4.9
Highlights & Hidden Gems of Ho Chi Minh City
- 3 hours
- City Highlight Tours
- Ho Chi Minh City
Choose one of 6 locals available
Experience hosted by HUYEN, Thien & other locals
- Private Tour
- Carbon Neutral
- Destination
- Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Category
- City Highlight Tours
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Transport mode
- Walking tour
- Available languages
- English, Vietnamese
- Included
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- Private Guide
- 1 Local Drink or Snack
- Entrance tickets to War Remnants Museum
- All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral
- Excluded
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- Entrance for other attractions than mentioned
6 reasons to book this tour
- Explore the best of the city in only 3 hours
- Spot classics like Saigon Opera House & Saigon Central Post Office
- Discover hidden gems away from the tourist paths
- Experience the city from a local’s perspective
- Can be 100% personalized to your wishes
- Privately guided by a local expert
What you can expect
Ho Chi Minh City, is a magical place! And with the local host of your choice, you are going to experience it all. So get ready; culture, history, and local lifestyle await!
Dive into the origin of Ho Chi Minh City as you see the city’s main landmarks like Saigon Opera House, Saigon Central Post Office, and the Independence Palace. And how about the hidden gems? Oh, you’re in for a surprise! Every host has its own story to tell, so pick your favorite, and you’ll discover the city through their eyes. Experience their Ho Chi Minh City to the max based on their passions and expertise. They’ll make sure you have fun enjoying a unique and local perspective of Ho Chi Minh City.
Want to take a break? Leave it up to your host! This is the perfect opportunity to visit that special eatery where only the locals come and your chance to enjoy a local treat hand-picked by your host. Feel free to ask your host more about their life in their city or get recommendations about the top things to do in Ho Chi Minh City. Remember, the locals know best.
The best part of any city tour is definitely the unique stories. Everybody has a story to tell, especially your host. Each one of the local hosts has a different background ranging from arts to history. They can’t wait to share their knowledge with you and exchange ideas and perspectives! Feel like changing the route a bit? No problem, the hosts will be happy to personalize the tour to your wishes and make their Ho Chi Minh City, your Ho Chi Minh City!
Choose your local
Get to know these 6 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.
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HUYEN
Local Explorer
5.0219 reviewsEnglish・Vietnamese -
Thien
The Hip Storyteller
4.9646 reviewsEnglish・Vietnamese -
Ted
The Funny Local
4.8377 reviewsEnglish・Vietnamese -
Hoàng
The Curious Creator: BJJ Explorer, Storytelling Photographer, Part-Time Crooner & Full-Time Cat Enthusiast
5.0English -
Candy
The Sweet Adventurer
4.747 reviewsEnglish -
Jecky
Simply Unforgettable Experiences
4.8126 reviewsEnglish・Vietnamese
This is the plan
Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.
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Meeting point
Meet at Monument of the Venerable Monk Thich Quang Duc (At the intersection of Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street and Cach Mang Thang Tam Street. District 3) - Ho Chi Minh City to start your journey
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Itinerary
This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.
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City Highlights
See from Saigon Opera House, Saigon Central Post Office, Independence Palace, and other landmarks and must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots in town so you can get the perfect overview of what makes Ho Chi Minh City so unique -
Hidden Gems
Along the way, your local host will show you treasures hidden in plain sight that only the locals know about. Get to know the city through a different perspective, the local way, and discover places and stories that not many tourists experience -
Magical Storytelling
Behind every landmark and every stop, there’s a story, and your local host is ready to tell it all. Get ready to listen to incredible stories, one-of-a-kind insights, and fun facts only a knowledgeable local would know! -
Special Treat
Follow your host to one of their favorite eateries for a snack or a drink beloved by the locals. Take a break and catch up with your new local friend and get the answers to all your travel questions -
Make it yours
Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.
Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.
Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.
Flexible cancellation policy
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Feel confident booking
Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.
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Change of plans?
Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.
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Loved by travelers worldwide
Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.
Reviews from guests
Keith🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
5 March 2025
We had a private walking tour with Huyen for a morning around some of the sites. She met us at our hotel. She was very knowledgeable and her English was excellent. We had a great time and I would highly recommend her.Great morning walking tour
Anja
(About local )
5 March 2025
Die Stunden mit Thien waren klasse, wir in kurzer Zeit so viele interessante Informationen über Saigon und die Geschichte Vietnams erfahren, wie ich es niemals vermutet hätte.
