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Tour:
Amazing Cook and Tour Holiday To Vietnam
THIS IS NOW FULLY BOOKED!
Description:
Duration:
Dates:
Price per person:
Luxurious, Vietnam Two Centre Cook & Tour Holiday
Two centre holiday at Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Hoi An Beach
10 days - 9 nights
3rd March 2010 to 12th March 2010
17th March 2010 to 22nd March 2010
£1499 per twin share per person (Flights included)
Check out what's included click here
Single supplements apply please contact us for these
Itinerary:
DAY
1
Arrival Ho Chi Minh city (Saigon)
On arrival from your flight , you will be met by a representative of The Little Tour Company and transferred to the hotel in the heart of Saigon, the four star plus , Caravelle , here you will stay for three nights . Saigon , surely one of the most evocative place names in Asia and definitely one of the most extraordinary cities in the world. Ho chi minh City is its official name - although to residents and visitors alike it is universally and affectionately known as Saigon . A city of amazing contrasts, elegant international hotels, exclusive restaurants and trendy bars side-by-side with roadside noodle stalls, street children and vociferous cyclo drivers, Bustling , booming , crowded and noisy , but yet there are the elegant colonial French boulevards and buildings, the Cathedral, the riverfront, the sidewalk cafe where you can watch the world go by you at breakneck speed. A city that has to be experienced to be believed and completely unforgettable.
Evening WELCOME DINNER AT THE LEMONGRASS RESTAURANT
OVERNIGHT AT THE CARAVELLE HOTEL www.caravellehotel.com
MEALS INCLUDED - DINNER
DAY
2
Saigon
An early start this morning, we begin our Tour Programme by a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels Tour.
We will journey out of the city centre to the Cu Chi regions, where you will visit the vast underground network of tunnels built first as a defence against the French, and later expanded during the American war. It was from here that the North Vietnamese waged their guerilla warfare and you will marvel at their ingenuity and resilience. See the secret trapdoors, underground kitchens, living areas and meeting rooms. The more adventurous may explore the deeper second, and even third level tunnels. For those referring to remain above the ground, there is ample opportunity to view the excavated areas from above. we recommend good walking shoes , and not so good clothes as you might get a little dirty!
Lunch at Pho Co restaurant
Afternoon City Highlights Tour - After lunch, we begin our city highlights tour, we stop for a photo at the former Presidential Palace, which is now preserved as a museum , including the underground communications bunkers, headquarters for the Saigon Government during the American War. Visit NotreDame an impressive neo-Romanesque cathedral in the centre of the city, the 'wedding cake' styled hotel d'ville , the colonial People's Committee building and Dong khoi Street, formerly the centre of haute coiture in Saigon when it was known as Rue Catinat. We end our city tour with a visit to the War Reminants Museum.
DINNER AT VIETNAM HOUSE
OVERNIGHT AT THE CARAVELLE HOTEL www.caravellehotel.com
MEALS INCLUDED- BREAKFAST , LUNCH AND DINNER.
DAY
3
Full day Mekong Delta (My Tho) tour
Travel the bustling highway into the surrounding countryside, where you will pass lush rice paddies carefully tended before boarding your motorised sampan for a unique experience on the might Mekong Delta waterways. You will see how, to the people of the Delta , the water is a lifeline- the focus of all daily activity-as you journey through a maze of tributaries and fruit plantations. We continue through even smaller waterways to lunch to sample the local specialty of 'elephants ear fish'. A wonderful experience and not to be missed!
DINNER AT MAXIMS RESTAURANT
OVERNIGHT AT THE CARAVELLE HOTEL . www.caravellehotel.com
MEALS INCLUDED- BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER
DAY
4
Saigon to Danang/HoiAn
Morning transfer to Saigon airport for the flight to Danang.
Arrive Danang airport, have lunch at a local restaurant and then transfer to the four star Hoi an beach resort for a four night stay. About 2 hours away.
The rest of the day is at your leisure , enjoy the beach or the pool, explore the wonderful river, right next to your hotel, in fact you will stay in River View Rooms, so you don't even have to move to experience it! You can watch it all go by.
DINNER AT THE MORNING GLORY RESTAURANT WHERE OUR COOKING PROGRAMME WILL BE TAKING PLACE .
OVERNIGHT AT THE HOI AN BEACH RESORT IN THE UPGRADED RIVER VIEW ROOMS www.hoiantourist.com
MEALS INCLUDED- LUNCH AND DINNER.
DAY
5
Hoi An
Join us this morning on this not to be missed bicycle tour into rural Hoi an, we will experience a special insight into every day life of local village communities as we ride by! The small little settlement of Hoa Chau nestled among seemingly endless rice fields, allows us to experience first hand the very backbone of Vietnam's rural culture, we pass by local home, vegetable and fruit gardens, a wonderful experience.
Lunch at a local restaurant
After Lunch we take a walking tour this afternoon, of the unique trading town of Hoi An, you will not be disappointed, charming and enchanting we will see the wonderful architecture of the traders of a bygone era-Japanese, French, Chinese, and Indian as well as beautifully preserved ancient houses. No cars are allowed to pass through Hoi an, the walking tour will take us to many different places within the old town, and also we will walk through the local market.
