Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
As a non-profit club, we charge no service fee, you are only paying for the booking system and in need of covering the transportation fees, attraction entrance fees and meals.
Founded in 2006, Saigon Hotpot is a non-profit organization and voluntary student club committing to promote the beauty of Ho Chi Minh city by taking visitors on private walking street tours. We have accompanied friends from all around the world - from the US, the UK, Greece,... to Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong,...
At busy times, we can conduct more than 200 tours per month with top-notch quality service as all our guides spend at least 3 months in training. We peaked at TripAdvisor top 5 and remains one of the top choices for visitors ever since.
The tour is totally customizable to give you the most personalized experience. For further information as well as free booking, please visit our website.
For weekday booking, please visit our website.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
What To Expect
- City Option, including: The Independence Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon, Central Post Office, and many more. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is the important economic, political, cultural and educational center of Vietnam. This city is a combination of modern and classic, skyscrapers and ancient architectures in the Western style which is associated with interesting stories of Vietnamese history. What can be more interesting than having a tour around the city center in a fresh morning? With young and dynamic locals, fun facts and fantastic untold stories, we will unveil the history and the culture of Saigon through some of the most symbolic places of this 300-year-old city.
Phố Tau Sai Gon (Chợ Lớn Quận 5)
- Chinatown Option, including: Ba Thien Hau Temple, Ong Bon Pagoda, Father tam Church, and many more. “Chinese culture always has its own uniquely ancient vibe” There is an existing downtown area in Saigon where Cantonese people predominantly resides. Taking a long ride from early morning or enjoying sunlight during the afternoon, Saigon Hotpot will blow your mind with many interesting facts, mysterious religious stories and legendary anecdotes among top destinations in Chinatown. Also known as Cholon, China town covers a broad area, including District 5, part of District 11 and District 6 in Ho Chi Minh City. This place is now a significant commercial center of the Chinese in Ho Chi Minh City which still preserves the precious values of culture, religion and architecture dating back thousands of years. The pipe-shaped tiled roofs in Chinatown streets combining with typical Chinese architectures feature a unique classic beauty.
Options
Ho Chi Minh City private walking tours with young local volunteers
Pickup included
What‘s Included
Tour-guide service
Coffee and/or Tea
Private transportation
Attractions Entrance Fees
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
360 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Amazing student tour with Gia/ Jesse! Cultural exchange and customized experience
Dream55212672625,Jun 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Gia/ Jesse was an amazing guide! She offered to tour us in a great food street initially, but when we said we had already visited, she offered a more local experience. In the end, she showed us around the Saigon Riverside Park, when we shared how we'd love to eat with a view of the water. We bought student-priced meals (bo la lot, sugar cane rice cakes, fruit tea, etc.) , while having a view of the local park. There was a Vinson event happening, so we also got to see some performances. She took us to a sunflower garden and a skateboard area nearby, where we enjoyed some nachos together. The trip was most enjoyable because of the cultural sharing that Saigon Hotpot enables and I recommend it to everyone asking about our Ho Chi Minh trip. We gained insights on student life, province vs city culture, what life in Vietnam is like, etc. It was our favorite experience, slightly above the AO show :)
Amazing Ho Chi Minh by SGHP
J6976YWmarcoo,Jun 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Can't say enough good things about SGHP! From the moment they received my quite last minute (2 days before arrival) request to hook up with volunteers, Ms. Vy Vo has been extremely helpful in seeking for volunteers to help me! All 3 of these students, Ms. Thu Thanh, Erica and Mr. Kiet have been fantastic hosts and so dedicated that they didn't mind to get wet in the rain as well! They even went out of their way to customize a trip to suit my preferences! We had a great time in deep and meaningful cultural exchange. All of us have not only benefited from the knowledge about HCMC; but also about each other's culture, language, and country. By engaging in such tours, visitors are also helping to train a new generation of tour guides and ambassadors for VN. SGHP is highly recommended for anyone that wants to experience the same country but in a much more personal level! SGHP please keep up the fantastic work!
High recommend!
555lottied,Jun 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This is the second time I have visited the city and used Saigon hotpot, the experience was equally as good as the first. You go to some incredible places you just wouldn’t find on your own, especially if you only have limited time. The guides are very friendly and knowledgable and really want to tailor the experience for you. Don’t be afraid to ask if there is something specific you would like to do.
Their enthusiasm and dynamism is as much as the name HotPot.
