Quick Look - CAV Food Tour Options

 ​Q.  Why should I take a street food tour in Hanoi? 
A.  Taking a food tour is the best way for travelers to become familiar with the local foods, customs and surroundings. 

• Most travelers are unaware that Northern Vietnamese food is different than Southern Vietnamese food due to the immigration flow during and after the Vietnam War, which is called the 'American War' over here. Therefore, you are probably only familiar with eating Southern VN food.

• Hiring a local guide that is able to answer any questions that you might have about local customs, traditions, and of course, cultural do’s and dont's, is invaluable if you want to have a more enjoyable travel experience. 

• A food tour is also a great way to learn what tastes and foods that you can confidently continue to eat as you expand your travels across Vietnam. Again, your guide will be able to answer questions, and also tell you where to find the best vendors who make a particular local food. They can also tell you which places that are overly touristy or that are over-hyped.

• We will shower you with unnecessary gifts when you arrive, and at the conclusion of your tour, we will provide images and a 30 second tour recap video of your experience that were taken by your guide. Finally, we will pass along your tour routing through a google maps link so that you can easily return to any of the eateries that you visited on your tour for more of the best foods in Hanoi. 

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Q.  Why should we tour with Curious About Vietnam?

A.  We believe full-heartedly, that we provide a one-of-a-kind food tour experience in Hanoi's Old Quarter. Our founder (Ms. Yummyface) is obsessive about the details because she understands the expectations and needs to Western travelers. Everything has to be right... the presentation, the food quality & taste, and the overall experience. Her reputation depends on it.

• The foods and small local vendors that you will visit have been personally curated by our founder Lylla, a.k.a 'Ms. Yummyface'. She has an impeccable palette, is an exceptional cook. We strictly avoid touristy eateries and areas.

• Our guides are extremely well-trained, speak very good English, and each are incredibly proud to be cultural ambassadors of Hanoi and Vietnam.

• Lylla lived in the USA and Europe before deciding to return home to create Vietnam food content in 2023. She fully understands Western fears, and expectations of cleanliness, and has personally trained each associate guide on our team.

• Our guides are very well paid because we demand that they go above and beyond when serving, teaching and sharing the real Vietnam, with our guests. We also believe that paying a good wage, leads to happy team members.

• After adding up what we spend on food, tour gifts and guide pay, our tour costs are actually higher than the retail price of most tour providers. Our goal is to be without question - the best food tour in Hanoi, and Vietnam.

• You will also receive a small CAV tote bag upon arrival to carry your water and tour supplies (wet-wipes & tissue).

• At the conclusion of your tour, your guide will also provide you with your tour routing so that you can easily find and revisit the eateries that you experienced on your tour. 

• Finally, you will receive a small but thoughtful departing gift before saying goodbye to your guide. ​

 

Q.  What types of food tours do you offer? 

A.  We offer both group and private tours. Group tour sizes are limited to 7

curious eaters. Private tours can be any size and are designed specifically

do accommodate specific dietary requests, or needs.

Q.  What do I need to bring?
A.  Just your hungry self, and a good attitude. We will provide water,

wet-wipes, tissue, and a small gift bag to carry those items in.

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Q.  Do you provide a riding or scooter tours? 
A.  We do not.. Our focus is on premium street food experiences in Hanoi’s

famous Old Quarter. Out tours are very walkable with short journey's between

vendors. The walk is perfectly suitable for young kids, or older family members.

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Q.  How much walking will be involved?
A.  The goal of every tour is to spend a large majority of our time sitting

and eating. The longest walk between vendors is only around 10 minutes.

The average walk is 3-4 minutes.

 

Q.  What happens if it rains?

A.  In the event of a shower, or rain, we usually purchase poncho’s for the

group and keep moving. If it gets super heavy, we can take shelter and wait it out in comfort. We are never too far from cover, in the Old Quarter.
 
Q.  Do I get to take home any souvenirs from your tour? 
A.  Besides amazing memories, our guides are trained to take pictures and videos during your tour. At the conclusion of your tour, your guide will share the images with you, and then we will follow up with you a day or two after your trip to send along a  personalized 30 second video recap of your food tour. 
 

Q.  Is a Train Street visit included on your food tours?
A.  Unfortunately, it is not. We are committed to mouth-first adventure eating in the Old Quarter. Train Street is neither nearby, or provides great culinary experiences. Train Street should be done on your own time as train times can be inconsistent and finding a good seat means sitting and waiting for up to an hour. It is Lylla’s opinion that you can either eat good food, or you can do Train Street. Doing both is going to lead to an average experience for both due to the time constraints and location of Train Street, which is about a 15 minute walk from the heart of the Old Quarter. although we do understand the attraction and want to experience both at the same time.