Days 1 & 2: Flight from Athens and Thessaloniki to Hanoi, Vietnam
Evening flight via Istanbul to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Arrival and meeting with the local guide. Transfer to the hotel and check-in. Dinner at a local restaurant and free time to get a first impression of the city.
Day 3: Hanoi, city tour
Breakfast at the hotel. This is followed by a city tour with visits to:
• the complex of President Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, and his home, where the great leader lived and worked until the final years of his life
• One Pillar Pagoda to admire one of Hanoi’s four symbols
• The Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university, dedicated to Confucius. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, continue with a visit to:
• Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple
• the famous Hanoi Train Street, where you’ll want to take photos and videos as the train passes by at close range on its way back to Hanoi’s central train station—one of the most impressive and anticipated highlights of the trip
• Tour of the Old Quarter market. Return to the hotel.
Day 4: Hanoi, full-day excursion to the incense village & Ninh Binh
Breakfast and departure for the village of Quang Phu Cau, where you will observe the process of making traditional incense up close. The artisans create colorful bundles that are spread out in the sun to dry, offering a striking photographic backdrop.
We continue on to Ninh Binh.
Upon arrival, visit the ancient citadel of Hoa Lu, featuring the temples of the Dinh and Le kings, dating back to the 17th century. Lunch at a local restaurant.
After lunch, board a small traditional boat (sampan) to visit Tam Coc, which literally means “three caves” (approximately a 1.5-hour boat ride). With landscapes reminiscent of Halong Bay, impressive limestone formations, mystical caves, and lush green rice paddies, Tam Coc combines nature and tranquility in a unique setting. An ideal experience for lovers of photography and tranquility. Return to Hanoi.
Day 5: Hanoi – Halong Bay with a 2-day cruise
After breakfast, depart by road for Vietnam’s most famous attraction, Ha Long Bay, one of the 7 natural wonders of the world, via a beautiful route alongside the Red River Delta. Approximately
three thousand limestone formations, like floating rocks, rise from the emerald waters, as if precisely cut by some giant tool. Board the cruise ship, receive a brief safety briefing, and settle into your cabins. Enjoy a delicious meal featuring seafood and other Vietnamese delicacies. Today you will enjoy:
• A visit to an impressive cave (Sung Sot Cave)
• A kayak ride or a bamboo boat ride
• Swimming in a protected area
• A visit to a floating fishing village
Return to the ship. Enjoy a sunset cocktail in the most enchanting light of the day. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6: Halong – Hanoi and flight to Da Nang – Hoi An
The morning view of the bay is truly unique. Enjoy Tai Chi and a hearty breakfast before visiting Titov Island, with time for a swim or a hike to the summit for breathtaking views. Return to the ship and Tuong Chau Port. Road transfer back to Hanoi and the international airport to board your flight to Da Nang. Arrival and transfer to your hotel in Hoi An.
Day 7: Hoi An, full-day excursion and guided tour of My Son and Hoi An
Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to visit the My Son Holy Land, a World Heritage Site, 50 km southwest of Hoi An. There you will discover the magnificent ancient ruins of the site, including
the ancient towers. Return to
Hoi An for lunch.
There, you will begin
a tour of the ancient town, where you will explore:
• Kwan Temple, Phuc Kien Pagoda, the 200-year-old Tan Ky House, the 400-year-old Japanese Bridge, and the colorful local market by the river.
After the walking tour, free time for:
a stroll and shopping.
Day 8: Hoi An – Da Nang – Hue, city tour – Cruise on the Perfume River
Breakfast at the hotel and road transfer to Hue, with a stop for photos and panoramic views of Vietnam’s East Sea at Lang Co Beach and the breathtaking Hai Van Pass. Arrival in the imperial capital of the state from 1802 to 1945, where you will visit the Forbidden City, where the imperial family lived. You will see the Nguyen Dynasty palace complex, the Khai Dinh Tomb, and the 7-story Thien Mu Pagoda, the city’s most important religious monument. Lunch. Cruise on the Perfume River to visit
the Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the most beautiful pagodas in Vietnam. Check-in at the hotel in Hue.
Day 9: Hue – Flight to Saigon
Breakfast and transfer to the airport to board your flight to Vietnam’s economic capital, Saigon—now known as Ho Chi Minh City. Transfer and check-in at the hotel.
Day 10: Saigon City Tour & Cu Chi Tunnels
Breakfast at the hotel and departure by road to the Cu Chi area, the main base and hideout of the revolutionary forces during the war with the U.S. There, you will visit the museum with various important exhibits and take a guided tour through the labyrinthine tunnels. Return to Saigon and lunch. This is followed by a city tour of the main attractions, such as the Reunification Palace, the War Remnants Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the Central Post Office. If time permits, you’ll have time to explore the bustling Ben Thanh Market. Return to the hotel.
