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Offered languages
- English
- English
Ho Chi Minh City – or Saigon to those who know and love it – is like a jumbled attic of architectural anomalies, each one recounting a chapter in Vietnam’s story.
On this self-guided audio tour, you’ll explore the city’s built heritage, from French edifices to groundbreaking modernist landmarks. You’ll also catch glimpses of the biophilia taking root in a city that is increasingly dominated by glass and steel.
This tour starts at Notre Dame Cathedral. You’ll explore the Saigon Central Post Office, a neo-baroque facade that flaunts flashes of French Indochina, and the neo-classical Justice Building, with Ionic and Corinthian columns straight out of Ancient Greece.
As you wander through leafy boulevards, you’ll also learn how Vietnamese architects reclaimed the city’s identity after the French exit. The tour ends at the Archbishop’s Residence compound.
This walking tour offers a unique perspective on how architecture reveals Vietnam’s journey from colonial rule to independence.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
This self-guided audio tour starts in the square in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.
This GPS-guided audio tour ends in front of The Archbishop's Residence in Saigon.
Itinerary
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Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral (Pass by)
This self-guided audio tour starts at Notre Dame Cathedral, a colonial copy of its counterpart in Paris, but with its own cultural elements and local superstitions.
Admission ticket free -
Central Post Office (Pass by)
You’ll explore the Saigon Central Post Office, a neo-baroque facade that flaunts flashes of French Indochina, and the neo-classical Justice Building, with Ionic and Corinthian columns straight out of Ancient Greece.
Admission ticket free -
The Independence Palace (Pass by)
Discover how climate-responsive design was incorporated into buildings like the Independence Palace and General Sciences Library, naturally cooling buildings before air conditioning
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
On this walking tour, you’ll explore the city’s built heritage, from French edifices to groundbreaking modernist landmarks. You’ll also catch glimpses of the biophilia taking root in a city that is increasingly dominated by glass and steel.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Discover how climate-responsive design was incorporated into buildings like the Independence Palace and General Sciences Library, naturally cooling buildings before air conditioning
Admission ticket free -
Tao Dan Park (Pass by)
Visit a rare pre-colonial tomb tucked away in the city’s central park
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Explore the curved corner apartment building at 218 Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, an example of Saigon’s endangered modernist heritage
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Examine how Vietnamese modernist architects incorporated traditional symbols like Chinese characters and dragon imagery into their progressive designs
Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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