Roam
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From Hanoi to the Highlands
Vietnam, the North 2023
November 5 – 12, 2023
? From the patinaed grandeur of Old Hanoi to the deep hilltribe valleys of Lao Cai province, this week is a master class in the vibrant present and the ancient past. Our hosts will be Hanoians, Hmong, Red Dzao, and the people behind Song Cai spirits, the most knowledgeable culinary minds in Vietnam’s north. We’ll track down the roots of pho from black cardamom fields to water buffalo markets. We’ll dine on blue plastic chairs down Bun cha alleys and private dining rooms with Vietnam’s most dynamic chefs. An unforgettable deep dive with the people who know it best.
Overview
Vietnam, the North 2023
- November 5 – 12, 2023
- November 5 – 12, 2023
Day
1
WELCOME TO THE CAPITOL
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- Private transfer airport to the opulent Metropole Hanoi
- Welcome cocktails with Andy & Daniel
- Classic Hanoian dinner on Trúc Bạch Lake
Day
2
LEARNING THE RHYTHMS
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- Egg coffee experience next to Hoan Kiem Lake at the cafe of the creator’s daughter
- Stroll through Hanoi’s buzzing wet market with a tasting of the best market snacks
- Visit Mr Le Dinh Nghien, last remaining artist of Hang Trong painting
- Dinner of Chả Cá—imperial sizzling fish—a must-have classic of Hanoian cuisine
- Private modernist cocktails with Richard McDonough – a renown molecular mixologist “Mood Therapist”
Day
3
NOODLES FOREVER
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- Early morning Jeep tour of the Old Quarter and French Quarter
- On to Phở Thìn Lò Đúc for the king of breakfasts—Phở—in the glorious delirium of an early-rising, high-energy city
- Lunchtime lesson in how to eat Bun cha Hanoi-style at Ngo Tram Alley
- Spa time at Hotel Metropole
- Dinner with the best of Bia Hoi snack and beer culture
- Taste Vietnamese cocktail culture at Ne for a cocktail before the train
- Head to the hills where Phở was born with private berths on our luxury sleeper train to the highland town of Lao Cai
Day
4
DAWN IN THE HIGHLANDS
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- Visit the remarkable Si Ma Cai water buffalo buffalo market, which foreigners can only visit visit with special permits (we got ‘em)
- Private lunch of Hmong specialties at the home of Vang Sin Min, our host. This is the heartland of the earliest styles of phở
- Transfer to Sa Pa, the blinking, blistering technicolor good-weird jewel of the north
- Swim in the gaudy hotel pool complex or relax in the in-house spa or just do cocktails
or do nothing - Dinner of Sa Pa specialty grilled meats
- Stagger to bed, full, tired, happy
Day
5
MOUNTAIN LIFE
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- Wake early to head to the Red Dzao village near Sa Pa
- Roam fields of black cardamom, a key foundational ingredient of phở
- Forage with Red Dzao elder Ly May Chan
- Visit to a traditional Red Dzao home
- Celebratory Red Dzao feast featuring ancient mastery of black pig cookery
- Transfer to Topas Ecolodge, a stunning and sustainable paradise in the hills
Day
6
RICE AND RELAX
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- Wake up late, no rush, no fuss
- Rice cooking masterclass with Andy Ricker at the resort
- Infinity pool, infinite chill
- Rice wine and rice cocktail tasting at the poolside bar
- Dinner of hotpot in Sa Pa town
Day
7
BACK TO THE LOWLANDS
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- Wake slowly in Topas Ecolodge
- Swim, sulk, smile, say farewell to the mountains you’ve come to love
- Transfer to Hanoi with halfway northern Vietnamese lunch stop
- Last night epic farewell meal: a private dining experience with one of Vietnam’s most creative chefs, Bao La
Day
8
GOODBYE HANOI
- One last breakfast at the Metropole Hanoi
- One last egg coffee and Bun cha if you’ve got time
- Private transfer to Hanoi Airport
Ready for a new adventure?