saigon hotpot walking tour

Chinatown Tour

Night food tour, traditional meal tour, tailor made tour, saigon inside out.

• Our Facebook Page
• [email protected]
• +84921181418 (Whatsapp)

Unlock your perspective of Saigon, wander through the maze of local streets and play the vibes of the most crowded city.

“If you are in Ho Chi Minh City, book a day with Saigon Hotpot, you will not regret it!”

Also known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is the important economic, political, cultural and educational center of Vietnam. This city is a combination of modern and classic, skyscrapers and ancient architectures in the Western style which is associated with interesting stories of Vietnamese history

What can be more interesting than having a tour around the city center in a fresh morning? With young and dynamic locals, fun facts and fantastic untold stories, we will unveil the history and the culture of Saigon through some of the most symbolic places of this 300-year-old city.

Pick-up / Drop-off location : Your accommodation – or any demanded location within the city center that is convenient for you

Schedule time : (The schedule is flexible)

• +Morning tours: 8AM – 12PM
• +Afternoon tours: 1:30PM – 5PM
• +Fullday tours: 8AM – 5PM

Recommended sites : Independence Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica, Saigon Central Post Office, Ben Thanh market, War Remnants Museum, Jade Emperor Pagoda… If you want your own tour, don’t hesitate to drop us your preferences. We will tailor and make your trip most memorable.

Fees : Free

• ***Notice: You are only in need of covering all the entrance fees, transportation, meals and beverages (if any) for you and our guides

Transportation : Taxi / Walking / Bus / Grab – ride hailing app

Ticket Prices :

• +Independence Palace: 40.000 VND
• +War Remnants Museum: 40.000 VND

Make Your Preparation

1/ sunglasses, hat.

In HCM City, just only two seasons HOT and VERY HOT. So make sure you eyes and skins are safe.

Pay attention to your costume when entering the Notre-Dame Cathedral because there is a rule that you have to cover your shoulders and your knees. Tip: a simple scarf may help you

3/ Camera/Selfie Stick

Have fun and catch up your moments.

TOP Reviews

City tour with quyen.

We had several tours during our stay in Ho Chi Minh and Saigon Hotpot is hands down the best tour (free or paid) you can do. Quyen was our guide on 16 Dec 2018. She was right on time, friendly and went out of her way to entertain/interact with my 11 year old son. She showed us all the sights in the center of the city in a private FREE tour. Saigon Hotpots are student volunteers that want to practice English and show you their city. There was NO presto pay anything, but she did accept a donation for a charity (poor kids). If you want to know which tour to pick, choose Saigon Hotpots, treat tour guide to a meal and make a little donation. You will love this organization!

The best hotpot in Saigon!

Catherine was our guide for a full day City Tour and Thu spent an evening with us on a street food tour. Both students have excellent tours and were eager to make our time with them the best. They were knowledgeable, charming and were great ambassadors to represent their country and culture. They navigated us safely using Grab taxis and were always thoughtful of our safety. We enjoyed our time with them immensely and commend them for the volunteer work they do to improve their skills and experiences.

Awesome City tour with The man and nguyen

It was wonderful to meet the two youngsters The man and Nguyen. It was interesting to see the city from their perspective and exchange lot of thoughts. They were so sweet to take us around the city, take our pictures and also taught us how to use chopsticks!!! :) This was definately one of the highlights of our trip to Saigon and would recommend this to everybody. There is no better way to know about the city than from the eyes of the people who live there. Thank you so much Saigon hotspot for creating a platform like this. We are taking a lot of happy memories from this experience :)

Saigon Hotpot wonderful city tour

Our family went on the half day city tour and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Our hosts Duyen and Truong met us punctually at our hotel and arranged for taxis to the Reunification Palace. They gave us an extremely detailed and informative guided tour using impeccable English. Next we went to Notre Dame and then to the Old Post office. Finally, we all relaxed and chatted over delicious coconut coffees. In particular our grown up children really appreciated meeting and exchanging cultural differences with Duyen and Truong. Thankyou Saigon Hotpot for such a memorable occasion.

Tours You Might Also Like

Type: Half / Full day

Transport: Walking, taxi

Get lost in the ancient charm of Cantonese-dominant land. Keep your calmness and get overwhelmed for incredible cultural experiences.

Type: Half day

Being a street food taster is the best way to enjoy authentic local food and understand the Vietnamese eastern style.

Type: Night

Arrange your own tour and discuss your desired tour

A MUST when travelling to Vietnam. Get taken to local houses and have your senses messed up with attractive dishes and truly unique flavors.

Dig into a deeper ground of Saigon stories and learn to chill out through a Vietnamese-style breakfast.

Type: Morning

Need Help? We are here for you

Book a City Tour

Book a tour, choose the tour package, submit the information for the tour.

Notes: - Morning: 8AM - 12PM - Afternoon: 1:30PM - 5PM - Fullday: 8AM - 5PM - Night: 5PM - 9PM

It's such an honour for Saigon Hotpot to accompany you in Saigon. However, all of your bookings must be submitted at least 5 days in advanced . In case of urgent requests (less than 5 days prior to your tour dates), please kindly direct your email to our Tour Operation Team at [email protected] , or contact our Tour Operator via Whatsapp ( +84 921 181 418 )

Saigon Hotpot - Travel With Local Youth

• See all photos

Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Saigon Hotpot - Travel With Local Youth - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

Saigon Hotpot - Travel With Local Youth

• See all photos

Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Saigon Hotpot - Travel With Local Youth - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Ho Chi Minh City
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Holiday Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travellers' Choice
• Help Centre

Walking tour saigon - Saigon Hotpot - Travel With Local Youth

• Asia    
• Vietnam    
• Ho Chi Minh City    
• Ho Chi Minh City - Attractions    
• Saigon Hotpot - Travel With Local Youth

Walking tour saigon

Nice tour by saigon hotpotstudent which we arranged before departure. Enthousiastic guide who was willing to show and tell us everything about the sites we wanted to see. It is so easy to arrange and it will enhance your visit and knowledge of this beautifull City

Dear Cruiseaholic78, It is great to hear that our member was enthusiasm and you had a nice trip. Your review was very encouraging for us to continue the volunteer. Thank you and hope to see you again.

