Half day guided tour of Ho Chi Minh City

The guide picks you from your hotel and the first stop on the tour is the Central Post Office, designed by the world famous French architect Gustav Eiffel.

Opposite the post office is the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, built between 1863 and 1880. As you stand facing the church, you have a grey building behind you. Some may recognise it as the “Pittmann Apartments” building at 22 Gia Long Street from the photo taken on 29 April 1974 by Dutch photographer Hubert van Es in connection with the fall of Saigon. Many people thought it was the American Embassy, but it actually housed the United States Agency for International Development and the CIA officer Conrad LaGueux. The photo shows a helicopter landing on the roof of the building to evacuate US government employees when the North Vietnamese forces penetrated Saigon.

From here you walk towards the Saigon River along the Dong Khoi shopping street, which held a central role in Graham Greene’s novel “The Quiet American”.

You later pass the beautiful Saigon Opera House, which was built in 1901.

The tour continues to the Reunification Palace where the Vietnam War – or the American War as the Vietnamese call it – ended on 30 April 1975 when a Vietnamese tank drove through the gate to end the war, which left 58,000 Americans and 3 million Vietnamese dead.

You will then visit the War Museum, which is spread over several floors. Here, you have time to wander around on your own and see the harsh photos of the war – a truly moving experience!

Finally, you will pass the Tan Dinh church near the Tan Dinh market. The church is a total contrast to the traditional Notre Dame Cathedral, but equally impressive with its tall towers and distinctive colours. It is considered one of the most beautiful and unique churches in Ho Chi Minh City.

If you wish, you can explore the Tan Dinh market, where you can buy everything between heaven and earth.

This excursion is open to TourCompass’ own guests only.

We recommend that you book the excursion when booking the tour.