PHU MY SHORE EXCURSION: Car Services + LOCAL TOUR GUIDE in Saigon

Itinerary

1. 1
   The Independence Palace 45 minutes · Admission included

   The palace is like a time capsule frozen in 1975. You can see two of the original tanks used in the capture of the palace parked in the grounds. Independence Palace was the home and workplace of the French Governor of Cochin-China. It has lush gardens, secret rooms, antique furniture, and a command bunker. It's still in use to host important occasions in Ho Chi Minh, including APEC summits.

2. 2
   Saigon Central Post Office 20 minutes · Admission included

   A must see in Saigon: The building was designed by Alfred Foulhoux and features arched windows and wooden shutters, just as it would have in its heyday in the late 19th Century.

3. 3
   Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon 15 minutes · Admission included

   A must see in Saigon: Located in Paris Square, the name Notre Dame was given after the installation of the statue ‘Peaceful Notre Dame’ in 1959. In 1962, the Vatican conferred the Cathedral status as a basilica and gave it the official name of Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica.

4. 4
   Saigon Opera House (Ho Chi Minh Municipal Theater) 15 minutes

   A must see in Saigon

5. 5
   People's Committee Building 15 minutes

   A must see in Saigon: Originally constructed as a hotel in 1898 by French architect Gardes, it now serves as a city hall and one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.

6. 6
   Emperor Jade Pagoda 15 minutes

   You will find this pagoda in District 1 one of the oldest pagoda in Saigon, which is roughly a ten minute drive from the city centre.

7. 7
   Ben Thanh Market 30 minutes

   Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 is a great place to buy local handicrafts, branded goods, Vietnamese art and other souvenirs. Here, you’ll find eating stalls inside the market where you can get a taste of hawker-style Vietnamese cuisine or simply cool off with a cold drink when the bargaining becomes too much. The market is big, difficult to navigate at times and certainly best avoided during the hottest part of the day but all the same its well worth a look.

8. 8
   War Remnants Museum 45 minutes · Admission included

   A must see in Saigon: The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City first opened to the public in 1975. Once known as the ‘Museum of American War Crimes’, it's a shocking reminder of the long and brutal Vietnam War. Graphic photographs and American military equipment are on display. There's a helicopter with rocket launchers, a tank, a fighter plane, a single-seater attack aircraft. You can also see a conventional bomb that weighs at 6,800kg. American troops had used these weapons against the Vietnamese between 1945 and 1975.

Good to know

• Wheelchair accessible
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness