What To Do in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) is Vietnam’s equally vibrant and chaotic biggest city. While Ho Chi Minh may not have the charm of Hoi An and may seem like a concrete jungle on arrival, dig a little deeper and you’ll uncover a fascinating city that is packed with intoxicating sights, sounds and attractions. Wondering what to do in Ho Chi Minh City? Read on to discover the best things to do in Ho Chi Minh, from stunning French colonial architecture, to war history, to street food and more!

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Things To Do in Saigon District 1

Ho Chi Minh is just a short trip from Singapore, and can be easily visited if you have a free weekend in Southeast Asia. It’s also a must visit location as part of any Vietnam itinerary. Many of the best Ho Chi Minh attractions are located in District 1. District 1 is very compact and walkable, and it’s easy to cover the main attractions in just one day.

1. Independence Palace

Stepping into the Saigon Independence Palace is like stepping back in time. Back to 1975 to be exact, when North Vietnamese tanks crashed through the gates of the Independence Palace and ended the Vietnam War.

Independence Palace in Ho Chi Minh, also known as Reunification Palace, has been perfectly preserved in time, forever immortalised in 1975. It’s a little surreal to wander through the palace and take in the slightly gaudy 1970s antique furniture, war telecommunications equipment and original maps.

The Independence Palace has four floors and a basement, including presidential suites, living quarters, meeting rooms, a cinema, casino and rooftop terrace complete with heli-pad. A highlight is the basement bunker, with tunnels, telecommunications rooms, war rooms and an industrial kitchen. Outside, you can see the original tanks that stormed the palace in 1975.

Location: Independence Palace is located in Ho Chi Minh District 1 at 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Ben Thanh.

Opening Hours: The Palace is open from 7:30am to 4pm daily. The ticket booth closes for lunch from around 11am to 1pm.

Cost: Entry to the Independence Place is 40,000 VND (approx. US$2), or 65,000 VND (approx. US$3) for both the Palace and exhibition. You can also pay extra to have an audio guide.

2. War Remnants Museum

The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh is a war museum with exhibitions and relics from the Vietnam War. Unsurprisingly, visiting the War Remnants Museum is harrowing, horrific, and downright hard.

The facts are traumatic enough. The war ravaged Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. While numbers vary, the Vietnamese government estimates that around 3 million Vietnamese were killed, including 2 million civilians. The war left devastating and ongoing destruction in its wake, including around 800,000 tonnes of bombs and 6.1 million hectares of land that was contaminated with bombs and explosives.

The imagery is even more difficult to view. The War Remnants Museum has displays on Agent Orange, a devastating chemical weapon that continues to impact Vietnamese today, and the My Lai Massacre in 1968 by US soldiers of hundreds of unarmed citizens, most of them women and children. Warning: The photos are graphic.

The museum also showcases the protests against the Vietnam War, which grew into a global social movement and even included dissent within the US military. Outside the museum, you can see original military hardware including fighter jets, helicopters and tanks.

Location: The War Remnants Museum is located in Ho Chi Minh District 3 at 28 Vo Van Tan. Although in District 3, it’s only a short walk from District 1, at around 700m from the Independence Palace.

Opening Hours: The War Remnants Museum is open from 7:30am to 6pm daily, with the last admission at 5:30pm. The ticket booth closes for lunch from around 12pm to 1:30pm.

Cost: Entry to the War Remnants Museum is 40,000 VND (approx. US$2) for adults, 20,000 VND for kids aged 6-15 (approx. US$1), and free for kids Aged under 6.

3. People’s Committee Building Saigon – Ho Chi Minh City Hall

The Ho Chi Minh People’s Committee Building is possibly the most beautiful building in all of Ho Chi Minh, with its spectacular French colonial architecture and manicured gardens. The building is also known as the Ho Chi Minh City Hall or the Hotel de Ville de Saigon, as it was originally built as a hotel in the early 1900s.

Unfortunately, the building’s interiors are not open to the public. However, the People’s Committee Building is equally gorgeous to view by day and by night, when the building, gardens and fountain are lit up with beautiful lights.

Location: The People’s Committee Building Saigon is located in Ho Chi Minh District 1 at 86 Le Thanh Ton. It’s at the end of Nguyen Hue walking street (7 below) and is only minutes walk from the Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office Building and Opera House.

