Panorama Vietnam (Jan – Apr)

Meet at the airport and fly via layover to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon. It is the most populous city in Vietnam and the second most important in the country, after Hanoi.

Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City. After passport control, board the coach and depart for Cu Chi, where we will visit the famous labyrinthine underground tunnels – a network of over 200 km, which played a vital role during the Vietnam War, as a hiding place as well as a stronghold of the Viet Cong against the Americans. Inside these underground tunnels were living quarters, administrative centers, kitchens, warehouses, weapons factories, hospitals, etc. After watching a short introductory video showing how these tunnels were constructed, you will have the opportunity to “crawl” into a small section them to understand the narrowness of the space and the prevailing temperature. Return to the city and check in at the hotel. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight.

Guided tour of Saigon during which we will visit the very interesting War Remnants Museum, we will see the Reunification Palace or Independence Palace (formerly the Presidential Palace), the French Neo-Romanesque Cathedral of Our Lady, built between 1877 and 1883 and the Eiffel Central Post Office, one of the most important attractions of the city, etc. Then we will visit the Cho Lon local market full of small shops. Return to our hotel. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight.

Morning departure for Ben Tre. Upon arrival, we will board a boat that will take us down the beautiful Mekong River, giving us the opportunity to observe the lifestyle and habits of the locals who live along its banks. We will visit one of the local coconut processing factories, while our sailing through small canals shaded by coconut trees will be a special experience! . Lunch at a local restaurant with the local specialty of the area. Return to the hotel. Overnight

Transfer to the airport and flight to the imperial city of Hue. Arrival and visit to the ancient fortified citadel and former palace, reminiscent of Beijing’s Forbidden City. This is followed by a visit to the Tomb of the second and most beloved emperor, Minh Mang (Minh Mang, 19th century). After our tour we depart for the ancient city of Hoi An. A combination of Chinese and Japanese architecture of the 16th century managed to leave unchanged the impressive collage with the small picturesque cobblestones around a river, the bridges, the Chinese temples, the many small shops and cafes. The bright colors of the houses and the lanterns of special aesthetics complete the decoration. Arrival and check-in at the hotel. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight.

Today we will take a walk on the famous Japanese tile-roofed bridge, where tradition calls for newlyweds to leave their wishes for eternal life together with candles over the river. We will also see the old houses as well as the market located next to the Thu Bon river, a magical old world with an oriental feel and a source of inspiration. Return to the hotel and free time to enjoy the beautiful city, enjoy your coffee, buy some lanterns of different colors or relax on the beach. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight.

Morning departure for Ba Na hill, enjoying one of the most spectacular landscapes of the region. We will board the cable car that will take us to the top of the hill (altitude 1487 meters), we will enjoy the wonderful view from the Golden Bridge, we will see the Lin Ung Pagoda, we will visit an old French cellar, the Gardens of Lovers, as well as the Fantasy theme park. We continue with a visit to the famous Marble Mountains – a cluster of five hills of limestone and marble, a place of pilgrimage for the Vietnamese, full of caves, tunnels and temples waiting to be discovered. The five main sacred elements of the region – metal, wood, water, fire and earth – gave their names to these five hills. Return to Hoi An and free time to admire the city illuminated by thousands of colorful lanterns, as well as the night market by the river. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight.

Departure by road to Danang airport where we will take the flight to the capital Hanoi. Arrival and we start our city tour from Ba Dinh Square, where the country’s official ceremonies take place. Visit the imposing Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (if open), the final resting place of the country’s national hero and president (1890-1969). Then we will visit the Single Pillar Pagoda with its unique architecture, built in 1049 by King Ly Thai Tong. This is followed by a visit to Ho Chi Minh’s home, where he chose to live from 1958 to 1969. It is a modest wooden stilt house, similar to those of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities, surrounded by a fish pond and lovely flower gardens and fruit trees. We continue with the impressive Temple of Literature, which was the first University of Vietnam. It was built in the 11th century and is dedicated to Confucius. Then we will visit the Museum of Ethnology. Check in at the hotel. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight.

Morning departure for the most spectacular natural world heritage site, the famous Halong Bay, which will offer us exciting images and indelible memories. Upon arrival we will begin our two-day cruise, during which we will discover the magnificent beauty of the bay with its strangely shaped green limestone cliffs jutting out of the emerald sea. Lunch on board follows and then we can visit the impressive caves, stop for swimming or kayaking and approach the islets to enjoy their beauty up close. Back to the ship. Dinner. Overnight.

Try to wake up early in the morning to admire the sunrise against the islets of the bay. Our cruise will continue today to wonderful areas, where almost every island and rock has its own name according to its shape, such as Butterfly rock, Sail Island, Fisherman’s head rock, Turtle islet, etc. Disembark and depart for Hanoi. Arrival in the city is followed by a cyclo ride through the picturesque alleys of the city, the famous “36 Streets”, each of which takes its name from the goods traditionally sold there (fabrics, handicrafts, medicines, baskets, etc.) . Check in at the hotel. At the end of the day we will enjoy an exciting show with water puppetry (Water Puppetry), a traditional art form of North Vietnam. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight.

This morning we will depart for Ninh Binh through a magical route. The area is characterized by beautiful scenery, which includes the Tam Coc caves and the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, located on the edge of the Red River Delta, with old temples dedicated to the Dinh and Le kings. of the 10th century. A visit to Ninh Binh begins with a boat trip to Tam Coc, where the impressive limestone cliffs just outside the lush rice paddies are reminiscent of Guilin in China and Halong Bay in Vietnam – hence the nickname “Halong Bay Mainland” (“Halong- bay-on-land”). Then we will visit Thai Vi Temple and Bich Dong Pagoda. Return to Hanoi in the late afternoon. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight.

In the morning, transfer to the airport and flight via an intermediate station to Athens. Same day arrival.