Overview
Ho Chi Minh City’s most visited landmarks in the morning, the Cu Chi Tunnels in the afternoon — one full day, maximum 7 guests, with a dedicated guide and driver who are with your group from start to finish.
This tour covers two very different versions of Vietnam in a single day. The morning is in the city: the building where the Vietnam War ended, a 130-year-old French cathedral, a post office designed by Gustave Eiffel that still operates today, and the War Remnants Museum — one of the most direct and unflinching accounts of the war available anywhere. After lunch, the vehicle heads northwest to the Cu Chi Tunnels at Bến Đình, where the afternoon goes underground: the concealed trapdoors, the booby trap displays, the bomb craters, and the optional crawl section through the original tunnel.
The city sites and the tunnel site tell the same story from two different angles. The morning gives you the colonial architecture and the official history; the afternoon gives you the ground-level version, 200 kilometres of hand-dug passages in the laterite soil of Cu Chi District. Together they cover more of Vietnam’s 20th-century history than either one does alone.
The group is capped at 7 guests. The guide and driver are dedicated to your group for the full day. The vehicle is a premium car or van, not a shared minibus. The pace at every site is guided by what the group wants to spend time on.
Why choose this tour
– Morning city + afternoon tunnels — two different histories in one day: the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame, and the War Remnants Museum give context for the conflict; the Cu Chi Tunnels give the physical reality of it. The guide connects both halves throughout the day.
– Maximum 7 guests: at every stop — the Palace, the museum, the tunnel site — the guide can actually explain things to everyone in the group without shouting over a crowd. Questions are answered on the spot, not deferred.
– Dedicated guide and driver team: the guide handles the history and the explanations from first pickup to final drop-off. The driver handles the vehicle, the timing, and the logistics. Two professionals, one small group, all day.
– Premium vehicle: a properly equipped car or van with air conditioning and comfortable seating. Not a crowded transit minibus. Ho Chi Minh City traffic is manageable in a vehicle that’s built for it.
– Lunch that works for everyone: Vietnamese set menu. Vegetarian guests get a full Vietnamese vegetarian spread — let TNK know at booking and the kitchen prepares accordingly.
– Trusted operator since 2000: TNK Travel is ranked #3 on TripAdvisor with over 24,000 verified reviews.
Tour highlights
– Reunification Palace (Independence Palace): the building where the Vietnam War officially ended on 30 April 1975, when a North Vietnamese tank drove through the gate and the last South Vietnamese government surrendered inside. The palace has been preserved largely as it was on that day — the war rooms, the communications centre, the rooftop helicopter pad. It is a genuinely strange experience to walk through a building where history stopped and was frozen in place.
– Notre Dame Cathedral: built between 1863 and 1880 using materials shipped entirely from France, including the red Marseille brick facade that gives the building its distinctive colour. The twin bell towers are still the tallest structures in the immediate neighbourhood. The cathedral is still an active parish church with a Vietnamese congregation — not a museum.
– Central Post Office: designed by Gustave Eiffel’s firm in the late 1880s, the same period as the Eiffel Tower. The interior has a single vast hall with arched iron-and-glass vaulting that brings in natural light from above. It still functions as a working post office. The colonial-era maps of Saigon and the Mekong Delta painted on the interior walls are original.
– War Remnants Museum: the most direct account of the Vietnam War available to visitors. Three floors of photographs, documents, and artefacts covering the conflict from the Vietnamese perspective — the chemical weapons programme, the prison conditions, the civilian casualties. The photography on the upper floors includes work by international photojournalists, some of the most significant war photography of the 20th century. The guide provides context and answers questions throughout the visit.
– Cu Chi Tunnels — Ben Dinh: the main Cu Chi site. Wartime documentary, concealed trapdoor demonstrations, booby trap displays, B-52 bomb craters, and the optional crawl through the widened original tunnel section. Cassava and tea tasting at the end.
– Optional shooting range at Củ Chi: period weapons available on site. Entirely optional, not included in the tour price.
Important information
Pickup
– Hotel pickup in Ho Chi Minh City, District 1 (excluding Đa Kao and Tân Định wards). Pickup between 7:30 and 8:00 AM. Please wait in the hotel lobby.
– Exact pickup time confirmed by WhatsApp or email 24 hours before departure.
– For hotels outside the standard zone: meet at TNK Travel, 112 Trần Hưng Đạo Street, District 1 by 7:45 AM.