I have deliberately NOT INCLUDED dinner this evening, as there is numerous choice and perhaps a chance for you to explore this wonderful place.
OVERNIGHT AT THE HOI AN BEACH RESORT www.hoiantourist.com
MEALS INCLUDED- BREAKFAST AND LUNCH
DAY
6
Cooking class at Morning Glory restaurant (Full day) from 8am - 3pm (approx). Situated in an elegant old building with a French colonial style exterior and traditional hoi an interior, within the heart of the 'old quarter', you will find the cooking school of miss Vy, her gourmet cooking classes are world renowned, featured in many guide books as well as in the New York Times, Travel and Leisure, Le Figaro, World Food Vietnam (Lonely Planet), and many other publications . She specializes in authentic home cooking and local 'hoi an' street food.
The Programme I have carefully chosen is the intensive day course , for chefs , professional or other, apprentices, and passionate home chefs, miss vy will teach us on techniques, features of vietnamese food, history and philosophy, nutrition and food medicine. We will learn how to cook ten vietnamese dishes of which will be your choice from a list of fifteen (to many to list on here, but if you have any questions on this please don't hesitate to call or e mail me, not a problem ) I will give you an example instead:
A few of the choices available out of the fifteen listed.
1. Spring rolls, with a difference, believe me! Shrimp and pork and other.
2. crispy pancake, this is heaven, trust me, a good choice.
3. banana flower salad
4. stuffed mushroom and shrimp mousse
5. cao lau
Now i have just mentioned five out of fifteen....but you will have a choice of much more.
We will also go to the market early morning with ms vy to chose our produce and prepare and cook it for our own lunches. Vegetarian choices are also available , vietnamese cuisine has many wonderful vegetarian options. Her set up is very professional with individual cooking stations and a huge screen behind her so we can view how she creates these wonderful and diverse dishes.
A wonderful day! and you will receive a lacquer bound cookbook.
OVERNIGHT AT HOI AN BEACH RESORT . www.hoiantourist.com
MEALS - BREAKFAST AND LUNCH
Again many choices and you will be too full up at lunch to include dinner!
DAY
7
Hoi An
Free day at leisure
Day free to relax, soak up the sun, walk , hire a bike, explore the ancient town ....a chance to do whatever you would like to do. Or join our 'optional tour ' (extra cost, but includes lunch) to the Ancient Ruins of My Son, described by some as the "Angkor Wat" of Vietnam, the cham ruins at My Son are well worth the slightly arduous journey needed to reach them! More information supplied by request on booking or even in Vietnam itself.
Tonight dinner at Cargo restaurant in the 'old quarter' and owned by ms vy. (a chance to talk, catch up on what we all have done with our free time and bid a farewell to this enchanting place)
OVERNIGHT AT HOI AN BEACH RESORT www.hoiantourist.com
DAY
9
Danang to Ho Chi Minh City (Siagon)
Morning transfer to Danang Airport for the flight to Ho Chi Minh city.
On arrival transfer back to the wonderful Caravelle Hotel for one night
Rest of the day at leisure for shopping, relax, enjoy hotel facilities etc, etc ....
FAREWELL DINNER ON BONSAI RIVER CRUISE
First you will join me for a cocktail upstairs in the caravelle outdoor cocktail lounge (included)
Then we will make our way down to the river for a Buffet Dinner on the Bonsai River Cruise, included is your first drink to welcome you on board , there will be live entertainment as you enjoy your dinner and watch the Saigon skyline and enjoy the bustling river life. A perfect end to a wonderful tour.
OVERNIGHT AT CARAVELLE HOTEL www.caravellehotel.com
MEALS INCLUDED - BREAKFAST AND FAREWELL DINNER.
DAY
10
Depart Siagon Free day at leisure.
Full Breakfast at hotel.
Departure by private transfer to Saigon airport for your onward flight.
WHATS INCLUDED : ALL TRANSFERS AND INTERNAL FLIGHTS
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS TO HO CHI MINH (SAIGON )
ENGLISH SPEAKING LOCAL GUIDE
TOUR MANGER (THATS ME !)
ALL TOURS DETAILED ABOVE
DAY COOKING PROGRAMME WITH MS VY
AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX FROM SAIGON
AIR-CONDITIONED TRANSPORT ALL THE WAY THROUGH
9 BREAKFASTS
7 DINNERS
7 LUNCHES
AND WHATS NOT : TIPS
VIETNAMESE VISA
ALL EXPENSES OF A PERSONAL NATURE
TRAVEL INSURANCE
A deposit of 20% is required deposit on booking, balance is due by 1st February 2010.
AT THIS TIME I AM CURRENTLY WORKING ON AN INTERNATIONAL PASSENGER PROTECTION POLICY TO BE PUT IN PLACE FOR YOUR SECURITY AND PEACE OF MIND , IT WILL PROTECT ALL CLIENTS MONIES GIVEN .
The deposit can be made using the paypal link below but only after confirmation of availability
is obtained by contacting debbie see the how to book page
