Ho Chi Minh City: Chinatown Walking Food Tour & Local Markets

The Markets, the Temples, the Food That Tells Saigon's Story

You walk through Ho Chi Minh City's oldest neighborhoods with a local guide, stopping at a banana sticky rice stall that serves thousands daily, learning how to make Vietnamese steamed rice rolls, and tasting banh mi and traditional coffee at family-run spots. You pass the wet market, bird market, motorbike market, and the city's biggest flower market, then visit Thien Hau Temple to understand why Chinese immigrants settled here. Hotel pickup, water, and tea are included. The tour takes 3–4 hours depending on the pace and what you decide to eat.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Saigon history and local food

• Hear story of Thich Quang Duc
• Eat banana sticky rice and traditional coffee
• Walk old apartment and learn culture
• Enjoy Vietnamese steamed rice roll
• Visit flower market and eat snacks
• See Thien Hau Temple and eat Banh Mi
• Try dimsum, Chinese noodles, and snacks

The experience

"Where should we eat first?" your guide asks as you step out of the car into the narrow streets of Ho Chi Minh City's Chinatown, and you realize right then that this isn't a tour where someone points at things from a distance. You're walking into the real rhythm of the neighborhood: the wet market already crowded, the flower market (the biggest in the city) just opening up, vendors calling out, the smell of coffee and grilled meat mixing with exhaust. Your guide starts with the history: the story of Thich Quang Duc, whose act of protest shaped the city's spiritual landscape, and then you're moving, stopping, tasting. The banana sticky rice stall sells over 5,000 servings a day, and you get why the moment you bite into it: warm, sweet, nothing fancy, just right.

The walking tour through Ho Chi Minh City takes you past the oldest apartment buildings, where your guide explains how people actually live here, not the tourist version but the real one. You stop at a place making Vietnamese steamed rice rolls and the owner shows you how it's done, hands you one still warm. Then come the markets: the wet market with its organized chaos, the bird market tucked into a side street, the motorbike market where people are buying and selling scooters like it's a normal Tuesday. Your guide moves through it all like they know everyone, which they probably do. You're not rushed. You're just following the actual pace of the neighborhood.

By the time you reach Thien Hau Temple, built by Chinese immigrants who decided to stay and settle in Saigon, you've already eaten three or four things and drunk coffee made the traditional way: slow, strong, sweetened with condensed milk. The temple is quiet compared to the streets, and your guide explains why the Chinese community chose this spot, what it meant then, what it means now. The last stop is banh mi from a local spot, the kind that tastes nothing like the tourist version, and depending on when you're doing the tour, you might also get dim sum, Chinese noodles, or whatever the market is selling that day. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, so you don't have to figure out how to get back.

What’s included

• Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off, a local guide, bottled water, and hot tea.
• You'll visit the wet market, bird market, motorbike market, and flower market, stop at a banana sticky rice stall, learn how to make Vietnamese steamed rice rolls from the owner, taste traditional coffee, and eat banh mi and local snacks.
• You'll also visit Thien Hau Temple and hear the history of how Chinese immigrants settled in Saigon.
• If you take the scooter option, you get 2 hours of city coverage by motorbike with a helmet provided, though food and drinks are not included.

Options for this experience

6 options

Walking food tour with a meeting pointGuide in English · 08:00, 13:00 and 18:00

Food Motorbike+ PickupGuide in English · 08:00, 13:00 and 18:00Includes pickup

Sightseeing + PickupGuide in English · 08:00, 13:00 and 18:00Includes pickup

See 3 more options

Rush SaigonGuide in English · 08:00, 13:00 and 18:002-hour HCMC experience, pickup is included

Sightseeing CarGuide in English · 08:00, 13:00 and 18:00Includes pickup

Food + CarGuide in English · 08:00, 13:00 and 18:00Includes pickup

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00, 13:00 and 18:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (6 to 10 years) · Infant (1 to 5 years): free

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Vietnamese Street Food Tour

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to eat real food from the places locals actually go, understand how a neighborhood works, and have someone who lives there explain why things are the way they are. The guide handles the navigation and the introductions, so you just show up and taste.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 10 years); Infant (1 to 5 years): free.

How long is the Ho Chi Minh City walking food tour?

The standard walking tour is 3–4 hours. There's also a 2-hour scooter option called Rush Saigon, which covers the city by motorbike but doesn't include food or drinks (additional hours cost $6 per hour).

What food do you eat on this tour?

You taste banana sticky rice, Vietnamese steamed rice rolls, banh mi, traditional coffee, and local snacks. Depending on the tour time and market availability, you might also have dim sum or Chinese noodles.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off are included in the tour price.

Do I need to be fit for the walking tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Wear comfortable walking shoes and clothes.

What neighborhoods do you visit?

You walk through Ho Chi Minh City's Chinatown and oldest residential areas, passing the wet market, bird market, motorbike market, flower market, and Thien Hau Temple.

Is water provided?

Yes, bottled water and hot tea are included.

Can I do this tour if I don't speak Vietnamese?

Your guide is local and speaks English. They explain the history, culture, and how to make the food as you go.

What's the difference between the walking tour and the scooter option?

The walking tour focuses on neighborhoods, markets, and food stops on foot. The Rush Saigon scooter option covers more ground in 2 hours but doesn't include food or drinks.