Hours: You can view the People’s Committee Building 24/7. Unfortunately, the inside is not open to the public.

Cost: Free.

4. Notre Dame Cathedral 

The Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral is an impressive and imposing church located in central Ho Chi Minh City. The cathedral was built in the late 19th century by French colonists.

Ho Chi Minh’s Notre Dame Cathedral is almost 60 metres tall, features a red brick facade, two bell towers, lovely stained glass, and a Virgin Mary statue. In fact, the Virgin Mary statue was reported to have shed tears in 2005, and to this day attracts worshippers who hope to witness a miracle.

Location: Notre Dame Cathedral is located in Ho Chi Minh District 1 at 1 Cong Xa Paris, Ben Nghe.

Hours (2020 Note – Currently Closed): Notre Dame Cathedral is open from 8am to 5pm daily. The cathedral is a working church, including Sunday mass. Dress (and act!) respectfully. As at March 2020, the cathedral is closed for renovations. It’s still possible to view the exterior, although some is covered in scaffolding.

Cost: Free

5. Saigon Central Post Office Building

Directly across the road from the Notre Dame Cathedral stands the pretty Saigon Central Post Office Building, with its pastel yellow facade. The post office was also built in the late 1800s, and has a French colonial style with gothic and renaissance influences.

The Saigon Central Post Office Building has beautifully preserved interiors including two antique maps of the region. It’s still a functioning post office, so is the perfect place to send a postcard to your loved ones back home!

Location: The Saigon Post Office is located in Ho Chi Minh District 1 at 2 Cong Xa Paris, Ben Nghe. It’s just across the road from the Notre Dame Cathedral, so you can’t miss it!

Opening Hours: The Ho Chi Minh Central Post Office Building is open daily from 7am to 7pm.

Cost: Free.

6. Saigon Opera House Building

The Saigon Opera House (or Municipal Theatre) is yet another lovely French colonial building from the late 1800s. The Opera House’s exterior is ornate and intricately detailed with reliefs and inscriptions.

Today, the Saigon Opera House continues to be a working theatre showing a range of performances from ballet, to orchestras and the famous evening cultural shows Teh Dar Show and A O Show (think Vietnamese bamboo circus).

Location: The Ho Chi Minh Opera House is located in Ho Chi MInh District 1 at No.7 Cong Truong Lam Son. The Opera House is a short 500m walk from Notre Dame Cathedral and the Saigon Central Post Office Building.

Hours: The Saigon Opera House is only open when performances are showing. Unfortunately, you can’t just wander in to have a gander (as we tried to do!).

Cost: Purchase tickets to the Saigon Opera House shows if you want to go into the theatre and see a show. Ticket prices vary but start at roughly a very reasonable US$30 for the famous AO and Teh Dar shows.

7. Stroll down Pretty Nguyen Hue Walking Street

Nguyen Hue Street is a gorgeous wide walking promenade in central Ho Chi Minh. You’ll find the People’s Committee Building at one end of Nguyen Hue Street and the river front at the other end. The street is lined with French colonial buildings, luxury shopping malls and bars and restaurants.

Nguyen Hue street is particularly atmospheric at night when the promenade is shut off and the lights and local entertainment dazzle. Visit both by day and night to see Nguyen Hue in all its glory.

Location: Nguyen Hue walking street is in Saigon District 1, starting at the People’s Committee Building.

Hours: Open 24/7, particularly atmospheric at night when the street is shut off with entertainment.

Cost: Free.

8. The Cafe Apartment

The Cafe Apartment is a 1960s style apartment block in Ho Chi Minh City that has been converted into cafes and boutiques stacked one on top of the other. It’s a unique building and concept, and provides an interesting contrast to French colonial architecture and ultra-luxe shops along other parts of Nguyen Hue. Pop in for a coffee or meal and watch the world go by on Saigon Walking Street below.

Location: The Cafe Apartment is located at No 42. Nguyen Hue Walking Street in Ho Chi Minh District 1.

Hours: Most cafes open from 8am to 10pm.

Cost: Free to look at or explore, with inexpensive cafes.