Wir können Thien zu 100 % empfehlen, sie ist auch sehr, sehr nett und lustig.
Das waren perfekte Stunden mit ihr.Tolle Tour
Baz
(About local )
4 March 2025
Thien was so knowledgable and interesting. She adapted the tour to include things we wanted to see. We all really enjoyed our time with Thien thank you Superstar
Billie🇮🇪 Ireland
(About local )
2 March 2025
We really enjoyed our tour with Jecky, lots of interesting things to see and good conversation about the various buildings, monuments and history of Vietnam.
I think the War Remnants Museum needs longer time to visit so for us, it was too short when incorporated into this tour. Thank you, Jecky, really nice to meet you. Interesting conversations about Vietnam
mpeterson10
(About local )
28 February 2025
Had a great time with Thien and learned SO much! She’s a gem. So great!
Walter🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
27 February 2025
Human is a very friendly and knowledgeable person. She has lots of information to share and speaks fluent English. She has a bubbly personality and is excellent at what she does. She has many local insights and you can ask her ANY question you may have on your mind. She will even help you with dinner reservations or other questions that may pertain to your itinerary. Hiring her is a no brained! Do it!!Knowledgeable and Pleasant
Mary🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
25 February 2025
My husband and I did a half-day Highlights and Hidden Gems tour with Thien while we were in Saigon. The tour was great! Thien is extremely knowledgeable and very personable. Her English is excellent. The tour gave us a great overview of the major sights in Saigon, and we would highly recommend Thien!Great Saigon Tour with Thien
Laura
(About local )
24 February 2025
We were a group of four and we were all very satisfied of our morning tour with Huyen. Everything was easy from the beginning, she was immediately answering my messages. She was super kind to meet us directly at the hotel. Being our first day in Vietnam we would have been a little bit in difficulty. She was very esaustive, telling us a lot of the city, the Vietnamese history, culture. She showed us the most iconic part of the city, and she also helped us getting a sim card. I would definitely recomend HuyenA lovely guided walk in Ho Chi Minh
Nikola
(About local )
21 February 2025
Ted kam zum vereinbarten Treffpunkt und erzählte uns viele interessante Fakten zu Buddhismus, dem Mönch, der sich verbrannt hat und und der Geschichte des Landes. Insgesamt haben wir die "großen" Sehenswürdigkeiten gesehen, aber ein so richtiger Geheimtipp war nicht dabei. Interessant, aber
David🇮🇪 Ireland
(About local )
20 February 2025
Jecky is most informative covering the locations we requested. On time, personable with good English. Would recommend Good choice
Ipsita🇸🇬 Singapore
(About local )
20 February 2025
Huyen is a knowledgeable and engaging tour guide with excellent communication skills. She ensured that I was comfortable throughout the 3 hour tour. She shared lots of trivia and interesting facts about the places we visited. The tour was well paced and easy to cover on foot. I would highly recommend Huyen for an insightful introduction to the city and for her charming and friendly personality! Extremely engaging day trip with Huyen!
Angela
(About local )
18 February 2025
Thien was a great guide around the city. Very bubbly and knowledgeable about many things. Would definitely recommend. Thank you.Great city guide
Jackie
(About local )
16 February 2025
Huyen was a lovely guide, happy to reschedule the date and time of our experience. It was a very hot day, but she kept us cool with a fan and water. Huyen had Excellent English and gave us lots of information. She was very caring when my husband was a bit overwhelmed with the heat.Enthusiastic Guide
ann🇵🇹 Portugal
(About local )
16 February 2025
Jecky was great. We booked him for 2 days. Best pho we had on our trip and it was a local place he took us toGreat guide
Esra
(About local )
8 February 2025
Thien was extremely kind as she came to the hotel to pick us up. Her english is very good. We have specifically asked to walk in the parts of the city not touristic places and go around like a local. I really think we have accomplished our objective. She also later explained us the incredible history of Vietnam. Happy to have such an attentive guide. Walking around like a local
Lara🇮🇹 Italy
(About local )
8 February 2025
The tour through Ho Chi Minh City with Wendy was amazing! She guided us with through the busy roads and sidewalks with ease, while showing us various sights and sharing her knowledge. We saw and learned a lot in those three hours.
The tour is highly recommended to everyone who has not much time planned in this buzzing city, but still wants to get to know it!
