There will be a selection of activities and excursions for the week leading up to the wedding. (August 11-16) Guests are welcome to join with us, or with other guides (friends of Kathy) for any of these events. We will update with costs for each tour as we get closer. Some of the options will include Vespa Tours around the city, a Cooking Class, the A-O Show at the Saigon Opera House, a trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels and War Remnants Museum, and choices of a day trip or overnight trip to the Mekong River Delta (overnight would allow for a morning floating market experience).

We recommend arriving to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) by Sunday August 10th to enjoy these options.

After reviewing the options, please click this forms link https://forms.gle/247EPZ1mQM7XjUrK8

to let us know which activities you are interested in.

Don't worry about rain...We do everything Rain or Shine in Vietnam, and you will be provided ponchos if it does!

VESPA CITY TOUR - THE INSIDER SAIGON

8:00 am - 12:00 pm (4 hours)

$79 / person

A vespa tour guide will meet you in the lobby at the hotel at 7:50AM and brief you about the itinerary. Each of you will have your own driver riding a vintage vespa, which were imported from Italy in the 1960s. A bird cafe will be the first stop, so you can enjoy Vietnamese coffee and see how local people train their birds. Then you will stop at the Thich Quang Duc Monument to learn a bit about Vietnamese history. The flower market will be next stop, where you can see how the local people live and work. Next you will head to Chinatown (also known as Cho Lon) to visit a Chinese temple, the herbal medicine street and Van Phat Pagoda, where there are 10.000 Buddha statues. After that, they will drive you to District 2 for a beautiful city view, and finally head to the center to visit the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office and Reunification Palace.

LUNCH & BEN THANH MARKET

12-12:30 pm - 3:00 pm

$20-30/person for lunch

Kathy will arrange lunch for us with a Vietnamese set menu or a la carte at a restaurant near Ben Thanh market around 12-12:30PM. After lunch, you can take your time to walk around one of the biggest markets in Saigon, or the van will take you back to the hotel to rest.

A O SHOW AT SAIGON OPERA HOUSE

5:45 - 7:15 pm

$50 / person

The show will update their show schedule 2 months in advance. Kathy will update the exact date in June, 2025. The day of the show might be any day during the wedding week

A O Show which is phonetically understood as the Ahhh! Ohhh! Show, has performed since Feb 2013. The show depicts the charming beauty and richness in culture of Vietnamese lives in the countryside and the country's urbanization in 60 minute length. The show is a mix of bamboo cirque, acrobatic acts, contemporary dance and theatrical visual art. Live music which echoes the Southern work songs, and scenic lighting design makes the A O Show, which performs at the historic Saigon Opera House, worth seeing when you visit Ho Chi Minh City.

Upon entering the theater, audiences will hear the noises as if they were in a village but all of a sudden got caught in the cacophony of the city. À Ố Show will take you to the serene and beautiful village of South Vietnam and then right back to the ruckus of the hasty city life. At some point, audience can fell the vibrant of the city at the same time breathe the breezy fresh air whip on the face of a farmer. Performances and technical skills presented in groups according to the nature of each scene.

We would likely eat dinner after the show nearby the Saigon Opera House.

See more at the website: https://www.luneproduction.com/ao-show

Or Youtube Chanel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHKWy_7KGNw

Cu Chi Tunnels & War Remnants Museum

8:30 am - 3:00 pm

$ coming soon

Important:

The War Remnants Museum contains explicit and disturbing images of the Vietnam War. If you have kids under 10 years old, please consider not participating in the Cu Chi Tunnels and War Remnants Museum activities, because the experience can be quite overwhelming, even for adults. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Jake or Kathy.

The labyrinthine tunnels in Cu Chi, located just 60 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City, stretch nearly all the way to the border with Cambodia. Built over a period of 25 years starting from 1948 during the war against the French, the tunnels were a vital communication network, connecting remote villages, and helped the Vietnamese soldiers evade the French army. These same tunnels later became hideouts for the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. The tunnels were preserved after 1975, and are now a historical relic where visitors can explore the claustrophobic tunnels themselves, and clearly imagine the circumstances and environments in which the soldiers fought. Visiting the Cu Chi tunnels is a great way to develop a deeper understanding of Vietnam’s history.

After the tunnel, the van will take you back to Saigon and have lunch near the War Remnant Museum, then you have an hour and half to walk around the museum to learn more Vietnamese history. Going back to hotel around 3 pm

OPTION 1 MEKONG DELTA:

DAY TRIP TO MEKONG DELTA

8:30 am - 4:30 pm

$: coming soon

8.00 Pick up at your hotel and transfer to Mekong Delta

Your journey begins with a scenic boat ride to Cai Be town, where you’ll catch a glimpse of the charming riverside and visit the ancient church. From there, we head to Tan Phong Island for a peaceful rowing boat experience. As you glide through the narrow canals shaded by mangrove trees, take in the quiet beauty of the countryside.

