Vietnamese food is not one cuisine. It is dozens. These journeys explore the differences.
Culinary Vietnam Tours is built for travellers who come to Vietnam to eat. Each journey is led by a chef or culinary specialist, and organised around the food traditions of a specific region — Hanoi’s northern street food, Hue’s imperial cuisine, Hoi An’s central coast cooking, Saigon’s southern flavours, and the Mekong Delta’s river cuisine. You will shop in the markets chefs shop in, cook in the kitchens they cook in, and eat the food they eat.
These are not standard tours with a cooking class attached. Food shapes the route, the pace, the hours, and the accommodations. A culinary journey starts early at the market, breaks in the afternoon, and continues late at night — because that is when the best food is served.
What “Private Culinary Journey” Means
Your itinerary is designed and operated exclusively for your party. Your own chef or culinary guide — leading you through markets, kitchens, and dining rooms that standard tours do not access. Private cooking classes, private market tours, private dining, and private tastings arranged on your schedule.
Culinary Vietnam Tours is one of the collections in the Vietnam Tour Collections system — a set of journeys organised around how you actually want to travel.
Why Choose a Culinary Journey
Six reasons travellers choose our Culinary Vietnam collection.
Vietnamese Food Is Regional
Northern food is subtle and balanced. Central food is spicy and complex. Southern food is sweet and abundant. A culinary journey through Vietnam is really a journey through several different cuisines.
Chef-Guided Throughout
Your guide is a chef or culinary specialist. They lead you through markets, introduce you to vendors, teach you techniques, and explain what you are eating and why it matters.
Access Beyond the Standard
Private kitchens, private market tours before the crowds arrive, private dining in restaurants that do not take bookings, and private cooking classes with Vietnam’s leading chefs.
Street Food Done Properly
Vietnam’s street food is world-class, but it helps to know where to go. We take you to the stalls, the alleys, and the family kitchens that locals actually eat at.
Fine Dining When You Want It
Vietnam now has a genuine fine dining scene. Our culinary journeys include Vietnam’s leading restaurants — and the private dining rooms that most travellers never see.
Fully Tailored
Every itinerary can be adapted — more street food, more fine dining, more cooking classes, or a specific regional focus. Tell us what you want to eat and we will design accordingly.
The Regional Food Traditions Behind These Journeys
Every Culinary Vietnam Tour is built around one or more of these regional traditions.
The Culinary Vietnam Progression
Nine journeys, one culinary ladder — from a focused 5-day Hanoi food weekend to a 15-day culinary journey from north to south.
Choose by Region or By Length — Not Simply by Duration
Culinary travellers choose journeys for a reason. Here are the three main decision paths.
Focused Culinary Escapes
Short, single-destination culinary journeys — for travellers with limited time who want to go deep on one city’s food culture.
Hanoi Food Weekend — 5 Days
A five-day weekend dedicated to Hanoi’s street food and northern cuisine.
Saigon Food Weekend — 5 Days
A five-day weekend dedicated to Saigon’s street food and southern cuisine.
Hanoi Culinary Journey — 7 Days
Hanoi’s street food, markets, cooking classes, and northern cuisine.
Hoi An Cooking Journey — 7 Days
Hoi An cooking classes, markets, and central coast cuisine.
Regional Culinary Journeys
For travellers who want to focus on one region’s food traditions in depth — central Vietnam, southern Vietnam, or Vietnam’s coffee culture.
Multi-Region Culinary Journeys
For travellers who want Vietnam’s full culinary range — north, central, and south — on one continuous journey.
The 9 Culinary Vietnam Tours
Each journey has its own culinary identity — a short escape, a regional deep-dive, a beverage focus, or a full multi-region journey.
Hanoi Food Weekend — 5 Days
Short Northern Culinary EscapeA five-day weekend dedicated to Hanoi’s street food and northern cuisine — morning markets, banh mi, bun cha, egg coffee, and private cooking classes in the Old Quarter.
- Hanoi Old Quarter street food tour
- Bun cha & banh mi tastings
- Private cooking class
- Egg coffee & cafe culture
Saigon Food Weekend — 5 Days
Short Southern Culinary EscapeA five-day weekend dedicated to Saigon’s street food and southern cuisine — Ben Thanh market, District 1’s alley kitchens, southern banh xeo, and Vietnamese coffee culture.
- Ben Thanh market food tour
- Saigon alley kitchen crawls
- Southern banh xeo cooking class
- Vietnamese coffee culture
Hanoi Culinary Journey — 7 Days
Northern Cuisine FocusA seven-day journey dedicated to Hanoi’s northern cuisine — street food, family kitchens, private cooking classes, and northern Vietnam’s most important food traditions.
