“This was the perfect way to spend our last day in Vietnam. We are leaving this country feeling blissful and with our bellies full!”
— Lucie, 2026
01 Food tours
Original food tours, curated with our local tastemakers to showcase the neighbourhood kitchens, markets and family-run eateries that define Hoi An.
02 Meet the tastemakers
The local food experts who help us research, refine and lead every A Chef's Tour.
Cao lau noodles cooked in ancient well water, silky mi quang, herby banh mi, com ga chicken rice. Central Vietnam sits between the north's restraint and the south's exuberance.
04 The pantry
- Cao lau noodles, chewy strands cooked with water from ancient town wells
- Turmeric, ground fresh for mi quang
- Local greens, from the herb gardens of Tra Que village
- Fish sauce, aged in local barrels for central Vietnamese cooking
- Rice paper, hand-rolled and sun-dried for banh trang
05 In the kitchen
- Rinsing cao lau noodles in Ba Le well water for the true texture
- Pressing mi quang noodles wide and yellow with turmeric
- Grilling banh xeo crepes in tiny clay pans over charcoal
- Growing herbs organically in Tra Que gardens for the town's kitchens
- Sun-drying rice paper on bamboo racks along the riverbanks
06 Eat this first
- Cao lau, chewy noodles with sliced pork, greens and crispy pork skin
- Mi quang, turmeric noodles with prawn, pork and roasted peanuts
- Banh xeo, crackling rice-flour crepes stuffed with prawn and beansprout
- Com ga Hoi An, turmeric chicken rice with mint and Vietnamese coriander
- Banh mi Phuong, the town's famed baguette layered with pate and grilled pork
What happens inside a hammam kitchen
A morning with the cooks who feed the neighbourhood before dawn. Charcoal, dough, the smell of a bakery working its second oven.
09 Recipes
A collection of authentic recipes we couldn't leave behind.
A tall glass layered with mung bean, red bean, tapioca, lotus seed, pandan jelly and coconut cream over crushed ice. The classical Vietnamese "mixed everything" dessert.
Cubes of soft white milk pudding, cool almond-scented syrup, poached longan and crushed almonds. Ho Chi Minh City's modern minimalist chè.
A soft fluffy omelette bulked out with chopped fresh mugwort leaves, seasoned lightly with fish sauce. Northern Vietnam's traditional restorative dish for post-illness recovery.
Whole bananas wrapped in coconut sticky rice and banana leaves, then grilled over charcoal until dark caramelised. Ho Chi Minh City's late-night street dessert, drenched in sweet coconut cream.
Thin slices of raw anchovy cured briefly in lime, tossed with rice powder, roasted peanuts and mixed herbs, then wrapped in rice paper with vegetables. Da Nang's coastal specialty.
Thin flat rice-flour cakes topped with a small mound of pork and shrimp, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. Hue's flat cousin to bánh bột lọc.
10 Field Notes
Quick field notes to help you get accustomed to Hoi An.
Weather
Tropical. Hot and humid summers (32°C-plus), typhoon risk October to December, and cool, dry winters (20–25°C). February to April is the sweet spot.
Currency
The Vietnamese dong (VND). Cash for markets and tailor shops; cards for larger restaurants and hotels. ATMs are common in the old town.
Language
Vietnamese. English coverage is decent thanks to tourism.
Etiquette
Modest dress at temples and family halls in the old quarter. Bargain gently, Hoi An tailors expect it, but be respectful about it.
Getting around
The old town is walking-only during peak hours and always best on foot. Bicycles are cheap and cover the wider area including An Bang beach; Grab bikes work well.
Prayer
A mix of Buddhist, Confucian, and Chinese folk-religion rhythms. The ancestral halls and Assembly Halls are all active sites. Small Catholic and Cao Dai communities too.