15 Saigon Hidden Gems Tours Worth a Slot in the Plan

1.Saigon Unseen, History, & Hidden Gems Sightseeing Motorbike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 416 reviews · from $33Our pick

Ride pillion across Ho Chi Minh City with a private English-speaking guide-driver. This four-hour route links colonial landmarks, a memorial to the burning monk, a former wartime weapons hideout, markets, Chinatown, and a coffee stop. Past guides have included Kien, Hani, Harry, and Helen. Coffee, food, and meals are paid separately.

“This is my first time on a scooter. So I was a bit nervous especially in a city with millions of scooter. Teo reassure me that it is safe and to be fair, he drives very safe. The tour is exactly what’s outlined on the itineraries and it is great to learn more history of Vietnam war eras.”

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2.Saigon Street Food & Hidden Alleys by Scooter – 7/9/12 Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 235 reviews · from $25

Spend about four hours riding with an English-speaking local guide through Saigon, stopping for 7, 9, or 12 tastings, hidden Chinatown lanes, a 1960s apartment block, and Hồ Thị Kỷ Flower Market. Guides such as Corn, Vy, Vinh, Levi, Kevin, Phi, and Jason have led tours. Hotel pickup, drop-off, and scooter accident insurance are included.

“Levi was excellent . Provided a fun evening with good food tasting and exposure to some culture and history. Very clear communication and always checking all okay .5 STAR”

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3.Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Ho Chi Minh City Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 223 reviews · from $67

Walk central Ho Chi Minh City with a local guide on a private tour of the Opera House, Central Post Office, Independence Palace, and War Remnants Museum. The three-hour route can vary by host, so ask about neighborhood stops and local recommendations. Museum admission and one drink or tasting are included; other site entry is not.

“We had a great tour. Jecky was a great tour guide. Lots of interesting information. The visit to the War Remnants Museum was very sobering and emotional. Overall the tour was great and a good introduction to HCMC. Highly recommended!”

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4.Small-group Saigon City Tour: 3-Hour Cyclo Ride to Hidden Stories

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 203 reviews · from $30

This three-hour cyclo tour takes you from central Ho Chi Minh City to Ho Thi Ky Flower Market, Thien Hau Temple and Binh Tay Market in Chinatown. A local English-speaking guide leads the visits while a cyclo driver handles the traffic. Expect a street-level view of the city, short walks at each stop and a small group of no more than 15.

“Great way to see Ho Chi Minh from street level, visiting a working class neighborhood, stopping at a friendly little neighborhood coffee shop, and seeing various points around Districts 3 and 5 away from the standard tourist attractions Read more”

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5.Highlights & Hidden Gems – Free Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 194 reviews · from $0

Start at Bitexco Financial Tower and walk through central Ho Chi Minh City with an English-speaking local guide. The 2.5-hour route links the Saigon River, Cafe Apartment 42, the Opera House, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office and Book Street, with local stories and lesser-known stops along the way. It is tips-only, so budget for a tip beyond the $0.71 booking price.

“Excellent guide very good English great knowledge of history. Took us to interesting parts of Saigon we wouldn’t have found ourselves! Highly recommend.”

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6.Saigon Jeep Tour : HIGHLIGHTS & HIDDEN GEMS By Vietnam Army Jeep

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 105 reviews · from $39

Ride a Vietnam Army Legend Jeep from the Saigon Opera House to central landmarks, then into residential alleys and local neighborhoods. The two to two-and-a-half-hour tour includes an English-speaking guide, water, coffee, a local drink, and stated entrance fees. Guides named by past participants include Mia, Jane, and Bean, though your guide may differ.

“Jane is an excellent tour guide. Very informative and full of enthusiasm. She had a very good understanding of English We felt totally safe being driven round Ho Chi Minh City with her driver. A great experience”

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7.Saigon Jeep City Tour, Backstreet, Cultures hidden Gems 4 Hours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 94 reviews · from $59

Spend about four and a half hours in an open-air Jeep with an English-speaking guide and driver. Visit central landmarks, a Buddhist monument, old apartment lanes, a flower market and Chinatown, with a local coffee stop and hotel pickup in District One. Guide Linh is named in family accounts of the tour.

“Our family of 2 adults and 4 children ranging from 16-11 yrs had a fabulous afternoon with our guide Linh. We explored areas we would otherwise not have visited, had a delicious lunch and learnt a lot about the Vietnam history. I would thoroughly recommend.”