We were met promptly by our guide for the day who was a most knowledgable young lady, it was a real pleasure to chat to someone local and be shown round. A fantastic scheme

Dear littlemissmoppet, Thank you for your review. We will keep on working hard to make it better. We really hope to see you again someday.

I think it was really good that we used Saigon Hotpot. We visited HCMC for the first time so we had been worried about our trip. BUT we could enjoy our sightseeing due to guides of Saigon Hotpot. And we could know about history and life style of the city through the conversations with them. We met very eager and great students. Having looked the HP of Saigon Hotpot, I could understand the activity and book the tour easily. After that, I contacted with Saigon Hotpot by e-mail. We applied not only regular tour but also the tour which we choose the places where we want to go. (We book 2 days.) Saigon Hotpot accepted our demand tolerantly. We visited Notre-Dame Basilica, Reunification Palace, Ben Thanh Market, Chinatown, War Remnants Museum and so on. Though we were not good at English, when we told them that we couldn't understand what they said, they talked to us in easy English. In addition,when the heat made my friend dizzy, they took us cool places and gave us time for a rest. They were very eager guides and made our trip great.

Dear MadokaNogamida, It is glad to hear that you enjoyed the trip. We will try our best to make the tour even better in the future so hope to see you again soon.

I was returning to VietNam for the second time and wanted to do some things that we're so touristy and I hadn't done before. I also wanted to show my son some of his birth country that I couldn't on my own. Sai Gon Hotpot was amazing. We had two wonderful guides who showed us some of SaiGon that we'd never seen, and some that we would definitely have never found on our own and was of special interest to my son. There are three things that every visitor to Sai Gon must experience - Cho Ben Thanh, Suoi Tien Theme Park, and a SaiGon Hotpot tour! They really added a great experience to our SaiGon visit! If you go to SaiGon and you don't take a Hotpot tour, you have made a mistake!

Dear CDragon00, Thank you very much for touring with us. Your review was very encouraging for us to continue the volunteer. We are really looking forward to seeing you and your son again.

I had read about Saigon Hotspot on Tripadvisor and contacted them a weeek before reaching HCMC. They were prompt in their dealing and assured that one of the volunteers would be available to take me around. I met with Mr Tin a genial young man in his twenties who is a student of the local University. He checked my interest and then showed me the Chinese Temple. He knew the history, and architecture intricacies of the temple. He took me to a restaurant, where on his recommendation I could taste some lovely Vietnamese food that included Pork , and chicken dishes accompanied by green tea. He then took me to a local market, where I could see the local grocery stores, and ended up by toffees and sweets, which I would not have known otherwise. He showed me a local housing complex, and took me to an area where artisans were making masks. We ended the day with a visit to the Independence palace. Where again I was impressed with the knowledge and willingness that Mr Tin showed in letting me know the historical significance of various rooms in the palace. IT is a lovely experience, where one gets to interact with young volunteers, know their lifestyle, aspiration, culture and their take on life. I cherish this one day tour and my heartfelt thanks to Saigon Hotspot and Mr Tin for making my day.

Thank you for you comment and photos. We found this really motivated, and we are glad that you enjoyed the tour with Mr Tin. Really hope to see you again someday.

The best way to find your way in a new location is to have local knowledge. My Saigon Hotpot tour guide (Duc) was a great help. I only contacted them less than a week before I left Australia, but they arranged a guide in that short timeframe. We walked miles in the sauna that is Saigon. Duc had never seen a man sweat as much as me! BUT .... he kept on going, and showed genuine interest in my version of the world as I see it (I don't think he was just being polite)! I learnt so much about the lifestyle of the average Saigon resident from Duc. Good english, great company, great guide.

Thank you for your wonderful comment. Your review was very encouraging for us, and foe Duc also, to continue the volunteer. We hope to see you again someday!

• Ho Chi Minh City
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Holiday homes
• Travel Stories
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travellers' Choice
• Help Centre

Saigon Hotpot Walking Tour - Saigon Hotpot - Travel With Local Youth

• Asia    
• Vietnam    
• Ho Chi Minh City    
• Ho Chi Minh City - Places to Visit    
• Saigon Hotpot - Travel With Local Youth

Saigon Hotpot Walking Tour

Met as arranged at Rex Hotel by 2 wonderful girls, Snowy and Quynh for our walking tour of HCMC. What wonderful girls, very knowledgeable and great sense of humour. They certainly kept us (4) entertained. We visited many great sights and would highly recommend Saigon Hotpot for a great insight into HCMC. Thank you girls, it was truly wonderful. Shiela

Thank you for your lovely words. It is our job and pride to introduce to you the beauty of Saigon through our guides' personal point of views. I hope that the experience you had with us will bring you to revisit Saigon again soon.

We were greeted by Linh at our hotel. She took us to all the places we wanted to visit, the Reunification Palace, the War Remnants Museum, the FITO Museum (highly recommended, it was outstanding) and Bitexco Tower. It was very convenient to have her deal with taxis, they are quite affordable if you are getting the respectable ones. We also wanted to try some local food at a place where only locals go, and Linh took us to a place with delicious food, that was incredibly cheap. We highly recommend Saigon Hotpot, they were very quick to respond to our reservation request and followed up with us via email before our tour, great company, lovely tour guide.

