Danang/Hue/HoiAn 2025 - Hue Day Tour Vietnamese Lunch and Foot Massage

After getting back on our bus/van after exploring Dong Ba market, we were taken on a short drive slightly out of town, and into a residential area. Our guide told us that we were going to have lunch at the company's boss house, which also happens to be a homestay. Interesting indeed! There, we were served a three course lunch, and other interesting activities.  The meal of course featured some of Central Vietnam's famous dishes like the steamed rice cake we kept seeing during our hotel breakfast.

So let me start with the first course. The meals are included as part of the tour fees, but drinks are charged additionally if you want to order any. We were served a traditional tray, and slowly the rice cake snacks were placed before us. The difference between these and the ones we got from the hotel was, the ones served here were pipping hot, and that kinda makes all the difference. The rice cakes were also soft instead of those that were hard from the hotel buffet breakfast. I could see after eating them here why the locals would love them. They were pretty nice and savoury. Of course the ones wrapped in banana leaves were the nicest and most fragrant.

Next we were served Vietnamese spring rolls. Before coming to Vietnam, I always thought spring rolls were just like those I ate in my hometown. I thought all spring rolls were Chinese spring rolls except the fillings are different. It was not until I visited Sapa and wondered into local markets that I finally understood that Vietnamese spring rolls are very different. For a start, most were wrapped in rice paper and fried, while some are not. Chinese spring rolls are always fried. And the fillings inside are also different. And the fish dipping sauce that it garlicky and vinegary was so lovely too!

Lastly, we were served the famous Bun Bo Hue along with a pile of raw vegetables each. I finished mine up, but I thought Madam Thu's version was a lot nicer. This one was a lot more local, and the taste was lighter and noodles raw-er.

After we finished eating, a lady came around and offered us in dessert in the most unique way. She carries a bouquet of flowers, and sticks of candied fruits. The fruits are traditional dessert made of mung beans, and we actually got to try our hands at making them later on!

While we were having dessert, the foot bath area was being prepared for us! I was amazed. I mean, when I saw lunch was included in the tour, that was value for money enough for me! But the lunch experience we got here was really over the top!

Yes, we were all given a foot bath. A foot bath here just meant a herbal hot water soak for your feet in a wooden bucket. To be honest I was a bit worried over hygiene of such foot bath. But since nobody seems to care, I also went along with it and hope that my foot skin are strong enough to protect me from whatever germs that might be swimming in those water or bucket! 

While soaking our feet we also got to try making those fruit candies from mung beans, and get to paint them in fruit colours.... I wish the two activies could be done separately, cause I wanted to relax and enjoy my foot bath, but making those candies were kinda stressful! It's like making Japanese wagashi, but easier since we have to finish them before our water gets cold. Lastly we were served a very nice soothing tea before our feet got wipe dry. Just for the experience we got during this lunch hour alone really blew my mind, and i would give a 5 out of 5 star for this tour without a doubt!