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Thành phố Hồ Chí MinhSouthern Vietnam10.78° N · 106.70° E
Vietnam's biggest, busiest and most energetic city, still called Saigon by almost everyone who lives here. Here is what to see, what to eat, where to stay and how to handle the heat and the traffic.
Ho Chi Minh City is the economic engine of Vietnam, a sprawling city of scooters, glass towers, colonial landmarks and alleyways full of food. Officially it took its current name in 1976, after reunification, but ask anyone on the street and they will still call it Saigon, especially when talking about the old centre. Both names are used every day, and nobody minds which one you choose.
The city grew from a Khmer trading settlement into a Vietnamese administrative centre in the late 17th century, then became the capital of French Cochinchina and later of South Vietnam. You can read that history in its buildings: the French-era Central Post Office and Notre-Dame Cathedral, the 1960s Independence Palace, Chinese clan halls in Cholon and the sobering War Remnants Museum. Further out, the Cu Chi Tunnels tell the story of the war from underground.
Most travellers give Saigon two or three nights, either at the start or the end of a trip, and use it as the gateway to the Mekong Delta, Phu Quoc or Cambodia. It is hot, loud and fast, and it is not a city of quiet lakes like Hanoi. What it does better than anywhere in the country is eat: broken rice, banh mi, noodle soups and coffee at every hour. This guide covers what to see, where to stay and how to get the most from a short visit.
Every journey below is private and tailor-made, so you can linger in Saigon, add the Cu Chi Tunnels or head straight on to the Mekong Delta.
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How our local guides would spend one day in the city, working around the midday heat and finishing with food on the street.
Start like a local with com tam: grilled pork chop over broken rice, eaten on a low stool while the city warms up.
Walk through the 1960s government palace, frozen in time with its war rooms, telephones and the tanks on the lawn.
See the French-era red-brick cathedral and the grand post office next door, with its vaulted hall and old maps.
A powerful and often difficult museum on the war, best visited with time to read and reflect.
A plate of noodles or a bowl of hu tieu, then a break in the air conditioning through the hottest hours.
Head into Chinatown for incense-filled temples, herbal medicine shops and the busy wholesale stalls around Binh Tay Market.
Order a ca phe sua da and watch the light change over the Saigon River as the office crowds head home.
Eat your way through banh xeo and grilled seafood, then join families strolling the walking street in the cool of the evening.
The Cu Chi Tunnels are the most popular day trip from Saigon, part of a vast underground network dug during the wars against the French and the Americans. There are two sites you can visit, and they feel quite different. Here is how we help travellers choose.
The closer of the two, about 1.5 to 2 hours by road, and the site most group tours use. Well set up and informative, but busy, and some tunnel sections have been widened for visitors.
Further out, about 2 to 2.5 hours by road, with a memorial temple and a more reflective atmosphere. Usually quieter, and it feels closer to the original story.
On some days you can travel one way along the Saigon River by boat instead of by road. It turns a long drive into part of the experience, though it depends on schedules and water levels.
Crawling through a tunnel is optional, and even the widened sections are tight, hot and dark. The rest of the site is outdoors in the forest, so bring water, insect repellent and comfortable shoes.
The experiences our travellers enjoy most, in order of what we would not miss.
Also called the Reunification Palace, this 1960s presidential palace is preserved as it was in April 1975, from the cabinet room to the bunker and command rooms in the basement.
The city's most visited museum, telling the story of the war through photographs, weapons and personal accounts. Confronting and one-sided in places, but important for understanding modern Vietnam.
Two French colonial landmarks side by side. The post office is still working, and the red-brick cathedral has been under restoration in recent years, so check what is open.
The underground network used by Viet Cong fighters, about 70 km northwest of the city. Go early to avoid heat and crowds, and choose between Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc.
Saigon's Chinatown, with ornate assembly halls, incense coils hanging from temple ceilings and wholesale markets where much of the south still does its shopping.
A smoky, atmospheric Taoist pagoda in Da Kao, filled with carved figures of deities and heroes. Small, but one of the most interesting religious sites in the city.
Ride pillion with a local guide through districts most visitors never see, stopping for banh xeo, snails, grilled meats and sweet soups.
