Australian visitors enjoy hands-on banh chung making
The experience became an emotional highlight, helping connect visitors with local culture and leaving vivid and memorable impressions.
THE HANOI TIMES — A group of Australian visitors showed keen interest while taking part in a hands-on banh chung-making activity, a traditional ritual to welcome Tet, Vietnam’s Lunar New Year, at a hotel in central Hanoi on the afternoon of February 4.
Australian visitors take part in a banh chung (traditional sticky rice cake) making workshop at the Grand Mercure Hanoi on February 4 shortly after arriving in the capital. Photos: Hoang Lan/Hanoi Media Group
The activity was part of a coordinated effort by accommodation providers and travel companies in the capital to offer international tourists culturally rich Vietnamese experiences during the 2026 Year of the Horse Lunar New Year.
Shortly after arriving in Hanoi and checking in at the Grand Mercure Hanoi, the Australian guests were pleasantly surprised to join a banh chung workshop held in the hotel lobby.
Under the direct guidance of head chef Nguyen Minh Nguyen, visitors experienced the full traditional process, from cutting and arranging dong leaves in wooden molds to layering sticky rice, mung beans and pork before completing the wrapping.
“Nowadays, many people only know banh chung as a ready-made dish. I hope this experience will help people, especially children traveling with their families and international visitors, better understand and appreciate traditional Vietnamese values that are gradually fading in modern life,” said chef Nguyen.
International visitors eagerly take part in banh chung making activity.
At the workshop, the Australian guests showed clear excitement as they wrapped banh chung by hand for the first time.
“It was a wonderful and engaging experience. Making the cake is not too difficult, but it requires care and skill. At times, you need to be gentle and patient and at other moments, strong enough to tie the cake firmly and neatly. This activity helped us understand Vietnamese culture better,” one visitor shared.
After the hands-on session, guests were invited to enjoy finished banh chung personally selected by the head chef. The experience became an emotional highlight, helping connect visitors with local culture and leaving vivid and memorable impressions.
The hands-on experience helps international visitors better feel the Tet atmosphere in Vietnam.
According to Remi Faubel, General Manager of the Grand Mercure Hanoi, the Lunar New Year holds special meaning for Vietnamese people as it represents family reunion and togetherness across generations.
“Making banh chung is one of the cultural traditions preserved over many generations. We want to offer international visitors this distinctive experience so they can truly feel the traditional Tet atmosphere, gain a deeper understanding of local culture and develop a stronger affection for Hanoi and Vietnam,” he said.
The banh chung making activity at the Grand Mercure Hanoi is offered free of charge to international guests staying at the hotel as well as Vietnamese visitors who wish to reconnect with the traditional Tet atmosphere and explore the depth of national culture.
