VIETNAM – CAMBODIA – 13 DAYS

Meeting at the airport and flight to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), with a stopover.

Afternoon arrival in Saigon, transfer and check-in at our hotel and free time to walk the famous pedestrian street in front of City Hall and have dinner at a local restaurant.

Following a two-hour drive to the southern province of Ben Tre (located in the Mekong Delta), we will take a boat ride on a tributary of the great river and enjoy the journey along the lush canal, to see how the locals fish in a traditional way. We will visit a traditional coconut processing and candy making workshop. We will continue our boat ride through a dense aquatic palm forest and have lunch at a local tavern, to try the famous elephant ear (the delicious river fish). We will continue our exploration of Saigon, to visit the war museum with rare photographic documents from the war with the Americans. Notre Dame de Paris, the Gothic-style central post office, the French Opera, the large pedestrian street and at the end of the tour, we will have time to visit the famous Ben Thanh, full of small shops to do your last-minute shopping and buy souvenirs. Return to Saigon.

After breakfast, we will visit Cu Chi, to visit the famous labyrinthine underground tunnels, which during the Vietnam War were a hideout for the Viet Cong. Next, we will be transferred to the airport and flight to Siem Reap (Cambodia). Transfer and check-in at the hotel. Free time to relax or take a short walk through the markets in the city center, known for its street musicians. Dinner will be served at a local restaurant.

Our morning tour will start at the fortified city of Angkor Thom ("the great city"), capital of the ancient Khmer state in the 12th century. We will continue with the elephant courtyard in front of the ruins of the royal palace and we will visit the completely different and much-filmed ancient Buddhist monastery of Ta Prom, almost intact in the jungle that has literally swallowed it. Finally, early in the afternoon, we will visit the most famous temple, the majestic Angkor Wat "The City of Temples", one of the wonders of the Eastern world with masterpieces of decorative details and architectural style, with impressive ruins demonstrating the spectacular achievements of the greatest civilization of Southeast Asia. According to Hindu mythology, it is a replica of the universe with Mount Meru surrounded by continents and oceans with numerous galleries and images of celestial Apsara dancers. A dinner with Apsara music and dances will follow.

In the floating fishing villages of the vast Tonle Sap Lake, we will admire the diversity of the landscape with the three-story stilt houses of the fishermen. In the event that the lake is flooded, we will offer you a unique gift: boating in the flooded forest, a unique experience provided by the village mothers, showing us the hiding places of migratory birds. This will be followed by a transfer to the airport for a flight back to Vietnam (Da Nang). This is followed by a transfer to Hoi An, to see the historic Chinese and Japanese center with the 400-year-old closed Japanese bridge, the Chinese Temple of the Sea Goddess and the local food market. At the end of the tour, we will give you a gift of a boat ride on the central canal, so that you can dedicate a lantern to the waters that reflect colorfully from the decorative hanging colorful lanterns. Dinner will be provided during the excursion.

Today, we will visit one of the most impressive architectural and tourist monuments in the country, the Golden Bridge of Ba Na Hills. The bridge is 150 meters long and looks as if it is supported by two giant stone hands that emerge from the mountain. It is a unique attraction that combines architectural imagination with natural beauty! Here, you can also enjoy the theme park of the area, which will remind you of Disneyland, see the gardens of love and the French cellar up close and have fun in its facilities. Next, we will be transferred to Imperial Hue. Dinner will be served at a local restaurant, with traditional costumes.

After breakfast, we will have the opportunity to tour the tomb of the second and most beloved emperor Minh Mang and then, if we visit by electric carts (for more comfort), the ancient fortified citadel and former palace (reminiscent of the Forbidden City of Beijing) on ​​the banks of the Perfume River. Finally, we will visit the recently renovated Kien Trang, a magnificent palace of the Nguyen Dynasty with impressive touches of Western architecture. This is followed by a flight to Hanoi, where we will have a short welcome, with a relaxing bike ride in the old town & Hoan Kiem Lake with the famous Cyclo (cycle carts), before settling in at our hotel. Dinner will be served at a local restaurant.

