18 Best Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City

The best things to do in Ho Chi Minh range from exploring Vietnam War-era landmarks and old Saigon architecture to eating your way through local markets and seeing the skyline from a rooftop after dark.

What makes the city interesting is the contrast. One hour you can be inside a former presidential palace; the next, you are drinking Vietnamese coffee beside a busy street packed with motorbikes. It is also one of the best bases in southern Vietnam for the Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta.

If you are planning a longer trip through the country, many Vietnam tour packages include Ho Chi Minh City alongside destinations such as Hanoi, Da Nang and Hoi An. You can also explore other things to do in Vietnam to decide how much time to keep for each stop.

Ho Chi Minh City at a Glance

Ho Chi Minh City feels faster and more modern than Hanoi. The city has high-rise hotels, rooftop bars and busy commercial streets, but much of old Saigon remains visible through colonial-era buildings, neighbourhood markets and historic sites.

How long should you stay?Allow 2–3 full days for the city itself. Add another day for the Cu Chi Tunnels or Mekong Delta.

Best period for sightseeing:December to April is generally the drier part of the year. May to November is wetter, although rain often arrives in intense bursts rather than lasting all day. Ho Chi Minh City Tourism lists December to April as the dry season.

Best area for first-time visitors:Central Saigon, particularly around the traditional District 1 sightseeing area, is the easiest base for walking to many major attractions.

The Essential Saigon Experiences

1. Start at the War Remnants Museum

For travellers trying to understand modern Vietnam, the War Remnants Museum is one of the most important Saigon attractions.

Its exhibitions cover the wars involving Vietnam through photographs, military equipment, documents and personal accounts, making it one of the most important things to do in Ho Chi Minh for travellers interested in the country’s modern history. Some galleries contain graphic photographs and descriptions of the effects of warfare, so this is not a light sightseeing stop.

Give yourself around 1.5–2 hours and avoid rushing straight into another major historical attraction afterwards.

Opening hours: 7:30 AM–5:30 PM dailyAdult ticket: VND 40,000Last admission: 5:00 PM

These details are current on the museum's official ticketing system as of September 2026.

2. Walk Through Independence Palace

Independence Palace, also called Reunification Palace, preserves meeting rooms, reception halls, presidential spaces, communications rooms and underground facilities connected to South Vietnam's former government.

It is especially worthwhile after visiting the War Remnants Museum because you see the political setting behind many of the events you have just learned about.

Opening hours: 7:00 AM–6:00 PM dailyPalace + exhibition ticket: VND 80,000 for adults aged 18–59Palace-only ticket: VND 40,000

The latest official prices have applied since January 1, 2026.

3. See Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon

The red-brick Notre-Dame Cathedral remains one of central Saigon's most recognisable landmarks.

However, there is an important 2026 update: the cathedral is still undergoing restoration and tourists cannot currently enter for normal sightseeing. It remains open for worshippers attending Mass.

You can still see the cathedral exterior and combine the stop with the nearby Central Post Office.

4. Step Inside Saigon Central Post Office

Just across from the cathedral, Saigon Central Post Office is one of the easiest architectural stops to add to a walking route through the city centre.

The building mixes grand European-style architecture with a functioning post office. Look beyond the main photo spot and you will find old maps, arched ceilings and traditional counters.

Allow around 20–30 minutes.

5. Eat Your Way Around Ben Thanh Market

Ben Thanh Market is touristy, busy and sometimes chaotic — but first-time visitors should still see it once.

Come for dried fruit, coffee, souvenirs, textiles and Vietnamese dishes rather than expecting a quiet local market experience.

The official city tourism portal lists entry as free, with the main sightseeing period running during the day and the surrounding night-market activity beginning in the evening.

For shopping, compare prices at a few stalls before buying. For food, choose busy counters where dishes are being prepared continuously. Exploring Ben Thanh this way is one of the easiest things to do in Ho Chi Minh City if you want to combine local food, shopping and everyday market energy in one stop.

6. Try a Proper Saigon Street-Food Crawl

Do not make Ben Thanh your only food experience.

Look for bánh mì, cơm tấm, bánh xèo, hủ tiếu, fresh spring rolls and Vietnamese iced coffee across neighbourhood food streets and small local restaurants.

A particularly useful evening stop is the area around Ho Thi Ky, known for its food stalls and flower market.

Joining a guided food walk can be worthwhile if you want to try several dishes without having to work out what and where to order.

7. Explore Cholon and Thien Hau Pagoda

For a side of the city that feels very different from central Saigon, head towards Cholon, Ho Chi Minh City's historic Chinatown area.

Walk around traditional shopfronts, markets and medicine streets before visiting Thien Hau Pagoda, a Chinese temple known for its incense coils, courtyards and detailed decorative work.

This is a better experience if you give the neighbourhood a couple of hours instead of treating the temple as a quick photo stop.

8. Visit the Jade Emperor Pagoda

The Jade Emperor Pagoda is one of the city's most atmospheric religious sites.

Inside, expect incense, carved statues, small chambers and active worship rather than the polished feel of a purpose-built tourist attraction, making it one of the more atmospheric things to do in Ho Chi Minh. 

Dress respectfully, keep voices low and avoid blocking worshippers when taking photographs.

9. See the Saigon Opera House and Old City Centre

The Saigon Opera House works well as part of a broader architectural walk.

From here, continue around Dong Khoi Street, historic hotels and the surrounding central streets. It is one of the easiest ways to see how colonial-era Saigon sits alongside today's luxury stores and modern towers.

If you only have one day in the city, combine this area with the cathedral, Central Post Office, Independence Palace and Nguyen Hue.

Day Trips Worth Taking

10. Take a Cu Chi Tunnels Day Trip

A Cu Chi Tunnels day trip is the easiest major excursion from Ho Chi Minh City.

