Saigon River Cruise: Waterbus vs Dinner Boats Compared

A Saigon Waterbus ticket costs VND 15,000 a ride on an 11 km route. The Saigon Princess dinner cruise starts at VND 980,000 per adult. Indochina Junk set menus run from VND 723,600 to VND 1,641,600. Both dinner boats dock on Nguyen Tat Thanh Street.

By Vincent Nguyen

On this page
  1. Saigon river boats compared
  2. Saigon Waterbus: the cheap way onto the river
  3. Saigon Princess: the set-dinner cruise
  4. Indochina Junk: set menus by the tier
  5. Who each boat suits (and who should skip it)
  6. How to get to the piers
  7. When to go and how long
  8. Nearby and how to combine it
  9. Before you go
  10. Common questions

A waterbus ticket costs VND 15,000, while the Saigon Princess dinner cruise starts at VND 980,000 per adult. Pick the waterbus for a cheap daylight ride and a dinner boat for an evening out.

Saigon river boats compared

The table sets the three options side by side.

Option Price Times Boards at
Saigon Waterbus VND 15,000 per ride 7:00 to 21:00 Monday to Friday; 7:00 to 23:00 Saturday, Sunday and holidays Bach Dang pier, 10B Ton Duc Thang Street
Saigon Princess dinner From VND 980,000 per adult Boarding 18:00, departs 19:30, back 21:30 Saigon Port, 05 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street
Indochina Junk dinner VND 723,600 to VND 1,641,600 per set menu card entry Boarding 18:30, departs 19:45, back 21:15; office 10:00 to 22:00 daily 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street
Yellow and white waterbus with flags on the river and a high-rise building behind
A Saigon Waterbus boat on the river.

Saigon Waterbus: the cheap way onto the river

Route 1 links Bach Dang pier and Linh Dong, about 11 km. A ticket costs VND 15,000 per ride at every pier, and VND 30,000 return. Each ticket covers one direction, so book the outbound trip, then the return.

Ride times from Bach Dang pier: Thu Thiem 5 minutes, Ba Son 10, Binh An 15, Thanh Da 32, Hiep Binh Chanh 42 and Linh Dong 52. For a short skyline ride, go to Ba Son or Binh An.

The boat runs 7:00 to 21:00 Monday to Friday and 7:00 to 23:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Buy tickets at the piers, on the website or in the iOS and Android app.

The operator lists eight pier pages: Bach Dang, Thu Thiem, Ba Son, Binh An, Thao Dien, Thanh Da, Hiep Binh Chanh and Linh Dong. People aged 70 and over, babies under 1, people with disabilities and war invalids ride free.

Wake of a boat on a wide green river with a distant bank of apartment blocks under a cloudy sky
The Saigon River seen from a waterbus.

Saigon Princess: the set-dinner cruise

Budget VND 980,000 per adult for a 3, 4 or 5-course set menu. Vegetarian set menus start at VND 950,000, and the kids’ set menu for ages 6 to 11 at VND 850,000 per child. The price includes service charge and VAT.

You board at 18:00, the boat casts off at 19:30 and you step off at 21:30, about 2 hours on the river. The route passes Vinhomes Central Park, Vinhomes Golden River, Landmark 81 and Bitexco Tower.

  • Children: toddlers under 6 go free.
  • Payment: online tickets go through the Onepay gateway, and refunds go back to the same account, never in cash. On the spot the boat takes cash, Visa and Mastercard.
  • Cancelling: 100% refund at least 72 hours before boarding, 50% from 24 to 72 hours, nothing inside 24 hours.
  • Access: the boat has no elevators and is not set up for wheelchairs.
Open upper deck set with long tables, white chairs and yellow sashes beside the river at dusk
The upper deck of Saigon Princess set for dinner.
Tall lit tower with pink lights at night among apartment blocks
Landmark 81 lit at night from the river.

Indochina Junk: set menus by the tier

Indochina Junk’s menu card covers the Indochina Queen ship. Boarding is at 18:30, the boat departs at 19:45 and returns at 21:15.

The cheapest Indochina Queen set menu is VND 723,600. Indo 10 is VND 831,600, and the top card entry, Indo 17, is VND 1,641,600.

The office is open 10:00 to 22:00 every day, and the pier is at 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street. Ask whether a set menu price covers one person or a table before you pay.

