The Hoi An
Culinary Expedition
The Hoi An Culinary Expedition is a six-day exploration of Central Vietnam's food culture through the people who preserve it.
Created for culinary schools and hospitality institutions, the programme brings together a network of home cooks, farmers, artisans and family-run producers across Hoi An and Da Nang.
Participants move beyond the dining table to understand where ingredients come from, how traditional foods are made and how knowledge is passed from one generation to the next. From noodle workshops and herb farms to family kitchens, coffee roasters and fish sauce makers, every visit offers a different perspective on the region's culinary identity.
Many of these visits happen in places that are not open to regular tourism and have been made possible through years of trusted local relationships.
With a maximum of twenty-Five participants, the experience remains personal, allowing time for conversation, questions and genuine exchange.
This is not simply a culinary tour of Central Vietnam. It is an opportunity to learn directly from the people whose work keeps its food traditions alive.
Founding Partner Programme
The first edition of every programme is different.
This August, a small group of culinary schools and hospitality institutes will become the founding partners of the Hoi An culinary expedition.
Founding partners receive inaugural pricing, long-term access to future founding editions, institutional storytelling, and a range of benefits available only during the founding programmes.
Programme Details
Everything you need to know before joining the Hoi An Culinary Expedition.
Designed as a fully hosted international experiential learning programme, the expedition combines immersive field experiences, hands-on workshops, shared meals and meaningful cultural exchange. From accommodation and local transport to learning sessions and daily breakfast, every detail has been carefully arranged so participants can focus entirely on the experience.
Duration
6 Days · 5 Nights
Location
Hoi An, Central Vietnam
Accommodation
Participants stay at Hoi An Eco Lodge & Spa, a peaceful riverside retreat surrounded by rice fields, just minutes from Hoi An's UNESCO-listed Ancient Town.
Group Size
Maximum 20 participants per departure to ensure meaningful learning, personal interaction and access to local partners.
Investment
USD 2,750 per participant.
Founding Edition Pricing applicable for August 2026 departures.
The Journey
Arrival I Hoi An
Day 1
Arrive in Da Nang and transfer to Hoi An, where you'll have time to settle into your hotel and ease into the rhythm of Central Vietnam. In the evening, gather for a welcome dinner introducing the flavours, ingredients and shared dining traditions that will shape the days ahead.
Meals: Dinner
Hidden Hoi An
Day 2
Begin before the city awakens with a walk through Hoi An's quieter streets and morning market. Explore the ingredients that define local cooking before meeting the families behind Cao Lầu, visiting one of the town's oldest noodle workshops, traditional bean sprout producers and neighbourhood cafés tucked away from the main streets.
Pause for a leisurely afternoon exploring the Ancient Town before continuing to Trà Quế Vegetable Village. Wander through herb gardens, learn about the farming traditions that have supplied Hoi An for generations, then prepare a countryside feast together featuring Bánh Xèo, Tam Hữu and other regional dishes before sharing dinner with your hosts.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Rural Hoi An
Day 3
Enjoy a slow morning before leaving the Ancient Town behind to explore the villages and countryside surrounding Hoi An. Share a traditional Phở lunch before visiting family-run producers of fish sauce, rice wine and handmade rice paper, where generations of knowledge continue to shape everyday life.
Travel through rice paddies, quiet village roads and family kitchens, stopping to taste local produce and regional specialities along the way. As the sun begins to set, gather at Cô An's family home for a shared dinner celebrating Mi Quảng and the food traditions of rural Central Vietnam.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Bakery and Coffee Culture
Day 4
Discover the story of Vietnamese baking through artisan bakeries and the evolution of Bánh Mì, before stepping into the world of Vietnamese coffee with a local roasting and brewing experience. Learn how cafés became an essential part of the country's social and cultural life while tasting traditional drip coffee and Bạc Xỉu.
Spend the afternoon exploring Hoi An at your own pace, whether wandering its streets, visiting cafés or relaxing by the beach, before regrouping for an evening meal centred around local comfort food, Hủ Tiếu and traditional Vietnamese desserts.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Da Nang
Day 5
Leave before sunrise for Thọ Quang Fishing Harbour, where fishermen return with the morning catch and Da Nang begins its day. Experience the energy of the seafood market, enjoy a traditional local breakfast and coffee overlooking the harbour, then continue to Sơn Trà Peninsula for sweeping views of the coastline and city below.
The afternoon explores Da Nang through its everyday flavours, from local neighbourhood favourites to regional specialities, before returning to Hoi An for a farewell seafood dinner celebrating the people, places and meals shared throughout the expedition.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Departure
Day 6
Enjoy one final morning in Hoi An. Revisit a favourite café, stroll through the Ancient Town, collect tailor-made clothing or simply savour the slower pace of the city before your transfer to Da Nang Airport.
Meals: Breakfast
About
Expeditio was founded by four friends who believed that curiosity has the power to change the way we see the world.
As we explored different places and met extraordinary people, we realised that the most meaningful learning wasn't found in information alone. It was found in questions. In conversations. In observing closely. In understanding not just what people do, but why they do it.
That belief became Expeditio.
We create curiosity-driven learning experiences that invite people to engage deeply with culture, people and place. Sometimes that curiosity is sparked by food. Sometimes by farming, craftsmanship, history, design, hospitality or nature. The subject changes. Curiosity doesn't.
Every programme is thoughtfully designed around meaningful encounters, hands-on participation and genuine local relationships, encouraging participants to slow down, ask better questions and discover perspectives that cannot be found in books or online.
Because we believe curiosity is not simply a trait.
It's a way of learning.