Thank you Wendy for being such a great guide 😊Great tour with Wendy
475gjzn57b
(About local )
6 February 2025
I booked 2 tours with Huyen and I highly recommend her to see the sights of Saigon. Huyen is super knowledgeable, fun to spend the day with and is so accommodating to your specific needs. I did one city tour and a Mekong Delta tour and would highly recommend both with Huyen. Ho Chi Minh City Tour
Scott
(About local )
2 February 2025
Jecky took myself and daughters on a three hour walk around HCMC
he is q very knowledgeable guide and also great fun ;)
highly recommended
cheers mate
great walk with Jecky
Don
(About local )
24 January 2025
We really enjoyed a splendid afternoon with Huyen (or, Wind). She met us early and had already planned around our other tours to avoid overlap, and then took us on a whirlwind tour of great sites. The highlight was visiting the Ben Tay Market in Chinatown, where Huyen was able to tell us how pricing worked, the different retail and wholesale areas, the history of the place and how to buy ("don't buy meat from a butcher using a red umbrella over the meat - it may be coloring the meat to appear fresher than it is!).
But she was fun and informative at every site. We rreally recommend her!We Recommend an Afternoon with Huyen!
Nick
(About local )
16 January 2025
We had the most amazing day exploring Ho Chi Minh City with Huyen! She showed us all the city’s highlights, like the War Museum, the stunning church, and the historic post office, but also took us to hidden gems like an old opium factory we’d never have found on our own. Her deep knowledge, fascinating stories, and brilliant insights brought the city’s history and culture to life in such a meaningful way. On top of that, she had us laughing all day with her fantastic sense of humor. She even shared great tips, advice and restaurant recommendations for the rest of our trip. We couldn’t recommend her more—an absolute must for anyone visiting Vietnam!Unforgettable Tour with Wonderful Guide
Emma 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
12 January 2025
Ted was a very nice ,professional, interesting and very knowledgeable guide. He was easy to understand and communicated well throughout.A great guide
Susan Sheko🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
10 January 2025
Huyen was an attentive and knowledgeable guide. She took us to wonderful places that we would not be able to negotiate or fine on our own we highly recommend her especially for your first day in HCMC. Beat way to see Saigon!!
Thilan🇫🇷 France
(About local )
8 January 2025
Thien knows a lot of stories and history of the city, funny and very thoughtful. We had special requests like we wanted to buy some things which are difficult to find for a foreigner (like cooking utensils and clothes, addresses etc) and she adapted very quickly, explained many things. We highly recommend and thank you Thien! Very enjoyable tour
Lucy
(About local )
6 January 2025
Die Stadtführung meiner Freundin und mir mit Ted war sehr informativ und lustig. Ted spricht gutes Englisch und konnte uns viel zur Geschichte des Landes und Ho-Chi-Minh-City erzählen. Wir waren vor allem in District 1 unterwegs und haben die gängigen Sehenswürdigkeiten besucht. Wir hätten uns etwas mehr „Hidden Gems“ gewünscht oder dass wir die Tour etwas individualisieren hätten können, aber für die klassischen Touristenziele war es auf jeden Fall ein wunderbares Erlebnis. Für Fussballfans im Speziellen, nachdem Ted ein begeisterter Fan ist und sehr viel darüber spricht! :)
Also für uns keine 10/10 Sterne, wegen der nicht 100%ig zutreffenden Beschreibung der Tour, aber auf jeden Fall empfehlenswert, um die Highlights der Stadt kennenzulernen!Gute Tour zu allen HCMC-Highlights
Nelly🇳🇱 Netherlands
(About local )
3 January 2025
Wij hebben genoten van onze wandeling door HCM City met Jecky, van beroep een leraar; hij wist ons veel te vertellen over de verschillende bezienswaardigheden. Wij hebben in de stad kennis mogen maken met zijn studenten, die op dat moment een opdracht aan het uitvoeren waren, nl. interviews afnemen in het Engels. Een hele leuke bijkomstigheid!
Dank, Jecky 🙏Een citytour met een goede gids.
Charlotte🇩🇰 Denmark
(About local )
2 January 2025
Thien was a wonderful guide and gave us a great tour of Saigon - both the high lights and the much more interesting local parts. She adjusted the program to our liking and was very informative and we can highly recommend her.Great tour with Thien
KWANG YIN🇸🇬 Singapore
(About local )
2 January 2025
I booked the tour with Huyen on 29 Dec but when I arrived in Saigon on 28 Dec I had problems with my driver bringing me to the hotel. I called Huyen who was in the middle of another tour but she was very helpful to speak to my driver to assist me resolve the journey to my hotel. It was water in the desert so our family is so grateful for the help.
