Ho Chi Minh City Tour - 1 Day Excursion from Phu My Seaport 5*

The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City first opened to the public in 1975. Once known as the ‘Museum of American War Crimes’, it's a shocking reminder of the long and brutal Vietnam War. Graphic photographs and American military equipment are on display. There's a helicopter with rocket launchers, a tank, a fighter plane, a single-seater attack aircraft. You can also see a conventional bomb that weighs at 6,800kg. American troops had used these weapons against the Vietnamese between 1945 and 1975.

One of the most important pagodas in the city, this richly decorated temple is dedicated to Thien Hau, the Goddess of the Sea and patron of sailors. She is said to travel over the oceans on a mat and ride the clouds to wherever she desires.

Settled in the late 18th century, this labyrinthine section of Ho Chi Minh City bustles with restaurants, temples, exotic stores, and Binh Tay market (This is the main marketplace in China Town, where a great deal of wholesale trading occurs). Experience the commotion of this integral part of the city's daily business.

You will start your tour with The Reunification Palace, used to be the residence of the President of the Republic of Vietnam. In 30 April 1975, when North Vietnam soldier set foot inside this building with red flag on hand, the whole world knew that Vietnam war was end.

(Note: Until now, Notre Dame Cathedral has been repaired for 2 years) Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, built in the late 1880s by French colonists, is one of the few remaining strongholds of Catholicism in the largely Buddhist Vietnam. Located in Paris Square, the name Notre Dame was given after the installation of the statue ‘Peaceful Notre Dame’ in 1959. In 1962, the Vatican conferred the Cathedral status as a basilica and gave it the official name of Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica.

The Central Post Office in Ho Chi Minh is a beautifully preserved remnant of French colonial times and perhaps the grandest post office in all of Southeast Asia. Located next door to Notre Dame Cathedral, the two cultural sites can be visited together and offers visitors a chance to imagine life in Vietnam during the times of the Indochinese Empire. The building was designed by Alfred Foulhoux and features arched windows and wooden shutters, just as it would have in its heyday in the late 19th Century.

Shopping (by tourist’s request) Option 1: Ben Thanh Market, Ho Chi Minh City Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 is a great place to buy local handicrafts, branded goods, Vietnamese art and other souvenirs. Here, you’ll find eating stalls inside the market where you can get a taste of hawker-style Vietnamese cuisine or simply cool off with a cold drink when the bargaining becomes too much. The market is big, difficult to navigate at times and certainly best avoided during the hottest part of the day but all the same it’s well worth a look. When night falls, restaurants around the perimeter of the market open their doors creating a vibrant street side scene filling the air with the scents of wok-fried noodles, barbecued fish and meats. One of Saigon’s oldest landmarks, Ben Thanh offers a great atmosphere that is absolutely authentically Vietnamese.

Shopping (by tourist’s request) Option 2: Phuong Nam Lacquerware (working hour: 08:00 – 18:00) Add: 26A Tú Xương, Võ Thị Sáu, Quận 3 It located in the heart of Ho Chi Minh, is a great place to witness the traditional Vietnamese art form of lacquer work. This premises houses the work station as well as showroom that are open to public for tours. Visit the gallery and watch the artists create beautiful lacquer masterpieces and browse through their collection of paintings, furnishings, jewelry boxes, vases, coasters and wall dishes to take home as a gift and souvenir.