Wonderful Day Ho Chi Minh City Shore Excursion with Local Guide
Overview
Inclusions
- Private Professional Tour Guide
- Cruise Port pickup and drop-off
- Private, Customized and Flexible Tour
- Vietnamese Traditional Lunch
- All Fees and Taxes
- Bottled Water and Tissues
- Entry/Admission - The Independence Palace
- Entry/Admission - War Remnants Museum
What to expect
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, 01 Cong xa Paris Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City 700000 Vietnam
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.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Central Post Office, 125 Hai Ba Trung, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City 70000 Vietnam
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.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: The Independence Palace, 106 Nguyen Du District 1, Ho Chi Minh City 700000 Vietnam
Independence 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. Independence 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
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: War Remnants Museum, 28 Vo Van Tan Ward 6, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City 700000 Vietnam
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.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: People's Committee Building, 86 Le Thanh Ton Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City 70000 Vietnam
The People’s Committee Building Saigon in central Ho Chi Minh City features well-preserved French colonial architecture in a spacious garden landscape. Originally constructed as a hotel in 1898 by French architect Gardes, it now serves as a city hall and one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Occupying the end of Nguyen Hue walking promenade, it has three buildings with embossed statues of animals and people, intricate bas-reliefs on the walls, as well as a statue of Ho Chi Minh in front of the main building. The best time to visit is in the evening, as these features are beautifully illuminated with LED lights.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Saigon Opera House (Ho Chi Minh Municipal Theater), 07 Lam Son Square Street District 1, Ho Chi Minh City 700000 Vietnam
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.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Chinatown (Cho Lon) - District 5, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam
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. During the Vietnam War Cholon was a thriving black market for US soldiers trading in American Army issue supplies. The area today is a popular site for those on the tourist trail and also attracts many Taiwanese and Chinese visitors. 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. It’s a wonderful place to experience at night.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Ba Thien Hau Temple, 710 Nguyen Trai Cho Lon, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam
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.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Ben Thanh Market, Le Loi, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City 700000 Vietnam
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.
Duration: 30 minutes
Additional information
- Not wheelchair accessible
- At time of booking, cruise ship passengers must provide the following information: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
- Most travelers can participate
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Proof of COVID-19 vaccination required for travelers
- COVID-19 vaccination required for guides
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
Cancellation
Our guide, Sarah, was a very enthusiastic young lady and our driver was excellent in the chaotic traffic. Meeting her at the port was easy and our return was prompt. We saw all we wanted with ample time when we wanted. She seemed to know how long we needed at each stop and we never felt rushed. ...
Our guide, Sarah, was a very enthusiastic young lady and our driver was excellent in the chaotic traffic. Meeting her at the port was easy and our return was prompt. We saw all we wanted with ample time when we wanted. She seemed to know how long we needed at each stop and we never felt rushed. Had a great lunch and later some wonderful Vietnamese coffee. She had us posing for pictures and enjoying it, something we seldom do. We are a couple in our late 60's. We did little shopping at our request but walked through all the markets and could stop where we wished. She was quite knowledgeable about everything and answered all our questions. The new year's celebrations were beginning and we learned so much about that. It was a great day! Thanks, Sarah!We loved our day in Ho Chi Minh. Our guide Mai did a wonderful job of taking us to the sites and explaining all. She is very knowledgeable and kept us on track because we wanted to see a lot and make the most of it. She really worked hard and had a great attitude and always a nice smile. The driv...
We loved our day in Ho Chi Minh. Our guide Mai did a wonderful job of taking us to the sites and explaining all. She is very knowledgeable and kept us on track because we wanted to see a lot and make the most of it. She really worked hard and had a great attitude and always a nice smile. The driver drove safely, and was there to pick us up after each event. All went very well and would use these tour folks again.Great tour...Kevin met us with sign right on schedule, gave us detailed and interesting facts about Ho Chi Minh city. Visited Reunification palace, War Remnants museum (very moving), Lunch at authentic Vietnamese restaurant, Notre Dame cathedral and Vietnamese coffee (highly recommended). This ...
Great tour...Kevin met us with sign right on schedule, gave us detailed and interesting facts about Ho Chi Minh city. Visited Reunification palace, War Remnants museum (very moving), Lunch at authentic Vietnamese restaurant, Notre Dame cathedral and Vietnamese coffee (highly recommended). This was a private tour, at same or better price offered by cruise line. Highly recommend!!We took a shore excursion with this company to visit the highlights of Ho Chi Minh City. We met Bao, our tour guide at the port and noted that it is a 1.5 hour drive to/from the port to Ho Chi Minh City. While there, we visited Chinatown, Beautful Lady Temple, War Renaments Museum, and had coff...
We took a shore excursion with this company to visit the highlights of Ho Chi Minh City. We met Bao, our tour guide at the port and noted that it is a 1.5 hour drive to/from the port to Ho Chi Minh City. While there, we visited Chinatown, Beautful Lady Temple, War Renaments Museum, and had coffee on the 50th floor of the Bitco Financial Tower. An elegant lunch was served at the Mandarin Restuarant, which our group totally enjoyed. We also visited a Lacquer factory and took a break to sample Vietnam coffee at a store (tourist traps). Please make note that traffic in the city is very busy so it is important to ensure that you have ample time to return to the port. We arrived 15 minutes before the ship was scheduled to leave. Overall, it was a nice tour and more time is needed to appreciate this city.Our guide put as much time into his facebook page, or whatever social media link he was using as in introducing us to Ho Chi Minh . Didn't have the knowledge of the city to be able to adapt to our preferences and whilst Tet holiday did create some limitations it was clearly a formula not so much ...
Our guide put as much time into his facebook page, or whatever social media link he was using as in introducing us to Ho Chi Minh . Didn't have the knowledge of the city to be able to adapt to our preferences and whilst Tet holiday did create some limitations it was clearly a formula not so much a private tour .Having had first class experiences in Taipei and Manila with Viator this was not of the same standard at allExcellent - our guide happy Sara was first class - probably would have liked more time at The War Remnants Museum - very moving.
Excellent - our guide happy Sara was first class - probably would have liked more time at The War Remnants Museum - very moving.