Saigon scooter tour: Bunker, flower & floating markets

Sip coconut juice in hidden alleys and explore Saigon’s oldest temple and flower market

An afternoon scooter tour of Ho Chi Minh City with an English-speaking driver, departing at 1:00pm and running four hours. You ride behind the driver through District 3, District 5 and District 4, stopping at the Thich Quang Duc monument, a secret weapons bunker from the 1968 General Offensive, the oldest Chinatown temple built in 1760, a flower market, a floating market and a street food alley. All food and drinks are included; pickup from your hotel is included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Afternoon Saigon scooter tour

• Pickup by English speaking driver
• Visit Thich Quang Duc Memorial Monument
• Drink coffee and visit secret weapons bunker
• Visit oldest apartment and biggest flower market
• Visit Thien Hau Pagoda in Chinatown
• Visit floating market and drink coconut juice
• Enjoy spring roll vermicelli in District 4
• Driver says goodbye

The Experience

The tour starts at 1:00pm with pickup from your hotel. You ride behind your English-speaking driver on the back of a scooter through the city's neighborhoods, beginning at the Thich Quang Duc monument in District 3—a memorial to the Buddhist monk who self-immolated in 1963 to protest religious persecution. From there, the route moves to a basement bunker hidden beneath a house on Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, where the Saigon Rangers stored more than 2 tons of weapons during the 1968 General Offensive. The driver explains the site's role in Vietnam's war history as you walk through the underground space.

The scooter then weaves through alleys to reach the flower market, where you stop to eat grilled oysters with black pepper sauce, quail eggs and rice paper salad among the stalls of blooms sourced from across Vietnam. Next is District 5's Chinatown, where you visit the Thien Hau Pagoda—built by Chinese craftspeople in 1760 with materials shipped by boat from China. The pagoda's intricate wooden carvings and altar spaces reflect traditional Chinese design, and the site remains a spiritual center for the community. A local coffee shop visit breaks up the riding before the route heads toward the water.

The floating market in District 4 comes next, where you watch vendors trade goods from boats and see how families live on the water. On the return to your hotel, the driver takes you through a culinary alley packed with street food stalls—a final stop to taste vermicelli spring rolls and other Vietnamese dishes. The tour ends around 5:00pm. You'll wear a high-quality open-faced helmet throughout; rain ponchos are provided if needed. Accident insurance is included.

What’s included

• Pickup from your hotel at 1:00pm.
• English-speaking driver.
• high-quality open-faced helmet.
• all food and drinks including oysters, quail eggs, rice paper salad, coffee, coconut juice and spring rolls.
• accident insurance.
• rain poncho if needed.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Saigon On Motorbike

Is this one for you?The four-hour afternoon window means you ride out at 1:00pm and return by 5:00pm, leaving your morning free and your evening open for dinner elsewhere. If you want to see the bunker, the oldest Chinatown temple and a working floating market without renting a scooter yourself or navigating the city's traffic, this tour handles the route and the driving.

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Top questions

What is the Thich Quang Duc monument and why does the tour stop there?

The Thich Quang Duc monument in District 3 honors a Buddhist monk who self-immolated in 1963 to protest the persecution of Buddhism by the South Vietnamese government. The tour includes a stop here to learn about this pivotal moment in Vietnam's religious and political history.

Can I see the weapons bunker from the Vietnam War?

Yes. The bunker beneath 287/70 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street in District 3 once held over 2 tons of weapons used by the Saigon Rangers during the 1968 General Offensive. You walk through the underground space and learn how it was used during the war.

What food is included on the scooter tour?

The tour includes grilled oysters with black pepper sauce and quail eggs at the flower market, a special rice paper salad, coffee at a local shop, coconut juice at the floating market, and vermicelli spring rolls in the culinary alley. All food and drinks are covered in the price.

Is the Thien Hau Pagoda in Chinatown really from 1760?

Yes. The Thien Hau Pagoda, also called the Mother of Sea, was built by Chinese craftspeople in 1760 and is the oldest temple in District 5's Chinatown. Its materials were imported by boat from China, and it remains an important spiritual site for the community.

What happens at the floating market stop?

At the floating market in District 4, you watch vendors trade goods from boats and observe how families live and work on the water. It's a working market where you see the daily rhythms of the local community, followed by a stop in a nearby culinary alley for street food.

Do I need to be fit to ride on the back of a scooter for four hours?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. However, it is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnant travelers, or those with poor cardiovascular health. Infants must sit on an adult's lap. You'll wear a helmet and rain poncho if needed.