Short answer: Choose the Cu Chi Tunnels if you want a shorter trip focused on history. Choose the Mekong Delta if you want a full day of boats, orchards and village life. Both tours run on December 25, 2026. This guide helps you pick one in about two minutes, and you can ask us to confirm availability for December 24, 25 or 26 before you pay.

Christmas Day 2026 falls on a Friday. If you are staying on Bui Vien and want to spend it outside the city, these two trips are the ones most guests ask about. Both start in Saigon in the morning and bring you back the same day, so you can still enjoy the evening on Bui Vien if you plan the return time well.

Which trip is better on Christmas Day?

Christmas is not a public holiday in Vietnam, so day-trip sites around Saigon generally stay open. The streets in the city centre are decorated for the season, and Bui Vien is lively in the evening, but both Cu Chi and the Mekong feel very different from the city. That change of pace is part of why people book them.

If you are planning a Christmas day trip from Saigon, use this table first. It shows the choice in one place, so you do not have to read the whole article to decide.

	Cu Chi Tunnels	Mekong Delta
Format	Half-day, 08:00-14:00, about 6-7 hours	Full-day, 08:00-17:30, about 9.5 hours
Departure and return	Pickup 08:00 at 195 De Tham St, District 1. Return to 195 De Tham around 14:00-14:30	Pickup 08:00 at 195 De Tham St, District 1. Return to 195 De Tham 17:00-17:30
Travel time each way	60-70 minutes by private van	90 minutes driving, about 2 hours to the pier with a rest stop
Main experience	War-time tunnel network and history, Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc, lacquerware workshop, cassava and tea	Boat ride, 4 islands Long-Lan-Qui-Phung, bee farm, tuk-tuk, Don Ca Tai Tu, lunch, sampan, coconut candy, Vinh Trang Pagoda
Physical effort	Walking outdoors, crawling in tunnels is optional	Light walking and boat transfers
Best for	History fans, travellers short on time	Families, first-time visitors, scenery lovers
Price per person on Dec 25	Starting from $75 USD per guest, private vehicle, max 5 guests. Confirm in writing if a surcharge applies.	Starting from $114 USD per guest, private vehicle, max 5 guests. Confirm in writing if a surcharge applies.
Runs on Dec 25?	Yes, daily departure	Yes, daily departure

Do not book based on the table alone. Ask us in writing for your exact date, and keep the reply with your booking. Prices above are starting prices from thericetour.com, checked 10 November 2026. They do not include optional shooting at Cu Chi, personal shopping, drinks outside the set lunch, tips, or VAT if you need a tax invoice.

Cu Chi Tunnels on December 25

Pick Cu Chi if you want a compact trip with a clear story. You walk through preserved parts of the tunnel network and see how people lived, cooked and moved underground during the war. Crawling through the tunnels is optional. Some parts are narrow, so tell your guide if you have mobility issues or dislike enclosed spaces.

A Cu Chi Tunnels trip at Christmas suits a half day. The tour runs 08:00 to about 14:00. Pickup is 08:00 at 195 De Tham Street, District 1, in a private 7-seater van for up to 5 guests. The drive takes 60-70 minutes. At 09:15 you stop at the Dai Viet lacquerware workshop, at 10:00 you watch a documentary and explore Ben Dinh, at 11:15 you explore Ben Duoc and can crawl through a preserved section, at 12:00 you see the weapon workshop, and at 12:30 you taste boiled cassava with peanut-sesame salt and hot tea. You are back at 195 De Tham around 14:00-14:30, so you have the evening free on Bui Vien.

Choose it if you have only the morning and early afternoon, you enjoy history, or you want to be back on Bui Vien for the evening. Think twice if you dislike tight spaces.

Tip: Cu Chi is hot and open, so bring water, a hat and closed shoes. Tell us the ages in your group when you book, so we can advise on the walking parts.

Want the full itinerary? See our Cu Chi Tunnels day trip from Saigon.

Mekong Delta on December 25

Pick the Mekong if you want a day that feels very different from the city. A typical Mekong Delta tour in December includes a boat ride through the canals, a stop at a fruit orchard and a look at local village crafts. The pace is relaxed, and the green, watery landscape is a big contrast to Saigon traffic.

The tour runs 08:00 to 17:30. Pickup is 08:00 at 195 De Tham Street, District 1, in a private 7-seater van for up to 5 guests. The drive takes 90 minutes, with a stop at the Mekong Rest Stop on the way. You reach the pier around 10:00, when you cruise the 4 islands Long, Lan, Qui and Phung by wooden boat, at 10:45 you visit a bee farm and craft workshops, at 11:45 you ride a rural tuk-tuk and listen to live Don Ca Tai Tu folk music, at 12:30 you have a Mekong lunch with deep-fried Elephant Ear Fish, at 13:45 you glide through shaded canals in a hand-paddled sampan, at 14:30 you visit a Ben Tre coconut candy workshop, at 15:30 you visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, and you are back at 195 De Tham between 17:00 and 17:30.