- Hanoi street food by motorbike
- Northern cooking classes
- Family kitchen visits
- Vietnamese coffee & tea
Hoi An Cooking Journey — 7 Days
Central Coast Cooking FocusA seven-day journey focused on Hoi An’s central coast cuisine — cooking classes, market tours, riverside dining, and the white rose dumplings and cao lau that define the town.
- Hoi An cooking classes
- Cam Thanh market tours
- Cao lau & white rose dumplings
- Riverside dining & lantern nights
Central Vietnam Culinary Journey — 9 Days
Central Vietnam in DepthA nine-day culinary journey through central Vietnam — Hue imperial cuisine, Hoi An cooking traditions, and the coastal seafood that defines Vietnam’s most complex regional cuisine.
- Hue imperial cuisine & banh beo
- Bun bo Hue masterclass
- Hoi An cooking classes
- Central coast seafood
Saigon & Mekong Culinary Journey — 9 Days
Southern Vietnam FocusA nine-day culinary journey through southern Vietnam — Saigon’s street food and the Mekong Delta’s river cuisine, floating markets, fruit orchards, and the family kitchens of the delta.
- Saigon street food crawls
- Cai Rang floating market
- Mekong Delta cooking classes
- Delta fruit orchards & family meals
Vietnam Coffee & Cuisine Journey — 10 Days
Coffee & Cuisine CombinedA ten-day journey through Vietnam’s coffee culture and its regional cuisine — Hanoi’s egg coffee, Central Highlands coffee plantations, Da Lat roasteries, and Vietnamese street food throughout.
- Hanoi egg coffee & cafe culture
- Central Highlands coffee plantations
- Da Lat roasteries & tastings
- Regional cuisine pairings throughout
Vietnam Culinary Discovery — 12 Days
Three Great Food CitiesA twelve-day culinary journey through Vietnam’s three great food cities — Hanoi, Hoi An, and Saigon — with private chef-guided tours, cooking classes, and Vietnam’s finest restaurants.
- Hanoi → Hoi An → Saigon
- Private chef-guided market tours
- Cooking classes in each city
- Fine dining at Vietnam’s top restaurants
Vietnam Culinary Grand Journey — 15 Days
Our Flagship Culinary ItineraryOur flagship culinary itinerary — fifteen days to experience Vietnam’s regional cuisines from north to south. Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Saigon, and the Mekong Delta, with chef-guided access throughout.
- Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Saigon & Mekong
- Chef-guided market tours throughout
- Private cooking classes in each region
- Vietnam’s finest restaurants & private dining
North → Central → South
A geographic view of where each culinary journey goes, and what makes each region’s food distinctive.
How Much Time Do You Have?
A functional view of our Culinary collection by travel length.
Weekend Escapes — 5 Days
For travellers with limited time who want a focused weekend dedicated to one city’s food culture.
| Duration | Journey | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Days | Hanoi Food Weekend | Northern street food |
| 5 Days | Saigon Food Weekend | Southern street food |
Focused Culinary Journeys — 7 to 9 Days
For travellers who want to go deep into one region’s food traditions.
| Duration | Journey | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Days | Hanoi Culinary Journey | Northern cuisine |
| 7 Days | Hoi An Cooking Journey | Central coast cooking |
| 9 Days | Central Vietnam Culinary Journey | Central Vietnam in depth |
| 9 Days | Saigon & Mekong Culinary Journey | Southern Vietnam in depth |
Multi-Region & Flagship — 10 to 15 Days
For travellers who want Vietnam’s full culinary range on one continuous journey.
| Duration | Journey | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Days | Vietnam Coffee & Cuisine Journey | Coffee & cuisine |
| 12 Days | Vietnam Culinary Discovery | Three great food cities |
| 15 Days | Vietnam Culinary Grand Journey | Flagship itinerary |
Find Your Culinary Journey
Street Food & Markets
5–12 DaysFor travellers whose primary interest is street food and markets — the stalls, alleys, and family kitchens where locals eat.
Cooking & Classes
7–15 DaysFor travellers who want to cook, not just eat — private cooking classes, market tours with chefs, and hands-on technique sessions.
Coffee, Tea & Beverage
10 DaysFor travellers whose interest is beverage — Vietnam’s coffee culture, tea traditions, and craft beverage scene.
Regional Cuisine Journeys
9–15 DaysFor travellers who want to understand Vietnam’s regional cuisines in depth — north, central, and south.
