Day 1: The Ports – Ho Chi Minh City Tour – Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City (L/D)

Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province - Welcome to Ho Chi Minh! Our team will be waiting with name signs, big smiles at your port to take you to your cool air-conditioned transport for a 2-hour drive into the heart of Ho Chi Minh City.

Ho Chi Minh City - Visit the first place, Heavenly Lady Pagoda located in the bustle and hustle Chinatown. Also known as Thien Hau Pagoda, it is dedicated to the Chinese sea goddess Mazu with many traditional unique practices revealed in the Chinese-style architecture.
Then, we will stop at Cheo Leo cafe – an 80-year coffee shop hidden in an alley and famous for its distinct “Vot” coffee. There you sit around a table, take a rest, enjoy the drink, eat Vietnamese bread, Grilled banana with coconut milk, and chat leisurely with the guide as a friend like locals. You also learn how to make a cup of “Vot” coffee and interact with the nice owner of the coffee shop.
After relaxing at coffee shop, we will head to tourist attractions in District 1 including Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, Saigon Central Post Office where you admire the beauty of old French architectural works, learn more about history and culture, take the most beautiful photos in the city. A lovely book street next to the post office is worth wandering.
Then, we´ll go for a tasty Vietnamese lunch. The guide shows you how the cook makes thin, large, and crispy pancakes skillfully, how to wrap the cake in vegetables and eat. There we also enjoy Rice noodles with grilled pork/fried roll – a specialty food of the city.
After that, move to the War Remnants Museum to take a closer look at the Vietnam War in the past. This attraction is not recommended for squeamish people. The museum is covered with a gloomy silence through exhibiting plenty of artifacts, old weapons, letters, documentaries, and so on. Learn how brave Vietnam soldiers fought against strong enemies.
Then, you head to Ben Thanh Market, the biggest market in this city. Feel the vibrant atmosphere shown in selling and buying products by local people. Millions of goods are sold that you can find everything in this market, especially some specialties of Southern Vietnam. Continue on to a lacquerware workshop where you admire and experience the handmade local pieces of art. All kinds of different art style such as pottery, paintings, decoration, accessories, etc. can be found here. Get a glimpse of how local artisans transform these raw materials into poetry masterpieces. You can support them by purchasing some products at a reasonable price.
On the drive around the city, if time permits, you will be transferred to various photo stops in the city including Independence Palace, Opera house, Le Loi Avenue, Westmoreland former residence, Cabot Lodge.
Your guide will bring you to a hotel for check-in and then take a rest.
At 6:30pm, guide will see you in the lobby of hotel for night street food tour (2 options for you: walking & taxi or riding on motorbike).
We will back to hotel at 9:30pm – 10pm and overnight rest.

• Round-trip private AC vehicle transfer from port to Ho Chi Minh City
• Double/twin sharing accommodation with breakfast included
• Lunch and dinner provided
• Special Vietnamese coffee and night street food experience
• Bottled water supplied throughout the tour
• English-speaking local guide for the entire journey
• All entrance fees covered
• Dietary requirements catered for upon request

• Tips & Other drinks
• Other personal expenses
• Port fee (port permit service)

Embark on a journey through the historic and modern layers of Ho Chi Minh City with this 2-day Ho Chi Minh Shore Excursion departing from the cruise port. Delve into the city’s historic turmoil and partake in the energy of its current rhythm as you weave through bustling streets and towering modern edifices.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Complimentary transfers to and from Nha Rong, Hiep Phuoc, Phu Huu, and Phu My Port
• Engage with Ho Chi Minh City’s iconic spots such as Notre-Dame Cathedral & General Post Office, Thien Hau Pagoda, War Remnants Museum, Reunification Palace, along with photo opportunities throughout the city;
• Immerse in local cuisine via a motorbike or on foot, and savor the sights of Ho Chi Minh City at night;
• Gain insights into the resourceful methods the Viet Cong utilized within their war tunnels;
• Discover and explore historical subterranean shelters (you can even enter them!);
• Relish a meal at a traditional Vietnamese eatery;

Duration: 2 Days. Timeliness for your return to the cruise ship is guaranteed.

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