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Ho Chi Minh City Shore Excursion: Private City Tour Including Cyclo Ride

Name: Ho Chi Minh City Shore Excursion: Private City Tour Including Cyclo Ride
Brand: Bravo Indochina Tours
SKU: 6730PRTSGNCYCLO
Price: 163.08 USD
Rating: 4.5 (44 reviews)

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

8 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket

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Overview

Experience Vietnamese culture and history during a private shore excursion to Ho Chi Minh City from Phu My or Lotus port. Travel in comfort to Vietnam’s most populous metropolitan area to see the Reunification Palace, visit the National History Museum, watch a water puppet show and savor an authentic Vietnamese lunch. In the afternoon, take a three-wheeled bicycle taxi known as a cyclo to see architectural landmarks from the French colonial era, including Saigon Opera House. Wrap up with some shopping at vibrant Ben Thanh market before returning to your ship.

Private shore excursion to Ho Chi Minh City
Peruse cultural artifacts at the National History Museum with a knowledgeable guide
Delight in a Vietnamese water puppet show
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant
Take a 1-hour cyclo ride past classic city landmarks including Saigon City Hall and the Central Post Office
Browse for bargains at Ben Thanh market
Covered by Viator’s worry-free policy: guaranteed on-time return to your ship

What's Included

Port pickup and drop-off
Transport by air-conditioned private car
Professional guide
Lunch
Bottled water
Worry-Free Shore Excursion Guarantee

Food and drinks, unless specified
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

07:00 AM

What To Expect

Travel to Ho Chi Minh City after morning pickup from the port at Phu My or Lotus, relaxing in a comfortable climate-controlled private vehicle for the scenic two-hour drive.

In the morning, you'll experience a classic Vietnamese art form: a water puppet show. Watch a short performance of this type of puppetry, which dates back to the 11th century and features lacquered wood puppets that appear to dance on the surface of a shallow indoor pool.

Get an overview of Vietnam's diverse cultures at the National History Museum. Your guide shows you artifacts that reflect the evolution of Vietnam, from modern-day people back to the Cham and Khmer dynasties, and the Dong Son civilization from the Bronze Age.

Enjoy traditional Vietnamese dishes for lunch at a local restaurant. Then step into your cyclo for a one-hour tour along Dong Khoi Street, the heart of old colonial Saigon and formerly known as Rue Catinat. Admire fine examples of French colonial architecture as you pay a quick visit to the Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office nearby. Get great photo ops of other classic colonial landmarks such as the Saigon Opera House and Saigon City Hall.

Before your cyclo tour winds down, stop outside the Reunification Palace (aka Independence Palace), site of dramatic events during the 1975 Fall of Saigon that marked the end the Vietnam War. Your cyclo tour ends at one of the most liveliest markets in Ho Chi Minh City, Ben Thanh market. Have time to shop for souvenirs among a bounty of goods, then return in your private vehicle to your cruise terminal.

Worry-free Shore Excursion: We will ensure your excursion ends with ample time for you to return to the Ho Chi Minh City port for your ship’s departure. In the extremely unlikely event your ship has departed, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of-call. If your ship is delayed and you are unable to attend this activity, your money will be refunded. See our terms and conditions for full details.

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Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants. Failure to do so could affect services rendered.
Not wheelchair accessible

Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.5

44 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 44 reviews

Great tour!

William W, Oct 2019

This was a very pleasant and wonderful tour. The driver was very kind and courteous and the guy was as well. If you want to see Vietnam I highly recommend this tour as it was customized to whatever we wanted to do. Thanks again for a great experience!

Great excursion to Ho Chi Minh

shakira_g, Jan 2019

We had a lovely trip to Ho Chi Minh city and our guide Hai was great. He was very knolwedgeable and shared personal stories which added to the experience. The tour was customisable which worked well for us and included a delicious lunch.

