Following the fall of Saigon in 1975, Saigon was "officially" renamed Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh), commonly known by the abbreviations HCMC or HCM, is the largest city in Vietnam and the former capital of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). Attractions are a vibrant combination of old and new, with preserved colonial structures and war relics from the Vietnam War as well as skyscrapers, sports clubs, and shopping malls.
Getting there
By plane: Tan Son Nhat is Vietnam's busiest international airport while Hanoi's Noi Bai is larger in land area and capacity. There are two terminals: a newer international terminal which took over all international flights from 2007, and the old but functional domestic terminal 200 metres away. The airport is conveniently located about eight kilometres from the heart of the city. The international terminal used to offer duty free shopping after you landed, but that ended in early 2010.
Bus: The No. 152 (air-conditioned) airport bus is the cheapest and safest way for backpackers heading to Pham Ngu Lao Street from the airport. The bus leaves every 15 minutes and will drop you off at the east end of the Pham Ngu Lao area (at the bus terminal on the southwest side of the Ben Thanh Market roundabout). There is a bus station of Tan Son Nhat Airport near the motorbike parking area.
Getting there
By plane: Tan Son Nhat is Vietnam's busiest international airport while Hanoi's Noi Bai is larger in land area and capacity. There are two terminals: a newer international terminal which took over all international flights from 2007, and the old but functional domestic terminal 200 metres away. The airport is conveniently located about eight kilometres from the heart of the city. The international terminal used to offer duty free shopping after you landed, but that ended in early 2010.
Bus: The No. 152 (air-conditioned) airport bus is the cheapest and safest way for backpackers heading to Pham Ngu Lao Street from the airport. The bus leaves every 15 minutes and will drop you off at the east end of the Pham Ngu Lao area (at the bus terminal on the southwest side of the Ben Thanh Market roundabout). There is a bus station of Tan Son Nhat Airport near the motorbike parking area.
LAST UPDATE: 28OCT2016 l VALID UNTIL: SEPT2017
not valid for Non-Filipino Passport Holders, surcharge will apply
not valid for Non-Filipino Passport Holders, surcharge will apply
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Ha My 3
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La Felix
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Lan Lan 2
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Thien Tung
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Alagon Western
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Blue Diamond
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Silverland Central
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New Pacific
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Le Duy Hotel
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Oscar Hotel
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Golden Central
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Half Day Cu Chi Experience
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Leaving the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City behind you will journey 2 ½ hours west towards the Cambodian border bound for the Cu Chi Tunnels. Before arriving at the tunnels visit some local friends and gain an insight into local life in the area, both past and present. Learn about their lives, culture and customs and get an insight into the recent past through local eyes.
Continue onto the Cu Chi tunnels were built by local fighters during the Indochina conflict as a base from which the Viet Cong could operate from close to the Southern Vietnamese capital. The location proved of significant strategic importance, at the end of the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail and within striking distance of the southern Vietnam capital. Initial construction started in 1948 when the Viet Minh required somewhere to hide from French air attacks and by 1965, the tunnel complex was estimated to consist of 200km's of tunnels. |
AVG RATE PER PERSON
PHP 2,100 (USD 42) minimum of 2 pax |
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Half Day Cyclos and Markets
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Our transport for the first half of today is a traditional cyclo, a three wheeled bicycle with a carriage at the front for the passenger to sit in, while the driver uses pedal power to power us along. This allows us to take in the sights, sounds and smells of Ho Chi Minh City without the barrier of a car window or the sound of an engine, very environmentally friendly.
Our journey takes us through Tao Dan Park to the War Remnants museum, originally opened in September 1975, the museum displays old military equipment and other related items from the Vietnam War. In the courtyard we will find some larger exhibits including a F5A fighter and a UH1-Huey helicopter. From here we continue our journey past the Reunification Palace, previously referred to as the Presidential Palace, it is the sight of the official South Vietnamese surrender on April 30th, 1975. We leave our cyclos behind at the intersection of Ton That Dam St & Huynh Thuc Khang St and dive into a real local food market. Continuing we explore Antique shop street and shoe street. Our final visit for the day is the Ben Thanh market where your local guide will assist you in getting a taxi back to your hotel or alternatively you are free to continue exploring the area. Why not practice your bargaining skills in the Ben Thanh market. The markets original location was close to the Ben Nghe River and the old fort of Gia Dinh was where it derived its name (Ben meaning ''pier'' and Thanh meaning ''Fort''). The market was destroyed in 1859 during the French invasion of Saigon. It was rebuilt and later moved to its present location in 1899. |
AVG RATE PER PERSON
PHP 1,400 (USD 28) minimum of 2 pax |
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Ho Chi Minh City Tour - Private
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Discover the city's fascinating sights on this essential half-day tour. Start at the elegant Historical Museum and trace the country's history from the ancient Dongson period until recent time. Admire an enchanting performance of traditional Water Puppetry. En route, see the twin-spired Notre Dame Cathedral, the finest example of French colonial architecture and the City Hall. Explore the old inspiring Presidential Palace with its remarkable network of underground bunkers. Venture through bustling Chinatown, locally known as Cholon, with its colorful atmosphere and mysterious temples.