Choose it if you want an easy, scenic day with family or friends. Think twice if you dislike long travel days, because this trip usually takes longer than Cu Chi. If you are staying on Bui Vien, tell us your hotel when you book, so we can arrange pickup and a return time that still leaves you the evening.

Tip: Wear light clothes, use sun protection and keep a thin rain layer in your bag. The boat part is calm, but you will be outdoors most of the day.

Want the full itinerary? See our Mekong Delta day trip from Saigon.

Still not sure? Use this quick guide

• You have until the afternoon only: Cu Chi. You are back around 14:00-14:30.
• You want a full, relaxed day out: the Mekong. A Mekong Delta trip in December is back 17:00-17:30.
• You are travelling with young children or older relatives: the Mekong is usually gentler, while Cu Chi works well if the group is happy to skip the tunnel crawl.
• It is your first time in Vietnam: either works. Pick history (Cu Chi) or scenery (Mekong).
• You are staying on Bui Vien and want the evening free: Cu Chi is the safer pick, because you are back in the early afternoon. The Mekong still leaves you the evening, but you arrive back later.

How to book for December 24, 25 or 26

Holiday dates can fill faster than regular days, so book early and confirm the details in writing. Send us the following and we will reply with availability, price and pickup details for your date:

• Your preferred date (December 24, 25 or 26) and the tour you want.
• Number of guests, including children and their ages.
• Where you are staying in Saigon, ideally your hotel on Bui Vien, so we can arrange pickup.

Item	Policy
Book by	At least 24 hours in advance. For a December 25 departure at 08:00, that means by 08:00 on December 24. Book earlier for December 25 if you can, because holiday dates fill faster.
Minimum group size	Private tour, max 5 guests per van. You book the private tour for your own group.
Pickup	Pickup at 195 De Tham Street, District 1. Private 7-seater van with door-to-door pickup in central Saigon. Tell us your hotel on Bui Vien when you book.
Payment and deposit	Price is starting from $75 for Cu Chi and $114 for Mekong, per guest. Confirm the total and the deposit in writing before you pay.
Cancellation	Cancel more than 48 hours before departure: 100% free. Cancel 24-48 hours before: 50% fee. Cancel within 24 hours before departure: 100% fee.
Date change	Ask us in writing before you book. We will confirm whether your new date is available and whether a fee applies.
Private tour option	Yes. Both tours are 100% private, max 5 guests, with a dedicated guide and photographer. No forced shopping.
Booking channel	WhatsApp 24/7 +84 962 333 621, Zalo, or email hello@thericetour.com. Hotline 0962 333 621.

Pickup point: 195 De Tham Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, in Ben Thanh Ward, a short walk from Bui Vien.

195 De Tham Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City on Google Maps

Before you pay, check that the confirmation includes the date, pickup time, price, what is included and the cancellation or reschedule terms for the holiday period. If any of those lines is missing, ask for it before you pay.

FAQ

Do day trips from Saigon run on Christmas Day?

Yes. For a Christmas day trip from Saigon, visitors usually ask first if the tours run at all. Both the Cu Chi half-day tour and the Mekong full-day tour list daily departure on thericetour.com for December 24, 25 and 26. Ask us to confirm your exact date in writing before booking.

Which is closer to Saigon, Cu Chi or the Mekong?

Cu Chi is usually the shorter trip, so it suits a half day. The drive takes 60-70 minutes each way. The Mekong drive takes 90 minutes each way, and with the rest stop you reach the pier around 10:00. The tour runs 08:00-17:30. The exact times for our tours are in the table above.

Is the Cu Chi Tunnels trip suitable for children?

Yes for most children. The tunnel crawl is optional, and the grounds are mostly outdoors. Tell us the ages in your group so we can advise. A Cu Chi Tunnels visit at Christmas with young children works best if the group is happy to skip the crawl.

Can I book at the last minute for December 25?

It depends on availability. The tours require booking at least 24 hours in advance, so for December 25 at 08:00, book by 08:00 on December 24. For holiday dates, it is safer to request your tour as early as you can.

Can I change my date after booking?

It depends on availability. Date changes are handled case by case, and the published cancellation terms do not cover them. Ask us in writing before you book whether your new date is available and whether a fee applies, and keep the reply with your booking.

Ready to book your Christmas Day trip?

Tell us your date and group size, and we will confirm availability for December 24, 25 or 26. You can also compare the Cu Chi Tunnels day trip from Saigon and the Mekong Delta day trip from Saigon, or browse all local tours on thericetour.com.

Contact

• The Rice Travel group: 180 Bui Vien Street, Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
• The Rice Tour: 195 De Tham Bui Vien Street, Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
• Tour pickup: 195 De Tham Street, Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
• Email: daiviettherice@gmail.com
• Phone/Zalo/WhatsApp: +84 962 333 621
• Website: thericetour.com