Ho Chi Minh City Shore Excursions

No place in Viet Nam can be crazier, more crowded and more dynamic than Ho Chi Minh City. From the unending traffic, vibrant shops to dazzling city lights, Ho Chi Minh City shore excursions introduce a city that never sleeps. Expect to be warmly welcomed by locals who are friendly, generous and always willing to give you a lovely smile. Whether it’s a historical site, a bustling market or an ancient pagoda and relics, Phu My shore excursions offer varied options for travelers with different interests:

• The Reunification Palace – the former residence of Vietnam Republic Government
• War Remnants Museum remains Vietnam war documents, artifacts, items, and even airforce vehicles
• Jade Emperor Pagoda in honor of the supreme of Taoist god
• Notre Dame Cathedral – the iconic landmark providing an Instagram-worth view
• Central Post Office with an important historical and cultural meaning
• Ben Thanh Market – the most famous local market in Ho Chi Minh City
• Cu Chi Tunnels – the former shelter of Viet Cong soldiers

Vung Tau, a popular site – an escape from Ho Chi Minh City. The city of Vung Tau located in a very spectacular location on a peninsula with ocean vistas on three sides. The light and sea air make Vung Tau a very refreshing place for a beach holiday.

SCOOTER SAIGON provides many interesting Ho Chi Minh & Vung Tau shore excursions from Nha Rong, Hiep Phuoc, Phu Huu, Phu My Port to visit Vung Tau and Ba Ria town as well as day trips and short day tours from here to Saigon – Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta and Cu Chi tunnels.
Contact us now for the best Vung Tau shore excursions or tailor-make a unique tour that exclusively for you.

1. We are your timekeepers! We’ll be ready and waiting for you once you disembark and have you back on your cruise ship in plenty of time.

2. Our shore excursions are all fully customizable. We know that your time is precious, and we want to ensure you leave Ho Chi Minh City seeing all you came for (and much, much more!)

3. Our English-speaking local tour guides are on hand to share insider tips, and take you to the lesser-known spots.

4. Our 5* TripAdvisor rating – our previous guests’ opinions matter!

TRAVEL GUIDE

Top things to do & see – Ho Chi Minh Shore Excursions

Every Phu My shore excursion to Ho Chi Minh City will bring various wonderful experiences from exploring the French architecture style in the old cathedral, post office, and buildings, to tasting the daily lifestyle and traditional cuisine in the city with the name of the Old Father of Vietnam. Asia Shore Excursions is pleased to recommend some featured attractions that you can take a visit.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Location: Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, 1 Cong Xa Paris Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Location on Google Maps.

Right in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, the Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the iconic architectural landmarks and cannot be missed in any Ho Chi Minh City day tour from Phu My cruise port. For centuries, the ancient Cathedral provides a splendid beauty that is considered a masterpiece of this city. Was built by French colonists many years ago, it is not surprising that Ho Chi Minh Notre Dame Cathedral follows the unique style of neo-Romanesque from the 19th century. The cathedral did not have fences or borders like many churches in Saigon – Gia Dinh at that time. The total height of the cathedral to the top of the cross is 60.5 m. The cathedral is 93 m long and 35 m wide. The height of the arch is 21 m. The cathedral can hold up to 1,200 people.

All materials of the construction were imported from France. The bricks used to build the outside wall were from Toulouse. No moss grows on these bricks. They still retain the bright red color although they use no coated concrete. Some tiles have been carved with the words Guichard Carvin, Marseille St André France in order to indicate where the tiles were produced. Some tiles are carved with the words “Wang-Tai Saigon”. Highlights of the cathedral include 56 stained glass windows carrying pictures of characters in Bible supplied by the Lorin firm of Chartres province in France, 25 ox-eye windows of small beautiful images, and 31 round roses.

Luckily avoid being destroyed by war, the structure still maintains nearly perfect. Various materials as bricks, tiles, steel, cement, and metal accessories were carefully transferred from France. The two bell towers are the highlight with 57.6 meters in height holding six giant-style bronze bells. Gather around to capture beautiful photos or take a seat on the street nearby, and sample an interesting cup of Vietnam coffee.

