Phu My's deep-water terminal serves as the arrival point for Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, a metropolis roughly two hours inland where French colonial architecture meets modern Vietnam. Visitors typically explore the Reunification Palace, the red-brick Notre Dame Cathedral, and the ornate Central Post Office, along with the bustling stalls of Ben Thanh Market. The War Remnants Museum offers a sobering counterpoint, chronicling the nation's twentieth-century conflicts through photographs and preserved military hardware.
Beyond the city, the Mekong Delta's canals and orchards provide a quieter, greener contrast, reachable on longer excursions from the pier. Because the port sits well outside the city center, most calls are structured around full-day itineraries rather than independent walking. Traffic and travel time are part of the experience, rewarded by a city where centuries-old temples, colonial landmarks, and modern skyscrapers stand side by side.
Pavlus Recommendations
How our planners would spend a day in Ho Chi Minh City .
Explore the Cu Chi Tunnels
This underground guerrilla network from the Vietnam War lies about 90 minutes from the city center, so it's usually paired with a full-day tour rather than a solo add-on. Crawl through widened tunnel sections and see camouflaged trapdoors and booby traps up close.
Visit Jade Emperor Pagoda
Built in 1909 by Cantonese immigrants, this incense-filled Taoist temple is packed with carved wooden statues of deities and eerie tortoise ponds. It's a quieter, more atmospheric counterpoint to the city's grander colonial landmarks.
Ride to the Skydeck
The Bitexco Financial Tower's 49th-floor observation deck delivers a panoramic view over the Saigon River and downtown skyline in about 20 minutes, a quick way to frame the city's mix of old and new from above.
Cruise Lines That Call Here
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