Thank you for your support to our service. Ms. Linh is a lovely guide indeed and she must be very happy that you enjoyed the tour with her. We hope to see you again someday in Saigon!

We arrived in HCMC on a Sunday. Still a bit sleepy due to the overnight flight, two girls from Saigon Hotpot were on time waiting for us in the hotel lobby. We spend a great day with them as they were showing the major tourist sights in old town of HCMC. We can only recommend Saigon Hotpot for tours! :)

Thank you for your positive feedback. Our guides always want to create the best moments for tourists when they come to visit Saigon. We hope to see you next time!

First whole day in Vietnam and I had scheduled a tour with one of the University Tour Guides of Saigon Hotpot... great decision! I was personally toured through several popular venues of Ho Chi Minh City by a charming student. She was very knowledgable of the venues with stories of the culture in Vietnam. Her English was great and I even learned some Vietnamese words. I highly recommend Saigon Hotpot for tourists that are not familiar with Ho Chi Minh City. They refused to accept money for themselves, however I was happy to donate to their organization, which I believe they pass on to charity organizations. Highly professional and I look forward to the opportunity of using their volunteer services again! Thank you! Ray G.

Thank you for taking time to support our organization. Our guides are trained to create the best impression to friends around the world about the city and its people. Helping you explore Saigon is our job and pride. We look forward to your return in Saigon!

When we arrived in Vietnam we had an airport transfer to the hotel, driving along I mentioned to our driver how crazy the traffic was, he replied "this is only Sunday, not much traffic" he was right, mayhem on Monday, a red light does not usually mean stop and a green pedestrian light does not mean just walk across the road, our concern, how do you cross the road? this was our first question when we arrived in Vietnam. We met Ms Kim on Monday morning and she reassured us that crossing the road was easy, our first stop was the Reunification Palace so we decided to walk, with many roads to cross Ms Kim showed us how easy it was to cross the road, even in the absolute mayhem of the traffic. Ms Kim's knowledge of the history of the Reunification Palace was amazing, she was always happy to answer any question, with my two children 9 and 12 the questions kept coming at a million miles an hour and she was fantastic even when my children would ask obscure questions she always wore a smile and had an answer. We then walked to Notre Dame Cathedral and the Post office, both were amazing buildings and Ms Kim's knowledge once again was phenomenal, even pointing out that the paved road in front of the Post Office made by the French was the only section left in Vietnam. We were hungry and asked Ms Kim what she recommended to eat, advising that our family were not fussy eaters we jumped into a taxi and drove to this restaurant that seemed to be hidden from plain sight. We walked across a bridge with a pond full of fish and into this quite little restaurant. We chose a few items off the menu and asked Ms Kim what she recommended, the food was fantastic! We all jumped into another taxi and headed off to the War Remnants Museum. This museum is both amazing and horrifying, a warning to everyone that inside there are some very graphic pictures but it is well worth a visit and an eye opener. We then had an unusual request to find some electronic components and like all day Ms Kim with a smile hailed a taxi and we were off. We stopped at some shops and Ms Kim would ask some questions and we were off to another shop more questions and then we found what I needed, without Ms Kim I could never have got my parts. Overall Ms Kim was amazing, her friendliness and knowledge really made our day perfect, she went beyond all expectations that we had or could ever have ask for. She gave us advise on the taxis and about our stay in Vietnam, our children loved Ms Kim and at the end of the day it was sad to see her go. I would highly recommend anyone traveling to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) to do as we did and contact Saigon Hotpot, we now feel confident in crossing the roads and look forward to the rest of our time in Vietnam. Thank you Saigon Hotpot and especially thank you Ms Kim.

Thank you for your kind words. Ms. Kim would be very happy to know that she did a great job being your companion during your trip and showing you the beauty of our city. I will pass your compliment her. Hopefully, we will see you again!

We visited Ho Chi Minh for four days. Since my friend, who enjoyed his first visit to Vietnam with the help of Saigon Hotpot, strongly recommended to us that we should ask Saigon Hotpot for a volunteer guide on the first day to learn how to enjoy Ho Chi Minh because we had never been to Vietnam. We did so, and we had a great time in the city with the amazing volunteered guides by Saigon Hotpot. We are a family with three kids (two college students and one middle-school student) and we had two guides who are college students. They are very thoughtful, intellectual, sincere, and friendly, and did their best to make our trip as satisfactory as possible in a very flexible way; for example we wanted to make a stamp and they took us to an appropriate store, etc. This kind of flexible order-made tour never happens in a schedule-fixed ordinary tour. My kids also enjoyed talking to them and learning their thoughts. We really love the tour they provided for us, and we totally love the two volunteer guides. We would definitely recommend Saigon Hotpot to our friends if they go to Vietnam.

Thank you for your sincere feedback and your recommendation. We are glad that we brought a positive image of Saigon in your first trip to Vietnam. As an non-profit organization, we work towards a common goal which are bringing joy to tourists and fostering the culture exchange between friends from all around the world and our guides. We look forward to seeing you again!

1-Day Walking Tour of Ho Chi Minh City: Unveiling the Magic of Saigon

by timshazz | Sep 24, 2023 | Destinations , Walking Tour | 2 comments

• 1-day Walking Tour - Ho Chi Minh City

What You Will See on this Ho Chi Minh City Walking Tour

Starting your journey: how long will this walking tour take, what does this ho chi minh city walking tour cost, what you will need for your ho chi minh city walking tour, comfortable footwear, weather-specific gear: staying prepared in vietnam, protecting your belongings: security measures with anti-theft bags, start exploring iconic attractions in downtown ho chi minh city, tao dan park, war remnants museum, the lovely 30/4 park.

