For many visitors to Vietnam the food is, a highlight and eating it a serious activity in itself. Hoi An is Foodie Heaven, and budding gourmets who want to take a step further into Vietnamese cuisine will find ample op portunlty here. Many of the popular eateries offer cooking classes, and the best bit is that you then get to sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labour. One of the best classes is offered by Hai Scout Cafe at its Red Bridge Cooking School (Starting out with a trip to the market, you then cruise down the river to this relaxing retreat about 4km from Hoi An The lesson includes a tour of the herb garden, making rice paper, several local specialities and some decorative nourishes - although it's hard to imagine how your dinner party guests hack home will react to tomatoes morphed into roses and lotus flowers. The class costs 235,000d per person; it starts at 8.45am and finishes at 1 pm. You're given print-outs of the recipes to try at home. More informal classes can be found at Hong Phuc restaurant, Cafe 96 , Green Moss and Cafe des Amis.

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