7 Of The Best Day Tours From Ho Chi Minh City
Whether you’re starting or ending your Vietnam trip in Ho Chi Minh City, make sure you factor in some time to explore the rich history and culture of Southern Vietnam.
We spent three and a half days in the South’s sprawling metropolis, and spent two of these days taking day trips. I’d recommend putting aside at least two days to explore the city, and 1-2 days to head out beyond the bustle.
This guide covers seven different day trips from Ho Chi Minh City, with transportation included. Many of the sites covered can be visited independently, however public transport to locations can be a bit of a challenge, and hiring a scooter in Ho Chi Minh City isn’t a great idea unless you’re confident biking in Vietnam’s busy cities. Booking a tour takes the hassle out of getting there and finding your way around, with the added bonus of knowledgeable guides and included entry fees for most tours.
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Choosing your tour
Unless you’re spending at least a week in Ho Chi Minh City, you won’t have time to take all the day tours I’ve shared in this post.
For first-time visitors, a Cu Chi Tunnels guided tour is an absolute must. If you’re short on time, you can combine this with a visit to the Mekong Delta, where you’ll learn about traditional rural ways of living. Personally, I’d say these two locations are must-visits.
With more time, or on a second or more visit, it’s worth exploring some of the other destinations. Wildlife lovers can meet monkeys and spot saltwater crocs in the mangroves of Can Gio; embrace the spiritual side of the South Vietnam countryside at Ba Den Mountain; or enjoy beach time and sightseeing in Vung Tau.
Tours Overview
- Cu Chi Tunnels – iconic Vietnam War history
- Mekong Delta – experiencing local living
- Cu Chu Tunnels & Mekong Delta – great for those short on time to combine the most popular tours
- Mui Ne, Fairy Pools & Sand Dunes – laid back resort life and natural beauty
- Black Virgin Mountain And Cao Dai Temple – rural living, spiritual connection and nature
- Vung Tau – sightseeing and urban beach life
- Can Gio Mangrove & Monkey Island – wildlife, jungle and eco-resort relaxation
1. Cu Chi Tunnels Guided Tour
Price: From £12 / US $16 / AU $23 per person
Duration: 7 hours
Departure time: 8am or 12pm
Hotel pickup? Yes
Inclusions: Air conditioned bus transport, entry tickets, 1 bottle of water
Guide? Yes – English speaking
Children? Yes, all ages – under 10s prices from £11 / US $16 / A$22
Wheelchair accessible? Most above ground activities at the Cu Chi Tunnels are wheelchair friendly but transportation requires entry and exit to the vehicle – check with tour provider before booking for vehicle suitability.
Ability level: Easy
Visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels was high on our Vietnam bucket list, and one of the essential day tours from Ho Chi Minh City. By this point, we’d done enough scootering around the country, so we took a Cu Chi Tunnels Guided Tour which included pick-up directly from our hotel in central Vietnam.
On the guided tour, we heard stories of the Viet Cong soldiers who used the tunnels as hiding spots. Through fascinating feats of ingenuity, the elaborate network of tunnels featured hidden entrances and traps to move around undetected and evade enemy forces.
There are a few opportunities to find out just how compact these tunnels are – from crawling along a passageway to sliding into a hole in the ground. Wildly, these attractions were actually made larger for tourist visits – and they’re still VERY claustrophobic!
As an optional (non-included) extra, you can try firing authentic war-era weapons in a safe and supervised environment.
2. Mekong Delta Tour
Price: From £46/US $16/AU $23 per person
Duration: 10 hours
Departure time: 7am
Hotel pickup? Yes – districts 1 & 2
Inclusions: Air conditioned bus transport, boat transportation, bicycle hire, all fees and taxes, five course lunch, fruit and coconut water, 2 bottles of water
Guide? Yes – English speaking
Children? Yes, all ages – under 12s prices from £35
Wheelchair accessible? Not fully – ambulant wheelchair users may be able to access the majority of the tour, contact the tour organiser for further information.