9. Drink at one of Saigon’s Rooftop bars

Saigon is famous for its trendy rooftop bars, which are the perfect place to relax and take in the sunset after a hectic day of sightseeing. There’s a vast array of rooftop bars to choose from in Ho Chi Minh, from the ultra-luxe and trendy to the more laid-back.

For an oh-so-trendy bar reminiscent of Singapore or Sydney, check out Chill Skybar or Air Bar (dress code applies, sometimes relaxed early evening) which turn into pumping clubs after the sun goes down.

For a more chillaxed but still trendy hotel rooftop bar, check out Hotel Majestic with riverfront views or MGallery Hotel des Arts Saigon with city views (pic above). Personally, these were more up my street as the last thing I want to do while travelling is get all trussed up in my finest. Plus, both these hotels also do a gorgeous high tea!

Location: Ho Chi Minh’s rooftop bars are dotted throughout District 1 and beyond.

Hours: Arrive 30 minutes before sunset to secure a spot, make the most of happy hour, and see the city by day, sunset and night.

Cost: The cost of a drink at Saigon’s rooftop bars varies from a bargain (by Western standards) to rather exxy. At the fancy bars, expect to pay up to US$10 for a cocktail. Most bars have happy hours in the early evening which can save you a bomb.

10. Barter at Ben Tanh Markets 

Ben Tanh Markets is a massive shopping and eating complex in the heart of Ho Chi Minh’s District 1. Shop to your heart’s content with local handicrafts, souvenirs and clothing. If shopping’s not your thang, visit in the evening and sample local Vietnamese delicacies from the many street food stalls.

Location: Ben Tanh Markets is located in Ho Chi Minh District 1 at Le Loi, Ben Thanh. It’s pretty massive so you can’t really miss it!

Hours: Ben Tanh Markets is open daily from around 6am until midnight. Visit in the early morning or evening to avoid the heat of the day.

Cost: The markets may seem cheap, but are definitely higher priced than the equivalent elsewhere in Ho Chi Minh. Come prepared to bargain and hustle with the vendors!

Ho Chi Minh Attractions in Other Districts

Once you’ve visited the popular things to do in Saigon District 1, head further afield to uncover some hidden gems in Ho Chi Minh’s surrounding districts.

11. Visit Saigon’s Oldest Coffee Shop, Cafe Cheo Leo

Cafe Cheo Leo is the oldest coffee shop in Saigon at around 80 years old (established in 1938), and has become somewhat of an institution for tourists and locals alike.

The coffee shop is unassuming and quaint, wherein lies its charm. The coffee is made in a traditional old fashioned style, using cotton filters and clay pots, in a process that takes around 30 minutes. The owners will let you pop out the back to see the coffee making process in action.

Depending on your tastes, sample the famous condensed milk, butter or coconut milk coffee, or stick to regular black or milk coffee. The perfect place to rest your legs during a long day of exploration!

Location: Cafe Cheo Leo is located in Ho Chi Minh District 3 at

Hours: Cafe Cheo Leo is open from early in the morning (around 5:45am if you’re an early bird!) until the evening, with a break for lunch.

Cost: The coffee is inexpensive. Take cash.

12. Visit St Francis Xavier Church in Chinatown

St Francis Xavier Church, or Cha Tam Church, is a Roman Catholic Church in Ho Chi Minh that is over 100 years old. The church was built to serve the Chinese Catholics and features a unique mix of of a yellow colonial facade and old Chinese characters.

Location: St Francis Xavier Church is in Ho Chi Minh District 5, at 25 Hoc Lac, Ward 14. It’s located near the intersection of Tran Hung Dao Street and Hoc Lac Street.

Opening Hours: St Francis Xavier Church is open from 7am to 12pm and 2pm to 6pm daily.

Cost: Free.

13. Visit Ba Thien Hau Chinese Temple

Ba Thien Hau Temple is a picturesque Buddhist temple dedicated to the Chinese sea goddess, Mazu. The temple is located in Ho Chi Minh’s Chinatown neighbourhood in District 5. The temple dates back to 1760, and features an ornate facade and colourful interiors filled with art, statues and incense sticks. Like, thousands of incense sticks!

The temple is visited by locals and tourists alike. As always, be respectful of local worshipers.