Guide23857686601,Jun 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Special thanks to two ladies, Nha Khue and Thuy An, who led our group of five on a tour of the tunnels, Independence Palace, Central Post Office, Café Building and City Hall Square ... Let's get to know Saigon faster. Not only do they introduce us to the characteristics and historical background of each place, but they're also particularly literate in their willingness to learn from us a number of different perspectives. What a mutual experience. It's best to thank Saigon Hot Pot for this organization, even though I made a temporary appointment and tried my best to help arrange the reception, especially not easy! One more tip for the guides: You can introduce visitors to some of the well-known local writers/artists and their work, as well as knowledge about intangible cultural heritage, on your tour, which will make your short time together even more memorable.
For a truly local experience, Saigon Hotpot is your best bet!
twk2,Jun 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Kiet was a terrific guide! In just 3 hours, he brought us to a truly local market (Ban Co market) where we had an awesome local breakfast of mung bean sticky rice and Vietnamese coffee, then showed us the Nguyen Thien Thuat Apartment buildings, followed by the Ho Thi Ky Flower Market. It was a fascinating glimpse into the local way of life. He also took us to Ly Thai To Park which was built in memory of those who perished during the Covid pandemic and it was a lovely peaceful oasis amidst the chaos of HCMC. When the cafe he had originally intended to take us to was closed (Cheo Leo Coffee -one of Saigon's oldest coffee shops with history of > 80 years), he was flexible enough to suggest another cafe, which turned out to be a real highlight of our trip! It had an underground tunnel where guests could experience what it was like to hide out in these underground bunkers during the war, next to a gallery/ museum which housed the weaponry used during the war. It was truly a fun tour that gave us insights into local culture and history. Kiet was enthusiastic and helpful (even helped us to call a spa to book our massages!). We found out he was sitting for his exams the following week! It was most memorable and I highly recommed booking your tours with Saigon Hotpot because not only will you have a wonderful tour you are also doing your bit for charity. The tours are free but donatons are welcome. I remember doing a Saigon Hotpot tour more than 15 years ago and I am so glad they are still going strong!
Nice and free. Please donate if u enjjoy the tour
Explore54233671305,Jun 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00the tour guide is very nice and indrouduce the histroy of the spot very well.
A pleasant afternoon
horseeyeBrissie,May 31, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Chinatown Hotpot We attempt to book at least one of these type of tours on every OS holiday. We find it more of an exchange than a strait up tour. An opportunity for all involved to learn. On this occasion we opted for a bit of a Chinatown Jaunt. Having heard that it was different than most Chinatowns we were keen to see for ourselves. Our young tour guide contacted us a few days before meeting to seek our interests and desires. After a few exchanges we settled on an itinerary that included ours and his interests and knowledge. As it is rainy season we had to delay the start time due to the heat then the torrential rain. We had agreed on three stops, a Chinese family meeting hall, a local Catholic Church and the markets. Broken up by a stop for coffee. These were selected for their local history and architectural variety. My guess is that Chinatown was not the most interesting topic for Khol. As such he had done some research and prepared his speaking points. Possibly he could have done some research to cross check facts or possibly it was the word or cultural translation. I say this only because his explanation of details regarding some of the standard inclusions of the church were incorrect. Given our own background as Catholics we were happy to offer some input here. The tour itself was quite interesting and we found Khol to be a pleasure to be with. His English is good and seemed to have no problems understanding Australians.
Saigon inside out
zhangy760,May 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had a fantastic experience with Charlotte! She is outgoing, passionate, and incredibly friendly. Her English is excellent, making communication easy and enjoyable. The tour gave me the opportunity to explore a different side of Saigon that I might not have discovered on my own. I highly recommend this experience to anyone who wants to meet local young people and enjoy a unique perspective of the city.
Supreme!
Jet04025867541,May 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00So good! Our tour guide was Le Tran Thao Vy, she's very talkative and easygoing, everything was well arranged! Im so glad I booked this trip! Very recommend!
Best experience!
Tourist50665129797,May 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00One of the best experiences during our trip to Vietnam. Definitely 5++/5 A huge thank you to Saigon Hotpot, and especially to our local companion, Nha Khue!!! She was incredibly thoughtful and caring throughout the whole experience. Even before the tour, she contacted me in advance and helped us plan our entire day patiently🙏I really appreciated how considerate she was in every detail~ What made the tour special was not only the places we visited, but also the conversations and stories she shared with us. You could truly feel her passion for Vietnamese culture, knowledge of scenic spots... Thank you again, Khue, for giving us such warm and meaningful memories in Ho Chi Minh City🥺 I genuinely hope we can meet again someday!
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Operated by Saigon Hotpot