• Independence Palace: The Symbol of History and Power

Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon (Nha Tho Duc Ba Saigon)

Browse through nguyen van binh book street, saigon central post office, dong khoi street.

• Ho Chi Minh City Hall (People's Committee Building)

Ho Chi Minh City Municipal Theatre (Saigon Opera House)

Nguyen hue walking street, apartment block cafes, the rex hotel, ho chi minh statue, nguyen hue music fountain, ben thanh market, alternatives to ben thanh market, dinner cruise, double decker bus night tour.

• Concluding Your Ho Chi Minh City Walking Tour: What's Next?

Free Walking Tours of Ho Chi Minh City

Paid walking tours around ho chi minh city, non-walking tours around ho chi minh city, other amazing experiences in ho chi minh city, day tours from ho chi minh city, heading to vietnam soon, 1-day walking tour – ho chi minh city.

Here’s the first in a series of my suggested routes for walking around Ho Chi Minh City; Vietnam’s largest and most populous city and capital of South Vietnam.

Immerse yourself in the bustling energy, vibrant culture, rich history, and extraordinary attractions of this crazy metropolis, formerly known as Saigon.

From the peaceful Tao Dan Park and historical Reunification Palace to the lively Ben Thanh Night Market, the variety of sights, sounds, tastes, and smells reveal a vivid portrait of Vietnamese daily life.

I’ve walked this route several times. Every time I do this walking tour, by myself or with visiting family and friends, Ho Chi Minh City continues to delight, amaze, and astound me. It is truly one of my favorite cities in the world.

This hand-curated walking tour of Ho Chi Minh’s District 1 will:

• Take you to some of the most popular sites around downtown HCMC,
• Give you an excellent introduction to the history of the city and
• Provide you with plenty of opportunities to soak up the unique mix of chaos and tranquility that is modern-day Saigon.

This self-guided walking tour around Ho Chi Minh City allows you the flexibility and freedom to soak in the spirit of this dynamic city and explore its most iconic sites at your own pace.

Highlights and recommended route for the walking tour are:

• Reunification Palace (Independence Palace
• Notre Dame Cathedral (Nhà thờ Đức Bà Sài Gòn
• Book Street
• Đong Khoi Street
• Ho Chi Minh City Hall (People’s Committee Building
• Ho Chi Minh City Municipal Theatre (Saigon Opera House.
• Cafe Apartments
• Rex Hotel – Roof Terrace
• Statue of Ho Chi Minh

According to Google Maps, this Ho Chi Minh sightseeing tour covers approximately 4 to 5 kilometers (2.5 to 3 miles ), and the actual walking time is just over an hour. But that would be at a breakneck pace!

Choosing to visit any attractions, such as the Reunification Palace or the War Remnants Museum, is an option and will add a few hours to the tour.

Frequent breaks in the many cafes, restaurants, and parks are highly recommended. Taking a slower and more relaxed approach can transform your experience into an enjoyable, full-day exploration. You can even extend your walk into a leisurely evening discovery tour.

The route described in this post is a Ho Chi Minh City FREE walking tour.

Of course, if you enter the Reunification Palace and War Remnants Museum, you’ll pay a small entry fee. And, if you want a tour guide, you’ll need to pay them.

The amount you spend on food, beverages, and souvenirs over the day is completely up to you. I’ve given a few of my favorite establishments in the descriptions – both budget and more upmarket.

I wrote a whole post with lots of travel tips and advice on comfort and security when walking around Ho Chi Minh City. But here are a couple of reminders.

Comfortable footwear is a must for any walking tour. The streets of Ho Chi Minh City can be uneven and broken. So it’s essential to wear walking shoes that provide good support, grip, and maybe even ankle support. (Says she who both slipped on killer Vietnamese floor tiles and broke her arm, and fell in a pothole, and sprained her ankle badly.)

You may also find yourself standing for extended periods, especially in the museum. So, ensure your shoes are well-cushioned and comfortable for a smooth, enjoyable walking adventure.

When preparing for a walking tour in Ho Chi Minh City, consider the weather. Vietnam has a tropical climate and can be quite hot and humid, especially during the summer months. It’s essential to have lightweight, breathable clothing to stay comfortable during your walk. A hat and sunglasses can also help to protect you from the sun. Don’t forget to pack a poncho or umbrella, as sudden rain showers are common.

As you wander the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, keeping your belongings safe is critical. Using an anti-theft bag can help prevent pickpocketing or bag snatching, which can be a concern in crowded areas. These bags often come with slash-resistant material and secure zippers. Additionally, it’s a good idea to carry only essential items and leave expensive jewelry or unnecessary credit cards in your hotel safe.

Before you set off, please read my post on staying safe in Ho Chi Minh City.

You can easily explore District 1, the heart of downtown Ho Chi Minh City, on foot. It’s here you’ll not only find the city’s administrative center but also many of the city’s most iconic attractions.

1 Tao Dan Park

2 war remnants museum, 3 reunification palace, 4 notre dame cathedral, 5 nguyen van binh book street, 6 saigon central post office, 7 dong khoi street, 8 people's committee building, 9 ho chi minh city municipal theatre (saigon opera house), 10 nguyen hue walking street, 11 apartment cafes, 12 rex hotel, 13 ho chi minh statue, 14 nguyen hue music fountain, 15 ben thanh market.