Going solo

Stitchintime0_9, Dec 2018

Although my visit to Ho Chi Minh city began with dropping my husband at the airport, I had a wonderful day with my guide, Soo Li. She was an absolute gem who thoughtfully worked around my limited mobility. She made sure that I did everything that I wanted and some things like a tea tasting and trip to her local temple, that I didn't know a wanted to. It is a special memory!

Ho Chi Minh City Excellent Excursion

Gregory M, Sep 2018

Our Tour was excellent. We were meet promptly at the Pier and there was just my wife and myself and a guide plus a driver. We were greeted with a bottle of water for our ride to HO Chi Minh City and were driven there. During the drive our guide was so excellent in telling us about the countryside and things that we were passing and the history of the city we were to visit. Both Guide and Driver were excellent. They went out of their way to customize our trip when we asked them. We were able to see the War Memorial which was a fantastic stop for anyone who wants to know more history of Vietnam . We also went to a factory where they were making pictures out of sea shells and delicate art work. My wife could have spent even longer here. They called it Agent Orange and we thought at first we were going to a place that had been damaged during the war but were surprised at this part of the tour. We also visited the area where most of the communications and meetings took place during the war. We were taken on a Cyclo Ride in which my wife and myself and our guide went in 3 bikes that were peddled by 3 very nice Vietnam gentlemen. We were given time to go shopping in an enclosed market which was itself an experience . I bought a couple of shirts and t shirts and to my amazement when I got home and have worn them they were made of very nice fabric. They then drove us back to the cruise ship dock. I would give a 10 plus to our guide and driver. This was a very positive experience for my wife and myself. I believe our guides name was Hai .

A wonderful private tour!

ProudSurvivor, Jul 2018

An exciting full day tour of Ho Chi Minh City with a terrific and fun guide. We had a marvelous time and would highly recommend this tour.

The problem started with a walk of...

Joan G, Mar 2018

The problem started with a walk of almost two miles as the tour guides were not allowed at the port so we had to walk to the security gate. It was hot and we were tired before the trip started. It is a very long drive, about two hours. The rest of the excursion was nice and the guide tried very hard to be friendly and give us as much information as he could

Our tour didn’t get off to the best...

Jannine L, Mar 2018

Our tour didn’t get off to the best start as we were told our guide would be there to meet us as the boat docked. We duly disembarked promptly and looked through the 20 or so other guides waiting with their transport but ours was not there. Another guide from Bravo tours (the operator) kindly rang the office and we were assured ours was on his way. Approximately 30mins later our guide arrived on foot saying he could not get in the port (as the others had) and we had a 10 minute walk to the coach. We had a driver and a guide which worked well as we could be dropped off at one place and when we were ready to be picked up the guide telephoned and he came to pick us up to take us to the next place. The cyclo ride was fun but we didn’t go far as described. We were only on them one short journey about 10 minutes or so- not 1hr as detailed in the itinerary. We didn’t see the water puppet show which was on hourly as our guide said there wasn’t enough people for it to be on ... a decision he made 30 minutes before it started which we were confused by. The set menu lunch was at a nice air conditioned restaurant and was good quality Vietnamese food. We covered lots of ground and saw lots but we were unfortunately left disappointed by our guide himself. He was a nice young man who did have lots of knowledge but it was hard work. He spoke quietly, was difficult to understand and was not forthcoming with information - we constantly had to ask him questions. I would definitely recommend the tour to you- I just hope you get a different guide.

Great variety of experiences on this...

Larry_B, Mar 2018

Great variety of experiences on this tour. Crazy traffic, but we had a great driver. Wonderful meal at the Vietnamese restaurant. One of the highlights was the Rickshaw ride through town. Visit to the War Remnants museum brought mixed feelings. Being an American, it was sobering to see their propaganda slant to the Viet Nam war.

So much to do!! Saw lots of Saigon...

