Ho Chi Minh City is the largest, busiest and most exciting city in Vietnam. It is filled with intrigue and culture and is a cultural melting pot. There's so much to discover here. Founded over 300 years, today Ho Chi Minh remains a fascinating place to visit. Choose from a shared or private tour and visit some of the most interesting sights that Ho Chi Minh City has to offer. Such as: • The War Remnants Museum, an intriguing exhibition that highlights the futility of the war. • The Reunification Palace, a beautifully preserved palace that was the residence of the President of the Republic of Vietnam during the 1960-1970s. • Notre Dame Cathedral, built in 1880. • The Old Post Office, built between 1886 – 1891. • Thien Hau Pagoda in Cho Lon, a Chinese style temple located on Nguyen Trai Street in Cho Lon (China Town). It is dedicated to Thien Hau, the Lady of the Sea, also known as 'Mazu' or 'Tian Hou' in Chinese. • The lacquerware factory, the last stop on the tour. Here you can observe the manufacture of traditional Vietnamese products

It cannot be considered a great trip if you only get to see famous tourist attractions without experiencing the local culture and learning about their historical background. No matter what option you choose, you're guaranteed to have a very insightful and educational trip with Saigon Adventure. Our tour guide and driver will take you to every corner of the city on the back of the scooter, from bustling streets to hidden alleyways, from market to market, from huge ancient apartment to local houses, places that you could never want to wander into on your own because of its complex formation and see the contrast of 4 different districts (Districts 1, 3, 5, and 10) in your astonishment. See another side of Saigon with a tour of Cho Lon, also known as Chinatown. Travel with your guide by scooter and on foot and explore markets and off-the-beaten-path spots. Stroll through Binh Tay Market, enjoy a ride on a scooter, and visit a Chinese herb street at Trieu Quang Phuc. Stop at a local place for fresh kumquat juice at Ho Thi Ky flower market. Take in the colorful sights and exotic smells of the markets of Chinatown. See the spiral incense at Thien Hau Temple. Places visited include: The Venerable Thich Quang Duc Monument Ho Thi Ky Wholesale Flower Market Nguyen Thien Thuat Oldest Apartment Local Cambodian Market Famous medicine street Lantern street Pets market Thien Hau Temple – The oldest Chinese Temple in HCMC Cho Lon (Binh Tay Market) - the biggest wholesale market in Ho Chi Minh city Motorbike parts market

Dive into District 6 (Quân 6), Ho Chi Minh City's alternative side. Step away from the tourist trails and follow your local guide on a private tour full of surprises. Check out Ba Chien Hau pagoda, Binh Tay market, local street art, spot architectural gems, and more. See and learn about the unexpected side of Ho Chi Minh City. Let your guide show you hangout spots and historical spots representative of the area.

In the morning: • At 8.00 am : Our Guide and car will meet you at your hotel in center and start the tour to explore Hcm city. The first place to visit in the tour will be the Reunification Palace. After, you can walk to see some French colonial structures including Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Central Post Office. • Continue on to Chinatown, Thien Hau pagodas, which is dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea. Explore the highlights of this fascinating area, beginning with intricate friezes, carved tableau and impressive incense coils make for some great photos. Then observe street life through the narrow streets to Binh Tay market that sells everything from clothes to dried squid. In the afternoon: • Have Lunch at a local restaurant, then continue to visit War Remnants Museum where there is a vast display of the both the Indochina wars. In courtyard massive military vehicles are for exhibition as well as tiger cages for the visitor to get a feel on how it was to be a prisoner during wartime. In the museum building itself, each floor will represent a separate theme from the war and the war crimes committed towards the Vietnamese people. We end the city tour with Ben Thanh market where anything and everything is for sale. • End of services. Say goodbye and finish your Ho Chi Minh city tour with sweet moments.

The tour will begin with a ride to the Lady Thien Hau Temple. This temple, built to worship Lady Thien Hau (the goddess of the sea), is one of the most interesting and ancient temples in the China Town area. Thien Hau is the Vietnamese transcription of the Chinese name Tianhou ("Empress of Heaven"), an epithet of the Chinese sea goddess Mazu, the deified form of Lin Moniang, a medieval Fujianese girl credited with saving one or some of her family members from harm during a typhoon through her spiritual power. After visiting the temple, you will relax on cyclo (pedicab) going around China Town and visiting some local shops, where you can find many traditional Chinese products including medicinal herbs and clothing. China Town is an interesting place to see classical Chinese architecture reminiscent of years gone by with plenty of Chinese restaurants. We then visit Cha Tam Church (or Saint Francis Xavier Parish Church), is the first church for the Catholic parishioners of the local Chinese community in Ho Chi Minh City. Last stop is Binh Tay Market, constructed by the French in the 1880s, is located in the centre of Vietnam’s largest China Town district.

