Amazing Shore Excursion: Ho Chi Minh City Tour from PHU MY Port

A shore day in Ho Chi Minh City is a long-distance outing: the port is about 90 minutes from town, each way. This private tour makes that transfer part of a full day, mixing the city’s famous French-era landmarks with a quieter stop at Binh Quoi Village, where you can see a more local side of Saigon.

I like two things in particular: you get a private vehicle and guide, so your group is not tied to a larger bus schedule, and the route makes room for both a village coffee break and the main city sights. Lunch and entrance fees are included, which helps make the $128 price easier to assess.

The main consideration is time on the road. With about three hours of driving round trip and several stops packed into nine hours, you should expect an overview rather than a slow, in-depth visit at every site.

At a glance

• Binh Quoi Village offers a different side of Saigon: See a local leisure area and hear about rice growing and fishing, with time for coffee or local beer.
• The port transfer takes about 90 minutes each way: Your private, air-conditioned vehicle makes the journey more comfortable, but the drive takes a meaningful share of the day.
• Central sights come in a compact sequence: City Hall, the Opera House, Central Post Office, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and a photo stop at the former CIA building are included.
• The palace and pagoda add indoor visits: Independence Palace gets about 40 minutes, while Jade Emperor Pagoda gets about 30.
• Lunch and entrance fees are included: Drinks with lunch and personal expenses are extra.
• It is a private tour: Only your group participates, and the itinerary can change to suit local conditions and the day’s experience.

From Phu My Port to Saigon

The pickup is at the port’s main gate, not directly at the ship. A shuttle bus takes about two to five minutes from the ship to the gate, where your guide is scheduled to meet you holding a sign with your name. One group was met outside the harbor gate because its operator was not accredited to enter the port, so follow the meeting instructions carefully and allow time for the short shuttle ride.

The tour starts around 7:30 a.m. The drive into Ho Chi Minh City takes roughly an hour and a half in a private, air-conditioned minivan. That is a long transfer, but having your own vehicle and driver is a practical advantage over trying to arrange transport independently from a cruise port. Reviews name drivers Nghia and Trong, both praised for professional service, and describe clean, comfortable vehicles.

You will want to keep the drive in mind when judging the day’s pace. The tour lasts about nine hours, but the road time takes up close to three of them. The remaining hours are divided among the village, city landmarks, palace, pagoda, market, lunch, and the return to port. This is a good format if you want a guided sampler of Saigon, not if you want to spend half a day lingering in one museum or neighborhood.

Binh Quoi Village and a slower start

The first stop is Binh Quoi Village, described as a popular local place for weekend picnics and fishing. The appeal is the contrast: after the drive from the port, you begin away from the city center, in a setting associated with ordinary leisure rather than headline attractions.

Your guide is expected to explain how rice is grown and how people catch fish in the area. The tour also includes time for a cup of coffee or a local beer in a Vietnamese-style setting. A past guest described the park stop as relaxing after the long ride, which is exactly why this pause matters. It gives you a chance to settle in before the tighter sequence of city sights.

The stop is scheduled for about an hour, with no admission ticket required. Do not expect a full rural excursion or a long hands-on activity: the available details describe an introduction to local food and fishing practices, not a guided farming session. Still, this is one of the tour’s more distinctive elements. Many city shore trips rush straight to monuments; this one gives you a brief look at how people spend free time outside the central tourist circuit.

A quick tour of central Saigon

The central-city portion names City Hall, the Opera House, Central Post Office, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the former CIA building, noted as a photo stop. The tour lists about an hour for the city highlights as a group, so think of this as an orientation with stops and explanations rather than a long visit inside each building.

That distinction is useful when you set expectations. City Hall and the Opera House are among the city’s most recognizable landmarks, and the Central Post Office and cathedral make a compact cluster of French-era architecture. The route gives you a chance to see several major sights without needing to navigate traffic or work out the order yourself. The tour information does not specify interior visits to these landmarks, so plan on seeing them as exterior stops unless your guide confirms otherwise on the day.

The stop at the former CIA building is presented as a photo opportunity. It is a concise way to connect the present-day city with the final chapter of the Vietnam War, without turning the tour into a long history lecture. Your guide’s storytelling can make these brief stops more meaningful. May, Mia, Hero, and Khang are among the guides named by past customers; Mia was described as friendly and engaging, while Hero was praised for making sightseeing fun and explaining the history in clear English.

A central-city hour is necessarily brisk. If one landmark matters especially to you, tell your guide early and ask how much time is available there. The itinerary is described as flexible and changeable, but that does not guarantee extra time at any particular stop.

Independence Palace: a time capsule from 1975

The tour allows about 40 minutes at Independence Palace, with admission included. The building is described as a time capsule frozen in 1975, and two original tanks used in its capture are parked on the grounds. That detail gives the visit a physical link to the events that brought the war to an end, rather than leaving the story as dates and names.

The palace was the home and workplace of French and later South Vietnamese leaders, according to the tour description. With limited time, you may not be able to inspect every room at leisure, but 40 minutes gives the stop more weight than a quick roadside photo. If you are interested in modern Vietnamese history, this is likely to be one of the most rewarding parts of the day.