War Remnant Museum

Location: 28 Vo Van Tan, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. Location on Google Maps.

Established in 1975, War Remnant Museum is not only a museum but also a historic spot telling untold truths and heroic stories. This is the most popular museum in Vietnam and the must-visit tourist attraction in Saigon.

War crimes committed by the French and Americans stationed in the country are displayed on 3 floors at the War Remnant Museum. There are more than 20,000 documents, artifacts, photos, and videos are kept and arranged in the rooms for visitors to learn more about the history of Vietnam.

Saigon Central Post Office

Location: 2 Cong Xa Paris, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. Location on Google Maps.

Inaugurated to serve local people on January 13th, 1863, Saigon Central Post Office is famous and has become an iconic sight of the city thanks to its perfect combination of Asian decorations and neo-classical European architecture. Gustave Eiffel – the architect of the well-known Eiffel Tower in Paris and Statue of Liberty in New York is the designer of Saigon Central Post Office.

Visitors can see decorative reliefs, yellow walls, arched doors and windows that are spectacular characteristics of French architecture. The massive clock that has been running for over 130 years is one of the highlights of the building exterior. The dome roof has an arched structure and is supported by 2 rows of pillars.

Reunification Palace (Independence Palace)

Location: 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. Location on Google Maps.

Reunification Palace is worth visiting thanks to its beautiful and unique architecture, luxurious furniture, and historical significance. The well-known architect Ngo Viet Thu designed the building which is a perfect mix of European and Vietnamese architectural styles. In 1962, President Ngo Dinh Diem ordered to construct the current Independence Palace to replace the old palace which was damaged by bomb explosions. A North Vietnamese Army tank crashed through Independence Palace’s gate on 30 April 1975 so this place is known as the Fall of Saigon.

Saigon China Town (Cho Lon)

Cho Lon with a long and vibrant history is the biggest China town in Vietnam. The combination of past and recent, new and old, traditional and modern. Big wholesale markets, local markets, shops, food stalls, old houses and buildings, pagodas and temples. You can see many signboards with Chinese characters. The top tourist attractions in Cho Lon are as follows:

• Thien Hau Pagoda, Quan Am Pagoda, Ong Bon Temple, Nghia An Assembly, Ong Pagoda (Quan Cong Temple),…
• Binh Tay Market
• Ha Chuong Assembly Hall
• Hao Sy Phuong Alley
• Traditional Chinese medicine street, motorbike accessory street, decoration street, lantern street,…
• Trang Tu Vegetable Market

Ben Thanh Market

Location: intersection of Le Loi, Ham Nghi, Tan Hung and Le Lai Streets, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. Location on Google Maps.

Ben Thanh Market is considered the iconic sight of Ho Chi Minh because it is the most famous, beautiful, and biggest market in the city. Covering an area of 13,056 meters, the market has 4 main gates (North, East, West, South) and 12 entrances. Visitors do not only admire the beautiful architecture of Ben Thanh Market but also have chances to buy souvenirs, clothes, and fashion accessories at 1,500 kiosks (shops).

Which ports to start your Ho Chi Minh City Shore Excursions?

To visit Ho Chi Minh City, your cruise must dock at Phu My Port, Nha Rong Port, or Hiep Phuoc Port. The most popular seaport for cruise ships in the South of Vietnam is Phu My Port.

Phu My Port – a major cruise port in Southern Vietnam is located in the Thi Vai River basin in Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province. This seaport is about 70 km from Ho Chi Minh City. Read more Phu My Port Travel Guide, Ho Chi Minh City Shore Excursions from Phu My Port (travel guide), Shore Excursions from Phu My (list of tours)

Nha Rong Port is conveniently located in the center of Ho Chi Minh City, a few kilometers from the most well-known tourist attractions in District 1 of Saigon. Read more Shore Excursions from Nha Rong Port (list of tours) and Nha Rong Port Travel Guide

Hiep Phuoc Port is located in a suburban district of Ho Chi Minh City, it takes about 20 minutes to reach the center of the city. Read more Shore Excursions from Hiep Phuoc Port (list of tours), Hiep Phuoc Port Travel Guide

Which are Ho Chi Minh City Shore Excursions best for your group?

