Dark Saigon by Motorbike: Urban Legend & Midnight Culture in HCMC
Description
Discover Saigon's mysterious side after dark — funeral customs, temple beliefs, urban ghost stories and old Chinatown — told by a local guide who knows the city's secrets. A completely different experience from a normal city tour. As night falls, ride pillion through Saigon and into its spiritual, spooky and superstitious side: the Ten Thousand Buddhas Pagoda, a traditional funeral house, a building locals whisper about, and the atmospheric streets of Chinatown. Your English-speaking guide brings it all to life with real beliefs, customs and eerie local legends — plus a coffee or juice stop and a late-night bánh mì. This is not a jump-scare ghost hunt — it's a fascinating, story-rich journey into what Vietnamese people actually believe about death, luck and the spirit world. Travelers love it as one of the most unique and memorable nights of their trip. Small, private and personalized. Best enjoyed in the evening. Safe and easy for first-time riders.
Tour Options
Itinerary
1. For Sightseeing, you only explore the hidden gems which is only for locals by motorbike, furthermore, you can do the tour with full service (included tour guide + food/drink) or to save your budget that you can go sightseeing with our driver / Aodai rider who can speak very basic English 2. For Midnight, you will experience the nightlife of HCM city, you can do the tour with full service (included tour guide + food/drink) or to save your budget that you can do the tour with our driver / Aodai rider who can speak very basic English 3. For market tour, you can join tour to discover all types of market in Saigon and buy some souviners when you are traveling, book full service ( included Tour guide, Food/ drink) to enjoy the tour fully, if you would like to save your budget, you can choose the " only driver " option, we have one driver who can speak very basic English
The itinerary could be altered due to the possibility of the restaurant being closed or the attraction undergoing maintenance.
Convenient drop-off at your hotel or in any famous spots in the center such as City Hall, Ben Thanh Market, Saigon Square, Pink Church, Opera House, Coffee Apartment, etc
After that, we will visit The Venerable Thich Quảng Đức Monument. A memorial to the monk who set himself on fire to protest the persecution of Buddhists in Vietnam.
Dive into the original local lifestyle and have a look at how local hangout, make a living, so on.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
PICK UP INFORMATION: Please note we offer only free pick-up for all the hotels in Districts 1, 3, and 4, or at the meeting point (Saigon Opera House). If tourists stay out of those destinations, we will surcharge 5 USD pax by the operator on the service using day On the public holiday in Vietnam we will surcharge 100% for 2-hour tour and 50% for other tours, payable onsite: Lunar New Year (27th of January 2025 - 9th of February 2025) April 7 April 30 - May 1 Sep 1 - Sep 2 Dec 31 - Jan 1
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(69)
We had a fantastic private motorbike tour of Saigon with our guide, Vincent Always Happy, and his teammate Kien. The company arranged the tour for us very much at the last minute and were incredibly flexible, which we really appreciated. Vincent and Kien took us around the city to see many of the major sights, including the Central Post Office, Independence Palace, the Opera House, the War Remnants Museum, and the famous Café Apartments. The most special part of the tour was visiting the school my father attended in the early 1950s. Being able to see it in person made the experience deeply personal and emotional for me, and I am very grateful that Vincent and Kien were so willing to adapt the route and make this possible. Exploring Saigon from the back of a motorbike was exciting and gave us a much more immediate feeling for the city than travelling by car or bus. Vincent truly lived up to his name—he was cheerful, friendly, and enthusiastic throughout the tour. Kien was equally kind and attentive, and both of them made us feel comfortable and safe in the busy Saigon traffic. This was a memorable and very personal experience, and we would happily recommend the tour to anyone visiting Ho Chi Minh City.
Thank you Kaylin and Ben for a great tour around the markets of Ho Chi Minh City, and accommodating our special requests. Loved seeing your city
Our guide was Kalynn, arriving at the hotel on time in the morning, instead we left late. Her English skills are very high, there are no problems in communication, the explanation of the course is very clear and careful, and the driving technique is quite high, so it is very safe in the city. I believe the most satisfied reason for this time is Kalynn, she made us this short few hours unparalleled, if you can choose the guide freely, I highly recommend Miss Kalynn.
The trip was very interesting. I got to experience things I had never seen before. I highly recommend trying a motorbike tour if you visit Ho Chi Minh City.
Mallorie was prompt at pick up and the tour started swiftly scooting through traffic. We stopped at the Buddha immolation memorial and had thoughtful conversations around religion and politics that played into the events. Before you know it, we were off to a local coffee spot where I was treated to a traditional coffee, stopped by the local housing after the Tet offensive, and took a stroll through a crowded market and bought some awesome tropical fruits. We then went to Chinatown, and I got to learn how the Chinese got to Vietnam and the story behind the evolving landscape and borders that caused the events, had a wonderful Bah Mi from an 80 year old establishment for only $1USD (amazed), and ended the tour with the flower market. Overall it was a great experience and learning opportunity to get to know Vietnam and the local cultures. Highly recommend Mallorie as she was very kind and patient with my stupid jokes.
Kalyn and Kitto have given us a fantastic tour by taking us into the history and culture of Vietnam. On the back of the bike enjoyed the heavy traffic which can sometimes be very exciting. Been to the different districts of Saigon and seen various things including a Chinese temple, a market , a local restaurant and coffee drunk in a local coffee house. Unfortunately we could only give 5 stars because Kalyn and Kitto deserved much more. Duszejer highly recommended if you are in Saigon.
If you’re thinking about doing a scooter tour in Ho Chi Minh City—just book it with Mallory and Thi In. Seriously, don’t overthink it. This was easily one of the highlights of our trip. We got to experience both the old and new sides of Saigon in a way you just can’t on your own. The history was fascinating but never felt like a lecture—it was personal, engaging, and full of stories that really brought the city to life. We explored a beautiful local flower market and a bustling food market, tasted incredible Vietnamese coffee, and had the kind of conversations that make you feel like you’re riding around with friends rather than guides. What really stood out was the personal touch. They even helped us shop for souvenirs, made sure we got fair prices, and didn’t rush us at all. At the end, they went above and beyond by arranging a Grab and making sure we got safely back to our hotel. On top of all that, we learned so much about local culture—from Buddhism to Catholic influences—which added a whole new layer to everything we saw. Mallory and Thi In are not just guides—they’re genuinely warm, thoughtful people who care about your experience. Friendly, knowledgeable, and incredibly accommodating. Book the tour. You won’t regret it.
Wanted the experience of being on one of these crazy scooters, and just what I got, we went with jay and aya and got a great tour. Visited local areas and food and flower market and was an amazing eye opener for HCM. As a motorcyclist I just loved the crazyness of being in the middle of the traffic, completely different to watching it on the sidewalks. Great tour, thank you.
Very tasty, entertaining and fun
Bean was fantastic. The tour was very informative and I felt very safe on the back of his scooter. Thankyou for a great morning and for the lotus flower 🪷