Brief itinerary We pick up at your hotel at the time you choose (flexible), our tour will bring you back to our histories by passing some destinations. Highlights: •The reunification palace - historical witness for april 30, 1975 •War remnants museum - the cruelty, the pain and the fear of american war •Notre dame cathedral saigon – A symbolic of saigon •Central post office - Western-style architectural works combined with oriental features. •Saigon rangers museum & do phu historical coffee •Fito museum - first museum in vietnam which is devoted to the traditional vietnamese medicine & pharmacy. •Local market: To have a chance to heaven of street food and second hand shopping. Noted: If you have any special request please inform when you book the tour. Inclusions: Private car, English speaking guide, all admission fees, a bottle water, lunch with set menu, one beer/softdrink Exclusions: Personal expenses, tips and gratuities, vat

Your tour begins with hotel pick-up at 08:00AM by luxury air-conditioned vehicle, from here you will start your Ho Chi Minh half-day tour. Experience the city of Ho Chi Minh like never before, taking the day to explore the city's history, culture, and traditions as you tour around some of its most famed sites, markets, restaurants, and pagodas. Visit the Reunification Palace, being able to listen to your guide's interesting historical knowledge about the structure that was formerly the South Vietnamese President's residence prior to the end of the war in 1975. You will then get the chance to witness the French influence through the French colonial architecture of Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Central Post Office. Following this, you will head over to the War Remnants Museum, where you can see the vast exhibits regarding the American-Vietnamese War. Next, enjoy a cycle ride to the Ben Thanh Market, where upon arrival you can wander through the vendor-lined walkways that make up one of the city's oldest surviving structures. You will even get the chance to purchase a few unique gifts, such as local crafts, textiles, or other souvenirs. At midday, stop at a popular local restaurant for an authentic Vietnamese meal with your guide. Next, follow your guide to Chinatown to wonder at the intricate architecture and detail of Thien Hau and learn about their spiritual significance. Finally, end the day with a visit to Binh Tay Market, wandering through the vendor-lined walkways before being transported back to your hotel at approximately 5:30PM.

You day will begin with a beautiful stroll through the pretty Ho Thi Ky Flower Market, the biggest in Ho Chi Minh City. You’ll get to view the colorful daily life of the city’s local traders while you navigate through the narrow and winding streets of the market. Afterwards, you will head to the Pet Market where you will pick up a bicycle for an hour of riding through the city. First, you will pass by the local food and fruit market where you will receive an insight into the local cuisine and daily Vietnamese life. Next you’ll get to whizz past many specialist local markets including leather, fabric, second-hand items and Chinese Medicine stalls. Your cycling leg of the tour will then end at the Thien Hau Temple. Located in Chinatown, Thien Hau Temple is widely considered the most beautiful in the entire city. After visiting this legendary temple, you will drive along the canal to see the contrast between poor stilt houses and the wealthy sky buildings. Following this, you will head back to the city center to visit the fascinating War Remnants Museum. This will be an emotionally hard-hitting experience given the graphic content of the museum, yet, it will be a valuable stop for anybody wishing to learn more about different perspectives surrounding the Vietnam War and its continuing effects today. After the trip to the museum, your guide will take you to try the most famous Vietnamese cuisine, Phở, for lunch. Once you've fueled up, it’s off to your first stop of the afternoon which will be the Reunification Palace. Here you’ll learn all about its important place in Vietnamese history. Following this palace visit, your next stop will be the famous Notre Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office. Your knowledgeable guide will explain all the history behind these two incredible buildings. Next, you will head to the historic CIA building where the last U.S Helicopter flew out of Saigon in 1975. You’ll learn all about the story of the last U.S Operation, Frequent Wind. From here you will have a mini walking tour to see HCMC highlights including the Opera House, Hotel Continental and Nguyen Hue Square where you can see City Hall, Rex Hotel and the mighty Bitexco building. The final stop for the day will be the Ben Thanh market, a must-see spot to understand the local market cultures. It is good for either window shopping or practicing your bargain skills. Ben Thanh market is a must spot to understand the local market cultures. It is good for both window shopping or practicing your bargain skills. After this busy place, it will be time to enjoy a famed Vietnamese coffee before you are brought back to your accommodation.

After venturing to the city from the port, you can immerse yourself in local Vietnamese culture with a traditional "cyclo" ride through the narrow, colorful streets of Ho Chi Minh. As you make your way through this bustling hub, you will experience the daily life of the locals as they haggle at the countless markets dotted throughout the city. You will also witness vendors selling colorful materials, fresh fruit and vegetables, and of course, the famed Vietnamese street food! Following the sounds, sights and scents of Ho Chi Minh’s streets, you will begin to explore the Chinese-influenced Thien Hau Temple. Ho Chi Minh's temples offer an essential insight into the beliefs and customs of the Vietnamese, and this beautiful temple is no exception. This National Architectural Heritage Site, apart from housing beautiful art pieces and antiquities, gives an important insight into Vietnamese folk religions for locals and tourists alike. Next up, prepare for the emotional impact of the War Remnants Museum. Offering a rare insight into the civilian impact of the Vietnamese-American war, the multi-layered displays are hard-hitting, but an absolute must-see. The Requiem Gallery is the gem of this museum, where you can see historic photos taken by famed international war photographers such as Tim Page or Larry Burrows. Your next stop is the Independence Palace, an important landmark which acts as a fascinating time capsule. The site of the end of the Vietnam War, Independence Palace houses secret rooms, a war bunker, and even the original tanks that were used to seize the palace itself. After the Independence Palace, you will be invited for a tasty and simple local lunch of either Pho or Banh Mi. This delicious break will then be followed by a famous Vietnamese-style coffee. Following lunch, you can enjoy a walking tour of all of Ho Chi Minh's most important sites. The Notre-Dame cathedral and Central Post Office are stunning architectural feats in the center of the city. From the Post Office, your guide will show you the historic CIA headquarters and tell you the story of the last U.S Helicopter flying out of Saigon in 1975. You will stroll leisurely along Dong Khoi street to visit the very beautiful Opera House and City Hall, before making your final, optional stop at the Level 23 rooftop bar where you can have a drink and unwind. You can sip your drink and take in incredible city views, before your guide drops you back to port with plenty of time for your departure.