Tour snapshot
VN-SVT-04D
4 days / 3 nights
Ho Chi Minh city
Vietnam Tour Packages
Overview
Vietnam’s biggest city is a feast for the senses — chaotic, delicious, layered with history. This 4-day package is designed for Southeast Asian travellers from the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and beyond who want to taste the real Saigon without breaking the bank.
You will eat your way through back-lane street food stalls on a motorbike after dark, crawl through the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels, drift past riverside villages on the Mekong Delta, and spend your final day exploring Saigon on your own terms. Small groups, real experiences, honest prices.
Duration: 4 Days – 3 Nights
Destinations: Ho Chi Minh City, Cu Chi Tunnels, Mekong Delta
GROUP SIZE: Join-in (2–12 pax)
TOUR DESCRIPTION
From hidden street food alleys in Saigon to the underground world of Cu Chi and the peaceful waterways of the Mekong Delta, this 4-day journey brings together the experiences that define Southern Vietnam. Travel with local guides, meet local communities, and discover the stories behind each destination. Perfect for travelers who want more than sightseeing—they want to experience Vietnam.
IMPORTANT NOTES
What to wear & bring
- Wear comfortable, breathable clothes — Saigon is hot and humid year-round
- Closed-toe shoes required at Cu Chi Tunnels
- Bring a light rain jacket (April–October)
- Sun hat, sunscreen, and insect repellent for the Mekong
- Helmet is provided for the night ride
Health & physical level
- Day 1 Night Ride: Easy. Seated on motorbike, walking between stops
- Day 2 Cu Chi: Moderate. Crawling through narrow tunnel sections (optional)
- Day 3 Mekong: Easy. Flat terrain, boat rides, some walking on paths
- Pregnant travellers and those with mobility issues: please inform us in advance
- Vegetarian / halal meals available — notify at booking
Weather & best time to visit
- HCMC has two seasons: dry (Nov–Apr) and wet (May–Oct)
- Wet season: short afternoon showers, tours still operate — bring a poncho
- Best months: November to April for clearest skies
- Temperature: 28–35°C year-round; evenings slightly cooler
Booking & practical info
- Tours operate daily (subject to minimum 2 pax)
- Days 2 & 3 are join-in group tours — you may share with other travellers
- Day 1 pick-up: ~17:30–18:00 from your hotel (District 1, 3, Binh Thanh)
- Cash (USD or VND) accepted for most on-site purchases
- WhatsApp support available during your tour days
Itinerary
Saigon street food night ride - Taste the city after dark
Your driver-guide meets you at your hotel lobby at 5:00 PM sharp. After a quick safety briefing and helmet fitting, you set off — each guest rides one-on-one with their own driver. The first ride takes you through the colonial quarter around the Opera House, the Central Post Office, and Notre Dame Cathedral. In the early evening, after the daytime crowds have cleared, these blocks carry a different quality: locals sitting on steps, vendors packing up, the buildings lit from below. Your guide points out details most visitors walk past.
The first food stop is a neighbourhood pho stall — the kind with two or three tables on the footpath, a giant pot that has been on the fire since 4 AM, and a queue of regulars at the end of the working day. From there you ride through the Ben Thanh area back streets, threading through lanes too narrow for cars, before stopping for banh xeo — southern Vietnamese sizzling rice-flour pancakes, crisp at the edges, eaten wrapped in mustard leaf and lettuce with your hands. Your guide will show you the technique.
The evening continues to the Ho Thi Ky flower market in District 10 — one of the largest wholesale flower markets in the south, most alive at night when trucks arrive and serious trading happens, the whole street scented with chrysanthemum and lotus. The night ends with che (sweet dessert soup) and banh mi, eaten standing up the way they are meant to be, before your guide drops you back at your hotel around 9:00 PM.
Please note: long trousers are required (no shorts) and closed-toe shoes are mandatory for safety on the motorbike. Pickup is available for hotels in District 1 (excluding Da Kao Ward and Tan Dinh Ward). Minimum age 12 years.
Cu Chi Tunnels - Half day (Morning or Afternoon, Small group)
Your second day combines the rich historical heritage of Ho Chi Minh City with an unforgettable journey to the legendary Cu Chi tunnels. The Cu Chi Tunnels are not a recreation or a museum exhibit — they are the actual tunnels. Dug by hand from the late 1940s onward, the network grew to more than 200 kilometres of connected passages running as deep as ten metres below ground. At its peak, the system housed thousands of people: fighters, medical staff, cooks, teachers, and civilians living in underground rooms connected by crawl-spaces deliberately too narrow for the average American soldier to follow.
