Vietnam with Thai Dang

Welcome to Hanoi, one of Asia’s most mesmerizing capitals. Today is all about easing into the ancient rhythm of the city, so we’ll refresh and rejuvenate after our long journeys and convene for a welcome dinner in the late afternoon.

Situated atop the former meeting spot of Vietnam’s top writers and journalists, our destination is a hotspot for innovative cocktails and inspired bites. Here, we’ll find La Table Hanoia, the award-winning eatery where Michelin-star chef, Alain Dutournier, crafts a delicious and playful menu—think saffron potato risotto with lobster bisque sherbet. It’s a multi-course celebration of craft and cuisine, and the perfect opportunity to raise our glasses in toast to Thai and the many adventures to come.

Today, we begin our morning in quiet serenity at a nearby Buddhist temple, finding our calm as a local meditation expert leads us through a series of mindful yoga poses and inspired breathwork. Restored and profoundly settled, we’ll all but float onwards to the legendary Thanh Ha Market to commence our masterclass on Hanoi’s world-class street food. Alongside an expert guide, Thai will introduce to us to his favorite local eats, from cà phê trúng (creamy egg coffee) to pho tiu (Vietnam’s original beef and noodle soup) at a hidden family-run shop.

Culinary tour de force complete, we’ll seek out repose at the Ambassador’s Pagoda. Here, we’ll wind through gilded halls and intricate shrines, learning more about the Pagoda’s role as a meeting spot for visiting Buddhist dignitaries. As the truly special culmination to our visit, we’ll sit down with the Pagoda’s senior monk to explore the unique practices and philosophies that inform Vietnam’s Buddhist traditions.

We’ll round off our afternoon with a breezy cyclo ride through the city’s graceful Old Quarter before heading to Chaka, where we’ll try Hanoi’s legendary fried fish.

After breakfast, we’re driving to Ninh Binh Province, where we’ll step back through time to experience some of Vietnam’s rich history. First up is the ancient capital, Hoa Lua. Here, amidst the serene rice paddies, we’ll find vestiges like the King Dinh and King Le worship temples and tombs from the Dinh and Le Dynasties. 

Up next is Norther Vietnam’s largest preserved wetland. From the comfort of our boat, we’ll flow along the river and explore a sprawling 3000 hectares of limestone karsts, hidden caves, and rare langur and bird species.

As the late afternoon descends, we’ll carry memories of Ninh Binh’s cultural and natural wonders back to Hanoi where our evening culminates with dinner at  Cau Go; A restaurant nestled in one of the original 36 streets of the city and complete with panoramic views of Hoan Kiem Lake. 

Say tạm biệt (farewell) to Hanoi; after breakfast we’ll head to the airport for our short flight to Hue, seat of the Nguyen Dynasty and the national capital from 1802 to 1945. Our first stop is the Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO Heritage site and the perfect setting for a garden stroll. Keeping with the royal theme, we’ll meander onwards to the Royal Home of Tha Om and its stunning grounds, followed by lunch at a restored royal home and a visit to the former residence of a Nguyen Dynasty princess. The grand finale to our picturesque afternoon: a breezy boat trip down the Perfume River, complete with a stop at the iconic seven-story Thien Mu pagoda—one of the city’s best-preserved religious monuments.

In the evening, we head to Phu Mong for a feast of epic proportions. The gracious garden house recreates the authentic cuisines of Hue’s past emperors, and each plate is a work of art: think vegetables sculpted into the shapes of animals and crispy stacks of banh khoai (fried rice pancakes).

Our day starts with a leisurely bike ride, wending our way through verdant rice paddies out to Thanh Toan, a 17th-century village just outside Hue where ancient ways are very much intact. We’ll explore its rural market, clan shrine houses, and famous tile-roofed bridge. After lunch at a beloved neighborhood farm, we’ll drive to the elaborate Khai Dinh Royal Tomb and visit a nearby pagoda to partake in a traditional blessing ceremony with a community of local monks. It’s an unforgettable experience and we’ll leave feeling revitalized for the adventures still to come.

After some downtime, we’ll reconvene for dinner by cyclo, with Thai as our guide to the unbeatable flavors of Hue. We’ll warm up with a drink and some light finger food, then wind our way to local restaurants and street food stalls to sample everything from rice with river clams to sizzling lemongrass pork skewers. Don’t be shy about dessert: the region’s famous sweet soups—made from lotus seed, kidney bean, and purple yam—await!

