• Binh Quoi Village - Saigon’s Eco village (The best place for the kid and shooting photos) located on Saigon riverside, this peaceful tourist village is full of green spaces with flowers and swaying trees. It is famous weekend location for the local people for picnics and fishing. Enjoying a cup of Vietnamese coffee here is a great way to kick-start this amazing city exploration experience.
• Ho Chi Minh City - After that we’ll head to center and discover history and culture of Saigon with:
  • Enjoy lunch at local restaurant
  • The symbol of Saigon

• City Hall

• Opera House

• Central Post Office

• Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral

• War Museum

All private tours are approximately 9-10 hours or longer depending on your time. At the end of the private tour, we will ensure that you return on-time to board the cruise ship.

• The Independence Palace - Independence Palace was the base of Vietnamese General Ngo Dinh Diem until his death in 1963. It made its name in global history in 1975. A tank belonging to the North Vietnamese Army crashed through its main gate, ending the Vietnam War. Today, it’s a must-visit for tourists in Ho Chi Minh City. The palace is like a time capsule frozen in 1975. You can see two of the original tanks used in the capture of the palace parked in the grounds. Independence Palace was the home and workplace of the French Governor of Cochin-China.

• Emperor Jade Pagoda - You will find this pagoda in District 1 one of the oldest pagoda in Saigon, which is roughly a ten minute drive from the city centre.

• Central Post Office - A must see in Saigon: The building was designed by Alfred Foulhoux and features arched windows and wooden shutters, just as it would have in its heyday in the late 19th Century.

• Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral - A must see in Saigon: Located in Paris Square, the name Notre Dame was given after the installation of the statue ‘Peaceful Notre Dame’ in 1959. In 1962, the Vatican conferred the Cathedral status as a basilica and gave it the official name of Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica.

• Saigon Opera House (Ho Chi Minh Municipal Theater) - The Saigon Opera House in Ho Chi Minh is an elegant colonial building at the intersection of Le Loi and Dong Khoi Street in District 1, very close to the famous Notre Dame Cathedral and the classic Central Post Office. The restored three-storey 800-seat Opera House was built in 1897 and is used for staging not only opera but also a wide range of performing arts including ballet, musical concerts, Vietnamese traditional dance and plays. Performances are advertised around the building and information can be found in the state-operated tourist information centre close by.

• People’s Committee Building - The People’s Committee Building Saigon in central Ho Chi Minh City features well-preserved French colonial architecture in a spacious garden landscape. Originally constructed as a hotel in 1898 by French architect Gardes, it now serves as a city hall and one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Occupying the end of Nguyen Hue walking promenade, it has three buildings with embossed statues of animals and people, intricate bas-reliefs on the walls, as well as a statue of Ho Chi Minh in front of the main building.

• Ben Thanh Market - Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1 is a great place to buy local handicrafts, branded goods, Vietnamese art and other souvenirs. Here, you’ll find eating stalls inside the market where you can get a taste of hawker-style Vietnamese cuisine or simply cool off with a cold drink when the bargaining becomes too much. The market is big, difficult to navigate at times and certainly best avoided during the hottest part of the day but all the same its well worth a look.

• Lunch at a local restaurant
• All entrance fees
• Private transportation with A/C
• Local English speaking tour guide
• Bottled drinking water on the car/bus

• Beverage/drinks on meal (if any)
• Other expenses not clearly mentioned in the Inclusion part

8:00 AM: Our tour guide will greet you with a sign displaying your name at the Cruise port gate. You can either walk or take a short shuttle ride (approximately 5 minutes) from the ship to the Main Gate. Our guide will be there with a welcome sign and we’ll depart for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in a private mini-van, which takes about 1.5 hours. During the tour, we’ll visit several notable places in Saigon, including:

• Saigon Eco Village: A popular spot among locals for picnics and fishing on weekends. I’ll show you how rice is grown and fish are caught in the city—an unseen side of Saigon. We’ll also enjoy a cup of coffee or local beer in true Vietnamese style.

We’ll have lunch at a local restaurant featuring regional specialties. Afterward, we’ll explore the history and culture of Saigon by visiting:

• Local Wet Market
• The Jade Emperor Temple
• City Hall
• Opera House
• Central Post Office
• Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral
• Reunification Palace

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.