Assuming we only have a backpack with the essentials for two days, we will follow the route through the Red River Delta and arrive at the most spectacular natural monument of the world heritage, the famous “Bay of the Descending Dragon” Ha Long. Lush limestone cliffs and impressive caves uniquely complement the landscape, offering fascinating images. During our transfer to the bay, we will stop at a pearl cultivation workshop to learn how to cultivate and prepare the beautiful pearls. Upon your arrival in Ha Long, the crew will greet you with a welcome drink and you will receive a brief introduction to your itinerary. After we are picked up and settled in our cabins, we will start with a delicious lunch menu at the ship’s restaurant and continue our exploration with the floating village of Tra Bau. Sunset time will find us on the ship, overlooking Lan Ha Bay and it is the right time for a cooking demonstration, which will help us learn and taste more about Vietnamese culinary culture. The Cruise Chef will show and guide you on how to make Vietnamese traditional dishes, such as fresh or dried spring rolls and/or how to carve various types of vegetables and fruits. Enjoy delicious local food prepared and served for you by our wonderful catering staff, the night view of Lan Ha Bay is incredible. Enjoy overnight activities on the ship, such as squid fishing, delicious drinks at the bars, movies and karaoke, SPA or just relax in your room. Overnight on board.

Starting with a light breakfast, we will continue sailing among amazing karst towers. Tea, coffee and light breakfast will be served very early in the morning in the fresh air, just before the Tai Chi exercise classes. We will continue with the exploration of Ha Long Bay and specifically the cave, famous for the pristine natural beauty of Lan Ha Bay and the poetic, attractive seascape. Here you will take some photos of the romantic, lyrical local attractions. This is also the best time to enjoy bamboo boating or kayaking which is an interesting activity to discover the truest beauty of the Limestone Mountains and the blue sky of the bay. Upon our return to the main boat, we will check into our cabins and have a brunch-style meal, until our transfer to the pier. Having returned to Hanoi by noon, we will have the opportunity to visit the complex of "Uncle Ho" (Ho Chi Minh) with the presidential palace, the residences and various other buildings. There we will see his desire for a simple lifestyle and not accommodation in the local palaces. Seeing up close the stilt building that his fellow villagers built for him, we will also get to know the wider area of ​​the palaces with the gardens and the pagoda supported by a pillar. Our tour of the city center follows, with emphasis on the impressive Temple of Literature and the first university in Vietnam, dedicated to Confucius. Dinner will be served at a local restaurant.

After a two-hour road trip, we will arrive at the "Mainland of Ha Long Bay" and specifically at Ninh Binh. Climbing the 486 steps, we will conquer Ngoa Long Mountain, admiring the unique view with the endless mountain ranges and rice fields and exploring the Mua Cave. We will continue our journey with a boat ride on the Tam Coc River, to enjoy the landscape with the scattered limestone rocks up close. Finally, we will visit the Bich Dong Pagoda, which is a spiritual attraction. Here we will enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and learn more about Buddhism in Vietnam. Lunch will be provided during the excursion. Return to Hanoi and free time to relax in the historic center or around the central lake.

During our excursion today, we will visit the famous village of Quang Phu Cau, known for its 100-year tradition of making incense sticks. Seeing up close the process of cutting bamboo, coloring and drying it in the sun, we will have the opportunity to immortalize the most beautiful photos with the bright colors of the sticks. While returning to the city center, we will be introduced to the process of making the famous coffee with egg. The country is not only famous for the best quality coffee, but also for the different ways of making it, with one of them being coffee with egg. Free time in the historical center to shop for branded clothing and bags. Lunch will be provided at a local restaurant and transfer to the airport for the return flight.

Arrival in Athens.