Hanoi Cooking Class: Cyclo Ride, Herb Garden & Local Market

★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (125 reviews) 100% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellation

1/21

Duration4h 30m

GroupUp to 8

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Hands-on Hanoi cooking class with market tour and herb garden

You’ll wind through Hanoi’s lively markets by cyclo before finding calm in a hidden herb garden. With your host guiding you, harvest fresh herbs, cook classic Vietnamese dishes from scratch, and share stories over lunch with homemade treats and rice wine. You might leave smelling like lemongrass — but you’ll remember the warmth long after.

4h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Hanoi cooking class and market visit

Take cyclo ride to Dong Xuan market
Explore street food and local trade
Visit Thom Culinary garden house
Harvest fresh herbs in garden
Learn Vietnamese culinary traditions
Get hands-on cooking experience
Enjoy feast with desserts and drinks
Learn eating etiquette and dish stories
Transfer back to hotel

The Experience

I’ll be honest, the cyclo ride through Hanoi’s old quarter was the first thing that made me nervous — I’d never been in traffic like that, all those scooters weaving around us while our driver just grinned. At Dong Xuan market, our guide Thom waved us over to a stall selling something sizzling on a tiny grill (I still have no idea what it was, but it smelled sweet and smoky). She kept pointing out things I’d never notice alone: piles of herbs, little jars of shrimp paste, vendors shouting prices in quick bursts. I tried to say “thank you” in Vietnamese and got a laugh from an old woman selling limes. It was humid and noisy and honestly kind of thrilling.

After that rush, stepping into Thom’s garden felt like dropping into another world. The air changed — softer somehow, with this green smell from all the herbs growing everywhere. We picked handfuls for the cooking class (I didn’t know half their names), and Thom explained which ones go into pho or bun bo Nam Bo. There were dragonflies over the fish pond and her uncle sitting quietly by the family altar. I liked how nothing felt rushed; we chopped ginger together while herbal tea cooled on the table. My hands still smelled like lemongrass hours later.

The actual cooking part was messier than I expected — my spring rolls looked wonky but tasted right, dipped in something sharp and salty. Thom told stories about each dish as we cooked (she says every family does nem Hanoi a little differently). Lunch stretched out with rice wine shots and homemade desserts; someone played old songs on their phone in the corner. On the way back to my hotel, I realized I’d barely checked my phone all day. That garden feeling stuck with me longer than any recipe did.

What’s included

Your day includes a cyclo ride through Hanoi’s bustling markets with street food tastings.
harvesting fresh herbs and exotic fruit from Thom’s lush green garden.
hands-on cooking of four authentic Vietnamese dishes under her guidance.
endless herbal drinks plus homemade rice wine.
unique desserts.
visits to a tranquil family worship hall and fish pond.
and round-trip hotel transfers so you can relax after your feast.

Good to know

Stroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Thơm Culinary