John C, Feb 2018

So much to do!! Saw lots of Saigon in a few hours. Trip from port to Saigon long 2 hours but tour guide made it interesting and informative. Lunch at Indochine Restaurant was very excellent. Cyclo ride was fun. Time ran out before we could visit China Town. An interesting and moving excursion! Great tour guide! Great Van Driver! My Apologies I have forgotten their names. The tour was on 24 Jan 2018 from the HAL Volendam cruise ship provided by Bravo Indochina Tours via Viator

well organized, good guide, was...

pfktanager, Feb 2018

well organized, good guide, was flexible to our requirements, excellent lunch

I was very worried when we...

Elizabeth H, Jan 2018

I was very worried when we disembarked and no one was waiting for us. We had a phone-number, so called the guide. He came relatively quickly, but it was not a good start. The guide seemed a very nice young man, but I could only understand about half of what he said. Not good at all. The car was comfortable, and having a private tour is great, we stayed longer where things interested us and left early where they did not. The food was very good

We booked this tour independent of...

David T, Dec 2017

We booked this tour independent of the cruise ship and were delighted with the result. We were met on the quay by our driver and guide who were both friendly and helpful throughout the day,. We were able to adjust our itinerary for the day and were not hampered by the inconsiderate time keeping of other guests you experience on an organised coach tour from the ship. In future we will do independent tours whenever we can and the cost difference was negligible to the ship tour. All in all a great day and a return to ship on time guarantee built in.

Though a little expensive it was...

stumpft, Dec 2017

Though a little expensive it was well worth it. The guide met us at our ship and gave us great information about Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City. Though it was foggy the day we took it, there are plenty of photo ops during the tour. The tour was 7 hours and met our expectations. The lunch was more french vietnamese...and was delicious. Soda or beer at lunch is not included in your fee you must pay yourself....but US dollars are readily accepted anywhere. The Cyclo ride modern day rickshaw was neat and enjoyable. The guide was flexible and found us a Starbucks we collect mugs from cities we visit and also took us the the local shopping area to get some souvenirs. We have no complaints and would recommend this to others who only have one day to spend in Ho Chi Minh City.

Great tour. Our guide, Joe I think...

Joan H, Jul 2017

Great tour. Our guide, Joe I think, gave us an excellent overview of Ho Chi Minh City. We especially enjoyed the cyclo ride through the busy streets. Lunch was tasty.

It's probably the same thing...

Edward C, May 2017

It's probably the same thing happening in all SE shore excursions. When we're at the port, we're greeted by the guide, but than later figuring out that we're not the only group on this tour, as there're three other small groups joining us on this excursion. We're extremely upset in the beginning as we paid for the price of private tour for two. After arriving the city, we're brought together as a large group visiting the museum and the water puppet show. Then a different arrangement was made, we were detached from the large group and turn back to a real private tour. For the rest of the tour, points of interest were impressive with fair explanation from the guide. What impressed us was the authentic meal that we had for the lunch. Food was excellent and tasty to the genuine flavor of Vietnamese cuisine. Despite of the little troubles in the morning travelling and visit, this excursion is considered a good one that brought us back with fun and good memories.

We were met at the cruise ship on...

Margaret R, Apr 2017

We were met at the cruise ship on time. We had booked a private tour but were told we had to wait for other passengers to go to a central meeting point before our tour would begin. During that time the driver sat in the van and smoked -- we asked him to please not smoke inside the van as two of us Party of 4 had asthma. We waited for 30 minutes and when no one else had shown up we requested to begin our tour as it was suppose to be a full day tour. Our guide was difficult to understand. Twice more the driver smoked in the van and twice more we asked him not to. We had the morning portion of our tour and then went for lunch. When we were led into the restaurant the guide told us what was on our menu for lunch and left us. The restaurant staff did not speak any English. During our lunch other tour groups came in - their guides sat down with them and explained what each course would be - some even gave lessons on the use of chopsticks. Our guide sat in a different part of the restaurant on his phone. We had finished eating and been waiting so we asked him could we please leave. He said the cyclo tour would meet us at the restaurant. We waited for them to arrive -- a lot of wasted time. . The cyclo tour was the highlight of our day! It was wonderful! After the tour we were taken to a souvenir shop that was packed with other tours. We shopped as this was our only stop for gifts. We were then told our tour was over. At 1:45 our guide got off the van in Ho Chi Minh city and we were left with our driver who spoke no English for the 1 hour 30 minute ride back to the ship. We travelled by interstate to the ship. All of a sudden we stopped on the interstate - we had no idea what was going on - and our driver got out and stood by the van to proceed to use the bathroom - totally not acceptable! We had stopped several places throughout the day where he could have used facilities and he should not have done this in public. We arrived back at the ship at 3:10. Full day? I expected an English speaking guide to be with us for an 8 hour tour - door to door.

