes, accompanied by traditional folk music singingon the Perfume River - a great way to relax after a busy day.

Days 5-7 Hoi An

We travel by air-conditioned bus for the spectacular journey over the Hai Van Pass through Danang to Hoi An. We tour this newly declared World Heritage site and introduce you to the rich multicultural history of this once thriving merchant town and river port.

While in Hoi An, we head to the market for a discovery tour of the local produce and ingredients. A cooking lesson is also on the menu and you will have the opportunity to roll up your sleeves, chop, dice, stir and sample the spoils of your labour.

There is also plenty of free time to visit the art galleries, explore the network of heritage streets, visit the tailor shop for a new wardrobe, or just relax.

Days 8-9 Nha Trang

We have time for a final bowl of delicious Cao Lau noodles, and any last minute alterations at the tailors, before we head back to Danang (1 hour) and board our flight south (approx. 1 hour) to Nha Trang.

Nha Trang, once referred to as the 'Cannes of the Orient', greets us with swaying palms, golden sands and deep blue waters. Although Nha Trang is fast developing as a popular beachside resort, local fare still abounds. We take a sunset cyclo tour to explore the seaside town.

Day 9 is spent on a converted fishing boat, cruising through the islands, swimming, enjoying an incredible seafood banquet prepared on board and just relaxing in a deck chair.

Days 10-11 Dalat

Leaving the golden sands behind, we travel by air-conditioned bus through magnificent rural scenery. As we climb into the mountains of the South Central Highlands, the air becomes cooler, signaling our approach to the former French colonial hill station of Dalat (approx. 5 hours).

Arriving in the mid-afternoon there is time to relax or explore the winding streets and cobbled paths. We visit Emperor Bao Dai's Summer Palace, the extraordinary oddball architecture of 'Hang Nga', the gardens and Zen Buddhist paintings at Lam Ty Nghi Pagoda and the colourful central market. This evening we enjoy a superb dinner at Trong Dong restaurant, regarded by many as the home of the best food in Vietnam.

On day 11 we participate in an organic farm experience.

Day 12 Ho Chi Minh City

On day 12, we head to Dalat airport in the morning. We stop at the 'Chicken Village' where Chill, Cham and Khor minority groups live side by side, producing magnificent silk and cotton weavings.

Boarding our final short flight (approx. 1 hour), we arrive in the busy economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City. Quite a contrast to its more sedate northern counterpart, the city's food is spicier, sweeter and more varied, with an abundance of great restaurants to choose from for our evening meal.

Day 13 Mekong Delta

Leaving the tooting and honking of traffic behind, we travel south to Cai Be (approx. 3 hours), where we board our waiting boats to cross the upper Mekong River and explore its intricate waterways. This is our introduction to a different world, where life depends on the river. We visit a fruit orchard where we sample tropical fruit and enjoy a simple lunch before continuing on to visit some local cottage industries. Around sunset we make our way up one of the many canals to our tranquil homestay, where we feast on Mekong Delta specialties prepared by our hosts.

Days 14-15 Ho Chi Minh City

Activity starts early in the Mekong Delta, and after breakfast we visit the busy Cai Be floating market before re-boarding our bus to arrive in Ho Chi Minh City by lunch time. A cyclo tour takes us to some of the more famous landmarks. There is still time for shopping and further sightseeing before our 'last supper' at one of the city's finest restaurants.

You are free to depart at any time on day 15.

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