Along with 7 other fellow cruisers, we did this tour of Saigon with Lee. It was an excellent day. Lee and his driver met us at the port and took us to see many important sights around Saigon, including the eco village, a small walking tour of some of the central city buildings, lunch at a restaurant, the war museum, a buddhist temple and a quick stop at a market for some last minute shopping. Lee was a fantastic guide, with local history and knowledge, and a great sense of humour too. He was in contact with me many times in the lead up to the tour, answering all my questions. We were comfortable in the airconditioned bus, our driver was excellent so we felt very safe in the hectic traffic, and they got us back to the port in plenty of time. Would recommend Lee to anyone considering doing this tour!
PHU MY PORT: SAIGON SHORE EXCURSION-Old and New Parts of Saigon
+14 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 7–8 hours
- Price from
- $135 / person
- Rating
- 4.9 / 5 · 28 reviews
- Languages
- EN
- Group
- Private
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation
- Meeting point
- - 7:30-8:00Am Our guide will welcome you with a sign (your name) at Phu My port gate (2 to 5 minutes by shuttle bus from the ship to the gate) and depart to Saigon around 1 hours by private mini-van.
- Confirmation
- Instant
Prices checked on Sep 11, 2026Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City
Description
We will take you on a tour of the city that will touch on some of the historical antecedents to modern Saigon as well as delving into some of the more everyday traditional lifestyle of the Saigonese. Our guide will introduce to you how they grow the rice, how they catch a fish but in Saigon city (This is unseen part of Saigon). Enjoy lunch at local restaurant with local specialty. After that we'll head to center and discover history and culture of Saigon with: • Local Wet Market • The Jade Emperor temple • City Hall • Opera House • Central Post Office • Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral • War Museum or Reunification Palace (Presidential Palace). • The CIA building in Saigon: Saigon Helicopter Photo + Our tour itinerary is flexible and changeable to make you have local most experiences. + 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
Tour Options
Itinerary
This is one of Real Local Area for tourist who want to see local life. This place is very famous with local people for picnic and fishing at weekend. You will see how they grow the rice, how they catch a fish but in Saigon city (This is an unseen part of Saigon).
Ho Chi Minh City Hall is closed to the public as it’s an official Vietnam government building. It is beautiful French Colonial architecture and sunny cream-and-yellow hue, make it a tourist favorite and a symbol of Saigon, one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. The building stands at one end of Nguyen Hue Boulevard on Le Thanh Ton Street, a brisk walk away from Dong Khoi Street.
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.
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. It has lush gardens, secret rooms, antique furniture, and a command bunker. It's still in use to host important occasions in Ho Chi Minh, including APEC summits.
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.
A must see in Saigon: Originally constructed as a hotel in 1886 by French architect Gardes, it now serves as a city hall and one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
Notre Dame Cathedral Saigon is one of the most unique architectures in Ho Chi Minh city, looking from the outside, you can see the bright red color of the refined brick wall, which has not been covered with moss for hundred years. These bricks were made in Guichard Carvin, Marseille St André France and were directly imported from France. There are 56 colored glass plates on the wall to portray characters and events in the Holy Bible. These glass plates reflect the light and create a magnificent beauty. There are 31 air holes on the wall in flower shape, looks like a carpet of flowers. There are 25 windows assembled by multi-color glasses.
Saigon Opera House or also known as the Municipal Theatre Saigon, is located in Lam Son Square at the beginning of Le Loi Street, a popular shopping street that runs from the park across the road through to Ben Thanh market. Standing magnificently at the heart of Ho Chi Minh City where it crosses out many important routes, the building is outstanding as one the impressive sight in Saigon both night and day
The War Remnants Museum, also known as the Museum of American War Crimes, until now, has stored more than 20,000 documents, exhibits and films, in which more than 1,500 documents, artifacts, films have been applied to introduce in eight thematic exhibition frequently. In 35 years, the War Museum Ho Chi Minh has welcomed over 15 million visitors at home and abroad.
Highlights
Private, Customized and Flexible Tour
Bottled drinking water on the car/bus and All entrance fees
Local English speaking tour guide
Lunch
Cruise Port Pickup and Drop-off with Private Transportation
What's included
Included
Private, Customized and Flexible Tour
Bottled drinking water on the car/bus and All entrance fees
Local English speaking tour guide
Lunch
Cruise Port Pickup and Drop-off with Private Transportation
Not included
-Personal expenses.
-Travel insurance.
-Drinks are not included with any meal
Pickup Locations & Times
7:30AM-8:00AM The driver and Our guide will pick you up at the main gate (7 to 10 minute walk or take shuttle bus from the ship) of cruise port to Saigon around 1. 5 hours by private mini-van.
Traveller Ratings
4.9
28 reviews
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Frequently asked questions
How long does this tour take?
PHU MY PORT: SAIGON SHORE EXCURSION-Old and New Parts of Saigon lasts about 7–8 hours. The itinerary has 9 stops.
How much does this tour cost?
