Vietnam Tour – Highlights of Ho Chi Minh| 3 Days 2 Nights

Most people give Ho Chi Minh City a day and a half and leave feeling they only skimmed it. This 3-day private tour gives the city one afternoon, then spends a full day outside it: underground at the Cu Chi Tunnels in the morning, and on the water in the Mekong Delta in the afternoon. Your guide and driver meet you at the airport, and the car stays with you until your flight home.

Tour Highlights

• Independence Palace: Walk through the former presidential residence, where the Vietnam War ended in 1975.
• Notre Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office: See the French colonial buildings up close. The post office is still in daily use.
• War Remnants Museum: A serious visit, and we leave enough time for it.
• Ben Thanh Market: End Day 1 at the city’s busiest market, with street food, coffee and souvenirs.
• Cu Chi Tunnels: Look for hidden trapdoors, go through the underground kitchens, field hospitals and command rooms, and try boiled cassava with tea, the food that fed the soldiers.
• Mekong Delta by boat: Cruise to Unicorn Island, taste honey tea and local wine at a bee farm, and ride a rowing boat through the water coconut canals.
• Coconut candy and fruit garden: Watch candy made by hand, then sit down to fresh fruit and live Southern folk music.

Who is this tour for?
First-time visitors to Vietnam who want both the history and the countryside in one trip. Couples and families who prefer a private car and guide to a big group. Travelers who want a slow last morning before the flight instead of another early start.

DAY 1 | HO CHI MINH ARRIVAL – HALF-DAY CITY TOUR 

Morning / Noon | Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City

Meet and greet at Tan Son Nhat International Airport by your guide and driver.

Transfer to the hotel for check-in or luggage storage. Standard check-in time is 14:00; early check-in is not included.

14:00 – 15:00 | Visit Independence Palace
Visit Independence Palace (Reunification Palace), an important historical landmark associated with the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.
Explore the palace grounds and learn about its historical significance and role in Vietnam’s modern history.

15:00 – 16:00 | Discover the War Remnants Museum
Visit the War Remnants Museum to learn about the Vietnam War through historical photographs, exhibits, and preserved artifacts.

16:00 – 16:30 | Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
Visit Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon from the outside and admire its distinctive French colonial architecture. The visit is subject to access and renovation conditions.

16:30 – 17:00 | Explore Saigon Central Post Office
Continue to Saigon Central Post Office, one of the city’s most recognizable architectural landmarks. Admire its historic interior and elegant design, reflecting the city’s French colonial heritage.

17:00 – 17:45 | Explore Ben Thanh Market
Visit Ben Thanh Market, a lively local market where you can browse souvenirs, handicrafts, local products, and Vietnamese specialties.

17:45 | Return to the Hotel
Transfer back to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure.

DAY 2 | Full Day Cu Chi Tunnels – Mekong Delta 

07:00 – 07:30 | Breakfast at the Hotel
Have breakfast. Your guide and driver pick you up at 07:30.

07:30 – 09:30 | Drive to Cu Chi Tunnels
About 1.5 to 2 hours on the road. Your guide will give you some background on the war and the tunnel network on the way, so the site makes more sense when you arrive.

09:30 – 11:30 | Cu Chi Tunnels

Watch the short documentary on how the tunnels were dug and used. Walk through the forest and look for hidden trapdoors your guide will point out.

Explore the underground living areas, kitchens, weapons workshops, field hospitals and command centres.Try boiled cassava with tea, a staple food during the war.

Optional: AK rifle shooting, USD 30 per person for 10 bullets, arranged on request and paid on the spot.

11:30 – 14:00 | Drive to My Tho
About 2 to 2.5 hours. Lunch is not included. Tell us when you book if you want us to arrange it (USD 13 per person), or stop at a local restaurant on the way.

14:00 – 14:45 | Motorboat on the Mekong River
Board a local motorboat at My Tho and cruise to the island, passing working boats and green riverbanks.

14:45 – 15:30 | Unicorn Island & Beekeeping Farm

Learn how honey is collected.Taste honey tea and local wine.

15:30 – 16:15 | Village Walk & Rowing Boat

Walk the village paths under the coconut trees.Ride a rowing boat through a narrow water coconut canal. Your paddler does the work.

16:15 – 17:15 | Coconut Candy Workshop & Fruit Garden

Watch coconut candy being cooked and cut by hand, and try it while it is warm. Sit down to fresh tropical fruit and listen to traditional Southern music.

17:15 – 19:30 | Return to Ho Chi Minh City
Drive back to the hotel. Dinner is free.

DAY 3 | Ho Chi Minh Departure 

Morning | Breakfast & Check-out
Have breakfast at the hotel and check out. Standard check-out time is 12:00.

Free Time
Free time until your departure transfer. Walk to a nearby café, pick up last souvenirs, or rest.

