Vietnam Tour – Highlights of Ho Chi Minh City – 4 Days 3 Nights

Cu Chi and the Mekong Delta are both usually squeezed into a single rushed day. On this 4-day private tour, each gets a full day of its own. You start with an afternoon in Saigon’s historic center, spend one day underground at the Cu Chi Tunnels, and another on the rivers and canals around My Tho. Your guide and driver meet you at the airport and see you off on the last day, and the pace never feels like a race.

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 in the city center. 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 busiest market in the city, with street food, coffee and souvenirs.
• A full day at Cu Chi Tunnels: Watch the documentary, find the hidden trapdoors, walk through the underground kitchens, field hospitals and command rooms, and try boiled cassava with tea, the food that fed the soldiers.
• A full day in the Mekong Delta: Cruise to Unicorn Island, taste honey tea 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 tropical fruit and live Southern folk music.

Who is this tour for?
First-time visitors to Vietnam who want to see the city, the war history and the countryside without cramming them together. Couples and families who prefer a private car and guide to a big group. Travelers who want a relaxed last morning before the flight.

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 

07:00 – 08:00 | Breakfast at the Hotel
Have breakfast. Your guide and driver pick you up at 08:00.

08:00 – 10:00 | Drive to Cu Chi Tunnels
About 1.5 to 2 hours on the road. On the way, your guide gives you the background on the war and how the tunnel network came about, so the site makes more sense when you arrive.

10:00 – 15:30 | Cu Chi Tunnels

Watch the documentary on how the tunnels were built and how people survived in them during the war.

Walk through the forest and look for the hidden trapdoors your guide will point out.

Explore the underground living quarters, kitchens, storage rooms, weapons workshops, field hospitals and command centres.

Go through sections of the maze-like tunnels and see the traps used for protection.

Try boiled cassava with tea, one of the guerrillas’ staple foods.

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

15:30 – 17:03| Return to Hotel
Drive back to Ho Chi Minh City. The rest of the day is free to rest. Dinner is free, and we can arrange dinner with transfer if you want it.

DAY 3 | Full Day Mekong Delta 

06:45 – 07:30 | Breakfast at the Hotel
Have breakfast. Your guide and driver pick you up at 07:30.

07:30 – 09:30 | Drive to My Tho
About 1.5 to 2 hours. Your guide will tell you about the delta, its rice and fruit farming, and how people live on the river.

09:30 – 10:15 | Motorboat on the Mekong River
Board a local motorboat at My Tho and cruise along the river, past working boats and local islands.

10:15 – 11:00 | Unicorn Island & Beekeeping Farm

Learn how natural honey is produced. Taste honey tea and local wine.

11:00 – 11:45 | Village Walk & Rowing Boat

Walk through the village and see how local people live. Ride a rowing boat through a narrow water coconut canal. Your paddler does the work.

11:45 – 12:30 | Coconut Candy Workshop

Watch how coconut candy is made, step by step.Try it while it is warm, and buy some to take home if you like.

12:30 – 13:30 | Tropical Fruit Garden

Sit down to a plate of fresh tropical fruit.Listen to a short performance of traditional Southern music.

13:30 – 15:30 | Return to Ho Chi Minh City
Drive back to the hotel. Dinner is free.

DAY 4 | 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 and Day 3 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 4, the guide comes along only for groups of 5 or more. Smaller groups get a private driver to the airport.

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