The Experiences That Define Each Journey
Every Culinary Vietnam Tour includes private access to signature food experiences.
Hanoi Street Food Crawls
Private street food crawls through Hanoi’s Old Quarter — banh mi, bun cha, pho, and the family stalls that locals actually eat at.
Hoi An Cooking Classes
Private cooking classes in Hoi An — from Cam Thanh market tours to hands-on cao lau, white rose dumplings, and central coast technique.
Hue Imperial Cuisine
Hue’s imperial cuisine — banh beo, bun bo Hue, and the refined royal cooking that defines Vietnam’s most complex regional cuisine.
Mekong Delta River Cuisine
Delta river cuisine — floating markets, fruit orchards, and family kitchens of the Mekong Delta, with cooking classes along the river.
Vietnam Coffee Culture
Hanoi egg coffee, Central Highlands plantations, and Da Lat roasteries — Vietnam’s coffee culture through private tastings and cupping sessions.
Fine Dining & Private Kitchens
Private dining at Vietnam’s leading restaurants, private kitchens with leading chefs, and Michelin-level experiences arranged throughout.
Culinary Destinations In This Collection
Every Culinary Vietnam Tour is built around Vietnam’s most important food destinations.
Hanoi
Vietnam’s northern cuisine capital — pho, bun cha, banh mi, egg coffee, and the Old Quarter’s street food culture.
Ninh Binh
Northern Vietnam’s rice country — goat meat, com chay, and the regional dishes of the Red River Delta.
Hue
Vietnam’s imperial cuisine — banh beo, bun bo Hue, and the refined royal cooking of the Nguyen Dynasty.
Hoi An
Central coast cooking — cao lau, white rose dumplings, and the town’s renowned cooking class culture.
Da Nang
Central coast seafood — mi quang, fresh seafood, and the coastal cooking traditions of central Vietnam.
Saigon
Vietnam’s southern cuisine capital — com tam, banh xeo, alley kitchens, and Vietnam’s most dynamic dining scene.
Mekong Delta
River cuisine — floating markets, fruit orchards, freshwater fish, and the family cooking of the delta.
Can Tho
Home of Cai Rang floating market — Vietnam’s largest floating market and the heart of delta cooking.
Buon Ma Thuot & Da Lat
Vietnam’s coffee heartland — highland plantations, roasteries, and Vietnam’s finest coffee culture.
Hoi An Cooking Schools
Vietnam’s cooking class capital — private classes in Hoi An’s famous cooking schools, from market to table.
Hanoi Cafe Culture
Vietnam’s coffee capital — egg coffee, coconut coffee, and the historic cafes of the Old Quarter.
Hoi An Signature Dishes
White rose dumplings, cao lau, and the dishes that can only be made in Hoi An.
Notes on Eating in Vietnam
Insights from Andy Nguyen, Culinary Travel Expert at Asia Travel Mates.
Vietnamese Food Is Regional, Not National
“People talk about ‘Vietnamese food’ as if it is one cuisine. It is not. Northern food is subtle and balanced. Central food is spicy, complex, and imperial. Southern food is sweet, abundant, and tropical. The best culinary journey in Vietnam covers all three.”
Street Food Is Not a Compromise
“Vietnam’s street food is world-class. Some of the country’s best meals cost less than $2. The trick is knowing where to go — and that is what a chef-guided journey is for.”
Markets Before Crowds
“Vietnam’s best food markets are best visited before 8am — when the chefs shop, the fish is fresh, and the stalls are busy. After 10am, the same market is a different place.”
Cooking Classes Are Best Private
“Group cooking classes in Vietnam can feel like a tourist activity. Private classes with a chef — in their own kitchen or a private school — are a genuinely different experience.”
Fine Dining Is Now Serious in Vietnam
“Vietnam now has a genuine fine dining scene — from Hanoi’s Michelin restaurants to Saigon’s modern Vietnamese kitchens. Our culinary journeys include Vietnam’s leading restaurants and the private dining rooms most travellers never see.”
Plan Around the Seasons
“Vietnam’s food changes with the seasons — spring vegetables in the north, summer seafood on the coast, autumn fruit in the delta. If you have a specific dish in mind, ask us when it is at its best.”
Every Journey Is a Starting Point
Published itineraries are starting points. Tell us how you eat and we will adapt the journey around you.
How We Customize Your Journey
Every Asia Travel Mates culinary holiday is private and built around you. From the first enquiry to the final transfer, you can change the shape of the journey.