Location: Ba Thien Hau Temple is located in Ho Chi Minh District 5 at 710 Nguyen Trai Street, Ward 11. The temple is around 800 metres from St Francis Xavier Church.

Hours: Ba Thien Hau Temple is open from 8am to 4:30pm daily.

Cost: Free. You can purchase incense or make donations inside.

14. Visit Thích Quảng Đứ Monument, Dedicated to Monk Who Burned Self Alive

The Venerable Thích Quảng Đứ Monument is a memorial dedicated to Thích Quảng Đứ, a Buddhist monk who burned himself alive in protest against the persecution of Buddhist monks in Vietnam.

In June 1963, Thích Quảng Đức drove from war-ravaged Hue to the capital Saigon. On arrival, he stepped out of the car on a busy intersection in central Saigon, and sat calmly while he lit a match against his gasoline soaked robes.

The Thích Quảng Đứ Monument was erected in 2010 on the very corner where the monk took his life in protest. As well as the moving monument, the site includes gut-wrenching photographs that an American journalist took during the horrific event. The photographs captured were broadcast to the world, and became a symbol of the persecution and turbulence of the 1960s. Rage Against the Machine fans will recognise the imagery from the cover of the band’s eponymous 1992 album.

Location: The Thích Quảng Đứ Monument is located in Ho Chi Minh District 3, on the corner of Nguyễn Đình Chiểu and Cach Mạng Thang Tam streets where the monk took his life.

Hours: Outdoor monument, so possible to visit 24/7.

Cost: Free.

15. Explore Ho Chi Minh’s 1960s Apartment Blocks

One of the most interesting things to do in Saigon is to visit some of the city’s old apartment blocks, which offer a glimpse into true local life. While life inside the apartments may be tough, the streets are vibrant and come alive with street food and market stalls.

One such area is the Nguyen Thein Thuat apartment buildings. These are some of the oldest apartments in all of Ho Chi Minh, even though they only date back to the 1960s. At that time, the apartment blocks were inhabited by American soldiers. The apartments are now an interlocking series of streets where people live, work and socialise.

Location: The Nguyen Thien Thuat apartment buildings are located in Ho Chi Minh District 3.

Opening Hours & Cost: 24/7 and free.

16. Visit the Ho Thi Ky Flower Markets 

The Ho Thi Ky flower markets are a rather massive network of flower stalls that supply both wholesale and retail flowers. Here, you’ll find a large variety of stunning flowers in all colours under the sun, from lilies to roses to lotuses. As well as vibrant flower stalls, there’s some pretty great street food and other market stalls in the neighbourhood.

Location: The Ho Thi Ky flower markets are located in Ho Chi Minh District 10 at Le Hong Phong Street.

Hours: The Ho Thi Ky flower markets are open 24/7. The best time to buy flowers is very early in the morning when the flowers are fresh. By early, we mean well before the sun comes up!

Cost: Free, flower costs vary but are very reasonable.

Ho Chi Minh Tours and Day Trips 

If you have more than a couple of days in Ho Chi Minh city, then it’s worth signing up for some Ho Chi Minh tours and day trips. They’re a great way to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time, and are really good value!

17. Saigon Street Food Tour

While you’re in Ho Chi Minh, you absolutely must try some (all?!) of the incredible street food that the city has to offer. A leeeeeetle nervous about what to sample or short on time? Why not join a Saigon Street Food Tour to take the hassle out of planning.

Depending on your preferred mode of transport, you can choose from a street food tour by walking, scooter or car. Some of the best street food stalls and shops are spread throughout the city, so I recommend taking a scooter street food tour. Plus, it’s so much fun to zip around the streets of Saigon and seamlessly merge like a zip into the traffic that looks a little chaotic from the outside!

Warning: Come with an empty stomach. You will eat a SERIOUS amount of food. (I honestly don’t know how the tour guides do this several nights a week!).

Location & Hours: Street Food Tours operate all over Saigon, and usually include free pick up from centrally located hotels. The best time to do a street food tour is in the evening. Most tours leave at 5pm or 6pm for four hours.

Cost: Prices vary, but expect to pay around US$20-30 for a private four hour food tour of Saigon on a scooter.