I have two children with special needs so during the tour on 29 Dec, Huyen was super accommodating to the situation and despite the special requirements, she was very patient and informative throughout the tour. It was a wonderful and informative tour, thanks to Huyen!Excellent Tour and Wonderful Experience
Steven🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
28 December 2024
We had an excellent tour with Thien, who picked us up right from our hotel and gave us a memorable day exploring Ho Chi Minh City. She showed us some of the most important historical sites and attractions, including the War Remnants Museum, the iconic Post Office, and the landing spot of the last helicopter during the fall of Saigon.
Thien’s knowledge of history and her ability to share stories made the experience engaging and informative. She also took us to other key landmarks, giving us a great overview of the city’s culture and history.
Thien was friendly, professional, and made sure we had a fantastic time. We highly recommend her for anyone looking to explore Ho Chi Minh City!Great tour
Alexa🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
27 December 2024
Thien is informative and friendly. She has a local perspective. I especially enjoyed the old photos and history she shared. HCMC Main Sights
Andrea🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
24 December 2024
My husband (the “doctor” lol) and I had a great intro to Ho Chi Minh City with Jecky. We got to see the highlights and learn some history in a fun way. I highly recommend Jecky for a guide! Great intro to the city with Jecky!
Simon🇨🇭 Switzerland
(About local )
24 December 2024
Thiem communicated well before the tour and was flexible to start near our hotel. Very efficient to see all the main sights of Saigon and hear stories from someone who was born and raised in the city. This adds real flavour and ensures you really understand what it’s like to live in Saigon and the challenges and opportunities of growing up and living in a vibrant city.
Thiem took us to all the main sights and shared personal insights that we obviously would not have got by ourselves. We finished the tour at the sobering War Remnants museum and then went to an excellent vegetarian restaurant that Thiem recommended. Highlights of Saigon
Thomas🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
23 December 2024
Es war super in so kurzer Zeit so viel zu sehen. Insbesondere abseits der ausgetretenen Touristenpfade. Wir waren an Orten wo weit und breit nur Locals waren. Es war ein super Tag, die Eindrücke waren herausragend. Immer wieder wenn es uns mal wieder nach Saigon verschlägt. Ho Chie Minh mit Thien
Hanneke
(About local )
22 December 2024
Huyen gave us a fabulous walking tour of Ho Chi Minh City. We learnt so much history, saw important sites and she took fantastic family photos for us. She also followed up with great restaurant recommendations. I would recommend this tour.Amazing Day in Ho Chi Minh City
Alison🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
20 December 2024
Huyen was so accommodating, adapting the tour to what we wanted to see in our short time in Saigon. She has great local knowledge and stories and is fun to spend time with. We got a real taste of local Saigon and really enjoyed our few hours with her. Fantastic tour with Huyen
Anne🇩🇰 Denmark
(About local )
17 December 2024
An afternoon spend with Thien is a fantastic afternoon. Not only do you see a lot of highlights you also learn a lot about Saigon's history!Book Thien 😃
Robert🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
5 December 2024
What a great tour ! Our cruise ship arrived in Phú My. From there we took the « Saigon on our own » tour offered by our cruise line. The bus dropped us at the Bitexco tower in Saigon, where Huyen was waiting for us. We had 3 wonderful hours with her. She is a great guide and has a wonderful smile. And she took great pictures of me and my wife 😊 She offered us lots of advice for the additional 3 hours that we spent in Saigon. We highly recommend Huyen as your guide !Great tour of Saigon with Huyen !
Sherlyn🇸🇬 Singapore
(About local )
4 December 2024
Huyền is an exceptional tour guide— approachable, warm, and truly delightful. I’ve booked two tours with her and had no regrets. She made me feel completely at ease throughout the tour and went above and beyond to ensure everything was perfect. Her deep knowledge of the city's history and hidden gems added so much value to the experience. Thank you, Huyền, for making my journey unforgettable!😊❤️Worth the price
Igor🇸🇬 Singapore
(About local )
2 December 2024
The tour with Thien was like a gulp of fresh air - she is witty, knowledgeable, full of facts and legends, flexible and fun! You can only dream about such a tour guide.
She told me many interesting stories about Saigon, showed its front face and “behind the scene” secrets. And she brought me to the oldest coffee place in town with the best coffee!