The tour was very enjoyable. We were...

Alastair J, Apr 2017

The tour was very enjoyable. We were taken by private car to several of the most important and interesting sites in the city. The first guide, who picked us up from the ship handed us over to a second guide, an enthusiastic girl who showed us around. Our only complaint about the tour would be that the local tour company did not have permission to enter the port area. We were therefore required to make several very expensive mobile phone calls in an attempt to locate our tour. Eventually, we had to walk nearly a kilometre in the baking heat to the port entrance, where the tour commenced. As you can imagine, it was very frustrating to watch the air-conditioned tour buses and other private tour vehicles cruise past us as we trekked along the port concourse while making our desperate efforts to follow the instructions given by the guide in the phone calls and locate our tour.

We had an amazing time on our tour...

Erica B, Mar 2017

We had an amazing time on our tour in Ho Chi Minh! Everything was perfect and Phan Hoang Tan, our tour guide, was AWESOME! Couldn't have asked for a better guide!

Very poor esperience we start with...

Marco R, Feb 2017

Very poor esperience we start with the wrong program . After we told the tour guide he modified our tour that was just him and 2 of us . Total 3. After that I told us that was not water poppet show, so we went to one of the temple with the mini bus. Once we arrive the car door got stock therefore took 10 minutes before we got out of the car. After that we decide to make the tour shorter and return to out hotel. The tour guide was not knowledgeable on the city history and his English was very limited. We also had very poor lunch in a dirty place.Sorry tour guide even if we still tip you, we must say the truth about our experience

First, the communication from the...

Barry_C, Jan 2017

First, the communication from the tour operator was not timely or proactive, and was totally misleading as to where we would meet the tour guide and driver. This is a Shore Excursion - when you get off the ship, all of the buses, independent tour operators and taxis are right there - but no one had a sign with our name. Since I had a number, I had to phone the operator at 1.79 per minute!, who then sent me a text with the tour guide's phone number, but no explanation. So now I had to call the tour guide, again on my nickel, asking where he was. In very broken English, he was trying to tell me where he was, but I never could understand where he was telling me to go. Finally with some help of an experienced traveler off the ship, I was able to understand that he was outside the security gates, nearly 3/4 of a mile walk from the ship. So we had to walk that distance across lots filled with cargo containers, and had to dodge vehicles loading and unloading containers from trucks. He told us that he was not allowed to meet us at the dock, when in fact the answer is that there is a charge to come in, which the tour guide was unwilling to pay. As for the tour itself, it went pretty well, but we really didn't see that much considering it was a full day one of the things we did was sit in the tour guide's favorite coffee shop for 45 minutes - so he could have us experience Vietnamese coffee!. We learned that some acquaintances on the ship just used a taxi driver to get them into the city and they experienced more than we did. Admittedly, the Cyclo ride was a kick, but at the end, we were guilted by the tour guide into leaving an excessive tip for the drivers. At the end of the tour on the way back to port, we had to drive out of the way through heavy traffic to drop off the tour guide at his favorite coffee shop again. This meant that we lost at least 20-30 minutes of our t our time. This tour was a bust - we feel ripped off and it's highly unlikely that we will use Viator again, despite the fact that on this same trip, we had an outstanding tour in Hong Kong.