18. Motorbike (Scooter) Tour of Ho Chi Minh

It’s surprisingly exhilarating to do a motorbike or scooter tour of Ho Chi Minh. From the outside, the traffic in Ho Chi Minh looks completely chaotic with no order whatsoever. None, zip, zilch. This is a city of 13 million people with 9 million scooters after all! However, that all disappears when you’re on the back of a scooter and are deftly weaving in and out of traffic, in what somehow feels like quite an orderly fashion.

There’s lots of Saigon motorbike tours to choose from, from the classic District 1 sites to some hidden attractions in the surrounding districts. We found that District 1 was pretty easy to explore on foot, so opted for the Saigon Unseen Motorbike Tour.

Our private Saigon Unseen four-hour tour took in several districts outside District 1, and included many things to do in Ho Chi Minh that I probably wouldn’t have ventured to alone. We covered several of the Ho Chi Minh attractions on this list, including the flower markets, old apartment blocks, and a church, temple and pagoda. I reckon it would have taken me a good day or two to explore all these incredible Ho Chi Minh activities on my own!

Location & Hours: Motorbike & Scooter Tours operate all over Saigon, and usually include free pick up from centrally located hotels. The best time to do a scooter tour is early morning to avoid the heat and crowds, or the afternoon if you prefer hustle and bustle (and can stand the heat!).

Cost: The price of a private Saigon Motorbike Tours varies, but expect to pay around US$30 per person for a private 4-hour tour.

19. Cu Chi Tunnels

The Cu Chi Tunnels are a massive underground network of tunnels outside of Ho Chi Minh city that form part of a broader network of tunnels across the country. The tunnels were built by communist forces during the 1940s in the fight for independence against French colonial rule, and later became an integral part of daily life and warfare for the Viet Cong forces during the Vietnam War.

The Cu Chi tunnels extend for around 250km and were used during the Vietnam War by the Viet Cong soldiers for hiding, transporting supplies, booby trapping enemy forces, launching attacks, and even housing underground villages. Life in the tunnels was by all means tough, with cramped living quarters, scarcity of food and air, and all manner of creepy-crawlies.

Today, the Cu Chi Tunnels are a popular tourist attraction. Here, you can not only learn about the Vietnam War and life in the tunnels, but also immerse yourself in history by crawling through the tunnels. Even though many have been made larger for Western tourists, they’re still pretty cramped, dusty and home to bats and bugs. Perhaps best avoided by the claustrophobes out there!

Location: Cu Chi Tunnels are located roughly 45km (Ben Dinh Tunnels) or 60km (Ben Duoc Tunnels) from central Ho Chi Minh. The drive takes around 1.5 to 2 hours.

Opening Hours: The Cu Chi Tunnels are open daily from 7am to 6pm (5pm Saturdays). Visit early to avoid the heat and crowds.

Cost: The entry fee for Cu Chi Tunnels is 110,000 VND (around US$5) for the Ben Dinh Tunnels or 90,000 VND (around US$4) for the Ben Duoc Tunnels. Most people visit the Cu Chi Tunnels on an organised tour from Ho Chi Minh. While pricey, we absolutely loved our Cu Chi Tunnels tour Grasshopper Adventures, which included a relaxing 1 hour 20 boat trip, 27km cycle through the countryside, and tour at the quieter Ben Duoc tunnels.

20. Mekong Delta 

Visiting the Mekong Delta is another popular day trip from Ho Chi Minh. The Mekong Delta is Southeast Asia’s longest river, where you can cruise around the canals and visit floating markets. In fact, the Mekong Delta is often referred to as the ‘rice bowl of Vietnam’, as it’s filled with verdant green rice paddies that produce rice to feed the nation.

Location & Hours: Mekong Delta tours will usually pick you up from your centrally located Ho Chi Minh hotel. It’s a long day tour, so is best included in itineraries if you have more than a few days in Ho Chi Minh. If you have longer, consider relaxing for a night or two in the Mekong Delta.

Cost: There’s plenty of Mekong Delta tours to choose from, at a variety of costs.

I hope this Ho Chi Minh City guide has helped you to discover the very best things to do in Ho Chi Minh Vietnam. Spending longer in Vietnam? Don’t miss the incredible attractions in Hoi An‘s old town, which is one of the most picturesque places in all of Southeast Asia. Happy travels!

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