Departure Transfer
Your driver takes you to Tan Son Nhat Airport, timed to your flight.

Tour Price

Please contact our travel consultants for the latest quotation based on:

• Travel dates
• Number of travelers
• Hotel category
• Seasonal promotionHotel Options

Hotel Options

★★★ 3-Star Hotel

Prague Hotel – Superior Room No Window (or similar)

★★★★ 4-Star Hotel

The First Hotel – Superior Room (or similar)

★★★★★ 5-Star Hotel

 Equatorial Ho Chi Minh City – Superior Room (or similar)

Optional Services

• Cu Chi AK shooting: USD 30 per person for 10 bullets
• Vietnam e-visa: USD 35 per person
• Lunch with transfer: USD 13 per person per meal
• Dinner with transfer: USD 16 per person per meal

Child Policy

• Child under 12 sharing with 1 adult: 90% of adult fare
• Child under 12 sharing with 2 adults, with extra bed: 75% of adult fare
• Child under 12 sharing with 2 adults, without extra bed: 50% of adult fare
• Child under 2 sharing with 2 adults, without bed: Free of charge

Package Includes
[✔] Accommodation with daily breakfast
[✔] Air-conditioned vehicle for all airport transfers and sightseeing in the itinerary
[✔] Professional English-speaking local tour guide as specified in the itinerary
[✔] Meals as indicated in the itinerary
[✔] Entrance fees for all attractions mentioned in the itinerary
[✔] Complimentary mineral water during sightseeing and transfers (2 bottles per person per day)

Package Excludes
[✖] International or domestic airfare and airport taxes
[✖] Vietnam visa fees, including e-visa application and visa stamping fees, if applicable
[✖] Travel insurance (strongly recommended before you travel)
[✖] Personal expenses such as laundry, phone calls, minibar and optional activities
[✖] Cu Chi AK shooting (USD 30 per person for 10 bullets)
[✖] Drinks during meals, including alcohol
[✖] Early check-in or late check-out. Standard check-in is 14:00 and check-out is 12:00
[✖] Holiday or peak-season surcharges from hotels, if applicable
[✖] Any service not listed under “Package Includes”
[✖] Vehicle overtime beyond scheduled hours: USD 15/hour (4–7 seats), USD 25/hour (16 seats). Half-day service is a maximum of 4 hours, full-day a maximum of 8 hours
[✖] Optional tips for bellboys, boat crew and sampan drivers
[✖] Compulsory tip for local guide and driver: USD 3 per person per day, collected by the guide

What to Bring

• Comfortable walking shoes. Day 1 involves a lot of walking, and the Cu Chi forest paths and Mekong village paths can be uneven.
• Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. The boat rides have very little shade.
• Light, breathable clothing, plus a thin rain jacket in the rainy season (May to November).
• Modest clothing covering shoulders and knees for the cathedral, the post office and the museums.
• Mosquito repellent for Cu Chi and the Mekong Delta.
• Small bills in VND for Ben Thanh Market, tips and souvenirs.

Health & Safety Note

• Independence Palace and the War Remnants Museum involve a lot of standing and some stairs. Tell your guide if you need to go slower.
• Some exhibits at the War Remnants Museum are graphic and may not suit young children. Your guide can suggest which sections to skip.
• The Cu Chi tunnels are narrow, hot and low. Guests with claustrophobia, heart conditions or back problems can skip the crawling and stay above ground.
• Day 2 is long, with about 8 hours on the road in total. Bring something to do in the car, and drink plenty of water.
• Wear the life jackets provided on all boat rides. Let us know in advance if anyone cannot swim or has mobility difficulties.
• Taste the honey tea and local wine only if you are comfortable with them. Tell your guide about any food allergies.

Good to Know

• Day 1 starts with airport pickup at 13:00. Please send us your flight number and arrival time at least 3 days before travel so we can adjust the schedule.
• If your flight lands late, we may drop the Notre Dame and Post Office stop or shorten Ben Thanh Market, since the Palace and the museum close in the late afternoon.
• Lunch on Day 2 is not included. Let us know when you book if you want us to arrange it.
• Notre Dame Cathedral is visited from the outside only.
• On Day 3, the guide comes along only for groups of 5 or more. Smaller groups get a private driver to the airport.
• Late check-out is not included. If your flight is in the evening, ask us to arrange luggage storage at the hotel.
• The 3-star option (Prague Hotel) has a room with no window. If you want natural light, choose the 4-star or 5-star option.

Payment Terms

• Deposit: 30% of the total amount when you confirm your booking
• Balance: 70% at least 15 days before arrival

Cancellation Policy

• 30+ days before arrival: Full refund minus administrative fee
• 15–29 days before arrival: 50% of tour cost charged
• Within 14 days of arrival or no-show: 100% of tour cost charged