Tours from Ho Chi Minh City in 2026: prices and routes
You can't "see Saigon from a taxi window." You have to go in: down into wartime tunnels, out into the canals of the Mekong, into a bowl of pho at a street market. Here are 2026 prices in dong and USD, tested routes, and an honest comparison of every format — with English-speaking guides and where to book.
Prices current as of July 2026. Exchange rate: 1 USD ≈ 25,000 VND.
- City tour
- Củ Chi Tunnels
- Mekong Delta — My Tho
- Cái Răng floating market
- Saigon River cruise
- Cần Giờ mangroves
- Vung Tau
- Cao Dai Temple
- Da Lat
- Con Dao islands
Top 8 tours from Ho Chi Minh City
- Củ Chi Tunnels — the guerrilla underground, from ~$5 for entry
- Mekong Delta — boats, fruit and floating markets, from ~$25
- City tour — Notre-Dame, the Palace, museums in 4 hours, from ~$25
- Motorbike food tour — 5 stops and Saigon by night, from ~$45
- Saigon River cruise — dinner and night skyline, from ~$40
- Cần Giờ mangroves — a UNESCO reserve, from ~$35
- Vung Tau — the nearest beach, ferry ~$10
- Cao Dai Temple — Vietnam's most unusual religion, from ~$25
City tour of Ho Chi Minh City
In 3–4 hours you cover the essentials: Nhà thờ Đức Bà (Notre-Dame), the Central Post Office, the Reunification Palace (65,000 VND), the War Remnants Museum (40,000 VND), and Bến Thành market. In a group it's from ~$25; a private English-speaking guide is from ~$90.
There's an extended version with Chinatown, Chợ Lớn (District 5): the Thien Hau temple, Binh Tay market, 5–6 hours. By bicycle it starts at ~$30.
| Detail | Group | Private | Bicycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | from ~$25 | from ~$90 | from ~$30 |
| Group size | 10–20 people | 1–4 | Small group |
| Language | English | English | English |
| Route | Fixed | Flexible | Chinatown add-on |
| Duration | 4 hours | 3–6 hours | 5–6 hours |
Every stop in detail is in our Ho Chi Minh City attractions guide.
Củ Chi Tunnels — the region's headline tour
The Củ Chi tunnels are 200+ kilometres of underground passages on three levels. Half a day, from ~$16 in a group. It's 76 km out, roughly 1.5 hours by road.
What you'll see: widened stretches of tunnel, bamboo-spike traps, camouflaged entrances, underground kitchens and field hospitals. At the range you can fire an AK-47 or M16 (~$1.60 a round). It's loud — bring earplugs.
Ben Dinh vs Ben Duoc
| Detail | Ben Dinh | Ben Duoc |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | 63 km | 76 km |
| Crowds | High (tour buses) | Low, calmer |
| Tunnels | Shorter, wider | Longer, more authentic |
| Highlight | Compact | Memorial temple |
Want fewer crowds and something closer to the original? Choose Ben Duoc. Group tours usually run to Ben Dinh.
Getting there on your own
The bus from Bến xe An Sương is 30,000 VND (~$1.20), 2 hours. A Grab ride is 400,000–500,000 VND (~$16–20) one way.
💬 "Got there by bus and saved money. But without a guide I missed half of it — just holes in the ground. Second time I took a tour, completely different experience." — traveller reviews, Tripadvisor, 2025
Prices and options
| Type | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Entry (DIY) | 125,000 VND (~$5) | Entry only |
| Group (English) | from ~$16–25 | Transfer + guide + entry |
| Small group | ~$32–60 | Ben Duoc, air-con |
| By speedboat | ~$80–100 | Along the Saigon River |
| Private guide | from ~$90 | Transfer + private guide |
Skip the airport queue in 5–10 min
In winter, immigration lines run 60–90 min. With Fast Track you’re met at the aircraft and taken through the priority lane. Arrange it before you fly.
Telegram managerMekong Delta — one day or two
Day trip (My Tho + Ben Tre)
75 km, 2 hours on the road → a motorboat on the Tien River → Unicorn Island → narrow canals by sampan → a fruit orchard → a coconut-candy workshop → lunch with local fish. Back by 17:00.
Price: from ~$25 in a group. A VIP small group (up to 8 people) is from ~$45.
Two-day trip with the Cái Răng floating market
An overnight in Cần Thơ, a 5 a.m. start — and you're at the floating market: dozens of boats stacked with vegetables and fruit right on the water. One of the last big floating markets left in Vietnam.
Price: ~$60–150.
