Private Full Day Tour of Ho Chi Minh City including Lunch

based on 243 reviews

Duration:8 hours (approx.)
Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Southern Vietnam

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This private tour of Ho Chi Minh City including lunch gives you a fascinating insight into the culture, history and the daily life of the locals in Ho Chi Minh City.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1. The Independence Palace
Reunification Palace was the base of Vietnamese General Ngo Dinh Diem until his death in 1963. It made its name in global history in 1975. A tank belonging to the North Vietnamese Army crashed through its main gate, ending the Vietnam War. Today, it's a must-visit for tourists in Ho Chi Minh City. The palace is like a time capsule frozen in 1975. You can see two of the original tanks used in the capture of the palace parked in the grounds. Reunification Palace was the home and workplace of the French Governor of Cochin-China. It has lush gardens, secret rooms, antique furniture, and a command bunker. It's still in use to host important occasions in Ho Chi Minh, including APEC summits.
2. War Remnants Museum
The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City first opened to the public in 1975. Once known as the ‘Museum of American War Crimes’, it's a shocking reminder of the long and brutal Vietnam War. Graphic photographs and American military equipment are on display. There's a helicopter with rocket launchers, a tank, a fighter plane, a single-seater attack aircraft. You can also see a conventional bomb that weighs at 6,800kg. American troops had used these weapons against the Vietnamese between 1945 and 1975.
3. Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral
(Notes: Maintenance) Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, built in the late 1880s by French colonists, is one of the few remaining strongholds of Catholicism in the largely Buddhist Vietnam. Located in Paris Square, the name Notre Dame was given after the installation of the statue ‘Peaceful Notre Dame’ in 1959. In 1962, the Vatican conferred the Cathedral status as a basilica and gave it the official name of Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica. Measuring almost 60 metres in height, the cathedral’s distinctive neo-Romanesque features include the all-red brick façade (which were imported from Marseille), stained glass windows, two bell towers containing six bronze bells that still ring to this day, and a peaceful garden setting in the middle of downtown Ho Chi Minh City District 1.
4. Central Post Office
The Central Post Office in Ho Chi Minh is a beautifully preserved remnant of French colonial times and perhaps the grandest post office in all of Southeast Asia. Located next door to Notre Dame Cathedral, the two cultural sites can be visited together and offers visitors a chance to imagine life in Vietnam during the times of the Indochinese Empire. The building was designed by Alfred Foulhoux and features arched windows and wooden shutters, just as it would have in its heyday in the late 19th Century.
5. Saigon Opera House (Ho Chi Minh Municipal Theater)
The Saigon Opera House in Ho Chi Minh is an elegant colonial building at the intersection of Le Loi and Dong Khoi Street in District 1, very close to the famous Notre Dame Cathedral and the classic Central Post Office. The restored three-storey 800-seat Opera House was built in 1897 and is used for staging not only opera but also a wide range of performing arts including ballet, musical concerts, Vietnamese traditional dance and plays. Performances are advertised around the building and information can be found in the state-operated tourist information centre close by
6. Chinatown (Cho Lon) - District 5
Ho Chi Minh City’s Cholon is Vietnam’s largest Chinatown with roots dating back to 1778; it’s also a place of great historical and cultural importance. Chinese minorities hid here from the Tay Son and subsequently had to rebuild the area twice following attack with as many as 70% estimated to have died trying to escape on boats. Those who survived settled and began selling a variety of Chinese products. Cholon is an interesting place to see classical Chinese architecture reminiscent of years gone by with plenty of Chinese restaurants. The Binh Tay market at the centre is busy, crowded and messy with small aisles selling all manner of goods. This market sometimes disappoints tourists when compared to other markets in Ho Chi Minh as the products are not that varied, but the main draw to Cholon is not to shop but to enjoy the authentic Chinese atmosphere that has existed here for hundreds of years.
7. Ba Thien Hau Temple
Ba Thien Hau Temple in Saigon is a Buddhist temple dedicated to the Chinese sea goddess, Mazu. It’s believed that she protects and rescues ships and people on the sea by flying around on a mat or cloud. Mazuism is connected with traditions and beliefs from both Taoism and Buddhism. Mazuism is therefore an incorporation of different aspects and traditions which have merged to form a new belief. You will find this temple in ‘Cholon’ (Chinatown) in District 5, which is roughly a twenty minute drive from the city centre. Ba Thien Hau temple was built in 1760 to honour Mazu the ‘Lady of the Sea’ and when you enter through the iron gate you will see massive stone incense burners in front of the entrance of Mazu’s altar. The exterior is beautifully designed with the traditional curvy roof on which small porcelain figures are standing symbol for themes from Chinese religion and legends.
8. Ben Thanh Market
Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 is a great place to buy local handicrafts, branded goods, Vietnamese art and other souvenirs. Here, you’ll find eating stalls inside the market where you can get a taste of hawker-style Vietnamese cuisine or simply cool off with a cold drink when the bargaining becomes too much. The market is big, difficult to navigate at times and certainly best avoided during the hottest part of the day but all the same its well worth a look. When night falls, restaurants around the perimeter of the market open their doors creating a vibrant street side scene filling the air with the scents of wok-fried noodles, barbecued fish and meats. One of Saigon’s oldest landmarks, Ben Thanh offers a great atmosphere that is absolutely authentically Vietnamese