The city's best-known market, good for a quick look and a snack at the food stalls. Prices for souvenirs are tourist prices, so bargain politely or just browse.
The elegant 1900 opera house sits at the top of Dong Khoi Street, the old Rue Catinat, lined with French-era buildings and shops.
Boats, canals, fruit orchards and coconut workshops in Ben Tre or My Tho, about two hours away. A taste of the delta if you cannot stay overnight.
A wide pedestrian boulevard that fills with families, street performers and young locals after dark, ending at the river near the old People's Committee building.
Watch the skyline light up from a rooftop bar or take an evening boat along the Saigon River, cooler and calmer than the streets below.
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Customise My TripLocal specialities worth seeking out, and when the locals eat them. Your guide will know the best places to try each one.
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Walking distance to the main sights, the river and Nguyen Hue, with the widest choice of hotels. The Bui Vien area is loud late at night, so choose your street carefully.
Next door to District 1 but more residential, with tree-lined streets, alley cafés and excellent local food. A short ride to the centre.
Across the river to the east, popular with expats, with garden villas, cafés and calmer streets. Around 20 to 40 minutes from the centre depending on traffic.
Tell us your style and our consultants will hand-pick a stay you would never find on your own.
A restored heritage house, a quiet lakeside villa or a family-run boutique: we match the hidden gem to you, and reveal it with your itinerary.
Ask for a surprise stayTan Son Nhat International Airport sits inside the city and has direct flights from across Asia, Australia and beyond, plus frequent flights from Hanoi (about two hours) and Da Nang. Saigon is also the end of the north to south railway, and there are boat and road links to Cambodia.
The heart of District 1 is walkable in the cooler morning and evening hours.
Best for: District 1Apps such as Grab offer cars and motorbike taxis with the fare shown upfront.
Best for: Short hopsEvening boat trips on the Saigon River show the skyline from the water, cooler than the streets.
Best for: EveningsIncluded on our journeys for Cholon, the Cu Chi Tunnels and day trips to the Delta.
Best for: Day tripsPlaces that pair well with Ho Chi Minh City, with approximate travel times.
Saigon is hot all year, with two seasons rather than four. The dry season from December to April is the most comfortable, with blue skies, though March and April are the hottest months. The wet season from May to November brings short, heavy afternoon storms, usually followed by clear evenings, so it rarely stops you sightseeing.
A general guide. Weather varies from year to year, and we plan each route around the season.
Quick answers from our local team. Anything else, just ask your travel specialist.
Ask us on WhatsAppYes. The city was officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City in 1976, but Saigon is still used every day by locals, especially for the central districts. You will see both names on signs, menus and airline tickets, and the airport code SGN still comes from Saigon.
Two full days cover the main sights and a good amount of eating. Three lets you add the Cu Chi Tunnels or a Mekong Delta day trip. Many travellers spend a night or two here, then continue into the Delta or fly to Phu Quoc.
December to April is the dry season, with sunny days and less humidity early on. March and April are very hot. From May to November expect short, heavy afternoon rain, though mornings are often clear and the city stays busy and green.
Yes, for its food, its history and its energy. It is not a city of grand scenery, and the traffic and heat can be tiring, so we usually suggest two or three nights rather than a long stay, with time in the Delta afterwards.
Ben Dinh is closer and easier for a half day, but busier. Ben Duoc is further out, quieter and more reflective, and it combines well with Tay Ninh. If you have time, we usually prefer Ben Duoc. Whichever you choose, go early in the morning, before the heat and the tour buses arrive.
Start with com tam (broken rice) and banh mi, then try hu tieu, southern-style pho, banh xeo and a plate of snails in the evening. Finish with an iced milk coffee. Busy stalls with plenty of locals are usually the safest and tastiest choice.
It is generally safe, but bag and phone snatching by passing motorbikes does happen. Keep your phone away from the kerb, carry bags on the side away from the road and use ride-hailing apps at night. Cross the road slowly and steadily so traffic can flow around you.
The airport is about 7 km from District 1, normally 30 to 45 minutes by car and longer at rush hour. Your travel consultant will arrange a private transfer with a name-sign welcome as part of your journey. Ride-hailing apps and metered taxis are also available outside arrivals.
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