Your guide and driver
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Your team for the full day Guide: a professional English-speaking guide dedicated to your group from hotel pickup to final drop-off. Knowledgeable about the colonial history, the war period, and the Cu Chi tunnel network. Present at every site, available for questions throughout the day. The guide connects the morning city sites and the afternoon tunnels into a single coherent story rather than treating them as two separate tick-box attractions. Driver: a licensed professional driver with a premium vehicle. Manages the city traffic, the timing between sites, and the highway transfer to Cu Chi. Cold water in the vehicle throughout the day. |
The War Remnants Museum — a note
The War Remnants Museum presents the conflict from a Vietnamese perspective and does not soften the material. The photography on the upper floors includes graphic images of casualties, napalm burns, and the effects of Agent Orange. This is not a gentle exhibit. Most visitors find it one of the most important things they see in Ho Chi Minh City precisely because it is unsparing. Children under approximately 12 may find the upper floor photography distressing — parents should make the call on the day based on the child and the images visible from the stairwell. The guide will advise.
Lunch
– Lunch is included at a Vietnamese restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, between the morning city tour and the afternoon drive to Cu Chi. The menu is a Vietnamese shared-plate set using fresh ingredients.
– Vegetarian guests: let TNK know at booking. The restaurant prepares a full Vietnamese vegetarian menu — proper vegetarian cooking, not just the non-meat items from the standard menu. Please confirm at booking, not on the day.
– Other dietary requirements (halal, allergies): advise at booking and TNK will confirm what the kitchen can accommodate.
Củ Chi Tunnels — physical requirements
– The tunnel crawl is optional. Guests with claustrophobia, back problems, or limited mobility can stay above ground and receive the full guide explanation.
– The site involves approximately 1–1.5 kilometres of walking on uneven jungle paths. Closed-toe shoes are strongly recommended for the afternoon.
– The War Remnants Museum and Reunification Palace both involve walking across large indoor and outdoor spaces. Comfortable shoes are recommended for the full day.
What to wear and bring
– Comfortable closed-toe shoes suitable for walking all day
– Light, breathable clothing for the city and the jungle
– Modest dress for the Reunification Palace: shoulders and knees covered (the guide will advise at the entrance)
– Hat and sunscreen for the outdoor sections at both city sites and Cu Chi
– Insect repellent for the Cu Chi jungle paths
– Camera
– Small amount of cash for the optional shooting range at Cu Chi and personal purchases
Weather
– The tour runs year-round. The morning city sites are mostly indoors or covered. The Cu Chi afternoon involves outdoor jungle paths — a light rain layer is useful in the wet season (May–October).
– If TNK cancels due to severe weather, guests receive a full refund or can reschedule.
Related tours
• Ho Chi Minh City & Cu Chi Tunnels full day — small group (PGT-CTCC): same programme, up to 12 guests, shared minibus, lower price
• Cu Chi Tunnels luxury small group half day (LX-CC): Cu Chi only, morning departure, max 7 guests, Ben Duoc site, light lunch included
• Cu Chi & Mekong Delta luxury full day (LX CMK): Cu Chi in the morning + Mekong Delta in the afternoon, max 7 guests
• Cao Dai Temple & Cu Chi Tunnels private full day (CD-CC): Cao Dai noon ceremony in Tay Ninh + Cu Chi Tunnels, private tour
Itinerary
Full day — HCMC city tour (morning) → Lunch → Củ Chi Tunnels (afternoon) → HCMC
The guide and driver collect the group from your hotel lobby. Cold water in the vehicle. The guide uses the short drive to the first stop to introduce the morning programme: the four city sites and how they connect, what to expect at each, and a brief outline of the history that links the colonial period to the war and the present.
8:15 AM Reunification Palace (Independence Palace)
The official name until 30 April 1975 was Independence Palace — the seat of the South Vietnamese government and the residence of the president. On the morning of 30 April, two North Vietnamese tanks drove through the iron gate and a soldier climbed to the roof to plant the liberation flag. The government surrendered within hours, ending thirty years of conflict.
The building has been preserved largely as it was on that day: the reception rooms on the upper floors with their formal furniture and diplomatic gifts, the operations rooms in the basement with their original radio equipment and maps, the rooftop helipad where the final helicopter evacuation was staged in earlier years. The guide walks the group through each floor, explains the building’s function during the war, and describes the events of 30 April in detail. Approximately 45–60 minutes.
9:15 AM Notre Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office
Notre Dame Cathedral (Nhà thờ Đức Bà Sài Gòn) was built between 1863 and 1880, using red brick shipped directly from Marseille, France. The twin neo-Romanesque towers at 57 metres are still a landmark on the Dương Độc Lập square. The cathedral remains an active parish church serving the Vietnamese Catholic community. The guide explains the colonial context of its construction and the cathedral’s place in the city’s architectural history.
