Highlights / General details
Marvel at colonial architecture at the Notre Dame Cathedral, General Post Office and Reunification Palace.
See Ho Chi Minh City from the seat of a cyclo, just like a local.
Visit the famous bird café in Tao Dan Park, where locals take their caged birds every morning.
Experience the biggest atmospheric flower market, Ho Thi Ky, as well as Ben Thanh Market and its nearby neighbourhoods.
Inclusion
Local English speaking guide; Cyclo ride; Finger food at local market.
Exclusion
Hotel pick-up and drop-off; Souvenirs and items of a personal nature; Entrance fees; Tips or gratuities for drivers or guides.
Hours of operation
Available daily at 8:00am.
Duration
Approximately 4-5 hours.
Location
Meeting point: Pick up at front entrance of the Central Post Office - 2 Cong Xa Paris St, District 1 (next to Notre Dame Cathedral).
Finish point: Ben Thanh Market.
Itinerary
Make like a local and experience Ho Chi Minh City using your own two feet and from the seat of a cyclo! With a combination of foot power and pedal power, you'll see the classic sights and quintessential markets of HCMC like you've never seen them before! We'll start walking from the General Post Office, an icon of Saigon, and Notre Dame Cathedral, built by the French during the colonial era. Both structures are fine examples of architecture from the colonial period.
Our HCMC tour takes us past the Reunification Palace, previously referred to as the Presidential Palace, and the site of the official South Vietnamese surrender on April 30th, 1975. Although we won't go into the palace, your local guide will tell you all about it and give you the chance to take some photos. From here we continue our journey to the Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, where we'll embark on a cyclo tour of Ho Chi Minh City, rolling around the city on a traditional three-wheeled bicycle with a carriage at the front for passengers. Drivers use pedal power to push us along, and gives us the opportunity to take in the sights, sounds, and smells of HCMC without the barrier of being trapped behind a car window (or the sound of a noisy engine!). The ride leads us to the bird café at Tao Dan Park, where locals come carrying their caged birds every morning for a true one-of-a-kind sight. This park is also where locals gather to do morning exercises and enjoy the fresh air andshade on sunny days.
Hop back on the cyclo and we'll ride toward the crossroads where the famous monk Thich Quang Duc self-immolated in 1963, in protest of the government’s persecution of Buddhists. We’ll then ride to the very local District 3 and the biggest flower market in the city. We’ll also visit a neighbourhood where a lot of Viet Kieu Cambodians now live in Saigon, giving you a chance to learn more about Southeast Asian history.
Back on the cyclo, it’s non-stop sightseeing as we pass by the ‘pet street,’ Le Hong Phong, and the ‘art and painting street,’ Tran Phu, before bidding our cyclos goodbye at Tao Dan Park. Here, we’ll enjoy a short walk to Saigon’s iconic and authentic Ben Thanh Market; with its unmistakable clock tower, it has long been a staple of the city and is not to be missed.
At the end of your Ho Chi Minh City tour you are free to continue exploring Ben Thanh market, or your guide will assist you in getting a taxi back to your hotel or providing tips and suggestions for further exploration in the area.
Additional Information
Dress standards are conservative throughout Asia, especially outside major cities. To respect this and for your own comfort, we strongly recommend modest clothing. This means clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. Loose, lightweight, long clothing is both respectful and cool in the predominantly hot Asian climate.
Participant restrictions
This is a child-friendly tour. Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour. Children younger than 6 are permitted at no extra cost, but please make sure you inform our guides of this before you take the tour.
Policies
This tour is offered on a "join-in" basis. Maximum group size is 12.
If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at your hotel for pick up.
Please check your hotel details are correct on the voucher.
Cancellation: 2 days prior 100% penalty. No show 100% penalty.
Complete information, including local telephone numbers at your destination, will be included on your Confirmation Voucher.
**All information requested must be supplied or booking is subject to automatic cancellation**