Ho Chi Minh: Can Gio Monkey Island & Crocodile Farm Day Trip

Mangroves, Monkeys & War History in One Morning from the City

You get picked up early from your hotel, spend the morning walking mangrove pathways and spotting monkeys, tour a crocodile farm and a reconstructed Vietnam War base, eat a fresh seafood lunch by the water, and visit the local market before returning to the city by late afternoon. Everything (guide, entry, transport, and lunch) is arranged, so you're not coordinating ferries or timing yourself.

Step-by-step itinerary

Can Gio Trek and Wildlife Visit

• Pickup from hotel in Districts 1 and 4
• Depart to Can Gio
• Visit Monkey Island
• Visit Hoa Ca crocodile farm
• Trek to Sac Forest Revolutionary Base
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Visit Seafood Can Gio Market
• Return to Ho Chi Minh City

The experience

Most people visit Ho Chi Minh City and stay in the center, but the real landscape, the one that shaped the region, sits an hour south in Can Gio. The pickup happens early, around 7:30 or 8am depending on which district you're in, and by 9am you're already stepping onto wooden pathways that cut through a UNESCO-listed mangrove biosphere reserve. The canopy is thick enough that the heat drops, and the air smells different: salt, wet earth, something green and old. Monkeys move through the branches above, and if you're quiet, you'll see them before the guide points them out.

After Monkey Island, you walk into the Hoa Ca crocodile farm, which is exactly what it sounds like, rows of pens and pools with animals that haven't moved much since breakfast. Then comes the part that catches people off guard: the trek into Rung Sac Military Base, a reconstructed command center from the Vietnam War buried inside the same forest. You can walk the 25 minutes through the mangroves or pay extra for a 10-minute canoe ride, but either way you end up in bunkers and among displays of wartime artifacts, all of it surrounded by the same quiet trees. It's an odd collision (history and nature occupying the same space), and your guide will explain how the commandos lived and fought here while the forest kept growing around them.

Lunch lands around noon at a local restaurant near the water, and the specialty is Southern Vietnamese seafood: whatever came in that morning, cooked the way people here have always cooked it. After eating, you head to the Can Gio seafood market, where the catch is still moving in tanks and the vendors are loud and fast. You're not buying anything. You're just walking through and seeing how the supply chain actually works, which is different from reading about it. The drive back to Ho Chi Minh City takes the late afternoon, and you're dropped at your original pickup point by 3:30 or 4pm.

The whole day includes your guide, entry fees, the ferry tickets that get you out to the reserve, water, and transport in an air-conditioned vehicle. If you're staying in Districts 1 or 4 on a shared tour, pickup is included. Private tours can arrange pickup in Districts 3 and 5 as well, though that costs more and gets added to your bill on the day.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup in Districts 1, 4 (or 3, 5 for private tours), round-trip ferry tickets to Can Gio, entrance to Monkey Island and the crocodile farm, a guided trek or canoe option to the Rung Sac Military Base, a Southern Vietnamese seafood lunch at a local restaurant, a visit to the Can Gio seafood market, bottled water throughout the day, and air-conditioned transport back to your hotel by late afternoon. The professional English-speaking guide is with you the entire time.

Options for this experience

4 options

Large group tour, maximum 35 passengersGuide in English · 08:00Large bus, big group: pickup is available only in central District 1 (within 1 km of Ben Thanh Market), with drop-off at the SST Travel office; pickup is included

Can Gio Island: Private tourGuide in English · 08:00Car/van. Please note: this tour is available exclusively to guests booking a private service experience.

Small group tour, maximum 20 passengersGuide in English · 08:00Travel in a large air-conditioned A/C minibus or van. Small group, van/minibus: pickup and drop-off are available in Districts 1 and 4; pickup is included

VIP group tour (maximum 9 passengers)Guide in English · 08:00Luxury D-car limousine. VIP group, D-car limousine: pickup and drop-off are available in Districts 1, 3, and 4; pickup is included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

AgesAdult (8 to 90 years) · Child (3 to 7 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by SST TRAVEL

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the mangrove ecosystem and Vietnam War history in one day without arranging your own transport and timing: the fixed schedule and included pickup mean you just show up at your hotel and the day is structured for you.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 7 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the whole tour?

About 8 hours from pickup to drop-off, with the main activities happening between 9am and 3:30pm.

Is the canoe ride to the military base included?

No. The 25-minute trek is included. The 10-minute canoe option costs extra and is paid on-site.

What if I'm staying outside Districts 1 and 4?

Shared tours pick up from Districts 1 and 4 only. Private tours can arrange pickup in Districts 3 and 5, but the private tour price is higher.

Is lunch included?

Yes, a Southern Vietnamese seafood lunch at a local restaurant is part of the tour.

What time does pickup happen?

Between 7:30 and 8:00am, depending on your hotel location.

Do I need to be fit for this tour?

The trek to the military base is about 25 minutes through mangroves on a wooden pathway. Most people manage it, but let the operator know if you have concerns about walking or balance.

Is the guide English-speaking?

Yes, the guide is a professional English speaker.

What's included in the price?

Guide, entrance fees, round-trip ferry tickets, lunch, bottled water, and air-conditioned transport from your hotel.