In a nutshell

A fascinating excursion that takes us to discover the history of Vietnam and the ancient Chinese quarter.

Main stops

History Museum
Tour of the exterior of the Reunification Palace
Visit to a lacquer treatment laboratory
Lunch in a typical restaurant
Chinatown Ancient Quarter chinese pagoda
Ben Thanh Market

The programme

Our excursion begins with the History Museum, located at the entrance to the Botanical and Zoological Gardens. The museum, inaugurated in 1929, houses a collection of objects that illustrate the evolution of the Vietnamese people during their 4,000 years of history: ancient ceramics, traditional costumes, stone and bronze objects that bring history to life. of this people. At the end of the visit, we attend a short and pleasant traditional puppet show.

We then take a tour of the exterior of the Reunification Palace, formerly known as the "Palace of Independence", rebuilt and completed in 1966 on the spot where the Norodom Palace stood, which was bombed in 1962. The 30 April 1975, a North Vietnamese armed tank broke through the main entrance, thus symbolizing the liberation of the country.
The next step takes us to a lacquer treatment laboratory, where we observe expert craftsmen at work and where we have the opportunity to buy objects for sale.
We end the morning with lunch at a local restaurant, where we have the opportunity to taste the delights of Vietnamese cuisine.
At the end of lunch, our excursion continues with a visit to Chinatown, located west of the city center. In this ancient district, once called Cho Lon (“big market”) and built by the Chinese and Vietnamese in 1788, we visit the famous “Chinese Pagoda” or Thien Hau Pagoda dedicated to Thien Hau, the Chinese goddess of sea. The pagoda, built in the 18th century, houses a superb collection of ceramic statuettes and a scale model of a boat used by the first Chinese from Canton. At the end of this excursion, we have some free time to shop in the shops in the center and in the Ben Thanh market, where we can find all kinds of items such as clothes, hats, food and household items, in addition to many souvenirs made by local artisans.

Good to know

The places available being limited, it is recommended to book in advance.
The itinerary is subject to change.
It is recommended to wear comfortable shoes and sportswear.
It is recommended to bring mosquito repellent.