What You Will Do
Our Saigon Chinatown Adventure will educate you on Chinese culture, taste some amazing local Chinese food and visit a beautiful flower market. You will have a full day to learn about the unique Chinese traditions and how it mixes with the local culture here in Ho Chi Minh City.
Full Tour Schedule
9:00 AM – Pick up at your hotel (exact time may vary depending on your location)
9:30 AM – Stroll through the famous Binh Tay Market
11:00 AM – Visit the beautiful Quan Am Pagoda
12:00 PM – Lunch time!
1:00 PM – Enjoy a dessert at a famous local dessert restaurant
1:30 PM – Take some beautiful photos at Lantern Street
2:30 PM - Visit the Ho Thi Ky Flower Market
3:30 PM – Return back to your hotel
4:00 PM – Arrive back at your hotel (exact time may vary depending on your location)
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Itinerary
1
Binh Tay Market
1 hour 30 minutes
Binh Tay Market, constructed by the French in the 1880s, is located in the centre of Vietnam’s largest Chinatown district. Unlike Ben Thanh Market in District 1, this market mainly serves the local population with its extensive range of fresh fruits, vegetables, poultry, meat and seafood from regions across Vietnam.
Also known as Cholon Chinatown Market, Binh Tay Market occupies a two-storey building along Thap Moui Street. Travellers can also find an assortment of handicrafts, lacquerware, and textiles that are sold in bulk, though goods are not varied compared to other (more touristy) markets in downtown Hanoi. Along with the interesting historical and cultural aspect of Cholon, Binh Tay Market is great for experiencing the local lifestyle and sampling unique Vietnamese-Chinese delicacies.
2
On Lang Pagoda
1 hour
Quan Âm Pagoda is a Chinese-style Buddhist pagoda located on Lao Tu Street in Cho Lon, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Founded in the 19th century, it is dedicated to Guanyin (Vietnamese: Quan Âm), the Chinese goddess of mercy and the Chinese form of the Indian bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. The pagoda is popular among both Vietnamese and Chinese Buddhists; most of its inscriptions are in Chinese characters, but some have had Vietnamese labels added. In addition to veneration of Guanyin and the teachings of the Buddha, the pagoda also includes Pure Land worship of the Amitabha Buddha (A Di Da Phat), elements of Taoism, and the folk worship of the Fujianese sea goddess Mazu in her role as the "Queen of Heaven" (Thien Hau).
3
Lương Nhữ Học - 727 Nguyễn Trãi
45 minutes
The area encompassing the Tran Hung Dao - Luong Nhu Hoc intersection is a “heaven” of lanterns, especially on mid-autumn festivals. The beautiful lanterns characterize the Chinese influences on Vietnamese culture. Not only do they provide jobs for a group of people, the lanterns also symbolize the love at heart of Vietnamese people for their culture. Walking along the street, you will definitely be overwhelmed by its beauty. Do not forget to take photos of those precious moments!
4
Ho Thi Ky Flower Market
1 hour
About 4km from the Saigon center, Ho Thi Ky flower market is a new destination for travelers, especially those who want to find an old Saigon. Along with Saigon Floating Flower Market (Ben Binh Dong), Ho Thi Ky flower market is one of the two most famous flower markets in Saigon; however, Saigon Floating Flower Market is only open for Lunar New Year so more and more visitors choose this place to visit.
The market is open all day, but the most crowded is early morning and evening (Ho Thi Ky night market). The flowers here are mainly from Dalat, Mekong Delta, and other countries such as Hungary and the Netherlands.
From midnight to early morning, flowers from everywhere are brought here, they are cut, trimmed and packaged accordingly, and finally, they are shown on the shelves.
In the morning, traders come here to buy flowers, most of them buy large quantities to sell to the flower shop and in other markets. The scene is very bustling, bringing a characteristic of Saigon.
5
Ba Thien Hau Temple
Ba Thien Hau Temple in Saigon is a Buddhist temple dedicated to the Chinese sea goddess, Mazu. It’s believed that she protects and rescues ships and people on the sea by flying around on a mat or cloud. Mazuism is connected with traditions and beliefs from both Taoism and Buddhism. Mazuism is therefore an incorporation of different aspects and traditions which have merged to form a new belief. You will find this temple in ‘Cholon’ (Chinatown) in District 5, which is roughly a twenty minute drive from the city centre.
6
FITO Museum
A unique blend of traditional and modern architecture, the museum includes one ground floor and five upper floors that are home to 18 exhibition rooms.
You may see a delicately carved wooden pictures with different captions that illustrate different types of traditional medicine. This was a place where over a 50 skillful engravers have worked hard to complete these carved pictures for nearly 3 years.
