Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta & beach holiday on Phu Quoc

Today, you will fly from your chosen airport to Ho Chi Minh City with connecting flights along the way.

You’ll arrive at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, where you’ll go through immigration and collect your luggage. Your guide will be waiting for you outside the arrivals hall, beyond the exit doors. Look out for your guide in a TourCompass uniform and holding a TourCompass sign, making them easy for you to spot.

You’ll be transferred to your hotel, which is centrally located in this bustling Vietnamese city. Once you arrive and check in at your hotel, the rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure.

Today offers an exciting half-day tour of Ho Chi Minh City.

Your guide and driver will collect you from your hotel, and from here, you'll be taken to Dong Khoi Street, one of Saigon’s most iconic boulevards. This elegant avenue runs through the heart of the old colonial quarter, where French architecture stands shoulder to shoulder with fashionable boutiques, art galleries, and charming cafés. Brimming with atmosphere and history, Dong Khoi has played a key role in the city’s story—from its colonial splendour, through the turbulence of war, to the bustling metropolis it is today. It’s also where Graham Greene set important scenes in his classic novel, The Quiet American.

You’ll pass the Saigon Opera House, a striking architectural masterpiece from 1901, which stands as a vibrant symbol of the city’s cultural heritage. Over the years, it has served as everything from an air-raid shelter to the home of South Vietnam’s parliamentary lower house, marking a remarkable history.

Next, you’ll visit the Central Post Office, designed by the world-renowned French engineer Gustave Eiffel. With its graceful arches, elegant ironwork and historic ambience, the building stands as a testament to the lasting influence of the French in Ho Chi Minh City.

Directly opposite the Central Post Office is the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, constructed between 1863 and 1880. With its distinctive red brickwork and soaring spires, this cathedral is an impressive legacy from the French colonial era.

Facing the church, you’ll find a grey building behind you that some might recognise as the "Pittman Apartments" at 22 Gia Long Street. This is the setting for the famous photograph taken by Dutch photographer Hubert van Es on April 29^th, 1975, during the fall of Saigon. It’s where a helicopter landed on the rooftop—a scene many mistakenly believed took place at the American Embassy. Your guide will share the dramatic story of the evacuation and the hidden role this building played in the war’s final hours.

The tour continues with a visit to the historic Reunification Palace, the site where the Vietnam War—or the American War, as the Vietnamese call it—officially ended. On April 30th, 1975, a North Vietnamese tank crashed through the palace gates, bringing a close to a brutal conflict that claimed the lives of around 58,000 Americans and a staggering 3 million Vietnamese people. Here, you can explore the war rooms, grand reception halls, and the president’s office.

Next, you’ll visit the War Remnants Museum, offering a powerful and moving insight into the horrors of war. Its exhibitions depict the stark realities and lasting human cost left in the conflict’s wake.

The following stop is one of Ho Chi Minh City’s lesser-known sites—one rarely discovered by travellers on their own: the Saigon Commandos Museum. Here, a local citizen offers a rare glimpse into daily life during the war. The museum is housed in a modest dwelling from 1963 that, at first glance, appears to be a perfectly ordinary home. Behind its unassuming façade, however, lies a former operations base led by Tran Van Lai, a member of the Vietnamese resistance who lived undercover as a furniture maker while assisting Ho Chi Minh City’s commando units to hide weapons and plan their missions. The exhibits tell the story of these brave commandos, their strategies, covert operations, and survival under extraordinary conditions.

Finally, you can relax with a drink in the museum’s café, where you’ll have the opportunity to try their signature “butter beer”.

You’ll then be driven back to your hotel, where the rest of the day is yours to spend as you wish.

Today is yours to discover Ho Chi Minh City entirely at your own pace.

The city has many faces, and you have the whole day to seek out the sides that captivate you the most – whether that’s delving into history, exploring its creative urban vibe or sampling local flavours.

If you’re keen to experience the city’s contemporary energy, pay a visit to the Café Apartment, which sits right on Nguyen Hue promenade, the city’s grand pedestrian avenue. Once a residential block, Café Apartment is now home to quirky independent coffee bars, design shops, and creative studios. Each floor has its own unique character, giving you an authentic introduction to the youthful spirit of Ho Chi Minh City.

Alternatively, you might cross the river to District 2, one of the city’s fastest-growing neighbourhoods, marked by modern architecture, green spaces, and inventive cafés. Here, you’ll find a peaceful atmosphere with a mix of international restaurants, boutique shops, and little art galleries. The trendy Thao Dien area, in particular, is especially popular for its laid-back vibe, attracting both locals and travellers alike.

As dusk settles, stroll along Nguyen Hue promenade, surrounded by flowers, fountains and atmospheric buildings. This is where you’ll experience city life at its best, as locals gather with street performers, dancers and young families in a vibrant swirl. The mood is both relaxed and buzzing, all coming together around the illuminated city hall.