We’ll make a stop at a local garden where you can enjoy fresh tropical fruits and hot tea while listening to traditional Southern Vietnamese music – a truly authentic moment.

Next, hop on a bike for a leisurely ride along village paths, offering a window into local daily life. You’ll pass by fruit orchards, schools, churches, pagodas, and traditional wooden houses. Along the way, we’ll visit a local craft spot where villagers weave dried water hyacinth into beautiful handmade items like baskets, hats, shoes, and bags. (Walking is an option, though you'll cover less ground.)

Afterward, we return to our boat and cruise across the Mekong River – one of the longest rivers in the world – to reach An Binh Island. We’ll follow a handmade canal to the traditional home of Ut Trinh, where you can enjoy lunch prepared in local style.

Post-lunch, take a short walk through the village to visit local workshops and see how rice paper, coconut candy, and puffed rice are made. Enjoy some sweet treats with a cup of hot tea as you interact with the locals. Our final stop is at a traditional brick kiln, where you’ll learn how clay is transformed into beautiful pottery. The tour concludes at the new boat station in Vinh Long City.

End trip and transfer back to your hotel

OPTION 2 MEKONG DELTA:

2 DAYS 1 NIGHT IN MEKONG DELTA

Aug 13 - 14, 2025

$: coming soon

Day 1 (Wednesday - Aug 13th):

This is the same as the day trip to Mekong Delta. You will have the same trip, take the same bus and go to the same places with everyone who chose OPTION 1 day trip to Mekong Delta. However, you will get on another bus and go to Can Tho City with one of the guides after that tour concludes.

The tour concludes at the new boat station in Vinh Long City, and transfer to Can Tho.

Check-in hotel in Can Tho. Free and easy to explore the town.

Overnight: Can Tho

Accommodation: Charmant Suite Boutique Hotel Can Tho

Day 2 (Thursday - Aug 14th)

Early morning check-out and start your day with a tranquil boat cruise along the Mekong River to explore the Cai Rang Floating Market. While the market today is quieter than in the past due to modern changes, you can still see a number of local boats trading fresh fruits, vegetables, and breakfast goods — offering a glimpse into the river-based commerce that has long defined life in the Delta.

After soaking in the morning market atmosphere, continue to reach a local village. Here, enjoy a short bicycle ride or a gentle walk along narrow countryside paths, to enjoy the peaceful scene of rural life. Having lunch at a local restaurant and visit a local pagoda before heading back to Saigon.

DAYTIME COOKING CLASS

For those who not stay overnight at Mekong Delta

$30/person - 9:00 am - 11:30 am

Each region of our country has its own unique cuisine. While the North focuses on sophistication in preparation, the dishes of the Central people are rich in spices. On the contrary, Southern cuisine is as simple and authentic as the people here. Southern cuisine is very diverse and rich, not complicated in decoration but still attractive with its fresh taste, abundance of cooking ingredients and very unique characteristics, this makes the dishes special. unique in Southern culinary culture. For this class, you will know how to make your own Vietnamese crispy pancake

Menu:

Fresh spring rolls with pork and shrimp

Banana blossom salad with chicken and herbs

Vietnamese crispy pancake with pork and shrimp

Grilled beef in betel leaf and lemongrass with net rice noodle and vegetables

Coconut cream caramel with seasonal fruit

UNSEEN SAIGON BY NIGHT WITH THE XO GIRLS

5:30 pm - 9:30 pm

$58 / person

The “Saigon by Night” tour is one of the most fun things to do in Vietnam at night and offers a completely different experience than our day tours. Meeting and greeting at the hotel, XO team will lead us to the night wholesale market in D6 in Chinatown, it will take 15 mins through crazy and bustling road in Saigon. Then they will take us to one of the oldest apartment in Saigon in D10, also the place where founder of XO Tours used to live, visiting local house is the greatest thing for you to understand how the local people live in Saigon. Banh Xeo and Bo La Lot are famous and delicious food for dinner. Driving through flower market, zig zag alleys to come to D4 to enjoy dessert before saying goodbye with team at the hotel.

Please look at "Wedding schedule" field to see more detail!!

10:00am - 1:00pm

Bruch at hotel for out-of-town guests and family

This farewell meal will also take place at the Caravelle Hotel Saigon.

Please click this forms link https://forms.gle/247EPZ1mQM7XjUrK8 to let us know which activities you are interested in.