The most popular travel destinations for Ho Chi Minh City Shore Excursions are the multi-colorful center of Ho Chi Minh City, the legendary 250-km-long Cu Chi Tunnels – the underground city, the peaceful and green Mekong Delta with unique culture and local life.

In Ho Chi Minh City, there are tens of places to visit, first-time visitors usually choose must-see tourist attractions, and some visitors love to see hidden places. The options are as follows:

Ho Chi Minh City Tour (Saigon Sightseeing Tour): There are many routes, and you can choose your favorite one. If you book a private tour, you can customize the itinerary. Most of the city tours take you to Notre Dame Cathedral, Ben Thanh Market, Saigon Central Post Office, Independence Palace, and War Remnants Museum. The sacred and beautiful Jade Emperor Pagoda, Cho Lon (Saigon China Town) can be included in the tour program. Car tours are more popular, motorbike tours are perfect choices to explore the hidden parts of Saigon. Some less-known and brilliant gems are located in far districts and in back alleys. Saigon Sightseeing Tour by Car and Saigon Sightseeing Tour by Motorbike would be our recommendation. It is a great idea to enjoy traditional Vietnamese foods at restaurants in the center or street foods in secret local food stalls in alleyways on car (or motorbike) tours.

The Real Ho Chi Minh City – Shore Excursions (from Phu My Port/Nha Rong Port/Hiep Phuoc Port) – the best-seller

Explore the Insider of Ho Chi Minh City on the back of a Motorbike (Phu My Port/Nha Rong Port/Hiep Phuoc Port) – the best-seller

Shore Excursion to Saigon from Phu My Port (by Car)

Ho Chi Minh City Motorbike Tour from Phu My Port

Motorbike Ho Chi Minh City Tour from Hiep Phuoc Port (by Car)

Ho Chi Minh City Tour from Nha Rong Port (by Car)

Motorbike Ho Chi Minh City Tour from Nha Rong Port

*Note: The duration of all mentioned tours is a full day.

Private Car Rental With Driver: Phu My Port – Ho Chi Minh City – the best seller – traveler needs only car and driver, not all-inclusive guided tour

Mekong Delta Tour: In fact, there are 12 provinces in Mekong Delta and travelers can spend many days in the region. Cruise ships dock at seaports for 1 or 2 days, so that we can visit Ben Tre, My Tho, Long An, and Can Tho. Your kids will love the tour because you will be transferred by boat, sampan, motorboat on rivers and canals, explore fruit gardens, small villages, local craft villages, bee farms,…

Explore the Fascinating Mekong Delta – Shore Excursions (from Phu My Port/Nha Rong Port/Hiep Phuoc Port) – the best-seller

Mekong Delta Tour from Nha Rong Port (full day)

Mekong Delta Tour from Hiep Phuoc Port (full day)

Mekong Delta Shore Excursion from Phu My Port (full day)

2 Days Mekong Delta Tour from Phu My Port

Cu Chi Tunnels Tour: If you are a history lover and would like to learn more about the Vietnam – American War, the underground city – the base of Vietcong soldiers in the past would be a great place for you. You will be told hidden stories, taken around the green jungles, see bomb crates, dark and narrow tunnels, and functional rooms in the tunnels, Hoang Cam smokeless cooks, air vents disguised as termite mounds, and many other strange things.

Cu Chi Tunnels & Ho Chi Minh City 1 Day (from all ports, Phu My Port/Nha Rong Port/Hiep Phuoc Port) – the best-seller – the mix of Cu Chi and the center of the city

Cu Chi Tunnels Tour from Hiep Phuoc Port

Cu Chi Tunnels Tour from Nha Rong Port

Private Car from Phu My Port to Cu Chi Tunnels – many tourists love to visit the tunnels themselves and only need a private car with driver

Cu Chi Tunnels Tour from Phu My Port

For your information, a large number of tourists choose to do the Cu Chi Tunnels Tour by car. There are other choices: the adventurous Cu Chi Tunnels Tour by motorbike and the luxurious Cu Chi Tunnels Tour by speedboat.