The admission fee is included, so you do not need to budget separately for entry. Keep the schedule in view, though: this is a fixed part of a broad city tour, not a standalone palace visit.

Jade Emperor Pagoda and Ben Thanh Market

Jade Emperor Pagoda is scheduled for about 30 minutes. It is described as one of Saigon’s oldest pagodas, in District 1, roughly a ten-minute drive from the city center. The short visit gives you a change of pace from civic buildings and colonial-era landmarks, with a chance to see a place of worship that remains part of the city’s daily life.

The tour includes admission. The supplied details do not specify a dress code or what areas are open during the visit, so follow your guide’s instructions and be respectful if people are praying. Half an hour is enough for a focused visit, but not a leisurely one.

Ben Thanh Market gets another 30 minutes and has no admission fee. It is a practical stop for Vietnamese art, handicrafts, branded goods, and souvenirs, with food stalls inside if you want a quick look at local dishes. Since lunch at a local restaurant is included elsewhere in the tour, you do not need to rely on the market for your main meal.

This stop is best treated as a short browse. A large market can swallow an hour before you know it, and the tour still has the drive back to the ship. If shopping is a priority, decide in advance what you want to look for, then keep an eye on the meeting time.

City Hall, the river view, and the ride back

The itinerary gives the People’s Committee Building, commonly called City Hall, a separate ten-minute stop. It was built as a hotel in 1898 by French architect Gardes and now serves as city hall. That quick pause is enough for a look at one of the city’s best-known facades and a few photographs, though not an extended visit.

The overview also says the return journey includes a stop for a view of the city from the Saigon River. This is a useful final perspective after a day focused on streets and buildings, but the exact timing and location are not specified. The route is flexible, so ask your guide how the river stop fits into the day’s schedule.

You will return to the original meeting point at the port. Since the excursion’s success depends on getting back for your ship, make sure your guide knows your departure time and follow their timing advice. The tour is planned around a cruise-port pickup and return, but the long drive means you should not treat the schedule as an excuse to wander off on your own between stops.

What the $128 price includes

At $128 per person, the tour includes private, air-conditioned transport, a local English-speaking guide, bottled water in the vehicle, lunch at a local restaurant, and all entrance fees. Other languages are available on request. The price is most compelling for a small group that values a dedicated vehicle and guide: the cost covers the port transfer as well as a full day of sightseeing, not simply a city walking tour.

The private format also gives the day some room to adapt. You are not sharing the schedule with a busload of people, and the operator says the itinerary can change to create a good local experience. That flexibility is helpful, but it should not be mistaken for unlimited time at every stop. The tour has a lot to fit in.

Drinks with lunch are not included, nor are personal expenses or anything not clearly listed among the inclusions. Bring some money for a beverage or market purchase. The tour is marked for people with a moderate level of physical fitness, though the available information does not give a walking distance or step count.

The past experiences described by customers put particular emphasis on the guides. May helped make one day memorable, Mia was appreciated for her friendly manner, and Hero was praised for clear English and lively explanations. Khang was also singled out for sharing history, while his driver, Trong, was described as professional. These names are useful examples of the guide-led nature of the tour, but your assigned guide may differ.

Who should choose this shore excursion?

I would consider this tour if you want to see a wide range of Saigon in one port day and prefer someone else to handle the long transfer, route, and entry arrangements. It suits first-time visitors, history-minded passengers, and small groups who like combining major landmarks with a less expected stop such as Binh Quoi Village.

It is less suitable if you want a slow day, extensive time inside museums, or a self-directed visit focused on shopping. The city portion is broad, and the drive from Phu My takes time. You should also be comfortable with a full day of stops and transport.

Booking is more attractive when you value the private setup, included lunch, and entrance fees together. At $128 per person, it offers a lot of logistical support for a distant port call, though its value depends on whether you want an overview or a deep, unhurried visit. If you want the overview, this is a well-rounded way to spend the day. If you would rather explore one or two places at your own pace, choose a shorter or more focused option.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts about nine hours.

What time does the tour start?

The start time is 7:30 a.m. The guide is expected to welcome you at the main gate around 7:30 to 8:00 a.m.

Where does the guide meet the group?

The meeting point is the main gate of the cruise port. A shuttle bus ride from the ship to the gate takes about two to five minutes.

How long is the drive from Phu My Port to Ho Chi Minh City?

The drive is about one and a half hours each way by private minivan.

Is the tour private?

Yes. It is a private tour, and only your group participates.

What is included in the price?

Private air-conditioned transport, a local English-speaking guide, bottled water in the vehicle, lunch at a local restaurant, and entrance fees are included. Other guide languages are available on request.

Are drinks with lunch included?

No. Beverages with the meal, personal expenses, and other items not listed among the inclusions are not included.

Does the tour visit Binh Quoi Village?

Yes. The tour includes about an hour at Binh Quoi Village, where the guide introduces local rice growing and fishing practices. The stop includes time for coffee or local beer.

Does the tour return to the starting point?

Yes. The activity ends back at the meeting point.