I suggest you start your day early in the cool of the morning at one of the city’s many parks. If you’re staying in Districts 1 or 3, I recommend you take a stroll to Tao Dan Park. You’ll find it located between Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street to the north, Nguyen Du to the south, Cach Mang Thang Tam to the west, and Huyen Tran Cong Chi.

The park will come alive not long after sunrise and will be a hive of activity by 7 a.m.

Start at the southwestern corner where Bùi Thị Xuân runs into Cách Mạng Tháng 8 and work your way through to the northeast corner of Truong Dinh. If you stick to the right-hand side as you enter, you will find a Temple of the Hung Kings along the way.

Pick up a Vietnamese coffee from one of the street vendors along the way (for about 15,000 VND). Then enjoy the spectacle of Vietnamese locals exercising, socializing, and relaxing in the cool of the morning. If you’re lucky you’ll see groups practicing traditional fan dancing and martial arts.

Distance (~5-600 m depending on the path you take.)

Next, walk straight up Truong Dinh until you hit Vo Van Tan. Turn right and walk until you see the War Remnants Museum on the corner of Vo Van Tan and Le Quy Don. (450 m)

Opened in 1975, this excellent museum exhibits relics and displays related to the American phase of the Vietnam War.

This museum is a must-see on a visit to Ho Chi Minh City. It will give you an insight into the tragedy of the war and help you to understand the country’s resilience and growth since those turbulent times. It is quite graphic and perhaps a little one-sided. But the victors always write the history books, so you wouldn’t expect anything else.

Depending on your nationality, you may feel more comfortable contemplating these exhibits in relative quiet rather than alongside a throng of other tourists. It opens every day at 7.30 a.m., so you can get in early to beat the crowds.

Entrance fee – 40,000 VND.

Opening Hours – 7.30 am to 5.30 pm daily.

Depending on what time you started out you may be getting pretty hungry by now. Or, you might just need to sit down and reflect on what you’ve just experienced.

Turn right out of the museum and walk a block down Vo Van Tan until you reach Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa and turn right. Walk straight until you run into a lovely shady park. (~650m)

30 / 4 Park is named after Vietnam’s Liberation Day, the 30th of April. It’s located between the Independence Palace and Notre Dame Cathedral, with great views of both. It’s a great place to take a seat in relative peace and quiet and people-watch. If you need some refreshments, there are usually a handful of coconut, soft drink, water, and ice cream vendors plying their trade.

There are dozens of cafes and restaurants in this part of the city including quite a few around this park. Try Au Parc, Propaganda, or RuNam on Hàn Thuyên. Or there is a large Highlands Coffee outside Diamond Plaza, behind Notre Dame.

If you fancy sampling some fantastic Vietnamese street food, you should find numerous street vendors or local restaurants around this area. My favorites include Banh Mi (Vietnamese baguette), Bo Kho (thick, flavorsome beef stew), or Pho (noodle soup.) Pick a stall that seems popular with the Saigonese and has a good turnover. Alternatively, there is a food court at the top of Diamond Plaza, behind Notre Dame.

Independence Palace : The Symbol of History and Power

After a bit of rest, head over to the entrance of the Independence Palace (Also known as Reunification Palace .) This building is a powerful symbol of Vietnam’s history and stands as a testament to the nation’s turbulent past and steadfast resilience.

On 30 April 1975, an armored North Vietnamese tank dramatically crashed through the massive entry gates of the Palace, signaling the end of the Vietnam War.

Outside the gates, you can join a tour, pick up a personal guide, or just pay the ticket and use the brochure provided for background information. Assign at least an hour for your visit if you want to do it justice.

If you didn’t have lunch before your visit to the palace, you are spoilt for choice for lunch in this neck of the woods.

For Vietnamese cuisine, head up to Nha Hang Ngon at 160 Pasteur Street for a large selection of very reasonable and delicious Vietnamese dishes. Or drop into the elegant surrounds of Quan Ngon 138 at 138 Đ. Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa, just down the road from the palace. They have a mind-boggling array of Vietnamese dishes from around the country.

If you are looking for something a little bit more Western try Au Parc Cafe. You can find it at 23 Hàn Thuyên on the southern side of 30-4 Park, between Pasteur and Cong Xa Paris.

All three choices are in beautiful colonial buildings with leafy outlooks so you can chill before the next leg of the tour. On the same street as Au Parc, you’ll find Propaganda, another excellent Vietnamese Restaurant, and several others.

If you’re looking for something a bit more casual, Ben Nghe Street Food Market is around 50m further on from Quan Ngon 138 at 134 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa.

Next, we’ll head to the other side of 30/4 Park. The first stop is the imposing Notre Dame Cathedral , situated on an island between the Park, Diamond Plaza, and the Central Post Office.

A symbol of Ho Chi Minh City’s colonial past is the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception. Constructed in the late 1800s from imported French materials, the cathedral remains a remarkable vestige of the French Colonial era. Its twin bell towers, each topped with a cross, soar to a height of 200 feet, creating an imposing silhouette against the city’s skyline.

Over the past few years, they have covered the outside in various stages of scaffolding as they undertake a major renovation. Hopefully, by the time you get there, all that will be gone.

Opening hours are between 5.30 am and 5 pm but visiting hours are more restricted. If you are lucky, you’ll see some couples out having their wedding pictures taken. Of course, you may enter when services are on, but please be respectful if you are visiting at this time. There is an English mass at 9.30 am on Sundays.

The church sits in a lovely setting close to the park, juxtaposed against Diamond Plaza and your next stop, the railway station-like City Post Office. Even if you can’t get in, the outside of the building is quite a sight.

