Chinatown Hidden Treasures – Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour
Description
Discover the unique life and culture of Ho Chi Minh City’s Chinatown on a guided walking tour and wander around its hidden streets and alleyways.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Hao Si Phuong Alley, located in the heart of Saigon’s Chinatown, is a hidden gem that offers a fascinating glimpse into the local way of life. With a history spanning over a 100 year, this narrow passageway is steeped in the traditions and cultural heritage of its residents. It is originally established by the Chinese community with the support of the French government.
Nghia An Hoi Quan was constructed before the 19th century, and after a few times of reconstruction, the structure now owns a unique archaic look amidst modern buildings in Ho Chi Minh. Thousands of people visit this place to pray for good luck in important Vietnamese festivals, and international visitors would come here to admire the beauty of ancient Chinese structure in the metropolitan city.
This is a unique Chinese-style architectural heritage, built in the late 19th century by the Cantonese community in Saigon. The pagoda stands out in the heart of the city with its ancient beauty, yin-yang tiled roof, and vividly colored ceramic statues. Entering here, the space is filled with the scent of flowers and bright light coming from rows of lanterns as if taking visitors into a space from ancient times.
This place is now a significant commercial center of the Chinese in Ho Chi Minh City which still preserves the precious values of culture, religion and architecture dating back thousands of years. The pipe-shaped tiled roofs in Chinatown streets combining with typical Chinese architectures feature a unique classic beauty. Aside from wandering the streets of Chinatown, you can also have a taste of local flavors through a mini food trip! Drink the famous Vietnamese coffee, have a plate of Chinese duck soup noodles, and enjoy a hearty dumpling and sweet soup meal.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(7)
Brilliant walking tour!! We went to several places and essentially covered the entire district 1 area. Thang is the perfect guide, he is very knowledgeable and told us everything about Vietnamese history and politics from the early Chinese era until today. We learned a lot! I would highly recommend this tour to everybody who wants to see the main sights (and more) in Saigon and to deeply dive into the country’s past.
This tour covers majority of the main sites in the city, with detailed information provided not only on the broader history of Vietnam but also the history of the city itself. Thang is an excellent guide with great knowledge and was able to answer all questions with detail. I learnt a lot on this tour and would highly recommend for anyone who wants to learn more about the country and city, as well as get the lay of the land as you walk a big portion of district 1 and 3 in the 2.5 hour tour.
We did a fantastic walking tour with Thang. Wow so much information,, we also went off the beaten track which was great. I would highly recommend this tour.
It was an exceptionally interesting tour. The Gight knew how to inspire us on historic buildings with their history. We have learned a lot and recognized connections. Special praise for that.
We enjoyed every moment with Thang. He is knowledgeable, sincere, and very friendly. He built a strong connection from the start, and made us feel very comfortable throughout the walk. The bus ride was a good experience, very clean and comfortable. The temples and market places were unique experiences. We totally enjoyed the stories and history told by Thang.
Thang was awesome, great history knowledge and made all stories every entertaining. I learnt so much because all the information was very digestible.
The tour was really insightful, Thăng was from begin to finish an excellent tour guide sharing a lot of knowledge about the city and explaining in detail the history from the past and present and taking us to really cool places for a coffee break, the tour flows really well from point to point. Was great
