Cho Lon in Depth: Private Chinatown Heritage Walking Tour

5.0 (7 reviews) 3–4 hours Free cancellation Private tour

out of 5

7 reviews

5.0

Cho Lon in Depth: Private Chinatown Heritage Walking Tour — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Cho Lon in Depth: Private Chinatown Heritage Walking Tour, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

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.

Half-day Tours Private and Luxury Private Sightseeing Tours Cultural Tours Historical Tours Walking Tours DSA non-compliant Short term availability

At a glance

Duration: 3–4 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–8
Guide: English
Operated by: SaigonWalks by Scivi Travel

Ages: Infants (0–2 years) · Children (3–6 years) · Adults (7–80 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Snacks: Selected local street-food tastings along the route
Included: Tea and coffee: Coffee and a cold drink at a long-running local coffee stop

Itinerary

Stop 1

30 min

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.
Stop 2

45 min

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.
On Lang Pagoda

30 min

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.
Stop 4

45 min

Enjoy the local market with street food, one of the oldest coffee stall in the city and a traditional Cantonese snack.
Stop 5

30 min

One of the oldest churches in the Chinatown area, St Francis Xavier Church is an excellent masterpiece of Franco-Chinese architecture with Vietnamese influence.
Binh Tay Market

30 min

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 point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

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.

Cancellation

Free cancellation

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

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

The operator may cancel if the weather does not allow it; you then get another date or your money back.

Good to know

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.