Visit the lively Thien Hao Pagoda, with the enormous burning incense-coils that never fail to impress. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue to visit the War Remnants Museum. The Museum contains fascinating remnants and photographs of the Vietnam War including US armored vehicles, artillery pieces, bombs and infantry weapons. Continue on to the Art Museum which houses many interesting collections and revolutionary art. Last stop will be the colorful Benh Thanh Market (Cho Benh Thanh Market); seeing skillful artisans at work in a Lacquer-ware factory, visit art galleries, and indulge in the splendors of a Vietnamese Silk Shop. Stroll along the many tantalizing shops of Dong Khoi Street, once known as Rue Catinat, the boulevard where the high society flocked and shopped in colonial times. Shop for bargains, discover your bargaining power and come away with unusual souvenirs that will always remind you of this exciting afternoon. |
AVG RATE PER PERSON
PHP 4,700 (USD 94) minimum of 2 pax |
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Chu Chi Tunnels Tour - Private
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Embark on an exhilarating journey full of culture, history, architecture and beauty. This fascinating tour visits the Cu Chi's incredible Tunnels (70km northwest of HCM City), an amazing complex of underground tunnels used during the Vietnam War. The Cu Chi tunnels were built by local fighters during the Indochina conflict as a base from which the Viet Cong could operate from close to the Southern Vietnamese capital. Initial construction started in 1948 when the Viet Minh required somewhere to hide from French air attacks and by 1965. The Cu Chi tunnel complex was estimated to consist of 200km's of incredible tunnels. Discover the shocking remains of hospitals, schools, meeting rooms, kitchens and sleeping quarters. You will find out how life was difficult for the inhabitants and to protect themselves against outside intruders bobby traps were laid throughout the complex. American soldiers used the term ''Black Echo'' to describe the conditions within the tunnels. For the Viet Cong, life in the tunnels was difficult. Air, food and water were scarce and the tunnels were infested with ants, poisonous centipedes, scorpions, spiders and vermin. Most of the time, soldiers would spend the day in the tunnels working or resting and come out only at night to scavenge for supplies, tend their crops, or engage the enemy in battle.
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AVG RATE PER PERSON
PHP 3,500 (USD 70) minimum of 2 pax |
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Museum of Ho Chi Minh - Private
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This is the perfect tour for tourists that are interested in history and culture as we will visit the three main museums of Vietnam; The War Remnants Museum, The History Museum and the Art Museum. The tour begins with a visit to the War Remnants Museum. The Museum contains fascinating remnants and photographs of the Vietnam War including US armored vehicles, artillery pieces, bombs and infantry weapons. The most popular museum in Vietnam comprises a series of themed rooms in several buildings, with period military equipment placed within a walled yard. One building reproduces the terrifying ''tiger cages'' in which the South Vietnamese government kept political prisoners. Other exhibits include graphic photography, accompanied by a short text in English, Vietnamese and Japanese, covering the effects of Agent Orange and other chemical defoliant sprays, the use of napalm and phosphorus bombs, and war atrocities such as the My Lai massacre. Stare in disbelief at a guillotine used by the French and South Vietnamese to execute prisoners. This museum is definitely designed for people with strong stomachs!
Continue on to the History Museum, which is housed in a beautifully colonial style building. The museum has an excellent collection of artifacts illustrating the evolution of the cultures of Vietnam. There are also many valuable relics taken from Cambodia's Angkor Wat. You will be able to admire its ancient ceramics, traditional costumes, and stone and bronze relics. We will end the tour with a visit the Art Museum which houses many interesting collections and revolutionary art. The building that was once built to house an all girl´s Catholic school displays not only paintings, ceramics and lacquers created by modern Post-war artists but many of its contents date back as far as pre-historic and feudalism time. |
AVG RATE PER PERSON
PHP 2,300 (USD 46) minimum of 2 pax |
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Sigon Kaleidoscope - Private
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Discover the city's major sights on this fascinating half-day tour. Begin the tour at the elegant Historical Museum; which is housed in a beautifully colonial style building situated at the entrance to the Botanical and Zoological Gardens. The museum was built in 1929 and houses many artifacts chronicling Vietnam's 4,000-year history. You will be able to admire its ancient ceramics, traditional costumes, and stone and bronze relics. Here you'll also enjoy a water puppet show with many interesting traditional features.
Your next stop will be the Former Presidential Palace, formerly known as the Independence Palace, where on 30 April 1975 a North Vietnamese tank crashed through the front gate, symbolically liberating the country. It was rebuilt and completed in 1966 on the site of the Norodom Palace that was bombed in 1962. You will then enjoy a panoramic city tour with outside views of the Neo-Romanesque Notre Dame Cathedral, the colonial-style Central Post Office and City Square, where your driver will stop to allow you take photographs. Venture through a Chinese-influenced section of Ho Chi Minh City; the bustling Chinatown, locally known as Cholon, with its colorful atmosphere and mysterious temples. Visit the lively Thien Hao Pagoda, a historic temple in the city of Hu? in Vietnam. Its impressive pagoda has seven stories and is the tallest in Vietnam. Learn about all the history behind this magnificent monument while you admire the enormous burning incense-coils that never fail to impress. This tour is the perfect introduction to Vietnam and is well recommended for visitors who want to see the beauty, architecture and history of the enchanting city. |
AVG RATE PER PERSON
PHP 2,500 (USD 50) minimum of 2 pax |