The tunnel complex shows how underground networks were used for movement, shelter, communication and wartime operations. Parts of the tunnels have been adapted for visitors, but they are still narrow, hot and confined.

If you are uncomfortable in enclosed spaces, you do not have to crawl through them. You can still see entrances, exhibits and above-ground areas.

Ho Chi Minh City's tourism authority lists opening hours of approximately 7:00 AM–5:00 PM and an admission price of VND 70,000 for foreign adults, although optional experiences have separate charges.

Most organised trips take roughly half a day once transport is included.

Best for: history and first-time visitorsSkip if: you strongly dislike confined spaces or have mobility problems

11. Take a Mekong Delta Day Trip from Ho Chi Minh

A Mekong Delta day trip from Ho Chi Minh is possible, but choosing the right version matters.

Ben Tre and nearby parts of the Delta are roughly two hours from the city under favourable road conditions.

A typical day trip may combine river boats, smaller canals, coconut-growing areas, local workshops and lunch. It gives you a useful introduction, but expect a long day and a structured itinerary.

If your Vietnam schedule allows it, an overnight stay is better. You get beyond the busiest day-tour circuit and experience the Delta at a slower pace.

Verdict:Day trip = convenient introduction.Overnight = better experience.

Saigon at Night

Some of the most enjoyable things to do in Ho Chi Minh at night require almost no planning. Once the daytime heat drops, central streets become busier, rooftop venues fill up and food stalls stay active late into the evening.

12. Walk Along Nguyen Hue

Nguyen Hue Walking Street is a broad pedestrian-friendly boulevard surrounded by hotels, cafés, restaurants and historic buildings.

Come after sunset when temperatures are cooler and the area fills with local families, young people and street activity.

The city's tourism portal lists Nguyen Hue as open throughout the day and free to visit.

13. See Bui Vien — Even If You Do Not Stay Long

Bui Vien is loud, crowded and unapologetically nightlife-focused.

Expect bars, bright signs, loud music and heavy foot traffic. Walking through Bui Vien is one of the livelier things to do in Ho Chi Minh if you want to experience Saigon’s backpacker nightlife, but travellers looking for a relaxed evening may prefer Nguyen Hue or a rooftop bar.

The pedestrian-zone setup is particularly active on weekend evenings.

14. Watch the Skyline From a Rooftop Bar

Rooftop culture is one of the experiences that separates Ho Chi Minh City from many other stops on a Vietnam itinerary.

Go around sunset to watch the city shift from daylight into a skyline of illuminated towers.

Prices vary significantly by venue, so check the current menu, minimum-spend policy and dress code before choosing a rooftop rather than assuming every skyline bar operates like a casual café.

15. Do a District 1 Evening Walk

Instead of repeatedly taking taxis between nearby attractions, spend one evening walking through central Saigon.

A simple route can connect Nguyen Hue, the Opera House, Dong Khoi Street, the riverfront and surrounding café streets.

The distances look small on a map, but allow extra time for crossing major roads. Watch traffic carefully rather than following other pedestrians blindly.

16. See Saigon From the River

The Saigon River gives you a completely different perspective on the city's high-rises.

You can choose anything from basic river transport to evening cruises. For most budget-conscious travellers, simply getting onto the river around sunset delivers much of the skyline experience without needing an elaborate dinner cruise.

Choose daylight or sunset if photography matters.

17. Experience Saigon's Late-Night Food Scene

A night in Saigon does not need to revolve around bars.

Street-side restaurants, noodle shops and food streets stay active well into the evening. Instead of trying five random dishes in one tourist market, pick one neighbourhood and graze your way through it.

This is also a useful activity for your arrival evening because there is no fixed sightseeing schedule to miss.

18. Have Vietnamese Coffee With a City View

Finish with one of Saigon's simplest experiences: sit down with cà phê sữa đá or another Vietnamese coffee and watch the city below.

Apartment cafés, narrow shophouses and modern speciality coffee shops all offer different versions of the city's café culture.

It may not sound like a major attraction, but slowing down for an hour is one of the simplest things to do in Ho Chi Minh if you want to experience the city beyond its famous landmarks.

Getting In and Out

Most international visitors arrive through Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN).

For getting into central Ho Chi Minh City, app-based rides such as Grab and authorised taxis are usually the simplest choices. Tan Son Nhat's official 2026 transport list includes Grab among the licensed technology-based transport operators serving the airport.

Be careful with your terminal when flying domestically. As of 2026, most domestic airlines operate from the newer Terminal 3, while VietJet domestic flights continue to use Terminal 1. International flights use Terminal 2. Always check the terminal shown by your airline because operations can change.

For a wider explanation of airport choices across the country, see our Vietnam airports guide.

Travelling north after Saigon? Flying is by far the most practical option for most travellers doing the Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi route, while trains are better suited to travellers deliberately building a slower cross-country rail journey.

HCMC in Your Vietnam Itinerary

Ho Chi Minh City works best near the beginning or end of a southern Vietnam itinerary.

For a short trip, plan:

Day 1: War Remnants Museum, Independence Palace, Notre-Dame exterior, Central Post Office and Nguyen HueDay 2: Ben Thanh, neighbourhood food, Cholon and rooftop eveningDay 3: Cu Chi Tunnels or Mekong Delta

If you have more time, give the Mekong Delta an overnight stay and continue north through destinations such as Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue or Hanoi.

Weather also changes significantly as you travel through the country, so check the best time to visit Vietnam for your complete route rather than judging the entire trip by Ho Chi Minh City's seasons alone.

For travellers who want the south-to-north route organised together, our Vietnam tour packages combine Ho Chi Minh City with other major stops across the country.