Your private sightseeing tour begins with hotel pickup, then takes in the highlights of Ho Chi Minh City on a morning sightseeing tour.
Travel around the city in an air-conditioned private vehicle accompanied by your informative guide. Hear about the history of France in Vietnam (Indochina) as you check out French colonial landmarks such as Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica and Saigon Central Post Office, which was designed by Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame) in the late 19th century.
Afterward, head over to Chinatown (Cholon) to see the early 19th-century Thien Hau Temple, which honors Thien Hau, the goddess of seafarers, who is said to have protected Chinese migrants coming by sea to Vietnam. Then visit the bustling Binh Thay Market, where the Hoa (ethnic Chinese) have established thriving shops that sell a bit of everything from produce to consumer goods.
Have lunch in Saigon then set out on the scenic 2.5-hour drive to the Cu Chi Tunnels. Approximately 46 miles (75 km) of the Cu Chi Tunnels form a war memorial park. Before the Tet Offensive of 1968, the 125-mile (200-km) tunnel complex served as a military base for approximately 10,000 North Vietnamese (Viet Cong) troops. Here how this fascinating site from the Vietnam War (known as the ‘American War’ in Vietnam) contained military war rooms, hospitals, kitchens, schools, and hid soldiers, weapons and enemy booby traps.Some of the tunnels have been widened and installed with lights, and visitors are permitted to squeeze through sections of the underground labyrinth. Above ground, take in displays and a photo gallery that details the historical importance and construction of the tunnels.
At the end of your tour, your guide returns you to Ho Chi Minh City and drops you off at your hotel in the late afternoon.
