Saigon smells like coffee for a reason. This private tea and coffee experience is a hands-on, laid-back way to understand how Vietnamese people actually drink coffee and tea, from small-alleys aromas to making your own cup. I especially love the phin filter coffee-making time and the cozy tea tasting session, where the focus is on aroma and taste (not just taking photos). One consideration: the flavors run bold, so if you’re not into strong coffee or heavily fragrant tea, plan to sip slowly and pace yourself.

In about five hours, you’ll visit Saigon’s oldest coffee shop, learn how Vietnamese-style coffee gets brewed, and then end with a sharing-style Vietnamese vegetarian meal. The vibe is intentionally local and simple, with a no-plastic, community-feeling approach.

With pickup offered and private transportation included, you won’t spend your energy navigating the city. You’ll just show up, use your mobile ticket, and let the stops unfold at a comfortable rhythm.

Key highlights you’ll care about

• Saigon’s oldest coffee stop at Cheo Leo Cafe, set in those narrow back-alley lanes
• Make your own phin-coffee, then taste different styles
• Tea tasting with aroma and small conversation moments, not a rushed lecture
• Vietnamese vegetarian meal for sharing, included and meant to round out the experience
• Private tour for your group only, plus transportation and bottled water
• A surprise after the trip, included as part of the experience flow

Why a tea-and-coffee tour makes sense in Ho Chi Minh City

If you want a fast way to “get” a destination, focus on everyday rituals. In Ho Chi Minh City, that ritual is coffee and tea. This tour doesn’t treat drinks like souvenirs. It treats them like culture.

The format matters. You start with a classic coffee landmark, then you move into doing the brewing yourself. After that, you shift to Vietnamese tea with a similar attention to smell and taste. By the end, you’re not just tasting—you’re building a simple mental map of how Vietnamese people enjoy these drinks throughout the day.

I also like that the experience leans into the quiet side: slow sips, simple conversation, and a relaxed pace. It’s not loud “food tour” energy. It’s more like learning to read the city through what people order and how they drink it.

Price and value: is $97 a fair deal for 5 hours?

$97 for roughly 5 hours in Ho Chi Minh City may sound like “just coffee,” but the value is in what’s included and how it’s arranged.

Here’s what you’re paying for, in practical terms:

• Four stops across coffee and tea, including a core admission at the first café
• Coffee and/or tea during the experience
• Lunch with flavorful Vietnamese vegetarian dishes
• Private transportation so you’re not spending time on transit logistics
• Bottled water during the tour
• A surprise after the trip
• Private group setup, meaning it’s only your group

That combination is what makes it feel worth it. You’re not paying separately for each café, and you’re not doing the coordination yourself. Plus, you get a structured flow: historic shop → hands-on brewing → tea tasting → sharing meal.

If you prefer self-guided wandering, you could recreate parts of this on your own. But if you want the “no thinking needed” version—plus the learning angle—this price is reasonable.

Getting set: pickup, mobile ticket, and a private group pace

You’ll get a clear start with pickup offered and private transportation included. You’ll also use a mobile ticket, which is one less thing to manage on arrival.

Because it’s private (only your group participates), the timing tends to feel smoother. It’s easier to ask questions, slow down for taste-testing, or adjust how fast you drink if the cup is strong.

The tour also notes that most travelers can participate. Still, keep your own body in mind: you’re spending several hours in a city setting, and the experience is built around café time plus walking through small lanes.

Stop 1 at Cheo Leo Cafe: the oldest coffee shop in Saigon

Your first stop is Cheo Leo Cafe, billed as the oldest coffee shop in Saigon. That matters because it sets the tone immediately: you’re not learning theory, you’re starting inside a place that shaped a habit—Vietnamese coffee culture—over time.

What you’ll do here is simple and sensory:

• Wander through small alleys where the coffee smell is part of the experience
• Taste coffees such as phin coffee and cà phê sữa đá (Vietnamese iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk)

This stop is where the tour earns its “culture” claim. You’re tasting signature styles right away, while the setting reinforces why coffee is such a daily ritual in the city. You’ll likely notice a difference between the bitter-sweet balance that Vietnamese coffee is known for.

Why this stop is worth giving time to: it teaches your palate before you start brewing. You come in knowing what the end result should feel like, so when you later make coffee yourself, it’s easier to understand what you’re doing.

Possible drawback: the café aromas can be strong. If coffee scent usually bothers you, give yourself permission to sip slowly and take breaks when needed.

Stop 2 in central Saigon: making coffee with a phin filter

After the landmark stop, you shift from tasting to doing. This is the part I think most people will remember: learning to brew using a phin filter.

In this section, you’ll:

• Make Vietnamese coffee with a phin filter
• Taste different types of coffee at a small café in the heart of Saigon

Even if you’re not a coffee geek, the hands-on brewing is the value. Vietnamese phin coffee has a slower, drip-and-brew feel compared with many Western styles. That changes the experience of taste. You get more attention on the time, the smell, and the end result—rather than just ordering a cup and moving on.

