Dive into the heart of Vietnamese culture

Traveling in Vietnam is much more than visiting spectacular landscapes or historical sites. It is also about immersing yourself in the local way of life, through gastronomy and traditional wellness practices. Two essential experiences await you: taking part in a Vietnamese cooking class and discovering Dien Chan, Vietnamese facial reflexology. Here is a comprehensive guide to enjoying these experiences in the six largest cities in the country, with all the practical information you need to book and make the most of your stay.

Vietnamese cooking classes: experience gastronomy from the inside

Cooking classes in Vietnam are a privileged gateway to local culture. They generally include a market visit, discovering fresh ingredients, preparing typical dishes, and then enjoying a convivial meal around a large table. The workshops are accessible to both beginners and enthusiasts, and are often offered in English, sometimes in French.

Hanoi

In the capital, classes often take place in the Old Quarter or in traditional houses. You will learn to prepare specialties like pho, nems, or bun cha. Renowned schools include Duong’s Cooking Class, Apron Up Cooking Class, Rose Kitchen, and Blue Butterfly Cooking Class. Prices range from 30 to 45 euros for 3 to 4 hours, including market visit, preparation, and meal.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Here, the focus is on southern flavors: banh xeo, goi cuon, southern-style pho... Workshops such as Saigon Cooking Class (Hoa Tuc), La Rêverie Saigon, and M.O.M Cooking Class offer packages with a visit to Ben Thanh market and guided preparation. Prices range from 35 to 60 euros depending on the chosen package.

Da Nang

Classes often start with a visit to Bac My An market or picking in an organic garden, before preparing iconic dishes like cha gio or banh xeo. Danang Cooking Tour and Gioan Cookery are well-known, with workshops around 30 to 45 euros.

Hai Phong

The local cuisine highlights seafood and northern specialties. Classes are offered in some hotels like Avani Hai Phong Harbour View or via local agencies, for 25 to 40 euros.

Can Tho

In the heart of the Mekong Delta, the experience often includes a visit to a floating market, then preparing dishes like canh chua or grilled fish. Hotels and local agencies offer these workshops for 25 to 40 euros.

Nha Trang

Famous for its seafood, Nha Trang offers classes in schools like Lanterns Cooking Class or Cookery Nha Trang, for 25 to 40 euros. Local markets are central to the experience.

Practical tips

• Book 24 to 48 hours in advance

• Specify your preferred language

• Choose vegetarian options if needed

• Some classes offer a certificate or recipe booklet

1. The secrets of Vietnamese noodles: from North to South, a culinary heritage
The diversity of noodles in Vietnam: a culinary journey from North to South
Introduction: Noodles, the backbone of Vietnamese cuisine

A nourishing staple, influenced by Chinese, Indochinese, and local terroirs.

Rice transformed into an infinite variety of textures: flat, round, translucent, firm, or melting.

Northern noodles: the refined art of pho

Hanoi pho: a clear broth, scented with cinnamon, cardamom, grilled ginger, charred onion. Flat rice noodles, thin slices of raw beef, added at the last moment.

Variants:

• Pho tai (with rare beef)

• Pho ga (with chicken)

• Pho sot vang (with wine sauce, French-style, Indochinese heritage)

Central noodles: robustness and character

• Cao Lau (Hoi An): a mix of textures between thick noodles, roasted pork, fresh herbs, and reduced broth. Influenced by trading ports and imperial China.

• Bun bo Hue: spicy, rich broth with fermented shrimp paste, lemongrass, thick round noodles.

Southern noodles: generosity and sweetness

• Hu tieu: delta soup, often with seafood, pork, and crunchy bean sprouts.

• Mi Quang (also popular in the South): little broth, lots of herbs and peanuts.

Noodles and influences: between China and Indochina

• The legacy of Chinese merchants: wheat noodles (mi), dumplings (hoanh thanh), stir-fried noodles.

• The Indochinese touch: sauces, condiments, sometimes a baguette served with soups.

Shrimp recipes: the briny flavors of Vietnam

• Tom kho tau: Caramelized shrimp with fish sauce, garlic, sugar, pepper. Served with steaming white rice.

