A 12 day feast of culinary delights in Vietnam to whet the appetite

Hands up, who loves Vietnamese food? I know I do! And ask anyone who has travelled through this beautiful South-East Asian country and they will surely tell you - the food is a major highlight of the trip, and just as evocative as the landscape and the beautiful people and culture!

So here's where we welcome word on Helen Wong's Tours' latest special - a 12-day Vietnam Culinary Delights itinerary that has plenty to whet the appetites of food-loving travellers and budding chefs.

Beginning in capital Hanoi, the new itinerary from Helen Wong’s Tours’ Premium Choice programs focuses on such delectable experiences as dining at La Verticale, set in a charming 1930s villa and owned by renowned chef Didier Corlou.

In contrast, travellers will join a local farming family to learn how to make an authentic specialty savoury pancake wrapped in rice paper, amongst a host of treats, and enjoy a simple home cooked meal.

There’s also a visit to a wet market in search of fresh ingredients for another fun cooking class which focuses on herbal remedies as well as step-by-step cooking techniques.

You will also get to dine in one of Hoi An’s premier restaurants before moving to historic Hue to further tickle the taste buds at a private garden home. And there’s the perfect farewell dinner at a fine dining restaurant in Saigon. Sounds quite delectable!

The 12-day Culinary Delights tour, which also spans across to breathtaking Halong Bay and Cai Be in the Mekong Delta, is priced from $4420 per person twin share from Australia. Price includes return international flights, guaranteed five-star hotel accommodation, domestic air fares, daily breakfast and most lunches and dinners, specified transfers, sightseeing and entrance fees with English-speaking guide. 

A Vietnam visa for Australian passport holders and $420 in departure taxes, security and fuel charges (subject to change) are also included along with a Helen Wong’s Tours travel kit and cabin bag.

For more details on this and many other fab foodie travel tours, phone Helen Wong’s Tours on 1300 788328 or visit the website. 

A FIELD KITCHEN IN THE FOREST

If you have a passion for cooking or just a keen interest in learning more about it all in a beautiful wild environment, then you may just like to check out Foragers in the beautiful Southern Forests region near Pemberton, Western Australia. 

Run by Sophie and Chris Zalokar - she is a qualified chef who has worked with Australian food icon Maggie Beer; he is a builder and artisanal craftsman - this is a place where wilderness and food combine in a passionate and unique setting. Guests can come and stay in one of the seven farm-based, private cabins and a cosy farmhouse, with sweeping views over farmland and forest, while partaking in a unique culinary travel experience at the Forager's Field Kitchen, with a variety of dinners and cooking classes held here throughout the year.

Dining is nothing short of an indulgent feast, and changes according to the seasons. Much like a private dining room with long tables rather than a traditional a-la-carte style restaurant, places are pre booked for a fixed price set menu meal that will often be themed and feature local seasonal produce. There are demonstration-style workshop days in the kitchen, as well as weekend hands-on workshops where local produce takes centre stage, while the more intrepid types can set out in to the surrounding bush to source ingredients on the Foraging the Southern Forests experience. 

Nourishing country food served up in a contemporary and hospitable setting, with the delights of the Margaret River a mere day trip away ... sounds like a good way to enjoy some of life's most simple pleasures!