Don’t forget to visit the statue of Our Lady of Peace in the garden at the front of the church. You may see visitors checking to see if the statue is crying, a phenomenon reported in 2005.

For a different kind of cultural experience, make your way to Nguyen Van Binh, better known as Book Street. Book Street stretches around 150m from Notre Dame Cathedral to Hai Ba Trung Street. The pedestrianized lane has more than 20 bookstores that display and sell thousands of non-fiction and fiction books, along with newspapers, magazines, stationery, literary memorabilia, and souvenirs.

You’ll find a number of cafes, an old book exchange with plenty of titles in English, and various book exhibitions. This location is extremely popular with the locals, especially students and families. But it also offers tourists a peaceful respite from the bustling city streets and an opportunity to pick up a range of excellent publications and souvenirs specific to Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam. It’s well worth including in your Ho Chi Minh City walking tour.

Right next to Book Street, the Saigon Central Post Office is in a gorgeous colonial building from the late 1880s that is still in excellent condition. Its bright yellow façade, adorned with green shutters, houses an interior reminiscent of an old European train station. Despite its historical significance, the building still functions as the city’s main post office, selling postcards on-site for visitors to send home as an inexpensive souvenir.

You’ll also find souvenir shops, tour booking services, and kiosks. The interior is just as elegant as the outside with high vaulted ceilings, beautiful tiles, and unique features such as the wooden phone booths.

From the Post Office, head further south-east along Dong Khoi taking the time to photograph more of the beautiful buildings still in fantastic condition. Along the street, you’ll find many high-end shopping choices, unique souvenir shops, and galleries full of local art that are worth your time.

Ho Chi Minh City Hall (People’s Committee Building)

By now it should be mid to late afternoon. Continue down Dong Khoi, until you reach Le Than Ton Street. On your right, you will see the gorgeous City Hall that is now the Office of Ho Chi Minh City’s People’s Committee. Its magnificent design was inspired by the Hotel de Ville in Paris and is adorned with ornate columns and bas-reliefs.

You can take a few pics now, but this is one of the many buildings around town lit up like a Christmas tree at night. So make sure to come back later and witness its exquisite features illuminated by colored lights.

Across the road is a brand new ritzy Union Square shopping center chock with high-end designer goods. Thankfully the architects designed the new building to fit in with the surroundings. If you didn’t know better, you wouldn’t guess it was built this century.

Directly in front of City Hall, you’ll see Saigon’s famous walking Street, Nguyen Hue. But we have one more destination before we return to explore this.

Instead, continue walking down Dong Khoi Street until you see the elegant Hotel Continental on a corner on your left. Just across the road is the magnificent Ho Chi Minh City Municipal Theatre , otherwise known as the Saigon Opera House .

In French Colonial times, they originally built the Municipal Theatre to entertain Saigon’s burgeoning middle class. It was designed as a classical opera house and built in the flamboyant style of the French Third Republic. The original façade bore an uncanny resemblance to the Petit Palace built the same year in France.

The building is only open during performances, but you will get a great outside view. Consider taking in a show while you are here to gain entrance. The current performance of AO is internationally acclaimed. With a mixture of dance and acrobatics, there will be no language barriers to your enjoyment.

Now, you have a couple of choices on where to go next on your HCMC walking tour.

If you’re getting tired, cut back to Nguyen Hue from the theatre and leave the rest of Don Khoi for another day.

Now you have a couple of choices on where to go next on your HCMC walking tour.

But if you’re still feeling energetic, or it’s early in the day, keep walking down Dong Khoi towards the Saigon River. You’ll find lots of lovely shops, cafes, and bars to explore. When you get to The Majestic Hotel on your right, pop in to admire the gorgeous foyer. Even better, they have a traditional afternoon tea in the Catinat Lounge between 3 and 6 p.m. Once you’ve finished at the Majestic, you can cross the road to take a look at the dinner cruise boats that ply the Saigon River. Or, instead, turn right along Vo Van Kiet and walk until you reach the river end of Walking Street.

Take your time exploring Ho Chi Minh City’s most famous ‘Walking Street.’ It’s lined with some of the city’s nicest bars, restaurants, cafes, and souvenir shops. So you could easily spend a few hours getting back to the People’s Committee Building (City Hall.)

Highlights include the Apartment Block Cafes, the Rex Hotel, The Famous Ho Chi Minh Statue, and the Nguyen Hue Music Fountain as described below.

This old Apartment block has been converted into a rabbit warren of quirky cafes, restaurants, and shops. The city keeps threatening to pull it down, but it’s managed to survive so far, probably due to its popularity.

If you can time it right, get back to the top end of Nguyen Hue by around 5 p.m. and head to the Rooftop Garden in the Rex Hotel for sunset drinks. During the 60’s and 70s, the Rex Hotel was the site of the famous ‘Five O’clock Follies” where military officials delivered press briefings to international correspondents covering the Vietnam War.

The bar overlooks much of Ho Chi Minh City center. You’ll gaze down on Ho Chi Minh Square, Union Square Shopping Centre, City Hall, and Nguyen Hue (Walking Street.) It’s a beautiful place to relax with a cocktail and reflect on what you’ve experienced on your walking tour of Saigon.

I’m not sure if it still happens but they used to have two-for-one cocktails from 5-7 p.m. and will sometimes have a live performance in the early evening as a bonus.

Possibly Ho Chi Minh City’s most popular selfie spot. This 24-foot-tall figure of a waving President Ho Chi Minh stands proudly in front of the People’s Committee building, gazing down the length of Walking Street. As you admire its imposing stature, take a moment to appreciate its symbolic significance. President Ho Chi Minh is the most revered figure in the country and played a pivotal role in the nation’s history.