- Change hotels or upgrade accommodation
- Add or remove days
- Add destinations along the route
- Extend time at any food city
- Add private cooking classes, market tours, or dining experiences
- Adjust the balance between street food and fine dining
- Combine with a beach extension (Hoi An, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc)
Tell us your dates, dietary preferences, travellers, and how you like to eat — we will design the journey accordingly.
What’s Included & What’s Not
All Culinary Vietnam Tours are operated by Asia Travel Mates and include:
- Accommodation as specified
- Meals as specified in the itinerary
- Chef-guided culinary tours throughout
- Private cooking classes & market tours
- Private transportation throughout
- All restaurant reservations & dining experiences
- All entrance fees & tastings as specified
Not included: international flights, visa fees, travel insurance, personal expenses, gratuities, and any activities not listed in the itinerary.
Booking and enquiries are handled directly through Asia Travel Mates. Full booking conditions, cancellation policy, and privacy/terms are available on request and via asiatravelmates.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a Culinary Vietnam Tour different from a standard Vietnam tour?
Culinary Vietnam Tours are built around Vietnam’s food traditions — street food, markets, cooking classes, and fine dining. They are led by chefs or culinary specialists and organised around the food traditions of specific regions. The food shapes the route, the pace, and the accommodations.
Are the guides chefs or culinary specialists?
Yes. Every Culinary Vietnam Tour is guided by a chef or culinary specialist who knows the markets, the vendors, the kitchens, and the restaurants. They explain what you are eating, where it comes from, and how it is made.
Do you accommodate dietary restrictions?
Yes. We work with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and other dietary requirements. Tell us your needs when you enquire and we will design the journey accordingly — including specific restaurants, cooking classes, and market tours that accommodate your requirements.
Are these tours private or group?
All our Culinary Vietnam Tours are private journeys — your own chef-guide, your own transportation, and your own itinerary. Cooking classes are private, market tours are private, and dining experiences are private. No group departures, no fixed dates.
Can children join culinary journeys?
Yes. Many of our culinary journeys are excellent for families with children aged 8 and above. Cooking classes and market tours are particularly popular with children. We adapt the pace and content for younger travellers.
What is the best time of year for a Vietnam culinary holiday?
Vietnam’s food changes with the seasons, but culinary travel is possible year-round. Spring (February to April) and autumn (September to November) offer the most comfortable conditions. We plan each journey around the best seasonal produce for its destinations.
Can I focus on a specific regional cuisine?
Yes. Several of our journeys are focused on a single regional cuisine — Hanoi’s northern food, Hue’s imperial cuisine, Hoi An’s central coast cooking, or Saigon’s southern food. Tell us which region interests you and we will recommend the right journey.
Do you offer fine dining experiences?
Yes. Our culinary journeys include Vietnam’s leading restaurants — including Michelin-level experiences — and private dining rooms at Vietnam’s finest hotels and restaurants.
What is included in the tour price?
All Culinary Vietnam Tours include accommodation, meals as specified, chef-guided culinary tours, private cooking classes and market tours, private transportation, all restaurant reservations, and all entrance fees and tastings. International flights, visa fees, travel insurance, and personal expenses are not included.
How much do Culinary Vietnam Tours cost?
Indicative pricing starts from $1,800 per person for the 5-day Hanoi or Saigon Food Weekend and reaches $8,500 per person or more for the 15-day Vietnam Culinary Grand Journey, depending on property selection, dining choices, and season.
Can I customize one of these culinary journeys?
Yes. Every published itinerary is a starting point. You can change hotels, add or remove days, add destinations, extend time at any food city, add private cooking classes and dining experiences, and adjust the balance between street food and fine dining. Tell us your dates, preferences, and pace and we will adapt the journey accordingly.
Do you offer culinary journeys in Laos and Cambodia?
Yes. Several of our culinary journeys extend naturally into Laos and Cambodia — combining Vietnamese, Lao, and Khmer cuisines on a single multi-country journey. Talk to us about a multi-country culinary itinerary.
Plan your Vietnam culinary journey
Design Your Culinary Vietnam Journey.
Tell us your dates, preferred regions, how you like to eat, and any dietary requirements — we’ll recommend the right journey and adapt it to your interests.
Speak With Andy Nguyen →Vietnam culinary expertise, on the ground.
If you are building Vietnam culinary programs for your clients, we can support you with vetted chef-guides, private cooking schools, and confidential trade rates.
Visit the Trade Page →Let’s Design Your Culinary Vietnam Journey.
Nine culinary journeys from 5 to 15 days — street food, cooking classes, markets, and fine dining across Vietnam’s regional cuisines. Tell us your dates, regions, and how you like to eat — we’ll take it from there.