Private Ho Chi Minh City Tour: French Colonial & War History

Walk through a war bunker beneath the streets, then stand inside a French cathedral built over a century ago

A private full-day guided tour of Ho Chi Minh City with hotel pickup, covering the War Remnants Museum, Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, and a historic underground bunker in Chinatown. Your English-speaking guide provides historical context at each stop, and lunch is included. The tour runs 6 to 8 hours and uses a private air-conditioned vehicle for all transfers between sites.

Step-by-step itinerary

Ho Chi Minh City full-day guided tour

• Hotel pickup at 08:00-08:30 AM
• Visit War Crime Museum
• Explore Thien Hau Temple
• Tour Chinatown and underground war rooms
• See French colonial buildings
• Visit Notre Dame Cathedral
• Lunch included
• Hotel drop-off

The experience

The day starts with pickup at your hotel between 8 and 8:30am. From there, the guide takes you to the War Remnants Museum, where photographs, machinery and weapons tell the story of the war from the Vietnamese perspective. Next is Thien Hau Temple, one of the city's most important pagodas, richly decorated and dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea. Then you move into Chinatown, where the real depth of the day emerges: a 10-meter-deep underground bunker that still functions as a working government site, with formal meeting rooms, private bedrooms and war situation rooms carved beneath street level. Your guide walks you through the spaces and explains what happened there.

The Reunification Palace and Notre Dame Cathedral come next: the cathedral sits in the heart of the city and was built by the French in the late 1800s, its architecture a stark contrast to the bunker you just left. Lunch happens somewhere in the middle of the day, and the private vehicle waits between every stop. Because it's a private tour, the pace and timing stay under your control. The guide adjusts based on how long you want to spend at any single site. The tour wraps up with drop-off back at your hotel.

All sightseeing fees and permits are covered, so there's no stopping to buy tickets at each entrance. The vehicle is air-conditioned, which matters in Ho Chi Minh City heat. If you need a language other than English, you can request it at booking.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• lunch.
• all sightseeing fees and permits.
• private air-conditioned vehicle for transfers between sites.
• professional English-speaking guide for the full day (other languages available on request).

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (9 to 66 years) · Child (5 to 8 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by your indochina travel

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want a private guide controlling the pace and timing instead of moving with a group on a fixed schedule. You spend as long as you need at the bunker, the cathedral or any stop, and the vehicle waits. It suits travelers who prefer not to navigate the city themselves or arrange multiple entrances and meals across the day.

Traveler reviews

4.64★★★★★★★★★★

28 verified traveler reviews

5 ★25

4 ★0

3 ★0

2 ★2

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 8 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What exactly is inside the underground bunker in Chinatown?

The bunker sits 10 meters beneath street level and contains formal meeting rooms, private bedrooms, and war situation rooms. It still functions as a working government site today, and your guide explains the historical context of each space as you walk through.

Does the tour include lunch, and are dietary needs handled?

Yes, lunch is included in the tour price. Let the operator know about any specific dietary requirements when you book, and they will arrange accordingly.

How long does the full day take, and what time does it end?

The tour runs between 6 and 8 hours depending on how long you spend at each stop. Starting at 8am, you would typically finish in the early afternoon, though the exact end time depends on your pace and the guide's recommendations.

What's included in the price, and what costs extra?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch, all sightseeing fees and permits, and the private air-conditioned vehicle are included. Gratuities and personal expenses are not covered.

Will I have the same guide the whole day, and does the guide speak English?

Yes, a professional English-speaking guide stays with you throughout the full day. Other languages can be arranged if you request them at booking.