Vietnam Foodie Itinerary: 12 Days
Twelve days organised around food. Bun cha in Hanoi, court cuisine in Hue, cao lau in Hoi An, com tam in Saigon, homestay meals in the Mekong.
Vietnam has four distinct regional cuisines that share only a few common threads. The north (Hanoi) is restrained, herb-forward, subtly sour. The centre (Hue, Hoi An) is the country's most complex cooking, layered and spicy. The south (HCMC, Mekong) is sweet, generous and tropical. Twelve days lets you eat through all four with time for cooking classes in each region.
The shape of the trip
Hanoi 3, Hue 2, Hoi An 3, HCMC 2, Mekong 2. Domestic flights handle the long jumps. Every city includes a cooking class or food tour; book ahead.
Day-by-day
| Day | Base | Eat |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hanoi | Pho Gia Truyen for breakfast, banh cuon for lunch, bun cha for dinner |
| 2 | Hanoi | Old Quarter food tour morning, egg coffee at Giang, cha ca La Vong |
| 3 | Hanoi | Cooking class (pho, fresh rolls), bun rieu, fly to Hue |
| 4 | Hue | Bun bo Hue at Ba Tuyet, banh khoai, royal cuisine dinner |
| 5 | Hue | Cooking class focused on imperial court dishes, com hen, fly to Da Nang |
| 6 | Hoi An | Cao lau at Trung Bac, white rose dumplings, banh mi Phuong |
| 7 | Hoi An | Tra Que village cooking class, mi quang, com ga |
| 8 | Hoi An | Free day for repeat favourites, fly to HCMC |
| 9 | HCMC | Com tam Ba Ghien breakfast, banh xeo, banh mi Huynh Hoa |
| 10 | HCMC | District 1 food tour by scooter, hu tieu, bo la lot |
| 11 | Mekong | Homestay in Ben Tre, fresh elephant-ear fish, coconut everything |
| 12 | Mekong | Floating market breakfast in Can Tho, return to HCMC, fly home |
Signature dishes by city
Hanoi: pho bo, bun cha, cha ca, bun rieu, banh cuon, egg coffee, bia hoi.
Hue: bun bo Hue, banh khoai, banh beo/loc/nam, com hen, royal mam tom shrimp dishes.
Hoi An: cao lau (only authentic in Hoi An due to local well water), white rose dumplings, mi quang, com ga, banh mi Phuong, banh xeo.
HCMC: com tam (broken rice with grilled pork), banh mi (try Huynh Hoa for the loaded version), banh xeo, hu tieu Nam Vang, bo la lot, sugarcane juice, ca phe sua da.
Mekong: elephant-ear fish (ca tai tuong), hu tieu My Tho, coconut candy, durian, fresh river prawns.
How to get between segments
- Hanoi to Hue: domestic flight (75 min) or sleeper train (13 hours along the coast).
- Hue to Hoi An: Hai Van Pass by car with seafood-shack lunch stop.
- Hoi An to HCMC: Da Nang airport, 90-min flight.
- HCMC to Mekong: 2.5-hour private car to Ben Tre.
Estimated cost
Per person, mid-range:
| Item | USD |
|---|---|
| Accommodation 12 nights | 480-960 |
| Three internal flights | 130-240 |
| Three cooking classes | 75-180 |
| Two food tours | 60-140 |
| Restaurant and street food meals | 300-450 |
| Local transport | 80-150 |
| Total (excluding international flights) | 1,125-2,120 |
Plan USD 25-40 per day for food alone if you eat at sit-down restaurants. Street food can drop this to USD 10-15.
When to do this trip
October-November and March-April are the best food-friendly weather windows nationwide. Winter (December-February) is excellent for hearty Hanoi soups (pho, bun rieu) which taste better in cool weather. Summer is fine for HCMC and the Mekong but Hue/Hoi An are humid and hot.
What it skips
- Sapa and Ha Giang highland minority food (thang co, men men).
- Northern coast cuisine (Hai Phong cha ca, Halong squid).
- Da Lat highland vegetables and Vietnamese wine.
- Phu Quoc seafood and fish sauce factories.
Practical notes
Book cooking classes ahead, especially Tra Que (Hoi An) and the Old Quarter food tours in Hanoi. Pace yourself: it is genuinely possible to eat too much. Drink bottled or filtered water always, and be cautious with ice in non-tourist establishments. Carry Imodium just in case. Vegetarians: ask for "an chay" (Buddhist vegetarian); Hoi An and Hue have excellent vegetarian Buddhist restaurants.
Related: Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Mekong Delta, cultural itinerary.
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