Junk-style boat with green sails lit at night, reflected in the river
The Indochina Junk boat lit up on the river.
Dining room with long tables, folded yellow napkins and wooden chairs
The dining room on an Indochina Junk boat.

Who each boat suits (and who should skip it)

  • Budget riders: the waterbus costs VND 15,000 a ride.
  • Early starters: the first waterbus sailing is at 7:00.
  • Families with children under 6 on a dinner boat: toddlers go free on Saigon Princess.
  • Vegetarians: Saigon Princess has vegetarian set menus from VND 950,000.
  • Skip Saigon Princess if a guest uses a wheelchair: the boat has no elevators.
  • Skip the waterbus if you want a fixed dinner: it is a VND 15,000 ride on an 11 km route.
  • Pick Indochina Junk for the lowest set menu at VND 723,600; Saigon Princess starts at VND 980,000.
City skyline across the river at night with boats moored in the foreground and colourful lights on the water
The riverfront skyline at night from the Indochina Queen pier.

How to get to the piers

The waterbus boards at Bach Dang pier, 10B Ton Duc Thang Street. Both dinner boats dock at the same address instead: 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, the Saigon Port pier.

Saigon Waterbus Bach Dang Pier (Saigon Waterbus Bach Dang)
10B Ton Duc Thang, Sai Gon, Ho Chi Minh 70000, Vietnam · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

When to go and how long

The waterbus runs 7:00 to 21:00 Monday to Friday and 7:00 to 23:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. The Saigon Princess dinner runs from 18:00 boarding to 21:30.

White dinner boat decorated with lights, hearts and signs moored beside a paved pier at dusk
The Indochina Queen moored at its pier.

Nearby and how to combine it

The Saigon Princess route passes Landmark 81 and Bitexco Tower. The waterbus operator lists pier pages for Thao Dien and Binh An among its eight.

A same-day plan: ride the waterbus in daylight for VND 15,000, then board a dinner boat from 18:00. Other ways across the city are in Getting Around Ho Chi Minh City: Free Bus, Metro, Grab.

Two glass office towers rising side by side against a blue sky with a street lamp in front
Office towers beside the Bach Dang riverfront.

Before you go

  • Book Saigon Princess online at least 72 hours ahead for a full refund.
  • Bring cash or a Visa or Mastercard for payment on the spot at Saigon Princess.
  • Ask for the vegetarian menu: it starts at VND 950,000.
  • Expect patchy wifi on Saigon Princess: it may cut in and out.
  • Confirm at booking whether the Indochina Junk set menu price is per person or per table.
  • Match the pier to the boat: waterbus at 10B Ton Duc Thang Street, dinner boats at 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street.

Photos and clips uploaded to Google Maps (Saigon Waterbus Bach Dang Pier on Google Maps (opens in a new tab), Saigon Princess on Google Maps (opens in a new tab), Indochina Queen on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)) by Saigon Waterbus Bach Dang, Linh Kona, Saigon Princess - Luxurious Dining Cruise, TravelLover, Binh Nguyen Thanh, Tham Tu Hanh Phuc, Lai Elvis Lai, Kevin Hsieh, Rince Thomas.

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Not confirmed: Indochina Junk: its menu card does not say whether each set menu price is per person or per table. Ask before you pay.

Common questions

How much is the Saigon Waterbus?

A ticket costs VND 15,000 per ride at every pier, or VND 30,000 return.

What time does the Saigon Waterbus run?

It runs 7:00 to 21:00 Monday to Friday, and 7:00 to 23:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Where does the Saigon Waterbus start?

Route 1 links Bach Dang pier and Linh Dong, about 11 km.

What is the Saigon Princess dinner cruise schedule?

Boarding is at 18:00, the boat casts off at 19:30 and the cruise ends at 21:30.

Do children pay on the Saigon Princess?

Toddlers under 6 go free, and the kids' set menu for ages 6 to 11 starts at VND 850,000.

Is the Saigon Princess wheelchair accessible?

No. The boat has no elevators and is not set up for wheelchairs.

How do I pay for a Saigon Princess booking?

Online tickets are paid through the Onepay gateway. On the spot the boat takes cash and Visa or Mastercard.

Who rides the Saigon Waterbus free?

People aged 70 and over, babies under 1, people with disabilities and war invalids ride free.

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