The architecture of this museum shows the typical features of traditional architecture in different regions of Vietnam. It reflects many features of the Northern house in the basin of Red River, of the Hue style and some of the Cham ethnic minority group styles. In the Cham tower are exhibited some Linga - a ritual sculptures which represent a power, a diligence and a vital force in the Cham religion.
This museum is equipped with modern audio-visual technology, which regularly shows "A Century of Health Care Experiences" - a documentary film about the history of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine.
7
Chinatown (Cho Lon) - District 5
30 minutes
Ho Chi Minh City’s Cholon is Vietnam’s largest Chinatown with roots dating back to 1778; it’s also a place of great historical and cultural importance. Chinese minorities hid here from the Tay Son and subsequently had to rebuild the area twice following attack with as many as 70% estimated to have died trying to escape on boats. Those who survived settled and began selling a variety of Chinese products. During the Vietnam War Cholon was a thriving black market for US soldiers trading in American Army issue supplies.
The area today is a popular site for those on the tourist trail and also attracts many Taiwanese and Chinese visitors. Cholon is an interesting place to see classical Chinese architecture reminiscent of years gone by with plenty of Chinese restaurants.
8
Chua Van Phat - Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas
Located in a secluded place, finding this tourist attraction can present quite a challenge for first-time visitors, but the temple’s peaceful ambiance and seemingly endless collection of little statues are great rewards to those who took the challenge. This multi-tiered temple features a living area, a Buddhist “cemetery,” and a floor which holds almost 10,000 relics. Together, the relics and the overall architecture make a stunning sight so don’t forget to take lots of photos.
9
Central Post Office
Pass by this place if you're hotel is located in this area
10
Saigon Opera House (Ho Chi Minh Municipal Theater)
Pass by this place if you're hotel is located in this area
11
People's Committee Building
Pass by this place if you're hotel is located in this area
12
Emperor Jade Pagoda
Pass by this place if you're hotel is located in this area
13
War Remnants Museum
Pass by this place if you're hotel is located in this area
14
Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral
Pass by this place if you're hotel is located in this area
15
The Independence Palace
Pass by this place if you're hotel is located in this area
16
Bitexco Financial Tower
Pass by this place if you're hotel is located in this area
17
CGV Vincom Center Landmark 81
Pass by this place if you're hotel is located in this area
18
Tan Dinh Church
Pass by this place if you're hotel is located in this area
19
Ben Thanh Market
Pass by this place if you're hotel is located in this area
20
Cu Chi Tunnels
The tunnels of Củ Chi are an immense network of connecting tunnels located in the Củ Chi District of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and are part of a much larger network of tunnels that underlie much of the country. The Củ Chi tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War, and were the Viet Cong's base of operations for the Tết Offensive in 1968.
21
Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, officially Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception is a cathedral located in the downtown of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Established by French colonists who initially named it the Church of Saigon, the cathedral was constructed between 1863 and 1880. The name Notre-Dame Cathedral has been used since 1959. It has two bell towers, reaching a height of 58 meters.
22
Suoi Tien Theme Park
Suối Tiên Amusement Park is an amusement park in District 9, Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam. The park includes several entertainment areas. The landscaping and attractions in the park illustrate Vietnam's history and legends, such as Âu Cơ and Lạc Long Quân as well as the Battle of Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh. An artificial seawater pool is located in the park for sea-bathers.
23
Vietnam Military History Museum
The Museum of Vietnamese History is located at 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Formerly known as the Musée Blanchard de la Brosse, built by Auguste Delaval in 1926, and The National Museum of Viet Nam in Sai Gon, it received its current name in 1979
24
Emperor Jade Pagoda
The Jade Emperor Pagoda is a Taoist pagoda located at 73 Mai Thi Luu Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It was built by the Chinese community in 1909. It is also known from 1984 by the new Chinese name Phước Hải Tự, and as the Tortoise Pagoda. U.S. President Barack Obama paid a visit to the pagoda during his state trip to Vietnam on 22 May 2016.
25
Tan Dinh Church
Tân Định church is a Roman Catholic church in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Its formal name is the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Even though it's in District 3, the parish shares its name with neighbouring District 1's Tân Định Ward. It was built during the French colonial period in the 1870s and completed on 16 December 1876, when Vietnam was part of French Indochina.
26
Fito Museum - Museums of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine & Pharmacy
Traditional medicine & pharmacy museum
27
Ho Chi Minh City's Book Street
Ho Chi Minh City Book Street is a book street located at Nguyen Van Binh Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
28
Nguyen Dinh Chieu Walking Street
A beautiful walking street.
29
South-Vietnamese Women Museum
Cultural museum honoring Vietnam's women
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