Ability level: Easy – an alternative transport option is offered to the bike ride
For our second day trip from Ho Chi Minh City, we headed out to the Mekong Delta. I’m actually recommending a different tour to the one we took, as we found our tour a little rushed and unsatisfying. If you’re on a strict budget, the tour we took is available here – but if you can spend a little more, this one day, less touristy Ben Tre tour takes you to much less busy areas of the Mekong Delta.
On the tour I’ve featured, you’ll be transported through the countryside to the town of Ben Tre. A boat trip along the Mekong Delta takes you along the path of skilled local artisans, from visiting a brick factory to a family-run coconut farm. Along the way, you learn about traditional techniques and traditions.
On a bike ride (or tuk tuk, if you prefer), you’ll explore the villages and landscapes of rural Vietnam before having a home-cooked lunch in a local house, a more intimate experience than the usual buffet restaurants many tours visit.
Finally, you’ll take the iconic boat ride through the palm-lined canals before heading back to Ho Chi Minh City for the early evening.
3. Cu Chi Tunnels & Mekong Delta Tour
Price: From £26 / US$35 / A$50
Duration: 10-11 hours
Departure time: 7.30am
Hotel pickup? Yes – city centre hotels
Inclusions: Air conditioned bus transport, boat transportation, lunch (vegetarian & vegan options available), all entry fees and taxes, five course lunch, fruit and 1 bottle of water
Guide? Yes – English speaking
Children? Yes, all ages – under 11s prices from £23 /
Wheelchair accessible? Not fully – ambulant wheelchair users may be able to access the majority of the tour, contact the tour organiser for further information.
Ability level: Easy
If you’re short on time, you can combine the Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta in a long but activity-packed day trip. The Cu Chi Tunnels visit will be largely the same as a regular tour, however some elements of the regular Mekong Delta tours may be shortened to save time, as you’ll have around two hours there.
4. Mui Ne – Sand Dunes & Fairy Pools
Price: From £43 / $58 / A$82 per person
Duration: 10 hours
Departure time: 7am
Hotel pickup? Yes – within a specific central area
Inclusions: Air-conditioned transport, entrance fees, lunch, bottled water. Not included: Jeep or ATV rental at the sand dunes
Guide? Yes – English speaking
Children? Yes, all ages – under 8s prices from £30 / US$40 / A$56
Wheelchair accessible? No
Ability level: Easy
We actually spent a couple of days in Mui Ne before heading to Ho Chi Minh city on our trip. Mostly, we stretched ourselves out on beach bars sipping cocktails, but there are some very unique things to do in the area on a day trip!
A beach town on Vietnam’s south coast, Mui Ne has a long-standing history as a fishing community. As it became popular as a weekend destination for Ho Chi Minh city dwellers, the area built up into a resort area with hotels, restaurants and bars.
On a day trip to Mui Ne, you’ll explore the traditional fishing roots of the town before heading out to a more natural attraction, the Fairy Pools. This water stream is edged with striking red clay cliffs, which you’ll walk alongside as you wade your way through the shallow water.
Following lunch and some beach time, you’ll head to Bau Trang’s White Sand Dunes, for the kind of desert-esque adventure you might not expect in Vietnam! For an extra fee, you can rent a jeep or ATV to drive around; or simply walk the sand and marvel at these magical dunes.
5. Black Virgin Mountain And Cao Dai Temple
Price: From £50 / US$68 / A$96 per person
Duration: 12 hours
Departure time: 6am / 7am
Hotel pickup? Yes – District 1
Inclusions: Air-conditioned transport, entrance fees, restaurant lunch, bottled water
Guide? Yes – English speaking
Children? Yes, all ages – 5-8yrs prices from £38 / US$51 / A$72
Wheelchair accessible? No (although individual locations have partial wheelchair access)
Ability level: Easy
Head out of the bustle of Ho Chi Minh City to experience scenic views, rural life and the spiritual culture of Tay Ninh.
