Binh Duong - Cu Chi: Half a day on the boat from Bach Dang

From Bach Dang Wharf on the Saigon River, speedboats take tourists to Cu Chi and Binh Duong in half a day, shortening the journey by more than half an hour compared to traveling by road. The itinerary includes visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels via Dinh Wharf, having lunch in Binh Duong, and visiting traditional craft villages. The all-inclusive cost is approximately 1.8 million VND per person, according to Nguyen Xuan Bich Chi, Business Director of Saigon River Star.

Downstream journey: Departing Bach Dang at 8:00 AM

The tour departs at 8:00 AM from Bach Dang Wharf. Visitors need to bring identification documents for entry and exit procedures and should arrive 15-20 minutes early. The speedboat has a maximum capacity of 24 passengers; life jackets are mandatory throughout the journey.

A light breakfast is served on the boat, consisting of sandwiches with pork sausage and pâté, fresh fruit, coffee, sugarcane juice, bottled water, and cold towels. A Chinese tourist shared that this is a relaxing way to travel, free from smog and traffic jams, and allows for easy viewing of the peaceful river scenery on both banks.

Cu Chi Tunnels via Dinh Wharf: Arriving at the wharf at 9:30 AM

The speedboat docked at Dinh at 9:30 AM. This is one of two passenger boat docks at the historical site, small in scale, quiet, and not crowded. From here, the walking tour includes the remains of an M41 tank, a B52 bomb crater, an exhibition recreating the old battlefield, and an experience exploring the tunnel system and participating in a national defense shooting competition.

The end of the year is the peak season for international tourists in Cu Chi. The experience of crawling down into the secret tunnels camouflaged under layers of dry leaves is always intriguing: from the outside, there are almost no traces, but inside there is enough space for living, sheltering, holding meetings, and hiding documents and weapons. Visitors line up to tour the tunnel sections.

The tunnel system connects many functional areas: living and working quarters for leaders, medical quarters, dining areas, food and weapons storage, combat positions, water wells, the Hoang Cam kitchen, engineering workshops, and military equipment factories. Each point has a guide providing detailed explanations.

Lunch in Binh Duong

After finishing the tunnel tour at 11 am, the group boarded a speedboat to an eco-tourism resort in Binh Duong for lunch (included in the tour). The menu featured local specialties such as water hyacinth salad with shrimp and pork, banh beo (steamed rice cakes), chicken soup with basil leaves, braised fish, and fried dumplings.

Suburban craft villages: wooden clogs and piggy banks.

Six Delicate Wooden Clogs: choose your design and have them made on-site.

Our first stop was the Six Deo clog-making workshop of Mr. Nguyen Minh Trung's family in the Guoc hamlet of Phu Van village (now part of Thu Dau Mot ward, Ho Chi Minh City) – an area once known as the "capital" of wooden clog making with a history of over 100 years. During its heyday, there were more than 80 households engaged in the craft; currently, only about 4 workshops remain.

Visitors can witness firsthand the process of cutting wood, shaping the blanks, and creating the designs. At the workshop, they can choose the blanks, strap designs, and measure their foot size so that the craftsmen can make a unique pair of handmade clogs. After selecting the design, the artisan completes the task in about 5-10 minutes; the price ranges from 120,000 to 150,000 VND per pair, depending on the design.

Lai Thieu clay piggy banks: a bustling Tet season.

Continuing for another 10-15 km, the group arrived at the piggy bank making village in Lai Thieu ward, visiting the workshop of Mrs. Duong Thi Nguyet Thu, an 80-year-old traditional piggy bank artisan. The craft village has been established for over 50 years; from several hundred households, only a few dozen remain to preserve the craft.

November is the peak production month for Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year): workshops are busy painting, decorating, and finishing orders. Small piggy banks, about 10 cm in size, cost around 15,000 VND; larger ones, 30 cm in size, cost around 80,000–100,000 VND. Tourists can buy decorated ones directly or order custom-made ones. The golden horse mascot products for Tet 2026 are currently being painted, then decorated and neatly arranged awaiting packaging.

A batch of piggy banks goes through many stages: mixing clay, pouring it into plaster molds to shape, drying, firing, and then painting and shipping.

Facts and notes

• Departure time: 8:00 AM from Bach Dang pier; it's recommended to arrive 15-20 minutes early to complete the entry and exit procedures (identification documents are required).
• Transportation: speedboat with a maximum capacity of 24 passengers; life jackets are required throughout the journey.
• Itinerary: 9:30 AM arrive at Dinh (Cu Chi) to visit the tunnels; 11:00 AM finish the tunnel tour and travel to Binh Duong for lunch; stop at Sau Deo clog village and Lai Thieu piggy bank village before returning to Bach Dang wharf.
• Cuisine: a light breakfast on the boat; lunch includes water hyacinth salad with shrimp and pork, banh beo (steamed rice cakes), chicken soup with basil leaves, braised fish, and fried dumplings.
• Cost: The Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi – Binh Duong river tour costs approximately 1.8 million VND per person, according to Nguyen Xuan Bich Chi, Business Director of Saigon River Star.
• Traditional craft village: making handmade clogs takes 5-10 minutes per pair, priced from 120,000-150,000 VND; piggy banks (10 cm) cost around 15,000 VND, while 30 cm ones cost around 80,000-100,000 VND.
• Seasonal periods: Cu Chi welcomes peak international tourists at the end of the year; the Lai Thieu piggy bank village starts its Tet production season in November.