Five-star, Italian cruise ship Costa Classica, docked in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday, giving the 2,000 mainly European passengers and crew the chance to explore some of the most popular tourist destinations in central and southern Vietnam.

According to HCMC-based travel firm Saigontourist, which provides land services for the ship, most of the Costa Classica’s passengers are from Italy, Spain, Germany, Japan and the U.K.

Passengers will enjoy a tour of the city and visit the renowned Cu Chi Tunnels, a network of underground tunnels built by Vietnamese guerrillas during the Vietnam War.

Some groups will also embark on short trips to the Mekong Delta, known as the country’s granary, to enjoy the rural landscape and local delicacies.

The travelers are also scheduled to visit central coastal Danang, the former imperial town of Hue, UNESCO-listed Hoi An and other tourist hot spots in central Vietnam.

Costa Classica belongs to the Italian travel group Costa Crociere, Europe’s largest cruiser group. Its sister cruisers, Costa Marina and Costa Allegra, often bring holidaymakers to Vietnam.

The cruiser is expected to make two trips to Vietnam each month.

Saigontourist, one of two tour operators that dominate the domestic sea tourism market, said it welcomed 62,000 international sea travelers to the country in the January-November period, the same number of travelers as the first 11 months of 2008.

Source: Viet News