We begin at 4pm. Enjoy a welcome drink and snacks. Your Host Anna and Tutor look forward to meeting you. Meet each other & connect.

We enjoy a delicious Vietnamese meal in the Villa carefully prepared by in house chefs. Learn to wrap and roll, how and why what is rolled and what is dipped into what where.

Then we meet our trip guide, and take our private van heading into the UNESCO town, around 10 mins drive. An evening walking tour with our guide, enjoying the beautiful colourful lanterns riverside, and exuberant energy of Hoi An at night.

We try a delicious Vietnamese dessert called Che, learn about the 54 ethnic minority groups of Vietnam, and have the opportunity to take photos, videos and sketch.

After breakfast poolside in the villa, your first workshop will begin.

Lunch is the famous Cao Lao noodles dish, only found in Hoi An. Thick noodles with a umami reduced broth, topped with slices of lean pork fillet, served with a forest of fresh herbs, lime wedges, chilli jam and crunchy fried noodle squares.

Afternoon we have designed a wonderful walking tour of the Old Town of Hoi An, visiting historical temples, ancient houses and discovering the alley ways and hidden gems of the yellow city. Try the Hoi An dumpling named "white rose".

Peel off and get some extra creative time for yourself, sketch, photograph and meet people, knowing we are close by and here for you.

An opportunity to try the tea houses and cafes of Hoi An, climb to a rooftop for a spectacular view, or rest by getting a foot or full body massage.

Dinner at Anna's friends restaurant for a family style Hoi An cuisine based meal by the river.

After breakfast poolside in the villa we take a short 15 min drive to the Herb Village.

Learn about the herbs, the growing techniques, organic farming, local and seasonal ethos. Grind rice in an old style stone grinder and make rice paper pancakes over a mud and straw hearth.

Lunch under the palm thatched grooves of the first and oldest restaurant in the village with Mrs Thuong.

Try an avocado coffee with Anna,

Rest, sketch and create in the afternoon before we head out for dinner in a local area, riverside where you learn all about Nhau-the eateries where Vietnamese go to casually socialise, eat and drink.

We try BBQ fish and squid, delicious mango salad, crispy pork belly and learn about the etiquette of eating Vietnamese style.

Breakfast in the Villa

We venture west up into the hills to visit the ancient Cham ruins of My Son.

-After a 1.5hr drive we arrive at the ancient temples where your guide will inform you about the history, architecture and culture of the area.

-Here you also have your creative Session with your tutor

-Between the 4th and 13th centuries a unique culture which owed its spiritual origins to Indian Hinduism developed on the coast of contemporary Viet Nam. This is graphically illustrated by the remains of a series of impressive tower-temples located in a dramatic site that was the religious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom for most of its existence.
-They are constructed in fired brick with stone pillars and decorated with sandstone bas-reliefs depicting scenes from Hindu mythology. Their technological sophistication is evidence of Cham engineering skills while the elaborate iconography and symbolism of the tower-temples give insight into the content and evolution of Cham religious and political thought.
-The My Son Sanctuary is an exceptional example of cultural interchange, with an indigenous society adapting to external cultural influences, notably the Hindu art and architecture of the Indian sub-continent.
-The Champa Kingdom was an important phenomenon in the political and cultural history of South – East Asia, vividly illustrated by the ruins of My Son
-Tropical jungle vibes.

Lunch is the rice noodle dish of the province. Mi Quang. We visit the best noodle house in the area, for this delicious dish of rice noodles, pork, shrimp, egg and mountains of fresh greens and crispy rice crackers.

Afternoon - take some free time to swim, sketch or wander in our Villas friendly hamlet community before we head out to a local vegan eatery for dinner. You will be surprise how much you enjoy this meal. It is absolutely brimming with flavour and freshness.

Early start, we head out at dawn. We don’t want to miss the action.

A gorgeous sunrise boat trip along the river. Enjoy watching Hoi An wake up.

Breakfast in the market with the fishermen and fish mongers. Banh Mi (the famous Vietnamese sandwich on a crispy baguette) and a Vietnamese workers style coffee.

Your chance to see a working fishing market, far enough away from the tourists, yet close enough to go by boat.

The energy is hectic and busy, the fisherman are coming to shore after a night of fishing, the women are buying and selling on waters edge. Giant ice blocks are being chipped for ice, motorbikes, trucks, food vendors, colour and excitement.

After your workshop with your tutor and a tour of the village, meet the locals, try some of the foods they are selling, and then we head back to the town for a workers lunch known as com binh dan. A cabinet full of freshly made dishes - grilled, braised, sautéed, steamed, something for everyone, served on rice.