This half-day tour visits the Ben Duoc section — the larger and less-visited of the two public access areas. The visit begins with a short wartime documentary filmed during and after the war, showing the tunnels in use and the people who lived in them. The guided walk above ground then covers the key features: concealed trapdoor entrances nearly invisible from standing height, ventilation shafts disguised as termite mounds, a weapons workshop where unexploded ordnance was repurposed, a field kitchen designed to disperse smoke, B-52 bomb craters still visible in the jungle floor, and a captured American M-41 tank and anti-aircraft gun display.
Guests then have the option to crawl through a 100-metre section of the original tunnel — widened slightly from wartime dimensions but still narrow, low, warm, and dark. It is optional: guests with claustrophobia, back or joint concerns can observe from the exit point. The tour ends with a cassava and jasmine tea tasting — the actual staple food that sustained life underground.
Two sessions available: morning pickup 7:30–8:00 AM (returns by early afternoon) or afternoon pickup 12:30–1:00 PM (returns in the evening). Both cover exactly the same itinerary. The optional shooting range is available at own cost (approx. USD 1–2 per bullet, minimum 10 bullets). Closed-toe shoes required — sandals are not suitable for the jungle paths.
Mekong Delta - Full Day (Join-In Small Group, 2-12 pax)
Pick-up from your hotel is at 7:00–8:00 AM. The coach heads south to My Tho, where the first stop is Vinh Trang Pagoda — a 19th-century Buddhist pagoda that combines Vietnamese, Chinese, Khmer, and French colonial architectural elements in a single compound. From the pier, the group boards a traditional motorboat for a Mekong River cruise past the four islands — Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise — before docking at the first island for the workshop stops.
On the islands you visit a coconut candy workshop, a working honey bee farm, and a tropical fruit orchard with tasting. A live don ca tai tu folk music performance follows — UNESCO-recognised traditional southern Vietnamese music played on instruments such as the dan bau monochord zither and the dan kim moon lute, performed in a family home or riverside pavilion. Lunch is served at a riverside restaurant with a selection of local dishes. After lunch, the group boards hand-rowed sampan boats through two kilometres of narrow palm-shaded interior canals — the activity guests mention most consistently in reviews. The afternoon finishes with a cycling loop through Tan Thach village (flat, shaded lanes through fruit orchards and traditional wooden houses). Guests who prefer not to cycle can walk or rest in hammocks. Return drop-off at your hotel around 5:30 PM.
Saigon free day - Suggested activities
For history and culture, the War Remnants Museum takes half a day and leaves a strong impression. Reunification Palace has a free audio guide. Jade Emperor Pagoda is quieter and further off the tourist trail than most sites in District 1. Ben Thanh Market is worth a walk for atmosphere, though not for bargains.
For shopping and food, Saigon Square and Diamond Plaza cover retail well. Tan Dinh Market is where locals actually shop. Bui Vien Walking Street comes to life in the evening. Vincom Center covers international brands and has a solid food court.
For a slower day, try rooftop coffee at Cong Caphe or The Workshop on Le Loi Street. Walk Nguyen Hue Boulevard in the morning before the heat builds. A foot massage at a reputable spa runs around USD 10 to 15 per hour.
Price & Bookings
| Package / Pax count | Price per person (USD) | Notes |
| Package tour 4 days | USD 100 / person | Minimum group size |
| Child under 4 | Free | No seat or meal service included |
Prices shown in USD. Payment in USD cash or VND equivalent accepted at time of booking confirmation.
Single supplement: add USD 25 per person if travelling solo and wishing to avoid shared private transfers.
Public holidays — holiday pricing applies
Holiday pricing applies to all departures on the following dates. If your travel date falls within one of these periods, the holiday rate applies automatically at booking.
| Holiday | Dates |
| New Year’s Day | 1 January 2027 |
| Lunar New Year (Tet Nguyen Dan) | 15 February – 3 March 2026 |
| Hung Kings’ Festival (Gio To Hung Vuong) | 26 April 2026 |
| Reunification Day & International Labour Day | 30 April – 1 May 2026 |
| Vietnam National Day (Quoc Khanh) | 1 – 2 September 2026 |
Age & group notes
- Minimum age: 11 years
- Passengers under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
- Maximum group size: 12 people (one driver-guide per guest on Day 1)
Cancellation policy
- Cancel 24+ hours before departure: full refund
- Cancel less than 24 hours before departure: 100% charge, no refund
Payment methods
Cash (USD or VND), all major credit cards, bank transfer, PayPal, Viator, Klook.