• Banh xeo with shrimp: Crispy coconut milk crepe, filled with shrimp, bean sprouts, served with mustard leaves, basil, mint.

• Spring rolls (goi cuon): Cold rice noodles, herbs, pink shrimp, pork slice, hoisin sauce and crushed peanuts.

Seafood markets: coastal treasures

• Phu Quoc: a paradise for fishermen

  • Duong Dong market: fish, squid, giant shrimp.

  • Grilled food stalls to enjoy on site.

• Nha Trang: seafood capital of the Center

  • Fresh fish, lobsters, clams. Xom Moi market and its lively halls.

The importance of fresh products

Soups and stir-fried dishes depend on the extreme freshness of ingredients.

Local herbs (rau thơm) make all the difference: coriander, Thai basil, Vietnamese shiso.

Pho: history, heritage, and good addresses

Origins of pho

Born in the North at the start of the 20th century, between French (pot-au-feu) and Chinese (beef soups) influences.

A popular dish that became a national symbol.

Regional variations

• Hanoi: the original pho, minimalist, delicate.

• Hue: spicier, more colorful version.

• Saigon: sweeter, rich broth, varied accompaniments (herbs, hoisin sauce).

Best addresses

• Hanoi:

  • Pho Thin (Lo Duc)

  • Pho Gia Truyen (Bat Dan)

• Hue:

  • Quan pho Ong Vi

• Saigon:

  • Pho Le (Nguyen Trai)

  • Pho Hoa (Pasteur)

A living heritage in every bowl

Every bowl of noodles is a window into the history, geography, and heart of Vietnam.

The essence of Vietnam is as much tasted as it is admired.

Dien Chan: Vietnamese facial reflexology for wellness

✨ What is Dien Chan?
Dien Chan, or Vietnamese facial reflexology, is a natural healing method born in Vietnam in the 1980s. It was developed by Professor Bùi Quốc Châu, an acupuncturist and researcher, while working with underprivileged patients in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) hospitals.

👉 Dien = face / skin
👉 Chan = diagnosis / observation

💡 The principle: stimulate areas and reflex points on the face corresponding to organs or body parts, to activate the body's self-healing abilities.

🌀 The foundations of Dien Chan
The face is seen as a complete map of the body (micro-system), reflecting internal organs, muscles, bones, and vital functions.

More than 500 reflex points have been identified and mapped by Professor Bùi Quốc Châu.

Dien Chan combines techniques from:

• acupuncture (without needles)

• traditional Chinese medicine

• traditional Vietnamese massages (and local shamanic influences)

• modern reflexotherapy approaches

How is Dien Chan practiced?

👉 Tools:
Styluses, rollers, small soft hammers, mini-combs... specially designed not to damage the skin.

No needles, non-invasive: the method is gentle.

👉 The session:
The practitioner observes the face: colors, tensions, painful areas to the touch.

They stimulate reflex points according to a pattern adapted to the symptoms.

Quick gestures, light pressure, circular movements activate energy flows.

👉 Duration: about 30 to 60 minutes per session.

👉 Autonomy:
Dien Chan also aims to teach the patient simple gestures for daily relief (self-stimulation).

What are the benefits?

Dien Chan is used:
✅ To relieve pain: headaches, neck pain, joint pain, sciatica.
✅ To support functional disorders: digestion, sleep, breathing, circulation.
✅ To reduce stress, anxiety, promote relaxation.
✅ As a complement to medical care (without replacing treatment).

💡 Dien Chan acts quickly: some pain subsides during the session.

🌱 Why choose Dien Chan?
✔️ Non-invasive, no needles
✔️ No medication
✔️ Quick to implement
✔️ Suitable for all ages
✔️ Allows daily self-care

🌍 Origins and worldwide success
Born in Vietnam in a community medicine context.

Today taught and practiced in more than 35 countries: Europe (France, Spain, Italy), Latin America, Canada...

Training accessible to all: wellness professionals, caregivers, individuals.

