1+2th day: Athens - Flight to Saigon, Vietnam
Meeting at the airport and departure for Vietnam via Istanbul. Overnight stay on board. Arrival in the afternoon the next day in Saigon. After the necessary formalities, meeting with our local guide and transfer to the hotel. Settle into rooms and dinner at a local restaurant. Free time for a first introduction to the city. (Meals on flights / Dinner in a restaurant)
Day 3: Full day excursion to the Mekong River Delta.
Breakfast and departure for the Mekong River Delta. Your route will take you through scenic landscapes with lush green rice fields. At Ben Tre, you will board a boat for a boat ride along the river to see the activities of local people on the river. Visit a local market, a coconut processing workshop and a local carpet weaving house. Followed by a tour of a quiet village where you can take a short walk to experience real Delta village life and enjoy local fresh fruit. Afterwards, you can take a tuk-tuk ride or bike tour to explore the village surroundings. After lunch at a riverside restaurant, you will board a boat at the dock for your return to Saigon. Arrive at the hotel for rest. (Breakfast/Lunch)
Day 4: Saigon tour & Cu Chi tunnel tour - flight to Hue
Breakfast at the hotel and road departure (60km, 90min) to the Cu Chi area, the main base and hideout of the revolutionary forces during the war with the USA. There you will visit the museum with various important exhibits and tour through the labyrinthine tunnels. Return to Saigon and have lunch. Next, the city tour with a tour of the main attractions such as the Palace of Reunification, the War Museum, the Cathedral of Notre Dame and the Post Office. If there is time you will have time in the bustling local Ben Thanh market. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Hue, the imperial capital of the state between 1802-1945. Arrival and transfer to your hotel. (Breakfast/Lunch)
Day 5: Hue, city tour - Hoi An
Breakfast and full day tour of Hue, where you will visit the Forbidden City, where the imperial family lived. You will see the Nguyen Dynasty palace complex, Khai Dinh Tomb and the 7-storey Tien Mu Pagoda, the most important religious monument in the city. Lunch and road transfer to Hoi An, stopping for photos and panoramic views of the East Vietnam Sea at Lang Co beach and the majestic Hai Van Passage. Late afternoon arrival in the ancient picturesque town of Hoi An. Free time to walk around and explore the narrow streets where you will admire many different architectural styles. (Breakfast/Lunch)
Day 6: Hoi An, full day excursion and tour of Mi Son and Hoi An.
Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to visit My Son Sacred Land, a World Heritage Site, 50 km southwest of Hoi An. Once there, you will visit the capital Tra Kieu, which was the former administrative center of the Champa Kingdom. You will discover the majestic ancient ruins of the site, including ancient towers built in the 4th century. After lunch, you will start your tour of the ancient city of Hoi An by exploring the Kwan Temple, Phuc Kien Pagoda, the 200-year-old Tan Ky House, the 400-year-old Japanese bridge and the colorful local market on the river. After the walking tour, free time for strolling and shopping. (Breakfast/Lunch)
Day 7: Hoi An, full day excursion to the Golden Bridge and the Ba Na Hills, flight to Hanoi
Breakfast and transfer to the Ba Na Hills via the world's most modern cable car. Tour of Le Jardin D'Amour (consisting of 9 gardens), Ling Ung Pagoda and the Golden Bridge. Continue to visit the French Village - a classic romantic France with unique architectural works, the top of Chua Mountain, Linh Chua Linh Tu Temple and Tru Vu tea shop. Then we will enjoy the panoramic view of Da Nang from the top of Ba Na Hills. Lunch at a local restaurant (buffet). Visit to Fantasy Park - one of the largest indoor game zones in Vietnam (only a few free games depending on Ba Na's policy). Back to the cable car and down the mountain. Transfer to Danang airport and flight to Vietnam's capital, Hanoi. Check in to rooms and free time for a first introduction to the city. (Breakfast/Lunch)
Day 8: Hanoi, city tour
Breakfast at the hotel followed by the city tour with a visit to the Mausoleum complex of President Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace and his house where the great leader lived and worked until the last years of his life. In addition, you will stop at the One Pillar Pagoda to admire one of the 4 symbols of Hanoi. Then you will see the Temple of Literature, which was Vietnam's first university and is dedicated to Confucius. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon continue with a visit to the Museum of Ethnology, which preserves and exhibits many cultural artifacts of all 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam, Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple and you will browse the Old Town market. (Breakfast/Lunch)
Day 9: Hanoi - Halong Bay with 2-day cruise
After breakfast, depart by road to Vietnam's most famous attraction, Ha Long Bay, through a beautiful route alongside the Red River Delta. Some three thousand limestone formations like meteoric rocks rise from the emerald waters, seemingly cut with precision by some giant tool, and are topped with forests, creating infinite islands in miniature, offering a unique cruising experience. You board special boats (cruise ships) for a unique ride among them (Dog stone, fighting cock, three cocunuts and more). Enjoy a delicious lunch of seafood and other Vietnamese delicacies, and anchor for kayaking in one of the beautiful caves, Luon Cave. You'll visit Titov Island to swim at one of the best beaches in the bay. Dinner and overnight on the cruise ship. (Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner)
10+11th day: Halong - Hanoi and return flight to Greece.
The morning view of the bay is unique. Enjoy Tai Chi and hearty breakfast before visiting Sung Sot Cave, where you will admire magnificent stalactites and stalagmites after climbing up to Bo Hon Island. Return to the ship and Tuang Chau port. Road transfer back to Hanoi and late afternoon transfer to the international airport to board your return flight via Istanbul. Arrival in Athens early the next morning, full of wonderful images and memories. (Breakfast/ Brunch & Meals on flights)
