Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)

Ho Chi Minh is Vietnam's largest and most famous city. During the 14th century this city was known as Prey Nokor and was nothing more than a trading post. By the 18th century, the Lords of Hue, under the Nguyens, had established control of the trade in Prey Nokor and renamed the city Saigon. After the Vietnam War, the new communist regime changed the official name of the city of Saigon to Ho Chi Minh and began to rebuild its economic and social structure.

The following Shore Excursions are available for this port on this cruise, and may be reserved beginning 180 days before the cruise begins.

Mekong River Delta
Tour Code: HCM-1924
Duration: 7 1/2 hours
Retail Value: $79.00
Price: Free

Experience a first-hand look at everyday life in Vietnam during this scenic and memorable visit to the Mekong Delta.

The Mekong River originates in Tibet, and flows through six countries: China, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. When it reaches Vietnam, it divides itself into nine tributaries that form a huge fertile delta. Until the 16th century, the Mekong Delta was an area of marshland and forest. Gradually, the marshland was reclaimed, and a canal network built to enable citizens to raise rice, fish, soybeans, maize, peanuts, tobacco, melons, and more.

Depart the pier in Ho Chi Minh City for the scenic, 1.5-hour drive to My Tho. The first city of the Mekong Delta, My Tho is the largest Buddhist center in the Delta, and famous for its coconut palms and fruit orchards. Photo stops will be made along the way, and you will pass miles of flat rice fields prior to reaching My Tho. Upon arrival, you will visit the ancient Vinh Trang Pagoda to view its many wooden Buddha statues and two sets of wooden arhats. Next, you will board a boat for the highlight of the day; a cruise on the Mekong River. Along the way, you will see all types of boats, many with unusual eyes painted on their bows to frighten off evil underwater spirits. As you ride through a maze of small canals, you will witness the everyday lives of the river dwellers before visiting one of the many islands in the Delta to see the traditional homes of fruit farmers and fishermen, and sample local candies and tea.

After a brief sampan ride on a small canal, you will ride back into town aboard the boat. A lunch consisting of fried fish and vegetables wrapped in rice paper with spicy sauce will be served at a local restaurant, and followed by a variety of exotic, locally-grown tropical fruits. After lunch, you will re-board your coach for the 1.5-hour return drive to Saigon.

Please note: Four guests will ride on each sampan. The drive from Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho is approximately 1.5 hours in each direction. Boats have a roof or cover for sun protection. Seating onboard is very basic, guests may wish to use the life-jackets (provided on the local boats) as cushioning. Guests must be able to step into and out of boats, there is no gangway.

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Terms & Conditions:

Free Unlimited Shore Excursions are for full fare guests only, capacity controlled and subject to availability. Requested excursions may not be available at time of booking. Supplement will apply on Regent Choice excursions (indicated by the above) and excludes Private Arrangements and all Adventures Ashore programs. In order to ensure quality guides and sufficient transportation, we must provide the tour operator with passenger counts at least 36 hours in advance. Therefore no refunds will be given within 36 hours of tour departure for cancellations or no-shows. Please pay special attention to scheduling and tour lengths when booking your shore excursions. In many cases, it is not possible to participate in more than one tour per day in a given port. Tours operate rain or shine. Tours require minimum participation levels to operate so please sign up as early as possible. Tours may be cancelled if minimum participation levels are not met. Prices, Itineraries and General Information shore excursion prices are subject to change to meet unexpected cost increases or currency fluctuations. Please consult the Destination Services Desk onboard for information. During local or national holidays, access to certain facilities (such as museums or archaeological sites) may be limited or denied. In such instances, adjustments will be made to minimize inconvenience to guests. Some tours have limited availability. Tours are generally available for reserving 180 days prior to the beginning of a cruise. Please sign up early to avoid disappointment. Regent Seven Seas Cruises reserves the right to require guests to complete a liability waiver for select shore excursions. For more information, please visit the Destination Services Desk onboard.