The tours follow a nine kilometre route along the city’s Thi Nghe Canal and departures are from the pier beside Thi Nghe Bridge in the First District. The boats terminate in the Third District and en route pass Binh Thanh and Tan Binh.
The standard option for the two-hour long city odyssey is aboard the 20-passenger river boat The Chong. A one-way ticket for this costs VND110,000 (US$4.90) per passenger.
The alternative is to take the trip on a Venice-style gondola. These craft have dual seats either side of a table and are really designed for four passengers. Passengers can bring their own food and drinks along and turn the tour into a picnic with a difference. Tickets for the gondolas are VND220,000 (US$9.80) per person.
According to Vietnamese media sources, English-speaking guides give running commentaries on the various structures alongside the canal and provide other interesting facts about the evolvement of Ho Chi Minh City. Tickets can be purchased at offices located near the two departure stations.
Ho Chi Minh canal trips emulate Bangkok floating market tours
News in Asia
Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City has just launched its own version of Bangkok’s renowned canal boat tours. Ho Chi Minh’s Tourism Bureau has joined forces with Saigon Boat JSC in offering two different options for city visitors.