Morning
Rising early this morning (avoid the crowds) to enjoy an insightful tour of Ho Chi Minh City. Experience some of the city’s hidden treasures as your travel by cyclo (rickshaw) and private car with your personal guide who will get you off the crowded tourist trail.
Hop on your cyclo (a three-wheel bicycle) and begin with a leisurely ride through the quiet streets while the traffic is more sedate. Pause to visit the Notre Dame Cathedral and the General Post Office (designed by Gustave Eiffel) as the streets start to stir.
Next is the local park of Tao Dan. In this vibrant metropolis, green spaces are cherished and locals flock here each day to relax and enjoy nature. Hop off your cyclo and enjoy a cup of coffee while being serenaded by beautiful bird calls in a special section of the park where ornithologists congregate with their prized birds.
From the park, you will head to the memorial site dedicated to the Buddhist monk, Thich Quang Duc. During the ride, your guide will take you to one of the best places in the city to eat Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup), usually a well-kept secret.
Pick up the pace when you swap your cyclo for your private car and travel along Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street to visit a traditional wet market with none of the pressure sales tactics, just locals going about their business and lives.
Continue to visit a Secret Weapons Bunker which was used to hide the arsenal of Sai Gon Commandos. Among them are about 2 tons of weapons, which were prepared for the Tet Offensive (January 1968).
End your fabulous morning tour with a fragrant stroll around Ho Thi Ky Flower Market, the city’s hidden gem. Here you will be lost by a hundred kind of flower and amazed by their beautiful colours.
After the market, you will be taken back to your hotel. You can catch some sleep or just relax, recharge your battery, and ready for the evening tour, in contrast to the morning tour.
Evening
The darker the night gets; the more vivid Saigon becomes! Get ready for a fascinating ride on the back of a scooter to discover the nightlife of the local Saigonese after dark.
Your journey will start out from your hotel, then diving into the well-organized chaotic traffic of HCM City. A short ride will take you to District 1 through hidden shortcuts passing Ben Thanh Market. Reach your first destination of the night, a local yet famous sizzling cake restaurant, also known as Vietnamese Pancake (Southern style).
Next, ride to small back alleys of District 4 where it is filled with food stalls. Once you get in the street, the mixed aroma of delicious food will spring into your nose seducing you to treat yourself in this “Street Food Heaven” well known by locals. All kinds of food stalls and carts selling side by side in these miles long street food.
Proceed to a local restaurant that serves trendy seafood to further fill up your hunger. The seafood is delicately cooked and served with local tastes. There is a huge variety of seafood served here such as steamed clams with lemongrass, deep-fried frogs (no skin) with lemongrass, grilled mussels with green onion oil and peanut, steamed tofu with mushroom, stir-fried noodle with vegetable. A vegetarian menu is also available too.
After having an abundant meal, you will visit the riverside park near Bach Dang Pier for an amazing view of District 1 at night. Many locals stop by here to relax after their dinner and enjoy the calming night view.
After the stop at the park, you are taken to a hidden unique coffee shop on a quiet street and listen to the romantic melody performed by Vietnamese singers. You can chill around the area in a very cozy atmosphere the shop gives.
End your amazing night tour on a high note by going to the top of one of the highest buildings in Ho Chi Minh City. It is a rooftop bar with an incredible view of the dazzling HCM City at night. You can grab a beer, chill out and enjoy the music while watching a panoramic view of the city and it traffics flowing below you.
Overnight in HCM City
Meals: (B/_/_)