Even though it felt like we were just running through a standard tourist circuit, we enjoyed the itinerary. The places we stopped at seemed like places that would be quite difficult to get to without a guide. In particular, we liked the sampan boat ride through the small canals.
There will be many opportunities to buy things. I'd recommend the coconut peanut candy, but would not recommend the chocolate bar (we got the salt one, which tasted off and we found a hair in it).
Our tour guide, Bac, was fantastic. He was easy to talk to and energetic despite the long day. We appreciated his HCMC recommendations, as he has a background as a food tour guide!