Nice experience, very customer-oriented company fast and easy booking, very fast reaction. Mr. Bien a well-prepared guide and enthusiastic. You should try this experience.
Ho Chi Minh City Private Tour - Shore Excursion
All HCMC Ports
Port Pick-up & Drop-off
Customisable Tour
Your exploration of Ho Chi Minh starts here! Our fully customisable, private tour of Ho Chi Minh City aims to uncover the best this incredible city has to offer. From colonial landmarks to local markets and rural houses on stilts, Ho Chi Minh is a bustling city in which you will never grow bored. Choose to follow our expert advice or craft your own adventure in this cultural hub. Shore excursions tend to sell out quickly. Please make sure to book as soon as possible.
Highlights
Pick-Up & Drop-Off From Nha Rong, Hiep Phuoc, Phu Huu, Phu My Port
Enjoy an Amazing Cyclo Ride Through 10 Local Markets
Visit All HCMC’s Best Bits, Including Notre-Dame Cathedral & General Post Office
Learn to Make Vietnamese Dripping Coffee
View HCMC From the Top (Optional Extra)
Click the Tabs to See More
Tour Details
Nha Rong Port
From $80 per person
- 1 person $210
- 2 people $120 per person
- 3 people $110 per person
- 4 people $100 per person
- 5-8 people $90 per person
- 9+ people $80 per person
Hiep Phuoc Port
Price from $100
- 1 person $230
- 2 people $140 per person
- 3 people $130 per person
- 4 people $120 per person
- 5-8 people $110 per person
- 9+ people $100 per person
Phu Huu Port
Price from $100
- 1 person $230
- 2 people $140 per person
- 3 people $130 per person
- 4 people $120 per person
- 5-8 people $110 per person
- 9+ people $100 per person
Phu My Port
Price from $120
- 1 person $380
- 2 people $220 per person
- 3 people $180 per person
- 4 people $160 per person
- 5-8 people $140 per person
- 9+ people $120 per person
Season
Year-round!
Duration
All private tours are approximately 8 hours or longer depending on your time constraints. At the end of the private tour, we always make sure that you return on time to board the cruise ship.
Meeting point
Nha Rong, Hiep Phuoc, Phu Huu, or Phu My port
Port Permit Service
- Opt to purchase port permit service: For a fee of 25 USD/person, our guide and transport can go inside the port, right to your cruise ship for pick-up and drop-off. This requires passport details such as full name, passport number, DOB, expiry date and nationality. We recommend this service for safety and comfort during the hot or rainy days, as well as a reliable transport service.
- Opt not to purchase port service fee: Please walk out of the port for 15 minutes – 20 minutes where our guide and driver will welcome you with a sign and a smile. This does not include a fee.
Max Group Size
We can accommodate a big group of up to 35 people. However, we recommend a max of 15/group to get the best experience.
Included
- All Entrance Fees
- All Taxes
- Fully Air-Conditioned Vehicle
- Unlimited Bottles of Water
- English-Speaking Guide
- Lunch (please note we can cater for any dietary requirements, just be sure to get in touch beforehand)
Not included
- Gratuities
- Booking Fees
What to bring
- Sunscreen
- Hat
- Insect Repellent
- Light Jacket
- Flashlight or Torch
What to wear
Please ensure you dress respectfully. Knees and shoulders should be covered at all times.
Itinerary
Visit Local Markets In Style!
Welcome to Ho Chi Minh! Our team will be waiting with name signs, big smiles and a Maika Tour t-shirt at your port to take you to your cool airconditioned transport. Once we reach the city, immerse yourself in local Vietnamese culture with a traditional cyclo ride through the narrow, colourful streets of Ho Chi Minh. As we make our way through this bustling hub, experience the daily life of the locals as they haggle at the countless markets dotted throughout the city. Witness vendors selling colourful materials, fresh fruit, and vegetables, and of course the famed Vietnamese street food! An incredible and exciting way to experience the best of the city in a short time!
Stop At The War Remnants Museum!
Once we’ve had our fill of the sounds, sights, and scents of Ho Chi Minh’s streets, we’ll explore Chinese-influenced Thien Hau Temple. Ho Chi Minh’s temples offer an essential insight into the beliefs and customs of the Vietnamese, and this beautiful temple is no exception! This National Architectural Heritage Site, apart from housing beautiful art pieces and antiquities, gives an important insight into Vietnamese folk religions for locals and tourists alike.
Next up, prepare for the emotional impact of the War Remnants Museum. This breathtaking display is like no other war museum. Offering a rare insight into the civilian impact of the Vietnamese-American war, the multi-layered displays are hard-hitting but a must-see. The Requiem gallery is the gem of this museum, where you can see historic photos taken by famed international war photographers such as Tim Page or Larry Burrows. This poignant display is bound to stay with you long after you leave the museum.
Visit One of Ho Chi Minh’s Most Important Landmarks
Our next stop is the Independence Palace. This important landmark in Ho Chi Minh City acts as a fascinating time capsule. The site of the end of the Vietnam War, Independence Palace houses secret rooms, a war bunker, and even the original tanks that were used to seize the palace!
After the Independence Palace, we’ll go for a tasty Vietnamese lunch. An essential stop on this tour is to make, and of course enjoy, famous Vietnamese dripping coffee. This sweet beverage is a daily essential for many locals and a great insight into the surprising coffee culture in Vietnam.
Soak up HCMC’s Skyline
Enjoy a walking tour through all of Ho Chi Minh’s most important sites! The Notre-Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office are stunning architectural feats in the centre of the city. The Neo-Romanesque Notre-Dame church, built by the French, is a striking Catholic meeting point in a largely Buddhist society while the classic Central Post Office, built between 1886 and 1891, is a striking remnant of past times. The halls are lined with historic maps of South Vietnam, Saigon, and Cholon. These two beautiful buildings are popular with tourists as they offer striking insight into the cultural and historical influences at play in Vietnam. From the Post Office, our guide will show you the historic CIA Headquarters and tell you the story of the last US helicopter flying out of Saigon in 1975, as well as the last US Operation in Vietnam – Frequent Wind. We’ll stroll leisurely along Dong Khoi street to visit the very beautiful Opera House and City Hall.
In order to wrap up a wonderful day, we recommend you to come up to Bitexco Financial Tower Skydeck (additional charge) for panoramic views of the city from its observation deck. After the last stop, our guide will drop you back to the port in plenty of time for your departure. Be sure to give your wonderful guide a hug and ask for any final recommendations.
See What Our Guests are Saying
I now refer my friends, family and colleagues, as well as book all of my tours, accommodation and flights with Maika because I feel very lucky to have finally found an organisation in Asia that gives me the confidence to do so.
The tour was very well organized, and the guide spoke very good English. We got to see and experience so many things: Besides visiting a pagoda and Buddha statue, we also went on a boat ride (with a stop to enjoy a coconut drink) and visited local businesses producing rice paper, conical hats and mats. We had fresh fruit and tea for a snack and Pho soup for lunch which was delicious! We had such a good day and would highly recommend this tour!
We went on this tour, two families of four, with children aged 9-12 years old. We were really happy with it and highly recommend. Lin was our guide and she was fantastic, would really do a trip with her again. It was nice to do this privately and easy to adjust with Lin if needed. Maika helped us book the accommodation in Can Tho which we really appreciated. Would highly recommend and for sure do again.
You did a great job looking after all of our family of 7. The kids enjoyed all the tours and especially the Mekong cruise …as did we……because the kids were so happy we got to enjoy some time to ourselves too. I would recommend Maika Tours if your thinking of visiting Vietnam!
