This trip is designed for the traveler with limited time and an unlimited appetite for a culinary adventure. It features a 12-day itinerary of Vietnam ‘s most popular spots, with many special opportunities to discover and savor the surprisingly varied tastes of this fascinating land.
Our travels will take us from tasting the dishes of the North to the delicacies of Hue, down to the unsurpassed bounty of the Mekong Delta with its cinematic abundance of fruits and vegetables. We’ll experience the tangy flavor of cha ca (charcoal grilled fish), sample Vietnam’s signature pho, become acquainted with infinite types of noodles and rice, and try nuoc mam(Vietnamese fish sauce). Along our way from North to South, we’ll delight in a medley of elegant foods prepared to please the eye as well as the palate, including traditional Vietnamese fare and dishes influenced by international cuisines. Our tour is well planned, and we save precious time by flying or traveling by overnight train. Highlights include the wonders of Ha Long Bay, one of four World Heritage-listed sites in Vietnam, as well as the capital city of Hanoi with its alluring Old Quarter. We’ll also visit Hue, the Imperial City of the 18th and 19th centuries, the picturesque and artsy port town of Hoi An, a favorite with many travelers, and the ever-vibrant Ho Chi Minh City on the bank of Saigon River.