Solo travel experiences - Saigon Student Tour
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Solo Travel Experience — Saigon Student City Tour Review

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My solo travel experience is amazing. Speaking of Vietnam, I love that country. Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, it was my third country I had traveled to solo. This city has become a popular destination for travelers seeking a unique blend of tradition and modernity. Also, it offers a diverse range of travel experiences, from historical landmarks and bustling markets to mouth-watering street food and vibrant nightlife. 

I want to share solo travel experience from a motorbike student volunteer tour in Ho Chi Minh City. If you want to brush up on your solo budget trip, I recommend you book with ONE TRIP. Many travel agencies offer city tours, but this one stands out.

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Let me share my honest review of exploring popular attractions with local students in Saigon, Vietnam.

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What is Onetrip?

It is a donation-based tour, meaning they do not profit from it. Guests must cover their own expenses during the tour, so the student incurs no costs for their participation.

For those choosing the motorbike option, the agency recommends giving students a minimum of US$5 at the end of the tour to cover expenses. It is not an obligation, but rather a gesture of gratitude. So, my solo travel experience is wonderful and cost-saving.

Saigon Student City Tour

How did you know about this tour?

My local Vietnamese friends recommended their free (donation-based) city tour, which I happily booked to explore Saigon on my first day. I didn’t want to miss the unique travel experience of riding a scooter in Vietnam, so I decided to do the motorbike tour, which piqued my interest.

My tour guide picked me up in front of the hotel and provided just the right amount of information, making for a very personal and fun tour. I had a great time!

As a first-time solo female traveler, it’s essential to have a well-organized trip plan before embarking on your journey alone. Below is my recommendation for arranging tours with the best deals to get smooth solo travel experience.

Solo travel - student city tour

My own experience

If you are solo traveler who is planning a trip to Vietnam, this is the right place to motivate you to visit where I’ve also shared my own travel experiences of three-day solo budget trip. I was happy during my three-day tour in Saigon, and it made me to in love with the city in a short period.

I booked a tour through their website and chose a 1 pm time slot to fit my flight schedule. Due to the delayed flight, I arrived at the hotel at 130 pm. However, one trip was still scheduled for me, and the guide was waiting for me at the hotel. I was greeted by tour guide Luke, who was super polite and friendly, so I got good vibes from him right away. I told him the places where I wanted to go, and he planned the traffic route accordingly.

My first impression of this tour was a very flexible and skilled guide who was very knowledgeable about Vietnam’s history and current society.

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After that, he took me to a lovely restaurant, and the food was delicious. I chose three popular attractions: Notre Dame Cathedral, the Saigon post office, and the Reunification Palace. The tour was supposed to end at 5 pm, but he was not worried about the time and told me it was okay. He even brought me to try Vietnamese Coffee in town, a famous brand called Legend Coffee Shop. The tour ended at 545pm.

I recommend joining this affordable tour for a unique travel experience. So, I made sure to tip higher than the recommended amount because I felt they deserved it and had worked hard.

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Highlight places to visit.

Discover unique travel experiences by visiting the popular tourist attractions below.

Notre Dame Cathedral

The Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, constructed in the late 1880s by French colonizers, is one of the last bastions of Catholicism in predominantly Buddhist Vietnam. It sat in Paris Square and was named Notre Dame after the statue ‘Peaceful Notre Dame’ was installed in 1959.

If you want the best travel experience in Ho Chi Minh City, it’s a must-visit in Vietnam. I visited there. Unluckily, it was closed for renovation during my visit to HCM. But I didn’t miss taking photos outside there.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Reunification palace

The Reunification Palace stands as a symbol of the prosperity and glory of the socialist republic of Vietnam. I know the former residence of the President of the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It is home to many of Vietnam’s national treasures.

If you would love to learn more about that place, I recommend taking some time to read about it. 

Saigon Post Office

Another recommendation is the Saigon Post Office, one of the city’s best attractions. I love the interior design of the Saigon Central Post Office, and my tour guide explained that it was an essential place during the Vietnam War. There are many souvenir sellers inside it. The tour guide, Luke, explained the history of this office well, and I was amazed by the outside architectural design. And also, it is just opposite the cathedral.

Saigon Post Office

Trung Nguyen Legend Vietnam Coffeehouse

Since Vietnam is well-known for its coffee, when I visited, it was a must for us to hunt for the best coffee. As a coffee lover, I want to try Vietnamese drip-by-drip coffee. I got the reference about this place from the guide. I needed to find excellent, original coffee, so I followed his advice and visited here.

So, I ordered Vietnamese drip coffee, which is delicious though strong. It’s excellent to pour the black coffee over ice once it has dripped. Creamy on its own, it blends bitter and sour tastes. It is a US$8 local coffee. But it is worth trying. This does take time, so do not choose this style of coffee if you are in a hurry.

Solo travel - Trung Nguyen Legend Vietnam

Here is my honest review 🙂

  • The coffee is excellent; I gave it a score of 5.
  • The ambience and decoration of the coffee shop were quite lovely; I gave a score of 4.
  • The service was excellent, and the staff spoke a little English.

Quick Solo Travel Tips

  • Transport: Get a reliable car rental to book your ride in advance
  • Weather: Check the weather forecast prior visiting your solo trip.
  • Safety: Avoid walking alone late at night in quiet or unfamiliar areas. The city is generally safe but always be aware.
  • Connectivity: Most major areas have strong mobile coverage, and free Wi-Fi is available at many cafes and spots like Union Square.
  • Reliable Tour Companies: Recommend to book in advance joint tours at  Getyourguide / Klook  , where you don’t have to stand in long lines or worry about ticket availability with instant confirmation and FREE cancellation.

I strongly recommend it for first-timers in Saigon, even though it may be pricier than other food and drinks here. It was one of the most unique solo travel experiences of my first solo trip. Before, I had no idea what it would be like to hop on the back of a stranger’s scooter and explore the streets of Ho Chi Minh, but now I can tell you: it’s a fantastic, once-in-a-lifetime solo travel experience.

I felt like I was enjoying the city with a new pal. Trust me, what I say: Do it.

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