Prices start at $135 per person for this Ho Chi Minh City experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Can I cancel this tour for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, pickup is offered. 7:30AM-8:00AM The driver and Our guide will pick you up at the main gate (7 to 10 minute walk or take shuttle bus from the ship) of cruise port to Saigon around 1. 5 hours by private mini-van. Pickup points include MEET_AT_DEPARTURE_POINT, CONTACT_SUPPLIER_LATER, LOC-o0AXGEKPN4wJ9sIG0RAn5BU+G8V2tCW3+YHjG++Sxd9JNX1bJLiRQ4YJlZ3q8aKJ.
What languages is this tour offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 12 travellers can book together.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap Specialized infant seats are available
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Reviews(28)
C
Excellent full day tour with Lee
1 people found this helpful
G
Cam Rahn Port Tour
Group tour modify at the last minute the impossible stop at the port of Phu My.Visit the coastal town of Nah Trang and meal with a thoughtful and very competent guide... Thanks again for the speed and efficiency of the change of etinerary
M
It was a great day! May...
It was a great day! May was.a very good guide, she was friendly and knowledgeable and made the day very enjoyable!
M
A lovely day with Penny and Duc
It felt like spending a day with a friend who wants to introduce you to her country, by. Sharing foods and information an history. Penny is an excellent guide.
K
The best of Saigon private tour.
Excellent private tour. You will see the best of Saigon. Highly recommend this tour. Fabulous tour guide providing history and interesting commentary. Very good driver.
曦
Bring hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, walking shoes and small bags
Our guide Tong Khanh Linh has been very friendly and helpful - her knowledge of the city and its tourist attractions is second to none. She also speaks perfect English, better than Trump’s😊 for sure. Her time management is very impressive and she provides us with lots of lovely local knowledge which helps us to navigate our understanding of the culture. Thank you Linh!
S
The sights and sounds of Saigon
We were met at the gate by our wonderful guide Penny and our driver Son. We boarded our car and instantly became knowledgeable that Penny wasn’t just our guide, she was a God sent angel. Penny taught us about life in Vietnam , we learned so much about the people, how they lived and survived. We toured the city of Saigon with an expert in all matters. Son our driver was fantastic how anyone could master the streets of the city is beyond me, the ride was perfect. I developed knee pain while walking at the cathedral, Penny rented a scooter from a local vendor and drove me to the WC. What guide do you know cares so much about her clients to do that. My wife and I fell in love with Penny. We rate Penny and Son’s performance as 5 stars easy. If you are lucky enough to have her as your guide tell Lana and Rick say Aloha.
Operator response
Dear Mrs. Svetlana Skelaney, With many thanks for your choosing in our local shore tour services in Saigon. We are appreciate for your great review and share your own experience travel with our company. Please, introduce for some your friends who is going to Vietnam. Keep in this touch! See you in the next trip! Have a nice day! Linh-Penny @ Your tour guide!
L
Fantastic whirlwind day with May our tour guide expert
What a fantastic day doing this Shore Excursion from Phu My Port. Our tour guide was May and she was an absolute delight. Perfect communication about where to meet her outside the port gates where she was waiting with our car and driver. Headed into city which is a good 1 -/2-2hours away but it went quite quick.May first took us Bin Quoi Village to show how locals live and where they spend their down times on weekend and give us an insight into how they grow tic, catch fish etc in a typical village, was really lovely. We then visited the Jade Emperor Temple Central Post office , Notre Damn Cathedral to name a few finishing with a wonderful linch of beef Pho in a local restaurant. May is extremely knowledgeable and very proud of her country and was a delight to be with all day. Our driver Són was a master of getting around the traffic and despite loads of traffic at the end had us back to the port in ample time for our ships departure . I highly recommend May as a guide to see this beautiful place .
Operator response
Dear Ms. Lynette Garland and Mr. Peter Garland, With many thanks for your choosing in our local shore tour services in Saigon. We are appreciate for your nice feedback and share your own experience travel with our company. Please, introduce for some your friends who is going to Vietnam. Keep in this touch! See you in the next trip! Have a nice day. Nhung @ Your tour guide!
D
Nice day in Saigon.
This is a great tour that will provide great insight into history that can only be experienced by taking the tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable and informative providing for a very enjoyable day.
Operator response
Dear Mr. Dean and Mrs. Tina Cooper, With many thanks for your choosing in our local shore tour services in Saigon. We are appreciate for your nice feedback and share your own experience travel with our company. Please, introduce for some your friends who is going to Vietnam. Keep in this touch! See you in the next trip! Have a nice day. James @ Your tour guide!
A
“Excellent guide”
Me and my family had a few hours between our our cruise ship so we decided to spend those hours in Ho Chi Minh city from Phu My port. Lee Minh was an excellent guide as he was energetic and had detailed knowledge about the city, history as well as Vietnam in general He showed us around the interesting landmarks in the city as well as taking us to local food restaurants and market, local area. In all Lee was a great guide as he was prompt and had a clear interest in the city’s culture and history. Strongly recommend
Operator response
Dear Mr. Arthur, With many thanks for your choosing in our local tour in Saigon. Our itinerary is the best for the cruise ship tourist combine local area and city highlight. We are appreciate for your nice feedback and share your own experience travel with our company. Please, introduce for some your friends who is going to Vietnam. Keep in this touch! See you in the next trip! Have a nice day. Lee @ your tour guide!
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