ADDITIONAL INFO

CANCELLATION POLICY

Posted By : mattdI8673LJ
Awesome time with Tony highly recommend to anyone.His English is perfect and the information he supplies as a tour guide is 100%.As a family of 4 we thoroughly enjoyed the Tour with Tony.The vehicle was comfy as.Highly Recommend TONY....Cheers.Matt from Australia.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-26 04:10:53

Posted By : stephenpW9680SP
This whole thing was a great adventure. The city view, lots of interesting conversation, amazing food. We loved it!!!!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-17 10:29:43

Posted By : monkeylife
Brilliant day tour of Saigon with Tony and great driver. Lots of interesting places en-route including the War Museum, the Post office, the Palace of reunification and a temple, all topped off with a great lunch.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-17 02:45:24

Posted By : Mark_B
Tony was a fantastic tour guide. His knowledge of the city and country was very impressive, as is his English. This was a very informative way to begin our stay in Saigon. Highly recommended.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-27 07:17:24

Posted By : H3248YZcathyb
It was brilliant. Tony, our guide was so professional, friendly, knowledgeable and good fun. He explained everything so well and even took us to see some sights after the tour and told us the history, it was great.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-26 12:57:29

Posted By : markbY6464RX
We thoroughly enjoyed our tour. Tony (Duy Anh) was excellent and friendly guide! Not only did we appreciate Tony's expert knowledge on history and culture in Saigon, we also enjoyed his conversation and openness.
We learnt a lot about real Vietnam with everywhere we went.
Would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting HCMC.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-26 12:14:24

Posted By : Companion643016
This tour was a great way to explore the city. Tony did an amazing job explaining the history, culture and cuisine of the country. I would absolutely recommend Tony to anyone looking to learn more about Ho Chi Minh City and feel immersed into the culture
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-26 03:41:10

Posted By : F4815HWjenniferm
We have been travelling to Vietnam for over a week, and this was one of our favourite activities we've done! Our guide, Tony, was excellent. He made us feel very safe riding around the city and was extremely knowledgeable and easy to talk to about Vietnamese history and culture. This is a must-do for your first time in Saigon to learn about the city! There is something here for anyone interested in culture, food, or the history of Saigon.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-22 12:14:16

Posted By : D3897BAangelas
Tony, our guide, seemed to be having as good a time as we were. He spoke excellent English and was very professional, but he was also relaxed and warm, and was wonderful host and ambassador for his fine city.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-22 11:37:48

Posted By : melissavF37XX
Had such a good time with Tony. Tony our guide was super knowledgeable and fun. We were taken around Saigon all day long. Good food, and unique experiences. Definitely recommend as a good intro to Saigon. Thank you.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-22 09:22:24