Dien Chan: Vietnamese facial reflexology

Dien Chan is a wellness method invented in Vietnam in the 1980s by Professor Bùi Quốc Châu. It consists of stimulating reflex points on the face to relieve pain, stress, and functional disorders, promoting the body's natural self-healing. Dien Chan is inspired by traditional Asian medicine and is practiced with fingers or specific tools.

Where to discover Dien Chan in the major cities of Vietnam?

Hanoi

Practitioners and training are available in spas, wellness centers, and at the Dien Chan Academy. Sessions cost between 10 and 25 euros, multi-day training between 120 and 150 euros.

Ho Chi Minh City

This is the birthplace of Dien Chan. Specialized centers, like the Dien Chan Bùi Quốc Châu Center, offer sessions from 8 euros and certified training. Workshops are available in Vietnamese, English, and sometimes French.

Hai Phong

Practitioners work in spas, traditional hospitals, or through occasional workshops. Prices range from 8 to 20 euros depending on the service.

Da Nang

Sessions and training are offered in spas and wellness centers, with similar prices to other major cities.

Can Tho

Dien Chan is offered in some traditional spas or during itinerant training, from 6 euros per session.

Nha Trang

Specialized spas and wellness centers offer Dien Chan sessions from 8 euros. Training is available on request.

Tips for choosing

• Favor certified practitioners or recognized centers

• Ask about the session language (English, French, Vietnamese)

• Training includes theory, practice, and sometimes a certificate

Which dishes will I learn to cook in a class in Vietnam?
You will generally learn to prepare 3 to 4 iconic dishes, such as pho, nems, bun cha, banh xeo, goi cuon, or regional specialties depending on the city.

Are the classes suitable for beginners?
Yes, most workshops are accessible to everyone, even without cooking experience.

Do I need to speak English or Vietnamese to participate?
Most classes are in English, some in French. Specify your preference when booking.

What is Dien Chan and who is it for?
Dien Chan is a Vietnamese facial reflexology technique, accessible to all, to relieve pain, stress, functional disorders, and promote general well-being.

How much does a Dien Chan session cost?
Sessions generally cost between 8 and 25 euros depending on the city and practitioner. Certified training is offered from 120 euros.

Can you combine a cooking class and a Dien Chan session?
Yes, some agencies or hotels can organize a day combining culinary discovery and introduction to Dien Chan for a total immersion.

Does Dien Chan hurt?
No, absolutely not! Like a subtly seasoned rice vermicelli dish, Dien Chan is all finesse. Stimulations are gentle, sometimes surprising, but always painless. Forget burning chili: here, it’s flavor that counts, not pain.

Can you practice Dien Chan on yourself?
Yes! After a simple introduction, anyone can practice self-care gestures. A bit like preparing your own bo bun in a wok: you learn to adjust the points to your needs. It’s an everyday art, within everyone’s reach, no need for sticky rice or sautéed tofu!

Does Dien Chan cure diseases?
No. Dien Chan does not replace medical treatment. It helps to relieve symptoms (headaches, tension, fatigue) and strengthen your general well-being, a bit like a good aromatic broth comforts the body without claiming to cure. Think of it like soy sauce: it enhances, but it doesn’t do everything.

Is Dien Chan inspired by Asian traditions?
Absolutely. Like a crispy nem hiding a mixture of pork, black mushrooms, and vermicelli, Dien Chan brings together Chinese, Vietnamese, and local influences. It’s a tasty mix of observation, energy points, and subtle gestures.

Do you need complicated equipment?
No! Dien Chan is practiced with simple tools (styluses, rollers), just like cooking with a good knife and a wok: it’s your skills that matter. No need for sculpted carrots or perfect dumplings.

Is it a practice for special occasions (New Year, ceremonies)?
No, Dien Chan can be practiced at any time, not just during holidays like New Year. But like a roast duck dish or sweet-and-sour sauce, it goes well with moments when you want to take care of yourself and others.

Can you combine Dien Chan and healthy cooking?
Of course! Just like a balanced recipe with bean sprouts, chives, and sautéed beans, Dien Chan encourages an overall healthy lifestyle: balanced diet, stress management, and listening to your body.

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