This stop also gives you a useful skill for later. After you learn how the filter approach works (and what the typical sweet-and-bitter balance tastes like), you’ll be better at ordering in Vietnam—because you’ll know what you’re aiming for.

A consideration: if you expect a super formal “class,” this isn’t described that way. It’s more practical and tasting-focused. If you like structured instruction, you’ll want to ask questions and keep your attention on the brewing steps during the time you have.

Stop 3: Vietnamese tea tasting—aroma first, conversation second

Then you switch gears to tea. Tea and coffee are both treated as powerful daily drinks here, and the tour gives you a tea-focused moment rather than slipping it in as an afterthought.

In this stop, you’ll:

• Gather around for tea tasting
• Take a few sips and pay attention to aroma and taste
• Enjoy simple, meaningful conversation in the process

What I like about this segment is the pacing. Tea tasting works best when you slow down enough to notice smell. Vietnamese tea can be subtle or strong depending on type, but the “small sips, aroma, then taste” flow helps you catch the differences.

This is also a nice contrast to the coffee-heavy morning feel. Even if you love coffee, it can help your palate reset before the food portion.

Practical tip for you: don’t rush the tea. Treat it like a taste check, not a drink you chug to fill time.

Stop 4: a Vietnamese vegetarian meal for sharing

You end with meal for sharing—a stop designed to move from taste-testing to actual eating.

You’ll sit down together and enjoy flavorful Vietnamese vegetarian dishes, and the lunch is included.

Why the meal format matters: sharing-style food usually means more variety on the table, and it helps you eat at a calmer speed after several hours of tasting drinks. Also, since the tour has coffee and tea themes, ending with food makes it feel like a complete sensory story: aroma → brew → sip → meal.

If you have dietary needs, keep one thing in mind: vegetarian dishes are included by design. If you eat meat, you’ll still have plenty to work with here, but it won’t be a meat-based feast. If you’re vegetarian or just prefer meat-free meals, you’ll likely find this especially satisfying.

The tour’s overall vibe: local, no-plastic, and slightly spiritual

The description hints at a mindful approach: #no-plastic energy, an exclusive feeling, and words like spiritual and release. You don’t need to treat that as a spiritual retreat to benefit from it.

In practice, it shows up in the tone: small alleys, conversation, and a focus on smells and simple tastes rather than frantic consumption. The “release” angle reads like a gentle reminder to slow down. You’re not just collecting sips; you’re learning how coffee and tea connect to daily life.

The “exclusive” part likely refers to the private, your-group-only setup. The experience isn’t built to funnel strangers through the same photo stops. It’s built for your pace.

What I’d do to get the most out of it

You’ll enjoy this more if you show up ready to slow down a bit. Coffee and tea are sensory drinks, and the tour is built around that.

Here are a few practical moves:

• Start with the mindset that you’re tasting for balance, not chasing maximum caffeine
• If you’re sensitive to strong flavors, use small sips first, then decide how you want the rest
• Bring curiosity: ask how the phin process affects taste while you’re doing it
• After the tea stop, give yourself permission to take your time with lunch

Also, one review-based suggestion that makes sense for anyone booking: read the order of stops before you go. When you know what’s coming—first Cheo Leo-style tasting, then phin brewing, then tea—you’ll relax into the experience instead of wondering when the best part is coming.

Who should book this (and who should think twice)

This fits best if you:

• Love coffee and want more than just a café name
• Want a hands-on phin filter experience
• Enjoy tea tasting and don’t mind slowing down for aroma and flavor
• Prefer a private tour where your group sets the pace
• Like vegetarian food or you’re open to it for lunch

Think twice if you:

• Strongly dislike coffee or tea aromas
• Prefer very long meal breaks or high-volume dining (this tour’s time is distributed across multiple tasting moments)
• Want a purely sightseeing tour with lots of landmarks beyond cafés

Should you book the Tea & Coffee Experience?

I’d book it if you want a “how Vietnamese people drink” experience that feels structured but relaxed. The best part is the combination of historic coffee tasting plus the hands-on phin brewing, then a tea session that shifts your palate and attention. Add in the included vegetarian sharing meal and private transportation, and the $97 feels like paying for convenience plus learning.

I would not book it if you’re mainly after nightlife, big museums, or heavy touring on foot for hours. This is about drinks and taste culture. If that’s your thing, you’ll get your money’s worth—especially with the private setup and the included meal.

FAQ

How long is the Tea & Coffee Experience?

It lasts about 5 hours.

Is pickup included?

Pickup is offered.

Is this tour private?

Yes. It’s a private tour/activity, and only your group participates.

What drinks are included?

You’ll enjoy tea and coffee, including Vietnamese coffee made with a phin filter and tea tastings.

Where do you go first?

You start at Cheo Leo Cafe, described as the oldest coffee shop in Saigon.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch includes flavorful Vietnamese vegetarian dishes.

Is bottled water provided?

Yes, bottled water is available during the trip.

What if the weather is bad?

The experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

When do I get confirmation?

Confirmation is received at the time of booking.

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