Cho Lon in Depth: Private Chinatown Heritage Walking Tour

5.0 (7 reviews) Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Duration3h - 4h
Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Private tourOnly your group will participate

Overview

Cho Lon is often introduced simply as Ho Chi Minh City's Chinatown. This private four-hour walk goes further, using its assembly halls, temples, trading streets, food and everyday neighborhood life to understand how different Chinese communities helped shape this part of Saigon.

Rather than moving through a checklist of landmarks, the walk connects what you see to migration, commerce, belief and community life. Your guide is trained specifically for this route and its historical and cultural context, and the private format leaves plenty of room for questions and conversation along the way.

The route takes in some of Cho Lon's most important religious and community sites, busy trading streets, local snacks, a long-running neighborhood coffee stop and Binh Tay Market. It is designed for travelers who want to understand the area, not simply see its highlights.

What's included

  • Selected local street-food tastings along the route
  • Coffee and a cold drink at a long-running local coffee stop

What to expect

  1. 30m
    Our tour starts at the front courtyard of Nghia An Assembly Hall. Also known by various names such as Quan De Temple and Ong Pagoda, Nghia An Assembly Hall holds great significance within the Teochew community. It serves not only as a vital place of worship for Teochew people in Saigon but also as a precious architectural and artistic masterpiece from the late 19th to the early 20th century. This temple venerates Quan Vu, a renowned figure from the Three Kingdoms period, who symbolizes talent and moral excellence for the Chinese, hence its alternate names Quan De Temple and Ong Pagoda.
  2. 45m
    Tuệ Thành Assembly Hall, commonly referred to as Thien Hau Temple or Ba Chua Cholon Pagoda, is a religious institution dedicated to the worship of Thien Hau, the Holy Mother. It is one of the oldest places of worship established by the Cantonese Chinese community.
  3. On Lang Pagoda
    30m
    On Lang Pagoda, also known as Ôn Lăng Assembly Hall, Quan Âm Temple, or Ông Lào Temple, is a Vietnamese-Chinese temple belong to the Hokkien Chinese community. It was dedicated to the worship of Thiên Hậu Thánh Mẫu and various folk deities of the Chinese people. Later, the hall also enshrined Quan Âm Bodhisattva, hence the name Quan Âm Temple.
  4. 45m
    Enjoy the local market with street food, one of the oldest coffee stall in the city and a traditional Cantonese snack.
  5. 30m
    One of the oldest churches in the Chinatown area, St Francis Xavier Church is an excellent masterpiece of Franco-Chinese architecture with Vietnamese influence.
  6. Binh Tay Market
    30m
    Also known as Cho Lon (the Grand Market), Binh Tay Market is famous for its unusual structure for an Asian market, with a big inner courtyard and Sino-French architecture. The market, which has been built in 1928, is one of Vietnam's most important wholesales markets.
    Our tour also concludes here.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

Our Meeting Point will be Nghia An Hoi Quan, 678 Nguyen Trai, District 5, inside the courtyard.

End point

Our tour will conclude at Binh Tay Market.

Additional information

  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • This is a walking tour, with approximately one hour of walking in total between the included stops and other points of interest along the route.
  • Infants may join free of charge, but please note that the tour does not provide infant-specific facilities and includes extended walking outdoors in typical city conditions.

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Reviews

5.0 (7)
From
$55.00 per person
Check availability & book
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts
  • Instant confirmation
  • You'll choose your date and travelers and pay on viator.com. Prices vary by date, group size and option.
More activities in Ho Chi Minh City
From
$55.00 per person
Check availability