With a large lotus flower in the center, lots of LED lighting, and dancing water spouts, this is another of Saigon’s favorite selfie spots.

If you’ve still got some energy, head straight down Le Loi Street for about 600m to find the famous Ben Thanh Market

Centrally located, Ben Thanh Market is open during the day and is an integral part of Ho Chi Minh City’s cultural and commercial life. Steeped in history, the market traces its origins back to the 17th century and moved into its present location in 1912. It’s a bustling hive of activity where you can explore a wide variety of goods ranging from fresh produce and street food to clothing and souvenirs. The majority of visitors to Ho Chi Minh City will visit this iconic market at least once.

At night, the surrounding streets are filled with vendors hawking all sorts of wares, food, and drinks. And there are some lovely cafes there as well.

The city is beautiful at night.

One fabulous alternative to Ben Thanh Market is to take a dinner cruise on the river. Most boats leave from Bach Dang Wharf. Cruises usually take around 2 hours, including a buffet dinner, live performances, and superb city views from the river.

You can see a selection of dinner cruises available on this page .

The new double-decker night tour buses leave from the end of the park across from the Saigon Opera House.

At only 7 USD, you’ll get a fabulous view of some of Ho Chi Minh City’s prettiest parts all lit up.

Tim and I took the tour around 7.30 pm, and it was fabulous.

the Hotel Majestic is just one of the beautiful buildings you'll see on the night bus tour.

Concluding Your Ho Chi Minh City Walking Tour: What’s Next?

As your walking tour in Ho Chi Minh City nears its end, you’re probably well aware you’ve only just touched the surface. There are many hidden gems left to uncover. There’s definitely a whole lot more to see and explore in this vibrant city. That’s one of the reasons I put together two further walking tours to assist your Ho Chi Minh City exploration efforts.

Ho Chi Minh City Walking tour number two travels through Districts 1 and 4. It begins at the botanic gardens, gets high in Bitexco Financial Tower with a better view than the Saigon Skydeck, visits two of the city’s best museums (Museum of Fine Arts and Ho Chi Minh Museum,) and ends back at Ben Thanh Market.

Ho Chi Minh City Walking tour number three explores the Cholon district, otherwise known as Chinatown. This self-guided walking tour winds through colorful local markets, historical temples, unique shops, and another unique Ho Chi Minh City Museum in Districts 5 and 10.

If you’d rather take a guided tour to explore Ho Chi Minh City, there are literally hundreds on offer. If you have the time, I recommend you consider the following types of tours in Ho Chi Minh City:

My favorite guides for a FREE tour around Ho Chi Minh City are the students from Saigon Hotpot – You can choose from one of a few FREE walking tours around town for zero cost. Any tips will go to their current favorite charity.

Me and my Saigon Hotpot Guide (who became a good friend.)

Not fond of walking? Then there are plenty of other ways to see and experience the city. I’ve added a few below:

1 Take a Saigon City tour by Cyclo . Due to the number of scams by private SOME unscrupulous cyclo drivers, I highly recommend a formal tour if you want to travel around the city by cycle.

2 Take one of the many motorbike sightseeing tours around the city. While the traffic looks absolutely insane, it’s not as dangerous as it looks. (I have had a Vietnamese motorbike license for many years.) And if you want to travel on two wheels, having an experienced driver is a definite plus.

1. Take a cooking class . I’ve actually done three of these over the years, and all have been fabulous. Try to get one with a trip to the market beforehand and private cooking stations.

One of my three cooking classes in Saigon

2. Take one of the many excellent food tours around town. Once again, I’ve been on several and had no fault with any.  Saigon Street Eats is run by a fellow Aussie and her Vietnamese husband and has won a load of awards. But if you can book with them, (they are very popular) there are loads of others available. Take a look HERE .

If you’ve thoroughly explored the city and have a few more days to spend, there are plenty of day trips from Ho Chi Minh City on offer. Don’t miss:

1. Take a trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels

2. Take a boat along the Saigon River and Mekong River to the Mekong Delta

The last thing I’ll leave you with is some pro tips for visiting the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City. Visit the section below for links to travel resources for flights, accommodation, travel insurance, transport, and more.

And if you want to see what else I’ve written about Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam, then head over to the Ho Chi Minh City Visitors Information Page and  HERE to our Vietnam Page . You’ll find plenty of information to assist with your entire Vietnam tour.

Check out our Travel Resource pages before you start planning and booking. Everything you need in one place to save you money and travel better.

• Accommodation
• Tours and tickets
• Travel Insurance
• House and Petsitting

Book Your Flight Use WayAway to find cheap flights. They are our favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines around the globe. (Including the tiny budget ones many other search engines ignore.)

Book Your Accommodation To find the best deals and book most of our accommodation (when we’re not housesitting,) we use:

• Booking.com , and

If you are more into Hostels, then Hostelword is the biggest platform for those.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you if anything goes wrong before or during your trip. We never travel without it and have needed it many times. We’ve used a few companies with excellent results over the years.

• Covermore (Australians)
• Safety Wing (All nationalities. Great for long-term travelers and Digital Nomads.)
• World Nomads (All nationalities. Great for long-term travelers and Digital Nomads.)
• Visitors Coverage ( to see a more extensive range of available plans from different providers, including policies for over 60’s. )

Thank you for pulling together such a comprehensive and interesting walking tour. I’ll definitely put it on my list of things to do when I visit Saigon soon.