❤️❤️❤️Breath-taking tour with Thien
Ian
(About local )
29 November 2024
q6q6dhfv2x
(About local )
27 November 2024
Thank you Ted for a great tour in Ho Chi Minh😊 We were very happy with the tour and all the gems and highlights of this vibrant city. Ted was helpful and knowledgeable👌😊Ted is great😊👌
Sally🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
26 November 2024
Thien was a wonderful guide. She was flexible and knowledgeable and gave us a great insight in to Ho Chi Min city. We really enjoyed the whole experience. Thank you Top class guide
Steven
(About local )
24 November 2024
Huyen (Wind) was an amazing guide and I am so happy I signed up for a tour. Communication was great throughout the booking process.
I did the highlights and hidden gems of Saigon tour. We met at the venerable monk statue and had a great time from there over the next 3 hours.
We walked through the neighborhoods, did a national lampoons European vacation style tour of the war remnants museum, and even took a local bus (no talking allowed).
I didn’t realize it at the time, but I took a double decker bus tour through the city later that night and found that I already knew so much about the city on the back of my tour with Wind! I highly recommend her and would definitely sign up again. We had such a great time!
Ron🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
21 November 2024
We recently had the pleasure of spending 3 hours with Huyen in Ho Chi Minh City. She was friendly, welcoming and very knowledgeable. We truly felt at home from the moment we met her. She was willing to adapt our walking tour to meet our needs and interests. Her deep knowledge of Vietnamese history and culture was exceptional. We enjoyed every moment and learnt so much!
We highly recommend her as a guide and as great company too!Personal Touring at its Best!
John🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
16 November 2024
Jecky was an amazing guide. Through his fast paced tour, we were able to tour the major sites, learn the history, and experience the culture of Ho Chi Minh City. We had a very enjoyable day.Best of Ho Chi Minh City in just on day!
Amie
(About local )
15 November 2024
Taking a walking tour with Ted when we first arrived in Ho Chi Minh City was the best idea! Ted freely shared his expert and local knowledge with us. We appreciated his excellent English, professional and friendly demeanor and his obvious concern for us at all times. We enjoyed the best coffee we tasted in Vietnam at Ted’s recommendation! The whole experience was unforgettable. I highly recommend taking a tour with Ted and would suggest that you do it as early in your trip as possible, to make the most of your stay. Thank you, Ted!Take a tour with Ted!
Daniela🇧🇬 Bulgaria
(About local )
13 November 2024
We enjoyed very much our day with Ted. We very much liked his willingness to fit the program to our needs and interests.A wonderful day in Ho Chi Minh with Ted
Alan 🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
12 November 2024
What a wonderful way to learn about the City, the culture and experiences that we could do later. Huyen was amazing, full of facts information but kept pace with us so we were not overwhelmed. Huyen took us on a great walk taking in key points of interest historically, as well as contemporary aspects. We loved the experience. Well done Huyen. Cheers A walk in the City
Marlies🇳🇱 Netherlands
(About local )
11 November 2024
We hebben een hele leuke toer met Ted gehad. Ted was informatief en wist met humor veel over de geschiedenis van Vietnam te vertellen. Ook hebben we gezellig over het Nederlands voetbal en muziek uit de jaren ‘80 gepraat. Na de toer hebben we nog veel leuke tios van Ted gehad. Hele leuke en gezellige toer
David🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
10 November 2024
Thanks Huyen for giving my wife and I a wonderful insight to your home city of Saigon.
Huyen took us "off the beaten track" to show us some hidden treasures as well as the usual must see sights. We even stopped at a lovely local stall for a tasty fruit smoothie. (The pineapple and carrot was very nice!) It was a very warm day and towards the end of the tour we asked for a break so Huyen recommended a local coffee shop she frequents instead of the main chain one's. It was lovely and the coffee was fab.
Huyen was very pleasant, passionate and knowledgeable about her home town. Her English was excellent so we understood everything she told us.
I would definitely recommend Huyen to anyone visiting Ho Chi Minh City.
Many thanks,
Tracy and Dave, Cardiff, Wales.Definitely recommended
Lou🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
5 November 2024
We had a great morning being shown the highlights of HCMC. Jecky was easy to communicate with beforehand and very knowledgeable and accommodating during the tour. Would highly recommend Jecky. Thank you for showing us Saigon
Withlocals experiencesare always
Private & personalizedNo strangers, just you. Fully customize your trip to your needs.
With a local expertFrom historical facts to the most up-to-date health regulations.
Without the crowdsExperiences designed to take you away from the crowds towards authentic local spots.
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