In the morning we’ll bid farewell to Hue and begin our drive to the jewel of central Vietnam: Hoi An. The famous Pass of the Ocean Clouds is our route, and we’ll pause at the crest of this mighty mountain pass to drink in stunning views of the turquoise sea below. We’ll stop along the way at Nam O, a small fishing village famous for its fish sauce production. Here, we’ll immerse ourselves in the 400 year old tradition and follow along as Andrew and local experts explain the significance of the sauce in Vietnamese cuisine.

After lunch at our hotel, we’ll follow with a walk through the city’s historic Old Town. This picturesque riverside city was a major trading port for centuries, and mansions built by merchants still line the narrow streets of the Old Quarter. We’ll stop to admire temples, artisan workshops, and the bustling market, then visit the home of a master lantern-craftsman to learn more about the history, shape, and color of the lanterns—we’ll even have a chance to create our own.

In the evening, we’ll have time to catch our breath back at the hotel before reconvening for dinner at the iconic Mango Mango restaurant. The award-winning eatery is an ode to contemporary Vietnamese cuisine, and we’re honored to have Thai walk us through the menu’s global influences before we tuck into our first-class spread.

We’ll ease into the morning with an energizing yoga session at a nearby studio, any lingering muscle stiffness all but a distant memory after our inspired flow.

Grounded by the stillness of our final savasana, we’ll make our way to Hoi An’s bustling trading post by boat. The experience is a celebration of every sense: the vibrant colors, the cacophony of sounds, the exotic fruits and vegetables. Afterwards, we’re off to a gourmet cooking class led by Thai and local legend Ms. Lu. The duo will teach us the ins-and-outs of knife work and Vietnamese herbs, then we’ll roll up our sleeves to create our very own lunch of local specialities: crab wontons, papaya salad, and muc nhoi thit (squid stuffed with pork).

From there, the afternoon is ours to explore our scenic surroundings—we won’t meet up again until the evening for a an elegant spread of Vietnamese classics at one of the city’s most renowned kitchens, The Temple.

We’re hopping back on our bicycles this morning, passing through lush green rice paddies and grazing water buffaloes on our way to the water coconut forests of Cam Thanh. After trying our hand at fishing and crabbing in a traditional basket boat, we’re heading to the farming community of Tra Que, where we’ll roll up our sleeves to help harvest vegetables from the village garden. After a juggernaut of morning, we’ll reflect and pause for Vietnamese-style self care—an herbal foot massage to revitalize our tired muscles.

Later, we’ll join Thai in the home of a local family for a masterclass in traditional cooking techniques followed by a hearty, garden-fed lunch. From there, the afternoon is ours to explore our scenic surroundings— we’ll meet up again for a  Teh Dar Show at the Hoi An Lune Center before an equally exciting dinner dinner and it’s a real treat.

This morning we’re up bright and early for our short flight to Ho Chi Minh City. From the airport, we’ll embark straightaway on an immersive tour of the fabled city and its bustling streets, stopping to take in thought-provoking monuments like the Burning Monk Memorial and reveling in the French architecture.

After lunch at a beloved local eatery, we’ll check into Hotel De’Art Saigon, our newest home. Our day will end in quintessential Ho Chi Minh City fashion: aboard vespas, zipping through the city’s back allies, and sampling the very best street food along the way.

After our urban adventures yesterday, we’re excited to dive into rural Vietnam. Southwest of Ho Chi Minh City are the spidery tributaries of the mighty Mekong River—they’re home to the bulk of the country’s produce and rice production. We’ll cruise through the waters to one of the region’s iconic floating markets, where vendors balance stacks of heavy melons on narrow wooden boats and hawk fiery chiles on bamboo poles. We’ll connect with locals who have been turning water hyacinth into decorative handbags and banana ropes into hammocks for generations. Once we’ve gotten a feel for river life, we’ll dock our boats on Tan Phong Island and mount bikes for a short cycling tour through the shaded roads of the village. Lunch is an unforgettable experience, a banquet of delicacies sourced along the Delta and served up family-style at the home of a local host.

After our time in the countryside, it’s back to the city for a night of celebration. Our farewell dinner will serve as a joyful reminder of our time together in Vietnam, and alongside Thai we’ll recount our favorite memories over a spread of fresh spring rolls and hyperlocal seafood. After dinner, the night is yours to explore. You’ll find us at one of the city’s chic rooftop bars, nursing an unhurried nightcap in this city that never sleeps.

It’s time to bid goodbye to Vietnam, Thai, and our new friends. With all that we’ve experienced and tasted, we know it won’t be long before we return to this magical land.