Ho Chi Minh Half Day City Tour

What to Expect

You will take part in a small group tour for 4 hours, this half-day city tour reveals Saigon's turbulent past and also provides a glimpse into the fascinating variety the city has to offer. You should not miss it.

Highlights

Itinerary

• Morning: Pick up and join the tour

  07:30 – 08:00: You will be picked up at hotel in District 1 or meeting point and start the tour.
  The first place you will visit today is Independence Palace, also known at the Reunification palace. It was built on the sight of the former Norodom palace. The Independence palace is a widely known landmark of Ho Chi Minh City and was designed by the architect Ngo Viet Thu.
  You then visit the beautiful structures from the French Colonial times such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, the historic Central Post Office.
  Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral was crowned the Basilica title in 1962 and is one of the only four Basilicas in Vietnam for its important role in the Vietnamese Catholic community. The construction work of this Basilica began in 1877 and lasted for three years under the supervision of J. Bourad, who was the designer of this building. The inauguration mass of the cathedral took place on April 11, 1880. The most special thing about this church is that it has a diverse system of stained-glass windows depicting Saints and stories in the Bible. In addition, it is one of the few churches in Vietnam that has a real pipe organ, which is deemed the king of instruments. However, it has been severely damaged and can no longer be used and has been replaced by an electronic pipe organ produced by Rodgers.
  
  Saigon Central Post Office is way beyond being a post office as it is also a historic building that has witnessed many life-changing events in the past and played an important role in the connection between Vietnam and the remaining two countries in Indochina, Cambodia and Laos, under the French colonialism. The construction work of this tourist attraction began in 1886 and completed in 1891 in accordance with the design of architect Foulhoux. Its design is oftentimes falsely credited as being a work of Eiffel or Vildieu. The attraction has yet to stop being praised by foreign travelers, even those from France, the motherland of Saigon Central Post Office’s architecture. This post office is considered a perfect blend of neo-classical European architecture and Asian decorations. The artistic facade of this building encompasses many European elements, including palmette ornaments, Roman arches and windows, as well as beautifully made reliefs.
  
  Followed by the remarkable site of the War Remnants Museum the museum has a vast display of the both the Indochina wars. It was opened for public in the year 1975 happens to be one of the most sought after tourist places in Ho Chi Minh city. This museum is visited by millions of people all through the year as it holds the 10th spot on the list of top international museums in the year 2018. The museum is home to more than 20,000 different artefacts, documented evidence of Vietnam’s grueling, and heroic struggle for independence. Every single piece of the artefacts are preserved to serve as a reminder of the horrors of the war and as an advocate for peace.
  The trip ends around 12pm, our guide says good bye to you.

  Air-Conditioned Bus