Hoi An, Vietnam

Hoi An Cooking Tour

Hoi An is renowned for its simple but divine cuisine. Many of the mouthwatering dishes served in the many restaurants here are not found elsewhere in the country. This distinction and the superb array of fresh food products found in the local market make for an insightful and fun cooking experience.

We include a short walking tour of the town with Ms. Vy, a well known and respected local restaurateur who has helped bring Hoi An’s superb cuisines to a wider audience. Ms. Vy will escort you through the market place, bringing an in depth explanation and local knowledge to the herbs, spices, fruits and seafood that will need to be purchased in preparation for her cooking lesson that day. Guests will have the opportunity to learn more about Vietnamese foods and prepare their own dishes under Ms. Vy’s guidance, before enjoying these dishes for a sumptuous lunch.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Mekong Delta Tour

Take the bustling highway into the surrounding countryside where you will pass carefully tended, lush rice paddies, before boarding your motorised sampan for a unique experience on the mighty Mekong Delta waterways.

You will see how, to the people of Delta, the water is a lifeline – the focus of all daily activity – as you journey through a maze of tributaries and fruit plantations. Enjoy a sample of delicious fruit in the shade of a fruit farmer’s garden before continuing via even smaller waterways to lunch, where the specialty is a remarkable dish of ‘elephants ear fish’.

Ninh Binh, Vietnam

Exploring Ninh Binh & Tam Coc by bike

Set off on a tranquil bike ride along a secluded trail, passing rice fields away from the usual tourist crowds. The path offers breathtaking views of the picturesque limestone mountains. Stop at Dancing Cave and take a short hike to the summit of Hang Mua for a panoramic view of Tam Coc.

Enjoy a leisurely lunch at a local restaurant before driving approximately 3km to Bich Dong Pagoda – an ancient three-tiered cave pagoda. Accessible only by steep stone steps, the climb is rewarded with a charming pagoda and breathtaking views from the top. Keep going to explore the remnants of the once-majestic citadel of Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of the Dinh and Le dynasties dating back to the 11th century. A climb of around 200 steps rewards you with a bird’s-eye view of the countryside.

End the day with a short drive to Bai Dinh Pagoda, a Buddhist complex on the hillside. This is a great spot to watch the sunset, with limestone formations and vast rice paddy fields in the distance.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi's Secret Alleyways

Hoi An, Vietnam

Ancient Ruins of My Son

Often referred to as the mini “Angkor Wat” of Vietnam, the Cham ruins at My Son are well worth the slightly arduous journey needed to reach them! Your day will begin with an early morning drive from Danang/Hoi An through 60 km of rolling countryside, passing through small towns with markets in full swing, often journeying alongside the wide reaches of the Han River. As you draw closer to My Son, which translates literally as “Beautiful Mountain” the condition of the road begins to deteriorate and the last few kilometres of track are often rutted and potholed. On arriving at the My Son area and after crossing a bamboo “Monkey Bridge” you will transfer to a local jeep for the last spectacular 3 km bump and jolt along a river gorge. Finally, a 500m walk through lush hillsides, trees and brush, before emerging into the main site.

There are over 70 classic Cham monuments at My Son, dating from the 7th – 13th Centuries. Set against the backdrop of the appropriately named Cat’s Tooth Mountain, they would have been an awesome sight in their prime. Until 1968 they remained, remarkably, in almost perfect condition, having been sheltered from the worst excesses of weather by the surrounding hills. Regrettably however, man achieved what nature could not and B52 bombers destroyed most of the towers when My Son found itself in a free-fire zone during the Vietnam War.

Hoi An, Vietnam

Hoi An Social Enterprise Lunch

Most ETG experiences include a lunch, and we design the experience to ensure you steer clear of ordinary tourist buffets and focus on flavours of the local cuisine. We also like to ensure at least one such meal during your holiday is taken at a social enterprise restaurant. Typically, establishments that collaborate with local community programs, offering vocational training that creating life-changing employment opportunities for marginalised youth. Beyond the skills they teach their trainees, these restaurants serve lovely home-cooked food and are a platform for cultural exchange – where you can chat with staff members and learn about local customs.  

