Cooking class on Cat Ba floating village: Market to table

Shop the market, cook your own dinner, eat what you made

A five-hour cooking class in Cat Ba starts at the market where you bargain for fresh ingredients with local vendors, then moves to Linda Kitchen for hands-on instruction in four Vietnamese dishes (chicken salad, spring rolls, crispy noodles with beef, and egg coffee) ending with dinner you prepared yourself. A live English-speaking guide leads the whole experience, and the class welcomes children from age one.

The experience

The day begins at Cat Ba Market at 4 PM, where you pick the ingredients yourself. A guide walks you through the stalls and shows you how to bargain with vendors the way locals do: part of the cultural immersion. Once you've gathered what you need, you head to Linda Kitchen, the cooking space where the hands-on work starts. The host takes you through each dish step by step: preparing the raw ingredients, cooking them, and plating them so they look finished. You're not watching a demonstration. You're doing the work, learning the technique as you go.

The four dishes you'll make are chicken salad, Vietnam spring rolls, deep fried crispy noodles with sautéed beef and green vegetables, and egg coffee. Each one teaches you something different about Vietnamese cooking: the balance of flavors, the timing, the texture. As the sun sets over Cat Ba with music playing softly, you sit down and eat the food you just cooked. That's the payoff: the dishes are yours, and so is the memory of making them.

What’s included

• Market visit with ingredient selection and traditional bargaining.
• hands-on cooking instruction for four Vietnamese dishes.
• dinner with the food you prepared.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 16:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (9 and older) · Child (3 to 8 years) · Infant (1 to 2 years)

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Cat Ba Local

Is this one for you?The 4 PM start at the market means you can spend your afternoon elsewhere in Cat Ba and join when the class begins. If you're staying in the town without a car, the market is the natural meeting point, and the guide handles the route to Linda Kitchen from there.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 8 years); Infant (1 to 2 years).

What do I actually cook in this class?

You make four dishes: chicken salad, Vietnam spring rolls, deep fried crispy noodles with sautéed beef and green vegetables, and egg coffee. The guide walks you through preparing raw ingredients, cooking each one, and plating them so they're ready to eat.

How does the market part work?

You go to Cat Ba Market at the start of the class and pick your own ingredients from the vendors. The guide shows you how to bargain the way locals do, so you're learning the culture as well as shopping for dinner.

Do I need cooking experience to join?

No. The host guides you through every step, from prep to plating. The class is hands-on instruction, so you learn as you cook, and children are welcome from age one.

What time does the class start and end?

The class starts at 4 PM at Cat Ba Market and runs for five hours, ending as you finish dinner at Linda Kitchen after sunset.

Is the class private or shared with other people?

The class is shared with other participants. A live English-speaking guide leads the group through the market visit and the cooking instruction at Linda Kitchen.