The "Củ Chi + Mekong" combo in a day — worth it?
The ~$33 combo looks like a bargain, but in practice it's 5.5 hours of driving and only 2 hours at each stop. If you have two days, split them.
💬 "A fantastic trip, but a very long day — I just collapsed into bed by evening." — Tripadvisor, 2025
Saigon River cruise
Two hours on the water: dinner, live music, views of Saigon by night. The best-known is the Bonsai Cruise (running since 2005), from ~$40 with a buffet.
Other options: Saigon Princess (from ~$60), Indochina Queen (from ~$35). All leave from Bạch Đằng pier in District 1. If you just want to sail without dinner, it's from ~$15.
The best sailing is at sunset, 18:00–18:30.
Who it suits: couples, families, a relaxed evening. It's not the "real Vietnam" — more about polish and pretty views.
Food tours
Motorbike food tour
The most fun format: you ride pillion on a motorbike and spend 4 hours hitting 4–5 spots only locals know. Phở, bánh xèo, banh mi, chè desserts. Helmets are provided; it's safe. From ~$45, with every dish already included.
Cooking class
You head to the market for ingredients in the morning → then cook pho, spring rolls and banh mi. You take the recipes home. From ~$35.
Coffee tour and craft beer
Filter coffee brewed through a phin, egg coffee, coconut coffee — you'll know your beans in a couple of hours. From ~$25. The beer tour covers Pasteur Street, Heart of Darkness, Winking Seal: 6–8 craft pours, from ~$40.
More on Vietnamese street food and the local Ho Chi Minh City food scene. A classic to try first is bánh xèo, the sizzling pancake.
Getting set up in Vietnam?
SIM, visas, transfers, tours — our manager sorts it out for you, in English.
Message the managerCần Giờ mangroves
A UNESCO biosphere reserve just 50 km from Ho Chi Minh City. 750 km² of mangroves, canoeing through the canals, a monkey island (1,000+ macaques), a crocodile farm, colonies of bats. It takes a full day, 8:00–17:00. In a group it's from ~$35.
Tours beyond Ho Chi Minh City
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vung Tau | 125 km | Ferry 1.5 h | from ~$10 |
| Da Lat | 300 km | Car 6 h | from ~$80 |
| Cao Dai Temple | 100 km | Car 2 h | from ~$25 |
| Cambodia | ~500 km | Flight 1 h | from ~$200 |
| Con Dao | 230 km | Flight 45 min | from ~$50 |
Vung Tau — the nearest beach (125 km)
The Greenlines DP fast ferry is 250,000 VND (~$10), 1.5 hours to get there. The bus is cheaper: from 100,000 VND (~$4). Once there: beaches, the Christ statue (32 m), the lighthouse, French villas. Full details are in the Vung Tau guide.
Da Lat — the mountain resort (300 km)
Đà Lạt sits at +18–25°C while Saigon is +35 and sticky. A day tour is from ~$80, but that's 6 hours on the road alone. Better to go with an overnight.
Cao Dai Temple in Tây Ninh (100 km)
Cao Đài is a religion you've almost certainly never met before. A vivid, multi-coloured temple and a noon ceremony. Tours from ~$25, often combined with a Củ Chi trip.
Cambodia — Angkor Wat
The flight is just an hour (from ~$50); by bus it's 6 hours. A two-day tour runs ~$200–350. The visa at the border is $30–35 for most nationalities.
Con Dao islands
A 45-minute flight (from ~$50). Beaches like almost nowhere else, diving alongside turtles, and the former "Tiger Cages" prison. Budget about ~$140 for two days. See the Con Dao guide for more.
Where to book — platforms and operators
Booking in English is easy and usually the cheapest route. The two big platforms — Klook and GetYourGuide — carry most Saigon day tours with instant confirmation, free cancellation and English reviews.
| Platform | Prices | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | from ~$16 | Group (English) | Free cancellation, English reviews |
| Klook | from ~$16 | Group (English) | Strong mobile app, local deals |
| Viator | from ~$20 | Group + private | Wide choice, Tripadvisor-linked |
| Airbnb Experiences | from ~$30 | Small group | Host-led, food and motorbike tours |
| Back of the Bike Tours | from ~$45 | Private motorbike | Well-reviewed food tours |
Hotel travel desks tend to add 30–50% on top — book through the platforms directly. For Củ Chi in particular, a guided tour is worth it: without the history and context, you lose the whole point.