During our walking tour of Hoi An, we invite you to experience lunch at STREETS. Since 2009, they have been providing culinary and hospitality training to disadvantaged youth. By dining here, you get a delicious lunch and support a project that provides trainees with nutritious food, housing, clothing, uniforms, a supportive community, and access to basic medical care.   

We began including social enterprise restaurants as part of an initiative we call “One Meal At A Time”. We started this in Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar and have since expanded it to include restaurants in Sri Lanka, Laos, India, Indonesia and Thailand.  We are confident of the positive local impact these restaurants have and of the way in which they can also enhance your experience of our destinations.  

Cao Bang, Vietnam

Ban Gioc Waterfall

Begin your journey at Ban Gioc, where the cascading waters spanning the Vietnam-China border create a visual masterpiece amid lush landscapes and limestone karsts. Marvel at the falls’ thundering display. Delve into the cultural tapestry surrounding Ban Gioc as traditional villages beckon with a glimpse into the region’s rich heritage.

Later in the day, your guide will take you to the mystical Nguom Ngao Cave, a short drive away, where intricate stalactite and stalagmite formations unveil a subterranean world. The contrasts of the open-air grandeur at Ban Gioc and the underground wonders of Nguom Ngao create a day of diverse exploration, natural beauty and cultural immersion.

Hoi An, Vietnam

Farmer and Fisherman Experience

This Farming & Fishing Life Tour provides you with a close-up and intimate experience to both the local farming and fishing communities around Hoi An. Accompanied by your tour guide, you commence the day leisurely cycling along country roads witnessing local Vietnamese rural life first-hand, discovering all manner of photo opportunities – maybe a water buffalo working in a rice paddy field; seeing ducks swimming along or farmers tending their crops. The photo opportunities are endless. You’ll also experience the friendliness of the local people greeting you along the way. Later you will board a local boat for a river cruise to meet and engage with local fishermen and enjoy a hands-on experience of traditional net fishing. You will also experience paddling the unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boat while exploring coconut-palm flanked waterways.

Hue, Vietnam

Imperial Hue

The 20th-century conflicts in Vietnam damaged or destroyed many of the country’s heritage sites. But in the ancient city of Hue – the former imperial capital – you can still get a powerful sense of the country’s royal past before French colonisation in 1887.

In the very early 19th Century, the Nguyen Dynasty ruled Vietnam from Hue. Emperor Gia Long chose this scenic spot surrounded by hills and rivers to build a mighty citadel from which he could govern. The Imperial Citadel was modelled on Beijing’s Forbidden City. Though the complex suffered significant damage during the war years, some of its original buildings remain, and you can still explore them today.

As you wander through this sprawling site, you’ll pass crumbling stone gates, ancient pavilions, arched bridges, libraries, and great halls – all once used for ruling and royal life. While some buildings remain in ruins, others have been carefully restored with the help of UNESCO. The legends of the Nguyen emperors live on here within the moated walls.

From the citadel, you can continue to Thien Mu Temple, another of Hue’s most renowned landmarks. A seven-tiered octagonal tower rises majestically over the peaceful Perfume (Huong) River, reflecting Chinese influence on Vietnamese architecture. Each level of the tower honours a different Buddha, and the temple grounds offer a glimpse into monastic life. You might hear monks chanting mantras or see novices carefully tending to the bonsai garden. One striking and sombre detail: the temple also houses the blue Austin Westminster car that carried the monk Thich Quang Duc to Saigon, where he self-immolated in protest against the repressive Diem regime in the 1960s.

Hue is home to many more historical sites, but two imperial tombs stand out. At the Tomb of Tu Duc, Vietnam’s fourth Nguyen emperor (reigning from 1847 to 1883), you’ll find lotus-filled lakes and a sense of tranquillity. There’s also an element of mystery here, as Tu Duc was never actually buried here but in a secret place to avoid grave robbers – his final resting place remains unknown.

The Tomb of Khai Dinh, by contrast, is a bold departure from traditional Vietnamese style. Built between 1920 and 1931, this elaborate structure is actually a strange mishmash of Vietnamese and Western styles. The mosaic-covered tomb is flamboyant and visually striking, offering a snapshot of Vietnam in the early 20th century – a time when the country maintained its traditions and also adopted some aspects of French influence too.