The night is free time for all. Anna has a list of restaurants in the guide you may wish to try. Our villa also has a restaurant you may wish to enjoy a delightful Hanoi style meal poolside.

Breakfast in the Villa

The highlight of the trip.
-We visit a Co Tu village. One of 54 ethnic minority groups of Vietnam.
-First we visit the elder Mr Y Kong and pay our respects. He will tell us a few things about his culture, and you can have a bathroom stop here.
-Next we meet with Anna's friend Thin, a Co Tu woman.

-Creative Session with your tutor in the Village

Lunch, village tour, musicians, dancing, swimming and more sketching, photography and connecting in the village. Feel free to wander around and meet the beautiful people of this warm and inviting village, or stick close to Thin and ask her a million questions, of which she will be happy to answer. The Co Tu are very proud of their culture, and we are genuinely privileged to be able to visit them.

We return early evening and dinner is served family style in the Villa.

Breakfast in the Villa

A relaxing day in the garden cafe and art gallery of Ethnic minority crafts and textiles where you have your creative session with your tutor.

Enjoy a single origin ethically produced coffee or tea, ask Kiet all about the items in his gallery and give your credit card a little love and purchase some of the hand collected items on display if thats your thing. Textiles, woven items, clay and wood pieces.

Lunch is by Giang, featuring local seasonal produce purchased from the local market that morning, cooked family style

Free afternoon and evening. Check the guide for recommendations and ask Anna for specific things you may like to do.

We arrive in the Old Town before the tourists do, and have our creative session with your tutor in a street cafe with the locals, right amongst the historic yellow buildings.

Pho for breakfast, the national dish of Vietnam, of rice noodles, beef broth and rare beef with mountains of fresh herbs, a squeeze of lime, sprouts and chilli.

Lunch is a modern style fusion restaurant in Anna's friends grandparents house, down a secret laneway of the UNESCO heritage town.

Afternoon we keep exploring and creating, meeting at the best cafe in town to meet some local practicing artists, try a specialty coffee, talk about our book club book, before heading back to the Villa for an evening of free time.

Check the guide for recommendations for dinner.

Breakfast in the Villa

Your last creative session today in the ancient town at the temple gate Ba Mu. Ba Mu Temple was officially built in 1626. Initially located at a different site, it was later relocated to its current address. Only façade survives.
-Established by the Ming Dynasty supporting refugees.
-It comprised 2 seperate sanctuaries, the right side (facing) was dedicated to 12 midwife deites who’s function was to support newborns. The left side (facing it) was dedicated to the Chinese god of medicine, 36 generals (heavenly spirits) and 72 “earthly demons” who made up the entourage of rebel leader Song Jiang.
-The 19th century popularity of this temple was that Ba Mu became the shrine for local couples who were praying for children.
-The salvaged 12 midwife statues from here are found in the Phuc Kein Assembly hall we visited on our second day.

Hoi An cuisne for lunch. We have booked tables at a local Restaurant where you can continue to sketch and enjoy Ba Mu temple gate area with beautiful lily ponds and the fascinating modern culture of locals and photographic sessions. A great place for people sketching.

Sa Huynh Museum is nearby and we recommend you visit after lunch. It is, housed in the French colonial style shop house constructed in early 1900s for Chinese merchants. It has the traditional tubular layout with the trading area in the front , linked by a central courtyard with water well, to the residential area at the rear.
-Artefects are from archeological sites unearthed in and around the Thu Bon river basin (and Cham Island) of the Sa Huynh civilisation that flourished between 1000 BCE and 200 CE.
-The Sa Huynh are thought to be the first international traders of the Thu Bon River. An important example showing they were active in seaborne trade with South East Asia, South India and China.

-Enjoy time wandering the Ancient Town.
-Ask Anna for her recommendations. -There is a great massage place nearby, and if you've never has a foot massage before, then now is the time!.

-Return to Villa to freshen up before dinner, or stay on and meet us for dinner at Chef Duc’s restaurant in Old Town.
-Chef Duc is a passionate chef, combining his personal culinary history, good humour and sensitive empathic character on the plate to impress your senses. This is fusion food done well. The creativity of Chef Duc  is fuelled by local seasonal produce, and a deep love for his birth country.

If we are lucky, Chef Duc will meet with us before dinner, and tell us his story of how he came to Hoi An. Bring a tissue! An impressive final dinner, with elevated world class cuisine by a truely remarkable human of integrity and ethics.

Breakfast in the Villa.

A casual walk and coffee in the local market, free sketching time, take some last photos, buy some last minute foodie gifts before we say farewell at 10am.

Checkout is 12pm.

Your airport transfers are organised with us, drivers are booked, we say farewell but remain friends for life.