About this tour
When Charlie from our BugBitten team tackled the Le Mat Snake Village tour, it was three-and-a-half hours of pure culinary boldness. You'll eat ten different snake dishes—spring rolls, soup, grilled bits—and wash it down with snake wine (yes, the kind with actual snake in it). Le Mat sits on Hanoi's outskirts, a working village where snake farming is still the backbone of life. The vibe is genuinely local, not touristy theatre. You get a guide, a visit to an active farm, and a chance to do the heart-and-wine shot if you're game. Fair warning: this isn't for the squeamish.
Highlights
- Ten snake dishes in one sitting—crispy, soupy, grilled, and unexpected
- Snake wine ritual with an actual snake heart shot
- Working farm visit showing how snakes are raised and fed
- Local expert guide explaining the history without the sales pitch
- One drink included; water and tea freely available
- Genuinely off-the-beaten-path village atmosphere
- No pretence—this is how locals have eaten for centuries
What to expect
The tour kicks off with a visit to the snake farm itself. It's not a sanitised attraction—you're watching actual animals in pens, and your guide walks you through feeding cycles and the cultural logic behind the practice. Then you sit down to eat. The dishes come steadily: spring rolls first (crispy, tasty, you'd barely know it was snake), then soup, then grilled portions. Each one tastes different depending on the cut and preparation. The flavours are surprisingly subtle—a bit gamey, a bit tender. Charlie found the texture varied wildly between dishes. Midway through, the snake wine appears. It's rice wine infused with snake blood and lemongrass; the taste is medicinal and herbal, not remotely what you'd expect. If you're up for it, you do the heart shot—a ritual more than a meal. By the end, you've crossed a bucket-list line most people don't even know exists.
What travellers say
- Genuinely local; you're eating what Hanoi residents actually eat
- Farm visit adds real context, not just theatre
- Ten dishes give you real range of flavours and textures
- Knowledgeable guide explains history and technique clearly
- Transport and one drink included keeps costs simpler
- Off-the-beaten-path village atmosphere, not touristy
- Not for the squeamish or ethically conflicted about animal farming
- Uneven farm ground challenging for limited mobility
- Early booking essential; slots fill weekends quickly
Themes summarised by our team from public information about this tour. Verify specifics on the operator's page before booking.
Good to know
This is genuinely cultural rather than gimmicky. You're eating what locals actually eat, in a place where it matters, with someone who knows the story. The farm visit is eye-opening—not sanitised, not theatrical. The 10-dish spread is generous and varied enough that you get the range of how snake can be cooked. One drink's included, which takes the edge off.
Expect squeamishness from some in your group (or yourself). It's real, it's close-up, and there's no soft-focus editing. Vegetarians and hardcore animal-welfare folks should skip this entirely. The walk around the farm involves uneven ground and pens; not ideal if you're mobility-limited, though staff are helpful. Bring cash for tips—guides do the heavy cultural lifting. Peak times are weekends; go mid-week for a quieter vibe. The village is 30 mins north of central Hanoi; transport's included but expect a drive. Infants and prams are fine per the tour, though the farm itself is a bit rough underfoot.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BugBitten summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.