Explore Truly Local Culture at Cao Dai Holy See - Private Daytour

We really wanted to see the Caodai Holy See and generally learn more about this fascinating religion. Most group tours didn't seem to offer this or, if they did, they also included Cu Chi Tunnel as part of the experience - which we did not want to do - therefore we decided to book a private tour. The positives: - Good, knowledgeable guide, Mr Harry, that brought us to interesting places - Delicious local food. - Customisable experience: we could ask to replace or add things from the itinerary to customise what we wanted to do - Safe transport and very comfortable There could have been betters: - We had specifically chosen this tour because of all of the incredibly positive reviews of "Mr Binh", reading also that he grew up in a Caodaist family convinced us further, as we were keen to understand the religion from the point of view of someone who has direct ties to the religion. However the evening before Mr Binh informed us that he would not be our guide for the tour. While our guide, "Mr Harry" was good, he did not have the Caodaist background and so could not give the unique perspective that we believed we would get. - We were brought to a place called "Handicap Handicraft" under the guise of a bathroom break rest stop, despite not being listed anywhere in the itinerary. It's not clear what the place is or how much of the proceeds actually go to the handicapped people. The main point is that it's not written anywhere on the itinerary and is therefore impossible to do any prior research of the place beforehand.

We had a great day out with Binh, who took us to the Cao Dai palace and temple, a local market. We also visited a local Buddhist temple. We added Ba Den Mountain to the tour on the way back, and had a really nice lunch of locally caught fish at a farmstay nearby. Binh was very prompt and very communicative, making the logistics very smooth. He is also brought up in the Cao Dai religion so he is very knowledgeable in answering our questions. We would recommend adding the Ba Den Mountain to your tour as well. It is a bit of a strange place as a Westerner but the views are stunning and it's very interesting to walk around.

Wanted a private experience so I could fully appreciate the culture, was not disappointed. Binh was an awesome guide, and I could tell he had a deep appreciation for the Cao Dai religion. It was nice to be guided by someone who is also a follower. After seeing the beautiful ceremony, we had hotpot made with local ingredients, had a nap in a hammock, and enjoyed the peaceful garden. Later we went to Ba Den, and rode a cable car to the top to see lovely Buddhist art, as we well as a great view. A wonderful day, one of the best tours I've been on, much better than the typical tourist things.