Across the square, the Central Post Office (Bưu điện Trung tâm Thành phố) was designed by the firm of Gustave Eiffel in 1886–91, concurrent with the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The single main hall has the same characteristic arched iron-and-glass vaulting. On the interior walls, two large painted maps — one of Saigon, one of the southern telegraph lines — are original. The post office is still fully operational. Approximately 20–25 minutes at both buildings.
9:45 AM War Remnants Museum
The War Remnants Museum (Bảo tàng Chứng tích Chiến tranh) is three floors of photographs, documents, and artefacts covering the Vietnam War from the Vietnamese perspective. The ground floor courtyard has a collection of captured American military equipment — aircraft, tanks, artillery — displayed in the open. The first and second floors cover the military campaign, the diplomatic context, the press coverage, and the international response. The third floor is dedicated to the Agent Orange programme and its generational consequences.
The photography includes work by international photojournalists — Nick Ut, Eddie Adams, and others — some of the most recognisable images of the 20th century. The guide explains the context of each section and is available for questions throughout. The museum presents a Vietnamese perspective and is explicit about casualties and methods. It is honest and important. Approximately 45–60 minutes.
11:00 AM Lunch — Vietnamese restaurant, Ho Chi Minh City
Lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant in the city. Shared-plate set menu using fresh local ingredients. The guide stays with the group for lunch and is available for conversation or questions about the afternoon programme. Vegetarian guests are served a full Vietnamese vegetarian menu — please confirm at booking. Approximately 45–60 minutes.
12:00 PM Drive northwest to Củ Chi Tunnels
The vehicle departs for Bến Đình, the main section of the Cu Chi Tunnels Historical Site, approximately 70 kilometres northwest on Highway 22. The drive takes about 1.5 hours. The guide uses the journey to introduce the history of the Cu Chi tunnel network: why it was built, how construction expanded from the late 1940s onward, who lived inside, and what the military campaign in Cu Chi District looked like from the ground.
1:30 PM Arrival at Củ Chi Tunnels — Bến Đình
Bến Đình is the main Cu Chi Tunnels Historical Site — well maintained, covering the full range of tunnel features, and accessible from the Saigon River side. The afternoon begins with the short wartime documentary at the visitor centre.
1:40 PM Wartime documentary
A short film of approximately 20 minutes produced during and after the war. Authentic footage covering the construction of the tunnel network, daily underground life, the military campaign, and the resistance from the Vietnamese perspective. The guide adds context specific to Bến Đình before the group heads outside.
2:05 PM Guided walk — tunnel entrances, traps, craters & optional crawl
The guide leads the group through the site on foot:
• Concealed trapdoor entrances in the jungle floor — camouflaged, demonstrated by the guide
• Booby trap display section — inert reconstructions of the defensive traps used above the tunnels, each explained in detail
• B-52 bomb craters — still visible depressions in the jungle floor
• Weapons and captured equipment exhibits
• Optional tunnel crawl — a widened section of the original tunnel. Dark, low, warm, optional. Exit points along the route.
• Cassava and hot tea tasting — the wartime staple of the underground community
3:30 PM Optional shooting range
Period weapons at the on-site shooting range: AK-47, M-16, and others. Approximately $1–2 USD per bullet, minimum 10 bullets, payable on site. Entirely optional. Guests who skip can wait in the vehicle or at the shaded rest area.
3:45 PM Return drive to Ho Chi Minh City
The vehicle departs for the return to Ho Chi Minh City. Approximately 1.5 hours depending on traffic. Cold water in the vehicle. The guide is available for questions on the return journey.
5:30–6:00 PM Hotel drop-off — District 1. End of tour.
Price & Bookings
All rates are per person in USD. Maximum 7 guests per departure. Lunch included. Rate decreases with group size.
| Ticket type | Regular price | Holiday price |
| Adult | 68$ | 72$ |
| Child (4–10 years) | 50$ | 54$ |
| Child (under 4) | Free | Free |
Public holidays — holiday pricing applies
If your departure date falls on or within any of the periods below, the holiday price applies automatically at booking.