Tour inclusions: What’s included in Vietnam short tours
- English-speaking guide (Days 1, 2, 3)
- Hotel pick-up & drop-off (central districts)
- All transport: motorbike (D1), minivan (D2 & D3)
- Cu Chi Tunnels entrance fee (Day 2)
- Boat rides on Mekong (Day 3)
- Street food tastings (Day 1) — 4–5 food stops
- Lunch on Mekong Delta (Day 3)
- Helmet for motorbike night ride
- Bottled water throughout touring days
- All applicable local taxes & service charges
Tour exclusions: What’s not included
- International flights or domestic transfers
- Hotel accommodation (we can recommend options on request)
- Travel insurance — required, arrange before arrival
- Personal purchases, alcoholic beverages
- Shooting range at Cu Chi (USD 1.50/bullet)
- Day 4 activities — no guide, all costs own account
- Visa / entry fees into Vietnam
- Tips for guides and drivers (see Tipping Kitty below)
- Any early morning or late-night airport transfers
Why choose our Southern Vietnam tours
Authentic cultural immersion
Genuine participation in traditional Vietnamese culture through motorbike food tours with local experts, craft workshops with master artisans, and floating market experiences connecting directly with local communities and cultural preservation efforts.
Historical heritage expertise
Professional guides with deep historical knowledge provide expert interpretation of Cu Chi Tunnels wartime significance, Reunification Palace political history, and War Remnants Museum cultural context ensuring comprehensive understanding.
Culinary adventure focus
Authentic Vietnamese cuisine through street food tours, traditional market visits, Pho experiences, and regional specialties reflecting Ho Chi Minh City’s diverse culinary heritage and Mekong Delta fresh ingredients.
Perfect time-efficient design
Comprehensive Southern Vietnam experience in just 4 days combining urban culture, historical sites, and rural authenticity without feeling rushed, perfect for weekend getaways or holiday extensions.
Instagram-worthy experiences
Spectacular photography opportunities from colorful street food scenes, traditional boat rides, historical tunnel networks, vibrant floating markets, and authentic craft workshops with local communities.
Flexible budget control
You book accommodation directly allowing complete budget control while professional transportation, guides, and cultural experiences included, ensuring excellent value with personal preferences respected.
Local community support
Direct benefits to local artisan communities, street food vendors, and cultural preservation through responsible tourism supporting traditional craft workshops and authentic cultural exchanges.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q . Can I book just one or two days from this package?
Yes. Each day is available as a standalone tour. However, the package price only applies when all four days are booked together. Individual day prices are higher.
Q . I’m travelling from Singapore / Philippines / Malaysia — do I need a Vietnam visa?
ASEAN passport holders (including Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei) are eligible for visa-free entry to Vietnam for 30 days (as of 2024 policy). Always check the latest rules with the Vietnamese embassy before your trip, as policies can change.
Q . Is the motorbike night ride safe? I’ve never ridden a motorbike before.
You are a passenger — you sit on the back of the motorbike driven by your guide. No experience needed. Helmets are provided. The guides have driven these routes for years and know the roads well. If you are uncomfortable with motorbikes, please tell us and we can arrange an alternative tuk-tuk or taxi version.
Q . I have a halal diet. Can this tour accommodate me?
Yes. Please inform us at booking. Day 1 street food can be adapted to halal or vegetarian options. Day 3 Mekong lunch can include halal-certified dishes if arranged 48 hours in advance.
Q . What happens if it rains?
Tours operate rain or shine. Saigon’s wet-season rains are typically short afternoon showers. Ponchos are available. The Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong boat experience are largely unaffected by rain. The Night Ride may be shortened if there is heavy, sustained rainfall — a full refund or alternative activity will be offered.
Q . Can children join all the days?
Day 1 (Night Ride): Children under 10 sit in front of the guide on the motorbike — fully safe, but please inform us. Day 2 (Cu Chi): The tunnel crawl is optional — younger children usually prefer the garden walk and tapioca tasting. Day 3 (Mekong): Excellent for all ages. All boat sections have life jackets available.
Q . How far in advance should I book?
We recommend booking at least 3–5 days in advance to guarantee spots, especially in peak season (November–January, June–August). Same-day booking is occasionally possible — WhatsApp us to check availability.
Q . What is the cancellation policy?
Cancellation 72+ hours before: full refund. Cancellation 24–72 hours before: 50% refund. Less than 24 hours or no-show: no refund. If TNK cancels due to weather or force majeure: full refund or rescheduling at no charge.
WHY TNK TRAVEL
TNK Travel is a Vietnam-based inbound tour operator licensed since 2000. We run daily departures from Ho Chi Minh City and have operated tours for over 1,000,000 travellers from more than 80 countries.
- Ranked #3 on TripAdvisor among Ho Chi Minh City tour operators
- 24,000+ verified reviews across TripAdvisor, Viator, and Klook
- Viator Top-Rated Operator badge
- 94% of travellers recommend our tours
- Licensed operator: International Tour Operator Licence No. 79-102/2010/TCDL-GP LHQ
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