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Ho Chi Minh City

Best season Dec–Apr dry season · 19 tips · 15 checked by a local · counted from 5,258 traveller posts & comments

What to eat

Eat
Banh mi
The everyday breakfast, on every corner
28 travellers mentioned local-checked
Eat
Com tam
Broken rice with grilled pork — the Saigon classic
9 travellers mentioned local-checked

Where to stay

Stay
Thao Dien (District 2)
Expat and nomad area, lots of cafes, calmer than District 1
30 travellers mentioned local-checked
Stay
District 1 (Ben Thanh / Bui Vien)
Close to the sights and the late-night food.
78 travellers mentioned
Stay
District 3
Quieter, good cafes, still central.
16 travellers mentioned

What to do · more

Do
Cu Chi Tunnels
Half a day out of the city
194 travellers mentioned local-checked
Do
War Remnants Museum
Heavy, and the single most recommended stop here
131 travellers mentioned local-checked
Do
Ben Thanh Market
The landmark market — shopping and street food
42 travellers mentioned local-checked
Do
Notre-Dame Cathedral
French colonial architecture in the centre
31 travellers mentioned local-checked
Do
Bui Vien walking street
Loud after dark — agree prices first
30 travellers mentioned local-checked
Do
Landmark 81
Vietnam's tallest building; people go up for the city view
28 travellers mentioned local-checked
Do
Book Street
A quiet book-lined street beside the central post office
26 travellers mentioned local-checked
Do
Saigon River
Evening cruises, and a cheap river bus most people miss
22 travellers mentioned local-checked
Do
Mekong Delta (My Tho / Ben Tre)
The usual day or overnight trip out of the city
18 travellers mentioned local-checked
Do
Saigon Zoo & Botanical Garden
The old zoo and gardens; opinions on the animals are mixed
8 travellers mentioned local-checked

Shopping

Shop
Coffee beans & souvenirs
Beans are what most people take home
12 travellers mentioned local-checked

Day trips

Day trip
Vung Tau
Beach town about 2h away — works as a day trip
20 travellers mentioned local-checked

Traps to avoid

Careful
Phone snatching
Common in the centre — don't hold your phone at the roadside.
Heads-up
Careful
Unmetered taxis and Bui Vien prices
Use Grab; look at the menu before you order.
Heads-up

Nearby — often compared

Deciding where to go? Travellers often weigh Ho Chi Minh City against nearby: Phu Quoc · Da Lat · Mekong Delta · Mui Ne