| Holiday | Dates |
| New Year’s Day | 1 January 2027 |
| Lunar New Year (Tết) | 15 February – 3 March 2026 |
| Hung Kings’ Festival | 26 April 2026 |
| Reunification Day & Labour Day | 30 April – 1 May 2026 |
| Vietnam National Day | 1–2 September 2026 |
Children’s pricing
| Age | Rate | Notes |
| Under 4 years | Free | Shares seat with parents |
| 4–10 years | 75% of adult rate | Standard children’s rate |
| 11 and above | Adult rate | Full adult rate |
What’s included
- Premium vehicle for hotel pickup and drop-off in District 1 — dedicated to your group
- Professional licensed driver for the full day
- Professional English-speaking guide dedicated to your group
- All entrance fees — Reunification Palace, War Remnants Museum, Củ Chi Tunnels (Bến Đình)
- Guided visits: Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, War Remnants Museum
- Guided walk at Củ Chi: tunnel entrances, booby traps, bomb craters, optional crawl section
- Cassava and hot tea tasting at Củ Chi
- Lunch — Vietnamese set menu, vegetarian option available on request
- Cold water in the vehicle throughout the day
- All taxes and service charges
What’s not included
- Optional shooting range at Củ Chi (approx. $1–2 USD per bullet, minimum 10 — payable on site)
- Travel insurance
- Additional food and drinks beyond included lunch
- Personal purchases
- Tips for guide and driver (optional, appreciated)
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 taken over 1,000,000 travellers on tours across Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.
- 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 LHQT
Frequently asked questions
Why visit both the city sites AND the tunnels in one day?
The city sites — especially the Reunification Palace and the War Remnants Museum — provide the political and diplomatic context for the conflict: what the war was about, how it was conducted, and how it ended officially. The Cu Chi Tunnels provide the ground-level physical reality: how ordinary people survived and resisted in the same jungle for decades. The two halves of the day reinforce each other. Most visitors who do both say the tunnel visit makes much more sense after the museum, and the museum hits harder after seeing where people actually lived. The guide deliberately connects the morning and afternoon throughout the day.
Is the War Remnants Museum suitable for children?
The ground floor and first floor are generally suitable for older children and teenagers. The third floor, dedicated to Agent Orange and its effects on subsequent generations, contains graphic medical photography that is not appropriate for young children. The guide will brief parents before entering the museum. Parents can make the decision at the stairwell based on what is visible — the guide will stay with younger children outside if needed. The museum is important and honest; the question is simply one of age-appropriateness.
Can vegetarians join this tour?
Yes. Let TNK know at booking that you need a vegetarian menu. The restaurant prepares a full Vietnamese vegetarian set menu alongside the standard lunch — separate dishes using fresh local ingredients, not just the non-meat items from the standard menu. Vietnamese vegetarian cooking is genuinely good; this is not a compromise option. Please confirm at booking, not on the morning of the tour.
Is the tunnel crawl mandatory at Cu Chi?
No. The crawl is entirely optional. Guests who prefer not to crawl wait at the exit point and receive the guide’s full explanation of the tunnel dimensions, the crawl experience, and the wartime context from above ground. Guests who are mildly nervous often find it manageable once they’re inside, especially given the exit points along the route. Guests with genuine claustrophobia, back problems, or recent joint injuries should skip it.
How much walking does this tour involve?
It’s a full day of moderate walking. At the Reunification Palace: approximately 45 minutes on foot through large indoor rooms and outdoor grounds. At the War Remnants Museum: approximately 45 minutes across three floors (stairs required; no lift). At the Central Post Office and Notre Dame: about 20 minutes outside and inside. At Cu Chi: approximately 1–1.5 kilometres on jungle paths. Total walking is spread over the day with vehicle transfers between each site. Comfortable closed-toe shoes are strongly recommended.
What is the difference between this tour and a standard group tour?
The standard PGT-CTCC tour runs with up to 12 guests in a shared minibus. This luxury version has a maximum of 7 guests in a premium vehicle, with a dedicated guide and driver for the full day. The programme is the same, but the pace is more flexible, the guide has more time for each person, and the vehicle is significantly more comfortable for an 11–12 hour day that includes two 1.5-hour highway transfers.
Book the Saigon city tour & Cu Chi Tunnels luxury full day
Maximum 7 guests. Dedicated guide and driver. Premium vehicle. Reunification Palace, Notre Dame, Central Post Office, War Remnants Museum in the morning. Lunch included. Cu Chi Tunnels in the afternoon. Hotel pickup District 1. Daily departure.
- Online: tnktravel.com — booking form on this page
- WhatsApp: +84 938 195 445
- Email: booking@tnktravel.com
- Walk in: 90 Bui Vien Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
International Tour Operator Licence No: 79-102/2010/TCDL-GP LHQT
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