You are most welcome. We love Ho Chi Minh city and hope our stories and self-guided tours help others love it too.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Learn how to travel better for less

Every newsletter gives you travel tips from experts, lessons from the road, great deals, and carefully curated products and services.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

• Ho Chi Minh City
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Holiday Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travellers' Choice
• Help Centre

Saigon Hotpot Free Tour in HCMC by... - Saigon Hotpot - Travel With Local Youth

• Asia    
• Vietnam    
• Ho Chi Minh City    
• Ho Chi Minh City - Attractions    
• Saigon Hotpot - Travel With Local Youth

Saigon Hotpot Free Tour in HCMC by student volunteers

I read about Saigon Hotpot's free walking tours in one of the Tripadvisor reviews and booked two tours over 2 days. The first was around the city, taking in the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Post Office, and War Memorials Museum (which we didn't get to as they close at 4.30pm). Miss Van is a University student majoring in English so her English was very good! She was extremely pleasant, knowledgeable and a real delight to be with! I paid for the entry fee to the Palace - she volunteered her student card, which got her 50% off. I was most impressed with the tour - bearing in mind she is not a trained tour guide and the tour was free! All they asked for is a donation if you wanted, so that they could print brochures and cover other costs as well as support their charity. I was happy to do that! The next day, I had Mr Tin who took me to Chinatown. He asked if I would like to go by bus or taxi, and I opted for a taxi (it was very hot!) and paid for it. Again, he was a University student, his English was not as good as Miss Van, but understandable. He was knowledgeable and the highlight for me was going to a local block of apartments, something a city tour guide would never bring a tourist to! I would highly recommend the services of Saigon Hotpot to anyone going there, but please remember they are not professional guides but volunteers who just want to practice their English!

Dear Ann C, Thank you very much for your response. We were encouraged a lot for your comment and we hope you fully enjoyed the tour. We will keep on working hard to improve the quality of the tour. Our member really looking forward to opportunities of travelling with friends from other country to not only practice and apply language, communication and other soft skills but also introduce the beauty and potential of Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam, create a better understanding about cultures with international friends as well as develop and promote cultural and charity activities. If there is any reason the tour was somehow incomplete, which might be the reason you only rated us as "very good" but not "excellent", please kindly let us know to excel our service. Thank you so much!

Nice tour by saigon hotpotstudent which we arranged before departure. Enthousiastic guide who was willing to show and tell us everything about the sites we wanted to see. It is so easy to arrange and it will enhance your visit and knowledge of this beautifull City

Dear Cruiseaholic78, It is great to hear that our member was enthusiasm and you had a nice trip. Your review was very encouraging for us to continue the volunteer. Thank you and hope to see you again.

We were met promptly by our guide for the day who was a most knowledgable young lady, it was a real pleasure to chat to someone local and be shown round. A fantastic scheme

Dear littlemissmoppet, Thank you for your review. We will keep on working hard to make it better. We really hope to see you again someday.

I think it was really good that we used Saigon Hotpot. We visited HCMC for the first time so we had been worried about our trip. BUT we could enjoy our sightseeing due to guides of Saigon Hotpot. And we could know about history and life style of the city through the conversations with them. We met very eager and great students. Having looked the HP of Saigon Hotpot, I could understand the activity and book the tour easily. After that, I contacted with Saigon Hotpot by e-mail. We applied not only regular tour but also the tour which we choose the places where we want to go. (We book 2 days.) Saigon Hotpot accepted our demand tolerantly. We visited Notre-Dame Basilica, Reunification Palace, Ben Thanh Market, Chinatown, War Remnants Museum and so on. Though we were not good at English, when we told them that we couldn't understand what they said, they talked to us in easy English. In addition,when the heat made my friend dizzy, they took us cool places and gave us time for a rest. They were very eager guides and made our trip great.

Dear MadokaNogamida, It is glad to hear that you enjoyed the trip. We will try our best to make the tour even better in the future so hope to see you again soon.

I was returning to VietNam for the second time and wanted to do some things that we're so touristy and I hadn't done before. I also wanted to show my son some of his birth country that I couldn't on my own. Sai Gon Hotpot was amazing. We had two wonderful guides who showed us some of SaiGon that we'd never seen, and some that we would definitely have never found on our own and was of special interest to my son. There are three things that every visitor to Sai Gon must experience - Cho Ben Thanh, Suoi Tien Theme Park, and a SaiGon Hotpot tour! They really added a great experience to our SaiGon visit! If you go to SaiGon and you don't take a Hotpot tour, you have made a mistake!

Dear CDragon00, Thank you very much for touring with us. Your review was very encouraging for us to continue the volunteer. We are really looking forward to seeing you and your son again.

I had read about Saigon Hotspot on Tripadvisor and contacted them a weeek before reaching HCMC. They were prompt in their dealing and assured that one of the volunteers would be available to take me around. I met with Mr Tin a genial young man in his twenties who is a student of the local University. He checked my interest and then showed me the Chinese Temple. He knew the history, and architecture intricacies of the temple. He took me to a restaurant, where on his recommendation I could taste some lovely Vietnamese food that included Pork , and chicken dishes accompanied by green tea. He then took me to a local market, where I could see the local grocery stores, and ended up by toffees and sweets, which I would not have known otherwise. He showed me a local housing complex, and took me to an area where artisans were making masks. We ended the day with a visit to the Independence palace. Where again I was impressed with the knowledge and willingness that Mr Tin showed in letting me know the historical significance of various rooms in the palace. IT is a lovely experience, where one gets to interact with young volunteers, know their lifestyle, aspiration, culture and their take on life. I cherish this one day tour and my heartfelt thanks to Saigon Hotspot and Mr Tin for making my day.

Thank you for you comment and photos. We found this really motivated, and we are glad that you enjoyed the tour with Mr Tin. Really hope to see you again someday.