Saigon Full Day City Tour
Details
This enriching full-day tour offers a deep dive into Ho Chi Minh City’s vibrant past and present. Begin your journey in the historic Chinatown (Cho Lon), where you'll explore the bustling Chinese medicine market and admire the spiritual beauty of Thien Hau Pagoda. Wander through the colorful Cho Lon Market, a hub of local life and commerce. Uncover a lesser-known chapter of history with a visit to the Secret Weapon Cellar, a hidden underground cache used during the Vietnam War. Continue to the War Remnants Museum for a powerful perspective on the conflict, then explore the iconic Reunification Palace, once the seat of the South Vietnamese government. Conclude your day at two of the city’s most beloved colonial-era landmarks: the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office—both stunning examples of French colonial architecture.
Intinerary
We begin our exciting day with a visit to Thien Hau Pagoda, a revered spiritual site in Ho Chi Minh City. Built around 1760 by Chinese immigrants, the pagoda is dedicated to the Lady of the Sea and reflects the deep cultural heritage of the Chinese community in Vietnam.
Next, we take a leisurely walk through the traditional Chinese herbal medicine market, where you’ll gain fascinating insights into Eastern medicine practices and learn about the use of natural herbs in traditional healing. Our journey continues with a visit to Cho Lon “Big Market”, established in the late 1700s as a bustling hub of commerce by Chinese settlers. This vibrant district showcases the fusion of Chinese and Vietnamese cultures.
We then move to the Secret Weapon Cellar, a hidden underground bunker used during the 1968 Tet Offensive to store weapons and explosives smuggled in from Cu Chi and other rural bases. In early 1967, the house owner ingeniously constructed two cellars beneath his home to hide pistols, rifles, grenades, and over 350kg of TNT.
Our next stop is the memorial of Thich Quang Duc, the Buddhist monk who self-immolated in 1963 in protest against President Ngo Dinh Diem’s regime. The site stands as a powerful symbol of resistance and sacrifice.
For lunch, we enjoy a delicious Vietnamese set-menu meal at a local restaurant in the heart of Saigon, offering an authentic taste of southern cuisine.
In the afternoon, we visit the War Remnants Museum, which provides a sobering look at the Vietnam War through photographs, artifacts, and exhibits documenting American military involvement.
The rest of the day is spent on a guided walking tour of some of the city’s most iconic landmarks. We explore the Reunification Palace, formerly the Presidential Palace, which played a key role during the final days of the Vietnam War.
From there, we stroll to the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office, two beautiful examples of French colonial architecture that have become emblematic of the city.
Continuing along Dong Khoi Street, we pause to admire the Saigon Opera House, Hotel Continental, Rex Hotel, and City Hall—each rich with historical significance. Our final stop is the Bitexco Financial Tower, where you’ll enjoy panoramic views of Ho Chi Minh City’s ever-evolving skyline.