How much tours cost — price summary
| Tour | Price (VND) | Price (~USD) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Củ Chi (entry) | 125,000 | ~$5 | 2–3 h |
| Củ Chi (group) | from 400,000 | from ~$16 | Half a day |
| Mekong (1 day) | from 625,000 | from ~$25 | Full day |
| Mekong (2 days) | from 1,500,000 | from ~$60 | 2 days / 1 night |
| City tour (group) | from 625,000 | from ~$25 | 4 h |
| City tour (private) | from 2,250,000 | from ~$90 | 4 h |
| Motorbike food tour | from 1,125,000 | from ~$45 | 4 h |
| Cooking class | from 875,000 | from ~$35 | 3–4 h |
| Saigon River cruise | from 1,000,000 | from ~$40 | 2 h |
| Cần Giờ | from 875,000 | from ~$35 | Full day |
| Vung Tau (ferry) | 250,000 | ~$10 | 1 day |
| Cao Dai Temple | from 625,000 | from ~$25 | Half a day |
| Cambodia (2 days) | from 5,000,000 | from ~$200 | 2 days / 1 night |
Where to save
- Klook or GetYourGuide — 30–50% cheaper than hotel travel desks
- The Củ Chi + Mekong combo — ~$33 instead of $25 + $25 separately
- Group instead of private — 3–5 times cheaper
- Bus to Vung Tau instead of a taxi — ~$4 vs ~$32
What to bring on a tour
Saigon means 30–35°C and 80% humidity. Here's what actually helps:
- Water — at least 1.5 L. They sell it at Củ Chi and on the Mekong too, but at triple the price
- SPF 50 — reapply every 2 hours. You can burn in 30 minutes
- A hat — on the Mekong there's nowhere to hide from the sun
- Comfortable shoes — trainers for Củ Chi, sandals for the Mekong
- Small notes — 10,000–50,000 VND for tips and odds and ends
- A rain poncho — essential in the wet season (May–October)
How to pick a tour — solo, group or private
| Detail | Solo | Group | Private |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Lowest | ~$16–45 | ~$90–150+ |
| Language | Doesn't matter | English | Any |
| Flexibility | Total | None | Total |
| Best for | Experienced | Everyone | Families, couples |
A workable 2–3 day plan: Củ Chi in a group + the Mekong in a group + an evening food tour. That comes to about ~$95.
Sample day-by-day routes
2 days — the classic:
- Day 1: Củ Chi (morning) + city tour of the centre (evening) = ~$50
- Day 2: the Mekong (full day) = ~$25
3 days — extended:
- Day 1: city tour + Chinatown = ~$25
- Day 2: Củ Chi = ~$16
- Day 3: the Mekong + evening food tour = ~$70
Also useful: the full Ho Chi Minh City guide and the city's districts breakdown.
FAQ — frequently asked questions
Is it worth a tour from Phan Thiet or Mui Ne?
It is, if you're ready to spend 4–5 hours on the road each way. The city tour plus Củ Chi runs ~$40–80. But a two-day trip with an overnight is easier — less exhausting than the round trip in a day.
How many days do you need for tours?
Two at a minimum: one day for Củ Chi or the city tour, another for the Mekong. With three or four days you can add a food tour and Vung Tau or Cần Giờ. Five days and you'll see the lot.
Can you do the Củ Chi Tunnels on your own?
You can. The bus is 30,000 VND, two hours; entry is 125,000 VND. But without a guide you're just looking at holes in the ground — the context is gone. You save around $30 and lose most of the meaning.
Which tour is the most interesting?
It depends on what you're into. History buffs: Củ Chi. Nature and rural Vietnam: the Mekong (the two-day trip is best). Foodies: a motorbike food tour. Want a beach: Vung Tau. If you pick one thing: Củ Chi + the Mekong.
Are motorbike tours safe?
Yes, if you book through established operators (Vespa Adventures, Back of the Bike Tours). The drivers are experienced and helmets are mandatory. Over 10+ years of operation there have been no serious incidents.
Do you need a visa for Cambodia?
Yes. Visa on arrival is $30, the e-Visa $36. You need a passport and a photo. On an organised tour the visa is usually included. For most Western passport holders it takes 15–20 minutes right at the border crossing.
What is there to do besides tours?
The water puppet theatre (from 150,000 VND), the A O Show at the Opera House (from 700,000 VND), and Bui Vien walking street for nightlife — beer from 15,000 VND. Suoi Tien theme park is 80,000 VND entry.
What time of year is best?
The dry season, December to April. In the wet season the Mekong is fuller and greener, and the downpours are quick: 30–40 minutes after lunch, then sun again. Peak heat is April–May, up to +38°C.
Prices and data current as of July 2026. Things can change, so double-check the latest before you travel.