Ho Chi Minh City, or HCMC as locals and visitors alike refer to it, is a city on the move. The dynamic energy of this pulsing Vietnamese capital has long outpaced the turbulent years of its previous avatar – Saigon. Today, it is the cultural, commercial, and industrial center of Vietnam, providing a happy balance of tradition and modernity. Beautiful French colonial buildings and other historic landmarks coexist peacefully with towering skyscrapers and glitzy malls. The blending of Saigon’s past and present is mirrored in its cosmopolitan citizens. Local women dressed in traditional Vietnamese tunics walk past trendy boutiques, while street stalls and high-end restaurants serve equally delicious food.
Below are activities within Vietnam Tours Saigon.
Activities in Vietnam Tours Saigon
Private – Ms. Cam Van’s Cooking Class and Lunch
On this half-day excursion, you will meet Ms. Nguyen Dzoan Cam Van, one of Vietnam’s most influential chefs who has published nearly 40 cookery books. Begin your day by visiting a local market and learning about the buying and selling rituals as well as the delicious ingredients. Following the market, you will be driven to Cam Van’s home near a canal in Saigon’s tranquil backstreets for a hands-on cooking class where you will be able to taste the fruits of your labor. Enjoy your host’s many stories about traveling the United States to present her native cuisine.
The Bonsai Cruise
Why not board the Bonsai, a charming 19th century dragon boat, in the early evening and enjoy a scenic cruise along the Saigon River? Admire the passing cityscape while sipping cocktails and nibbling on canapes, or let the live band tempt you onto the dance floor. Enjoy a buffet of Vietnamese and European cuisine, followed by after dinner drinks (payable) on deck before returning to the pier at around 9.30 p.m. Return to your hotel.
Museum of War Remnants
Visit the War Remnants Museum, which displays military equipment like helicopters, fighter jets, and oddities. The museum’s collection ranges from a guillotine used for execution in prison to jars containing preserved human fetuses. Please keep in mind that some of the exhibits may be upsetting to some visitors.
Touring on a Vespa Culinary Nirvana on a local food trail astride an antique Vespa hoverboard through the overpopulated streets of Saigon! In this exciting metropolis, feel the sizzle, smell the aromas, eat the treats, and indulge in an abundance of street food. Meet your moped driver and begin your epicurean adventure. Enjoy snail dishes in District 4; Banh Xeo (rice pancake with pork and prawns) in District 3; dine/drink at some genuine street food joints; and visit a local coffee shop.
From Ho Chi Minh City, Visit Cai Be and The Floating Market.
The Mekong Delta/’rice bowl’ of Vietnam is a two-hour drive from Saigon, passing through lush rice paddies and fruit farms on the way to Cai Be.
Cruise 20 minutes to take a stroll through palm-lined trails and orchards, see traditional Delta life, and visit a family-run business. Lunch at an ancient Mandarin house inhabited by four generations of family members. Back to the Mekong Queen, walk or be rowed in a sampan through tiny canals.
Visit the Cu Chi Tunnels for Half a Day (by Road)
Drive two hours northwest of Saigon through urban areas and typical lush Vietnamese countryside to reach the world-famous Cu Chi tunnel complex, which was founded in 1948 to protect Viet Cong guerrillas from the French. During the American war, these passageways also served as communication infrastructure, food storage areas, weapon caches, and hospitals and living areas for resistance fighters.
Understand the history of the tunnels, the hardships of life in the tunnels, and the Vietnamese resilience during combat.
Ho Chi Minh City’s Highlights
Explore Saigon, the city which never sleeps – turbulent yet lively, overpopulated yet exciting, Saigon combines the past with the present. Walk by historic landmarks; see lovely French colonial constructions on Dong Khoi street/Rue Catinat; see the Opera House, the former Hotel de Ville and Presidential Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Central P.O. Drive 6km away to Thien Hau temple in District 5, where you can make a wish by writing it on a comparatively tiny badge and attaching it to a scented coil, as is customary.
Cu Chi Tunnels + Saigon Underground Are the Best Options for War History Buffs.
Vietnam’s wartime years continue to captivate people. This combination tour from Les Rives provides a rare opportunity to see the conflict from a different perspective: beneath the surface. The day begins with a relaxing speedboat ride to the Cu Chi Tunnels. A cool mist hangs off the caramel-colored river, and there are scenes of colorful barges, floating hyacinths, and exotic birds on every side.
There are numerous tours to Cu Chi, but Les Rives’ offerings stand out due to their excellent service and informative script. An entire community survived and waged guerrilla warfare from a network of underground tunnels in this contested piece of land.
Return to town on a motorcycle for the second part of the tour: a series of visits to pockets of resistance concealed right in the heart of the city. During the war, North Vietnamese proponents devised innovative ways to continue their attempts while avoiding detection. Each of these stops, which are only open by appointment, will reveal a piece of wartime history: a hidden weapons and ammunition store, a propagandistic printed word, and an unlikely meeting place. Some are hidden in floors and cupboards, while others are camouflaged with innocuous fronts – all played important roles in the conflict.
Saigon After Dark is The Best Option For Local Life Enthusiasts
Have you ever wondered what young Vietnamese in Ho Chi Minh City do in their spare time? This tour will make that statement by trying to take you to some of the ‘s busiest local spots for dining, drinking, and relaxing. Prepare to have a good time as the genial (and attractive!) drivers of Saigon After Dark display you around their city.
Saigon After Dark promises to take you on a motorbike tour of the city, where you can sample authentic street food and hang out with the locals. Best of all, you’ll get an authentic look at life in the big city after dark. Some of the highlights include: Munching on crispy banh xeo, taking in views of the Saigon River, and having to learn a traditional Vietnamese pastime in the shade of a lush green park. The tour concludes with cold beers on a rooftop lounge in the traveller district – but you are free to stay as long as you want.
Urban Tales in Cho Lon is Ideal For Temple Trekkers and Friends.
Insert forward your investigative hats: this tour will have you piecing together puzzles in Chinatown’s ornate temples and tiny back alleys. If the ‘Strange Case of Dr. Lam’ episode of Urban Tales doesn’t sound like your typical city tour, that’s because it isn’t. Over the course of one morning, you’ll visit incredible pagodas, interact with friendly locals, and see the greatest of Cho Lon on foot – all while tackling a gripping murder mystery involving dangerous clans, mystical legends, and a few dragons.
This tour requires some walking, but it is an outstanding way to experience cultural experience in District 5. As the clock ticks down, all the clues come together, and there’s a surprising twist at the end. If you combine the tour with a soup dumplings lunch, you’ll be dragged away on a cyclo for a delicious, well-deserved meal.
