Saigon in a Day: Ho Chi Minh City Sightseeing and Night Food Tour

Your guide picks you up at your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle early in the morning to catch the first rays of the sun and see Ho Chi Minh City awaken. The first stop on your sightseeing tour is Tao Dan Park, where locals practice their morning exercises, including tai chi, aerobics and badminton. Stroll to a small pagoda where you are likely to see devotees performing daily prayers and learn about the role of religion in Vietnam from your knowledgeable guide.

Continue to a local wet market where shoppers haggle with vendors over everything from live seafood to dried meats, fresh vegetables and housewares. Then eat a noodle breakfast alongside the locals at Pho 24 restaurant and finish up the morning with a Vietnamese coffee at one of the city’s busiest cafés, poplar with students and artists, and a great place to people-watch while you sip.

Hop back in your air-conditioned vehicle for a visit to Reunification Palace, known as Independence Palace before the fall of Saigon. Take a short walk between Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Saigon River along Dong Khoi Street, known for its boutiques, and wander around Nguyen Hue Boulevard to appreciate many of the beautiful old buildings of downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Your guide points out French-colonial architectural landmarks including Saigon City Hall, the Saigon Opera House, the Central Post Office and the tallest building in Vietnam, Bitexco Tower.

Enjoy shopping at Ben Thanh market, in search of inexpensive T-shirts, wooden souvenirs, ceramics, wristwatches and sundries. Prices are not fixed, and your guide can help you bargain.

After lunch at a local restaurant, you’re taken back to your hotel to rest for approx. 2 hours before the tour resumes in the evening.

Start your night full of delicious food by jumping onto the back of a motorbike. Hold on tight as you jet around the city en route to some favorite eateries. As you travel from location to location through the bustling city, revel in the nightlife and chat with your local guide. You’ll join up with other travelers to enjoy a street food dinner — such as seafood, Vietnamese crepes and sweet soups — accompanied by beer or rice wine and local culture until it’s time to retire to your hotel for the night.