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SAIGON – ARTISANAL LEATHER EXPERIENCE AND CITY TOUR

FULL DAY
Combine a classic Saigon city tour and a remarkable leather experience for an exclusive insight of the town.

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    SAIGON – ARTISANAL LEATHER EXPERIENCE AND CITY TOUR

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    IN CONSTRUCTION

    HIGHLIGHTS

    • Must see place in Saigon by walk
    • Unique leather making local experience
    • Chinatown and its Fito Museum
    • Amazing A O Show as option

    Combine a classic Saigon city tour and a remarkable leather experience for an exclusive insight of the town.

    In the morning, enjoy a walk in the city center to discover Saigon’s main attractions from this outside. It’s the perfect opportunity to fill the gallery of your cellphone with the pictures of the Reunification Palace, the Central Post Office, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Saigon Opera, Dong Khoi Street (ex Catinat Street), and Nguyen Hue pedestrian street.

    After visiting the classics of Saigon, it’s time to dive into the heart of the city and discover a typical Saigonese art: Leather manufacturing.
    You’ll have the chance to set foot in an authentic family Leather workshop founded by a long line of craftsmen willing to save their art.
    They are whole-heartedly fighting modernization that endangers the sustainability of this traditional profession.

    During 2 hours, with the help of the seamstresses, you will learn the different steps of making a leather bag: measuring, drilling, cutting, sewing the leather, and engraving your name on a bag that you will get to keep as a souvenir.

    Lunch is served at a local restaurant.

    In the afternoon, you’ll visit Saigon’s Chinatown and the Fito Museum, a museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine & Pharmacy. Alternatively, you have the option of watching an acrobatic circus show accompanied by a traditional orchestra at the Saigon Opera House. Finally, you could take a stroll through the charming market of Binh Tay market and visit Thien Hau temple.

    Option: A O show
    A O Show is an acrobatic circus show performed in the company of a traditional orchestra. It takes place in the Saigon Opera House. The name A O, derives from the word “Làng Phô”, means “countryside and city”. During 1 hour, the artists use a variety of bamboo props to perform scenic circus acts that tell stories of local lifestyle and culture.

    Useful Information
    Available everyday (except the indicated A O Show option)
    From 6 yo till 99 yo

    Tour MAP
    Q&A

    Q&A

    Official Language: Vietnamese
    Capital: Hanoi
    Surface: 330 967 km2
    Population: 97 338 579 (in 2020)
    Political System: Republic Single-party communist state
    Currency: Đồng (VND)
    Telephone code: +84

    The official currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong (VND). Although many places in Vietnam will accept payment in US dollars, and euros, most prefer to be paid in Dong, so it is important to keep an amount of local currency when travelling to Vietnam. Some purchases or expenses can be made directly in US$ or Euros, but this is most often limited to shops in large cities, or in hotels. For your expenses, we advise you to arrive with US$ and/or €uros in large and small values.
    Wars, high arms spending, the US embargo and economic planning have greatly weakened Vietnam’s economy. However, the positive effects of economic liberalization helped to revive the economy after the end of the US embargo, more specifically since the late 1980s. Since the 2000s, there has even been talk of an economic takeoff since the real GDP growth rate rose from 4.7% in 2001 to 7.8% in 2007, although it fell to 6.3% in 2008 and 5.3% in 2009 due to the economic crisis. However, it rose in 2010 to 6.8%. Rice agriculture is very important economically. To feed an ever-increasing population. Vietnam is one of the 10 countries in the world that grow and export the most rice in the world.

    The specificity of Vietnamese cuisine is based on mixtures of herbs and spices that are not found anywhere else, as well as on cooking methods and a set of eating habits specific to the Vietnamese people. Vietnamese cuisine is a little-known cuisine compared to other Asian cuisines such as Chinese, Japanese or Thai cuisine. The cuisine offered by the Vietnamese hostess must be both an expression of her respect for the guests and a demonstration of her propensity to work.

