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City Guide - Ho Chi Minh City - Tours of the City | ||
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Tours of the City Walking Tours There are no regular walking tours or signposted self-guided tours but these can be arranged privately with one of the travel agencies based in the city. One possible route is around the Town Hall, Notre Dame Cathedral, Post Office and Reunification Palace and War Remnants Museum (time permitting) and another through the shopping areas of Dong Khoi and Le Loi to Ben Thanh Market. The walking is not particularly strenuous but the heat and humidity can make it difficult. Exotissimo (tel: (08) 825 1723) and Vidotour (tel: (08) 829 1438) can arrange personalised guided tours on request. Bus Tours Saigontourist (tel: (08) 829 8914) offers half-day city tours (0800-1200) on a daily basis, which operate with a minimum of eight people with free hotel pick-up. They include Cholon (Thien Hau Pagoda and Binh Tay Market), the Historical Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Post Office and the lacquerware factory. Private tours of the city can be arranged through travel companies, such as Exotissimo (tel: (08) 825 1723) and Vidotour (tel: (08) 829 1438), with hotel pick-ups. Half-day tours last four hours and include Notre Dame Cathedral, Post Office, the Reunification Palace and Cholon (Thien Hau Pagoda and Binh Tay Market), and some may include one museum. An eight-hour full-day tour also includes the War Remnants Museum or Historical Museum, and the lacquerware factory. Boat Tours Boat trips are less popular now as the river is quite polluted due to heavy commercial activity, although work is being carried out to clean it up. Vidotour (tel: (08) 829 1438) operates two hour trips on small boats holding a maximum of four passengers, passing the port, stilt houses and the Thanh Da Peninsula. Saigontourist (tel: (08) 829 8914) has evening cruises on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, which last one hour and finish at Binh Quoi Tourist Village for dinner and a show. |