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8.Saigon Unseen: Culture, Coffee, Hidden Spots Motorbike Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 60 reviews · from $33

Ride pillion with a local English-speaking guide on a private, four-hour Saigon tour. Stops include Jade Emperor Pagoda, the Pink Church, an 80-year-old coffee shop, a flower market, old apartment lanes, and Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery. Guides named in tour feedback include Minh, Man, Hani, Levi, and Den.

“Great trip riding pillion with young experienced riders. We were shown the real city and how people live and work. We also saw some historical sights and shared coffee and traditional food. A great morning out… Thank you, Hani and Levi.”

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9.️ Ho Chi Minh City Instagram Tour: Hidden Gems (Private & All-Inclusive)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 55 reviews · from $121

Spend 7 to 9 hours exploring Ho Chi Minh City with a private guide, hotel pickup and drop-off, included admission, lunch, water, coffee and dessert. Stops include Notre Dame Cathedral, the pink Tan Dinh Church, a weapons bunker and Minh Dang Quang Pagoda. Guides Ocean and Luat have led the tour, though your assigned guide may vary.

“Great tour with lots of surprises. Many things to see and having a flexible guide insures a good experience”

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10.The Hidden Gems & Insightful Stories of Saigon Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 41 reviews · from $14Best value

Walk central Ho Chi Minh City with Joy Journeys’ local university student guides, stopping at Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, Independence Palace, the Thich Quang Duc Monument and a secret weapons cellar. The 3-hour-15-minute tour includes Vietnamese iced coffee, bottled water and cellar admission. Guide names on past tours include Lucy, Lily, Tyson and Andrea.

“This was a good and enjoyable tour, and a nice way to explore parts of Saigon that most visitors don’t usually see. Our guide, Lily, was friendly and made a real effort to ensure we understood everything. The tour includes interesting spots, tRead more”

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11.Private Scooter 4-hour Non-touristy Hidden City Tour In Ho Chi Minh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · from $30

Set out from Bitexco Financial Tower with an English-speaking guide driving your scooter. This private 3 to 4-hour ride visits a memorial, an 84-year-old coffee shop, Chinatown markets, old apartments, and a local bánh xèo restaurant. Food, drinks, fuel, a helmet, and a poncho if needed are included.

“Great guides who speak very well and knowledgeable. Great places to visit with my son Teenage son on scooters”

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12.Motorbike Tour Saigon Hidden Gems and Food Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · from $39

Explore central Ho Chi Minh City and its less-visited markets with an easy-rider guide, then stop for street-food tastings and a local drink. The route may include landmarks, Chinatown, flower and fruit markets, old apartments, and specialist streets. Guides named Harry, James, and Bao have led tours, and the private ride lasts about three to four hours.

“This tour was amazing thank you so much to Harry and the other drivers. We had such a great time and was a real highlight of the trip. A great way to see Vietnam and understand and experience the culture and food.”

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13.Chinatown Hidden Treasures – Free Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $0

Detoured Asia’s three-hour Chinatown walk visits Hao Sy Phuong alley, Nghia An Assembly Hall, Ba Thien Hau Temple, and Chợ Lớn. It starts at Saigon Skydeck at 9:00 am and returns there. An English-speaking guide leads the walk; the listed price is nominal, with a suggested tip of $15 to $25 per person.

“This tour covers majority of the main sites in the city, with detailed information provided not only on the broader history of Vietnam but also the history of the city itself. Thang is an excellent guide with great knowledge and was able to answRead more”

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14.Saigon Street Food & Hidden Gems Tour: Live Like a Local

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $46

Spend four hours exploring five Ho Chi Minh City districts with an English-speaking guide-driver, stopping for street dishes, noodle soup or bánh xèo, seafood, and dessert. The private tour includes pickup in central Saigon, a helmet, rain poncho, and food and drinks. Guides named on past outings include Tracy, Quinn, Lucie, and Tony, though your guide may differ.

“Lucie & Tony were amazing tour guides. Very kind, genuine, knowledgeable, and took us to great local spots. I would highly recommend them.”

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15.Hidden Gems Street Food Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 3 hours - 210 minutes · from $26

Walk through Saigon’s Vinh Khanh food district and District 4 with a local guide, stopping for market snacks, bánh bột chiên, gỏi cuốn, and caramel flan. The route ends by the Saigon River, with skyline views after dark. Guides Lucky and Stephanie have led tours, though your guide may differ.

“Was a great, fun, and delicious tour given by Stephanie. I got to taste different things and she was able to fill my stomach. Furthermore, I also got introduced to some of the sights to see in the city that I haven't had found my self the day before.”

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