Vietnam has abundant food supplies and an elaborate culinary tradition. Cooking is seen as an art and some Vietnamese dishes have achieved international fame, including such traditional dishes as noodle soup (pho), pork sausage (gio lua), spring rolls (nem ran), and fish balls (cha ca). In addition to Vietnamese food, the larger hotels also serve a wide variety of continental and Chinese cuisine. In the smaller cities, where hotels only have one restaurant, ordering a-la-carte may involve a slight wait. Consequently, it is advised that if in a rush, you take advantage of the large and diverse buffets available at these hotels to minimise any delay.

Never drink water from the hotel tap, no matter what category of hotel you are staying in. Bottled mineral water is available at all hotels throughout Vietnam.

Joining in a half- or full-day cooking class is a fun and unique way to become more acquainted with Vietnamese cuisine. Please see our day tours in Hanoi, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City for detailed information about cooking classes.

Vietnam also has a number of excellent and atmospheric restaurants. Please refer to our list of restaurant recommendations by logging in or contact your local tour guide for more suggestions.