Flavors of Southeast Asia

(16 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)

Singapore, Saigon, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi, Bangkok

Every lover of Asian cuisine, from "foodie" to chef, will appreciate this journey into the spice markets and frying pans of Southeast Asia, tailored, of course, to your tastes and expertise. Flavors of Southeast Asia features each region's main cultural attractions as well as food-focused touring, shopping for distinctive local goods and artisanal food products, a variety of dining experiences, and cooking classes, if desired. Accommodation is at some of the world's most extraordinary luxury hotels, all of which emphasize the local aesthetic and cuisine.

Start in Singapore, where Chinese, Malaysian, Indian and Middle Eastern influences simmer in the same cultural melting pot. Tour a British colonial-era herb and spice garden (founded by Sir Stamford Raffles circa 1822), then, using fresh ingredients from the garden, learn to prepare dishes such as spiced cold mango soup and fried rice with prawns and chutney. Explore "wet" markets (where fresh meat, produce and live fish are sold), "dry" markets (spices, preserved foods, herbal medicine and other dry ingredients) and housewares markets (baskets and cooking utensils) in Little India, Chinatown and the Malay district. Enjoy a walking tour through Singapore's beautiful Botanic Gardens, and perhaps opt for the menu dégustation dinner at Au Jardin Les Amis, the award-winning restaurant inside the Gardens. There will be ample free time to enjoy the legendary Raffles Hotel Singapore, one of the world's most luxurious resort hotels.

Continue to Saigon, Vietnam. Take a private class from Vietnam's most famous television cook and sample dishes such as Vietnamese spring rolls, green papaya salad and shrimp steamed in coconut. Visit Chinatown, the Thien Hau Pagoda, and colorful outdoor markets. Browse along Dong Khoi Street, the city's main boulevard with shops selling clothes and accessories by new Vietnamese designers, hill tribe crafts, high quality linens and housewares. Try Saigon's strong Vietnamese iced coffee and a banh mi (baguette sandwich). One day, cruise the narrow canals of the Mekong Delta, stopping to taste fish dishes, local sweets and tropical fruit.

In Hue, the intellectual heart and former imperial capital of Vietnam, dine on imperial-style cuisine at a private home that once belonged to a royal princess; visit royal tombs overlooking lakes filled with lotus blossoms; cruise the Perfume River to a small pagoda to taste Hue's famous Buddhist vegetarian cuisine; and browse riverside markets to sample local snacks such as banh khoai, a crispy pancake with a peanut-sesame sauce. From there, drive along the spectacular coastline to Hoi An, a centuries-old trading town whose well-preserved architecture has been cited by UNESCO for its unique fusion of indigenous and foreign elements. Here, shop for hand-tailored silk clothing, sip strong coffee at local cafes, or relax on the beach at your exclusive resort.

Continue to Hanoi, Vietnam’s artistic and intellectual capital. Explore the fascinating Old Quarter and its hundreds of specialty shops selling silk clothing, lacquerware, embroidered linens, furniture, bamboo, cooking utensils, ceremonial objects and more. Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, ride a cyclo to dinner, and watch a performance of water puppet theater. Dine on dishes such as banana flower salad and beef cooked with ginger and lime in French colonial villas converted into gourmet restaurants. Enjoy people watching at stylish cafes. Shop for impressive modern art in the city’s many galleries. Also visit Hanoi’s main cultural attractions, including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his House on Stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Fine Arts Museum and the Temple of Literature. Enjoy famous Hanoi flavors by tasting pho (noodle soup) and cha ca (spicy fried fish). Relax in the French-inflected ambience of the city's many fashionable cafes, sampling pastries and watching local life.

Conclude in Bangkok, Thailand. On a private boat ride through the city's narrow residential canals, glide past floating markets where merchants sell fruit, flowers, banana and coconut pancakes, and kitchenware from small boats. Take a cooking class at one of the city's leading cooking schools, and enjoy ample free time to visit Bangkok's wonderful restaurants. If possible, we recommend extending the tour with several days at the Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.