After sunset, why not round off your day with a mesmerising view across the sea of city lights from the top of one of Ho Chi Minh City’s skyscrapers, such as the Bitexco Financial Tower or Landmark 81.

After breakfast, your guide and driver will collect you from your hotel and you’ll set off towards the lush Mekong Delta, one of Vietnam’s most fertile and life-giving regions. The Mekong River originates in the Himalayas and journeys roughly 4,500 km through six countries before branching out into the sprawling delta south of Ho Chi Minh City. The delta covers about 40,000 square kilometres, and the extent of flooded areas here depends on the intensity of the rainy season and the changing seasons.

You won’t travel far outside Ho Chi Minh City before the scenery starts to change. As you drive, you’ll pass verdant fields and weave past small rivers and canals winding their way through the flat landscape. It’s common to spot local farmers tending to their crops while water buffalo graze by the roadside, and small roadside stalls enticing you with fresh fruit.

After around 2½ hours of driving, you arrive in the town of Cai Be. Here, you board a boat and set off into the lush Mekong Delta. Your first stop is a local workshop, where skilled artisans craft beautiful products from coconut. You’ll also see how puffed rice is made. From here, you continue your journey in a small sampan – a traditional wooden rowboat – gliding through the Mekong Delta’s narrow, winding waterways.

Next, you switch to a larger, motorised boat that takes you to a peaceful little island in the heart of the delta. Here, you’ll enjoy a delicious traditional lunch, freshly prepared with local ingredients from the Mekong Delta, surrounded by verdant greenery and the gentle rhythms of river life.

After lunch, you cruise back to the mainland and stop at a pottery workshop. Here, you can watch local artisans keep age-old traditions alive and learn more about their passion for craftsmanship.

You then continue on to our social sustainability project in Vinh Long, founded by our local partner. A tranquil walk through the village awaits, while your guide shares insights into the project along the way. You’ll be treated to fresh fruit and a refreshing drink before having the chance to take part in traditional rural life. Together with local farmers, you can try your hand at rice cultivation – either planting young seedlings or helping with the harvest, depending on the season. It’s an educational, down-to-earth experience offering a unique glimpse into everyday life in Vietnam’s countryside and the hard work behind sustainable farming. By joining this excursion, you’re also helping to make a difference for the families in Vinh Long, as a percentage of the tour price goes directly to the project, which you can learn more about here.

Afterwards, you return to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, where you have the evening at leisure.

Today, you’ll fly to the island of Phu Quoc, off Vietnam’s west coast in the Gulf of Thailand, close to Cambodia. You’ll be picked up at your hotel and driven to Tan Son Nhat Airport, from where you’ll take a flight of about 1 hour.

Upon arrival at Phu Quoc Airport, you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel. After check-in, the rest of the day is at your leisure. Grab your swimwear and enjoy a refreshing dip in the hotel’s pool, or head for the golden sandy beach.

The little Dinh Cau temple is a lovely spot to round off the day, where you can enjoy the sea breeze and watch the sunset over the sea.

The next couple of days are set aside for relaxation.

Phu Quoc is Vietnam’s largest island and, in recent years, has become a popular destination for both Vietnamese and international travellers. The island exudes an easy-going holiday vibe with palm-fringed sandy beaches, clear swimming waters, and lush green forests at its heart. A large part of the island is protected as a National Park, adding to the verdant scenery. Along the coast, the sea is perfect for leisurely swims, and around the southern An Thoi islands, there are excellent opportunities for both diving and snorkelling among colourful coral reefs.

The atmosphere on Phu Quoc varies from place to place. In and around the main town of Duong Dong, there’s more buzz, with shops and a wide choice of restaurants and cafés. Along the beaches here you can enjoy beach bars and beautiful sunsets, while the stretches of coast beyond the main town offer a calmer, more laid-back holiday feel.

Head inland to visit the island’s well-known pepper plantations or gain an insight into the production of the traditional fish sauce for which Phu Quoc is particularly famous.

In the north of the island, you’ll find small fishing villages where you can enjoy freshly prepared fish and seafood, while in the south you can delve into Phu Quoc’s history at the former Vietnam War-era Coconut Prison, which offers an insight into the island’s dramatic past. This is also where you can ride the world’s longest sea-crossing cable car, linking An Thoi with Hon Thom Island.

In the evening, it’s well worth visiting the atmospheric night market in the main town of Duong Dong. It’s full of life, and you can sample local specialities, browse the stalls, and soak up the town’s buzz.

Today, your journey home begins. You’ll be picked up from the hotel and driven to Phu Quoc Airport, where your flight back to Europe departs, with connecting flight(s) along the way.

You’ll land at your selected airport after a wonderful tour with plenty of new memories and some well-earned relaxation.