Ho Chi Minh City: Private Shore Excursion with Local Guide

Summary

Private day trip from Phu My Port with city sights & stories

You’ll weave through Ho Chi Minh City’s layered history with a local guide who shares personal stories along the way. Explore French colonial landmarks, reflect at the War Remnants Museum, taste real Vietnamese coffee over lunch, and get lost (in a good way) inside Ben Thanh Market — moments you’ll remember long after you leave Vietnam.

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed stepping out at the Phu My Port gate was the thick, humid air — it clung to my shirt before I’d even spotted our guide, Hien, waving a sign and grinning like he’d been waiting all morning just for us. The drive into Ho Chi Minh City took about 90 minutes but honestly, it went by in a blur of motorbikes and rice paddies. Hien told us stories about his childhood in Saigon (he still calls it that), and pointed out the old rubber plantations along the road. I tried to catch everything flying past the window — there’s so much color here, even in the traffic.

Our first stop was the Independence Palace. It’s strange walking through rooms that look like someone just stepped out for lunch in 1975 — rotary phones on desks, sunlight slanting across velvet chairs. Hien showed us where the tank crashed through the gates at the end of the war; he got quiet for a second and then shrugged, “History is heavy here.” After that we wandered over to Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office — both leftovers from French colonial days. The post office is still working; you can actually send a postcard home if you want (I did, but who knows if it’ll make it). The tiles are cool underfoot and there’s this faint smell of old paper and coffee drifting in from somewhere nearby.

I didn’t expect to feel so much at the War Remnants Museum. Some of those photos are hard to look at — people walked through slowly, not saying much. Outside there’s an old helicopter with chipped paint; kids were climbing on it while their parents watched quietly. Then we headed into Cholon, Chinatown, where everything felt louder again — market sellers calling out prices, scooters weaving between baskets of lychees and dragonfruit. We ducked into Thien Hau Temple just as someone started lighting incense; smoke curled up toward painted dragons on the ceiling beams. I tried to say “thank you” in Vietnamese when an older woman handed me a stick of incense — she laughed and corrected my pronunciation (I probably butchered it).

Lunch was at a tucked-away spot Hien picked — plastic stools, metal chopsticks, bowls of pho steaming up my glasses. Vietnamese coffee after that: thick, sweet, almost chocolatey. Ben Thanh Market was our last stop before heading back to port; I got lost twice inside but somehow ended up with a bag of candied ginger anyway. There’s something about that place — maybe it’s just how alive everything feels all at once.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Ho Chi Minh City Highlights

• Pick up at Phu My Port gate
• Visit Independence Palace
• See Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral
• Explore Central Post Office
• Tour War Remnants Museum
• Walk through Cholon Chinatown
• Visit Thien Hau Temple
• Shop at Ben Thanh Market

Top questions

How long does the private shore excursion from Phu My Port take?

The tour lasts approximately one full day including roundtrip transfer between Phu My Port and Ho Chi Minh City.

Is lunch included in this Ho Chi Minh City day trip?

Yes, lunch at a local restaurant is included in your tour.

Are entrance fees covered for attractions like Independence Palace?

All entrance fees for listed attractions are included in your booking.

Will there be an English-speaking guide during the tour?

Yes, an English-speaking local guide will accompany you throughout.

Is transportation wheelchair accessible?

Yes, transportation options are wheelchair accessible for this tour.

Can infants or small children join this shore excursion?

Infants and small children can join; prams or strollers are welcome.

Where do we meet our guide if arriving by cruise ship?

Your guide will meet you outside Phu My Port main gate with a sign.

Does this tour include time for shopping at Ben Thanh Market?

You’ll have time to explore and shop at Ben Thanh Market during your visit.

What’s included

Your day includes roundtrip pickup from Phu My Port by air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking local guide throughout. All entry fees are covered for each site visited; bottled water is provided along the way. Lunch is included at a local restaurant (dietary needs can be accommodated), before returning comfortably to port in time for your ship’s schedule.