After making your way through the beautiful countryside of Southern Vietnam, the first stop is the spectacular Ba Den (Black Virgin) Mountain. A large bronze Lady Buddha stands proudly at the top of Southern Vietnam’s tallest peak, 986m above sea level. Take the cable car (not included in tour price) over the forest and cliffs below to reach the summit.
Here, you’ll find caves, shrines and intricate temples in the expansive, peaceful complex. For something a little less spiritual, there’s also an Alpine coaster ride (we LOVE an Alpine coaster).
Back on lower ground, the afternoon will be spent visiting Cao Dai Temple, a unique and colourful religious building that combines Neo-Gothic, Baroque and traditional Asian architecture styles. You’ll learn more about the Cao Daiism faith, which brings together aspects of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, and Islam.
6. Vung Tau
Price: From £40 / US$54 / A$76 per person
Duration: 10 hours
Departure time: 7am
Hotel pickup? Yes – District 1
Inclusions: Air-conditioned transport, entrance fees, restaurant lunch, bottled water
Guide? Yes – English speaking
Children? Yes, all ages – age 5-8yrs prices from £30 / US$40 / A$57
Wheelchair accessible? Some locations are wheelchair accessible – check with provider regarding vehicle
Ability level: Easy
While Mui Ne offers a more laid-back seaside town experience, Vung Tau, another popular beach destination, is a lively urban seaside city with fascinating temples and great food options.
Thuy Van Beach is THE spot to enjoy sandy shoreline and the chance to take a dip in clear blue waters. If you’re taking this tour, you’ll head here first to soak up the atmosphere.
After a local lunch, you’ll visit one of the region’s most iconic landmarks, the Christ of Vung Tau statue.This 32m statue towers at the top of Mount Nhỏ, overlooking the city and sea below. If you’re up for the 800-step climb, you can take in the view from the shoulder-level statue platform.
Other spots you’ll visit include:
- Thang Tam Temple – known as the ‘Whale Temple’, a spiritual tribute to the sea for local fishing communities
- Bach Dinh – a beautiful colonial palace with colonial era architecture.
- Cape Nghinh Phong – scenic clifftop views over the coastline and sea
To take this trip independently, you could also take a shared bus or ferry from Ho Chi Minh City (prices start at around 285,000 VND / £8) and arrange your own activities and meals.
7. Can Gio Mangrove & Monkey Island
Price: From £30 / US$40 / A$56
Duration: 9 hours
Departure time: 8am
Hotel pickup? Yes
Inclusions: Pick-up and drop-off in Ho Chi Minh City, ferry crossing, guided tour of Rung Sac Guerilla jungle headquarters, access to resort amenities
Guide? Yes – English speaking
Children? Yes, all ages
Wheelchair accessible? No (unless booking a private tour)
Ability level: Easy-Moderate
The Can Gio Mangrove Forest is an area heavily affected by the Vietnam War before a combination of local conservation efforts and nature’s way turned the area into a natural wonderland. This UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is home to a wealth of wildlife, including saltwater crocodiles, otters and a huge population of free roaming macaque monkeys.
Honestly, I only found out about this trip while researching this article and it’s something I wish we’d done as the wildlife and jungle adventuring sounds right up our street. Added to the list for next time!
On this tour, you’ll head straight into the ‘monkey forest’, observing the wild monkeys interacting around the canopy. During free time in Can Gio, you can choose to take a speedboat ride through the jungle (additional cost) which takes you into crocodile territory, tracing routes used by the legendary Rung Sac Guerillas.
In a hidden jungle headquarters, you’ll learn more about these guerillas and how they survived and fought in tough environments. After a stop at a local fishing community, the rough jungle is exchanged for a relaxed eco-resort, where you’ll have lunch and be able to enjoy resort amenities before heading back to the city.