    Vietnam is a country in Southeast Asia, surrounded to the west by Laos and Cambodia and to the north by China. It is bordered by the China Sea, Gulf of Tonkin and Gulf of Thailand. It has a surface area of 331,212 km2. Its maritime border is 3,260 km long. Vietnam is made up of three large regions, called Bộ:

    In the North (Tonkin or Bắc Bộ), with Hanoi and Hai phong as main cities
    In the Center (Annam or Trung Bộ), with Hué and Danang (former Tourane) as its main cities;
    In the South (Cochinchina or Nam Bộ) with Hô Chi Minh City (former Saigon) and Can Tho as its main cities

    Vietnamese people have lived for centuries in a moral and religious universe shaped by beliefs and values from ancestor worship, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, not to mention Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism) and Islam (very minority). Ancestral worship is the oldest religious practice in Vietnam, prior to Buddhism, Catholicism and Confucianism. The Vietnamese believe that the souls of their parents survive after their death and that they protect their descendants. The dates of the main holidays vary from one year to another, according to the lunar calendar on which most are modeled.

    No vaccination is required. However, it is recommended to protect yourself against hepatitis A and B (ask your doctor for advice). We advise you to bring your own:

    of a broad-spectrum antibiotic;
    of your usual medications if you are undergoing treatment;
    an anti-diarrheal and an intestinal antiseptic (Intetrix, Immodium…);
    a protective cream against mosquitoes;
    moisturizing sunscreen, lip stick;
    a healing ointment and a local antiseptic.

    Water is not drinkable in Southeast Asia. Avoid tap water, require bottled water. It is harmless and safe to brush your teeth, but do not drink it.

    Vietnam is officially a “Socialist Republic”. Only one party is allowed, the Vietnamese Communist Party, which controls all the country’s political institutions. The position of President is currently held by General Trần Đại Đại Quang. In May 1993, multi-party parliamentary elections were held. A new constitution was ratified and Norodom Sihanouk was once again proclaimed king. In 2004, he abdicated in favor of his younger son Norodom Sihamoni, currently in charge of the kingdom.

    Vietnamese (in Vietnamese: Tiếng Việt) is the official language of Vietnam. It belongs to the Mon-Khmer branch of the Austro-Asian languages. It is the Austro-Asian language with the most speakers (about ten times more than the second, Khmer). It is an insulating and monosyllabic language, with a 6-tone system. It is the mother tongue of about 85% of Vietnam’s population2, as well as of about two million migrants. Some 1,000 years of Chinese occupation have led to the adoption of a large number of words transcribed from Chinese and the old sinogram writing (the Chữ nôm now abandoned).

    MINI GLOSSARY

    Hello : Xin chào
    Good Bye : Tạm biết
    Thank you (so much): Cảm ơn (nhiều)
    Can i have the bill ? : Tính tiền
    How much does it cost ? : Giá bảo nhiều ?
    I don’t understand : Tôi không hiểu
    My name is : Tôi tên là …
    Where are the toilets? : Nhà về sinh ở đầu ?

    You can use your mobile phone in Vietnam, it is not necessary to acquire a local sim card when you arrive. Easily available for the traveler. A local SIM card will almost always be cheaper than using your SIM card from your country abroad. In addition, the Internet has made its entry into daily life. Most tourist sites are equipped, hotels and restaurants have Wi-Fi.
    Vietnam offers a wide range of handicrafts that can be found on the markets, in the shops or directly within workshops. Amongst the great classics: coffee, fabrics, lacquers, lanterns and the famous conical hat.
    Tipping is not mandatory but is commonly practiced (between 10 and 15% of the price). As an indication we recommend 5$ per day and per person for the guide and 3$ per day and per person for the drivers for small groups of less than 10 people. For groups of more than 10 people we recommend $3 per day per person for the guide and $2 per day per person for the driver.
    No special rights to pay for photographing or filming in Vietnam. In some places, photos are prohibited … thank you to carefully follow the instructions on this subject to avoid any inconvenience.

    220V with several possible socket types: two flat plugs, two round plugs or three plugs. Plan to bring a universal adapter. Power cuts are frequent, but most hotels have their own generators.

    On your way, you will often have the opportunity to meet local people. Wherever you are, be discreet and humble. The multiplicity of cultures and traditions means that certain attitudes are perceived differently in different countries. To avoid being disrespectful, take the time to understand the people you meet, take the time to make connections. There too, listen to the advice of your guide! He knows better than anyone the behaviors to avoid or adopt. 

    For example, if you want to take a picture of someone, always ask them for permission. The best way for acceptance is to have established a prior contact. Similarly, do not distribute gifts at all … This often encourages children to beg, to avoid this kind of drift, it is better to refer to the local structures competent (donate to school, hospital, village chief etc.). Finally, be careful not to wear too light clothing (short shorts, cleavage …) and avoid exuberant behavior.