So, you’ve finally decided to visit Ho Chi Minh City — good choice. Honestly, it’s one of those cities that hits you like a wall of warm air the second you step off the plane, and I mean that in the best possible way. The noise, the scooters, the smells from street food stalls around every corner — it’s a full sensory overload, and you’re going to love every chaotic second of it.
I remember my first time walking through District 1 thinking, “Where do I even begin?” Well, that’s exactly why I put this guide together. Whether you have three days or a week, these 11 best things to do in Ho Chi Minh City will make sure your first trip is nothing short of legendary.
1. Crawl Through the Cu Chi Tunnels
If you do one thing outside the city center, make it a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels. These underground passages stretch over 250 kilometers and were used by Viet Cong soldiers during the Vietnam War. That’s right — entire communities lived, cooked, and fought underground for years. Mind-blowing, right?
Book a guided half-day tour from the city so you actually understand what you’re looking at. You’ll see hidden trapdoors, weapon displays, and — if you’re brave enough — you can squeeze through the actual tunnels yourself. FYI, they’re tiny, so maybe skip the extra bánh mì before this one 🙂
- Location: About 70 km northwest of HCMC
- Best time to visit: Early morning to beat the heat
- Tip: Wear dark or plain clothing — you’ll be crawling through dirt
2. Visit the War Remnants Museum
This one isn’t exactly light viewing, but it’s absolutely essential. The War Remnants Museum gives you a raw, unfiltered look at the Vietnam War from the Vietnamese perspective. You’ll walk through tanks, fighter jets, and photographs that genuinely stop you in your tracks.
I’ll be honest — I wasn’t fully prepared for how powerful this museum would feel. Plan for at least two hours here, and go in with an open mind. It’s one of the most visited museums in Vietnam for a reason, and it will give real depth to everything else you experience in the city.
3. Explore Ben Thanh Market
Ben Thanh Market is one of Ho Chi Minh City’s most iconic landmarks, and yes, it’s touristy — but ignoring it would be a mistake. Built in the early 1900s, this massive market has over 1,500 stalls selling everything from Vietnamese lacquerware and silk to fresh tropical fruit and street snacks.
Go during the day for shopping, but come back in the evening when the night market sets up outside. That’s when the real fun starts — vendors fire up their grills, prices get negotiable, and the whole street buzzes with energy. Pro tip: always haggle, and start at about 50% of the asking price.
- Pick up spices, dried fruit, and Vietnamese coffee as souvenirs
- Try bánh tráng nướng (grilled rice paper) from a street stall nearby
- Watch your pockets in the crowded aisles
4. Walk Around the Reunification Palace
The Reunification Palace (also called Independence Palace) is a direct window into one of history’s most dramatic moments. This is the building where North Vietnamese tanks crashed through the gates on April 30, 1975, officially ending the Vietnam War. You can still see those exact gates today.
The interior is preserved almost exactly as it was in the 1970s, complete with a war command room in the basement, vintage furniture upstairs, and that unmistakable retro government aesthetic. It’s eerie, fascinating, and completely worth the small entrance fee.
5. Snap Photos at Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office
These two colonial-era landmarks sit side by side in the heart of District 1 and make for a stunning photo stop. Notre Dame Cathedral, built by French colonizers in the late 1800s using materials shipped entirely from France, stands as one of the city’s most recognizable structures.
Right across the plaza, the Saigon Central Post Office is even more impressive on the inside. Designed partly by Gustave Eiffel (yes, that Eiffel), the arched iron ceiling and tiled floors look like something out of a European fairy tale. You can still send postcards from here, which is a pretty cool thing to do.
6. Take a Mekong Delta Day Trip
About two hours south of the city lies the Mekong Delta — a vast labyrinth of rivers, rice paddies, and floating markets that feels like a completely different world. This is where most of Vietnam’s rice, fruit, and seafood comes from, and visiting it is an experience unlike anything else in the country.
You’ll cruise along narrow waterways in a sampan boat, stop at local farms, sample fresh coconut candy, and probably eat the best grilled fish of your life. IMO, this is the single most underrated day trip from Ho Chi Minh City, and most travelers who skip it say they wish they hadn’t.
- Book a small-group tour for a more personal experience
- Full-day tours typically include lunch and boat rides
- Best combined with a morning market visit in the delta region
7. Eat Your Way Through Bui Vien Walking Street
If you’re looking for nightlife, cold beers, and street food all crammed into one neon-lit block, Bui Vien Walking Street is your spot. It closes off to traffic every evening and transforms into a pedestrian carnival of restaurants, bars, and live music venues that stay open until the early hours.
Is it chaotic? Absolutely. Is it every traveler’s vibe? Probably not. But even if parties aren’t your thing, the sheer energy of the street is worth seeing once. Grab a plastic stool, order a Saigon beer, and just watch the world go by. You won’t regret it.
8. Discover the Jade Emperor Pagoda
Tucked away in District 3, the Jade Emperor Pagoda is one of the most beautifully ornate temples in Ho Chi Minh City — and somehow a lot of first-time visitors miss it entirely. Built by the Chinese community in 1909, this Taoist pagoda is filled with intricate wood carvings, incense smoke, and colorful religious statues.
The small pond out front is full of turtles, which locals consider a symbol of good luck. The atmosphere here feels genuinely peaceful compared to the city’s usual chaos, and it gives you a real sense of the Chinese cultural influence that has shaped Ho Chi Minh City for over a century.
9. Get Lost in Cholon (Chinatown)
Speaking of Chinese influence — Cholon, Ho Chi Minh City’s Chinatown, is a fascinating neighborhood that most tourists completely overlook. It’s louder, grittier, and more authentic than District 1, with sprawling wholesale markets, herbal medicine shops, and some of the best cheap eats in the city.
Make sure you visit Thien Hau Pagoda while you’re here. This 300-year-old temple dedicated to the goddess of the sea fills the air with thick coils of burning incense that hang from the ceiling, creating an almost cinematic atmosphere. It’s unlike anything else you’ll see on your trip.
- Try hu tieu (clear noodle soup) at a local Cholon breakfast stall
- Visit Binh Tay Market, the massive wholesale trading hub of the district
- Best explored on foot or by motorbike taxi
10. Catch the Skyline View from Landmark 81 or Bitexco Tower
Ho Chi Minh City’s skyline has changed dramatically over the past decade, and you absolutely need to see it from above. Landmark 81 — currently the tallest building in Vietnam at 461 meters — has an observation deck on the 79th floor with sweeping 360-degree views of the city and the Saigon River below.
If Landmark 81’s ticket price feels a bit steep, the Bitexco Financial Tower’s Sky Deck on the 49th floor is a solid alternative with iconic views of District 1. Either way, go at dusk. Watching the city light up as the sun goes down over the river is one of those travel moments you’ll keep talking about for years.
11. Take a Vietnamese Street Food Tour
Saving the best for last — if you only do one organized activity in Ho Chi Minh City, make it a street food tour. And not just any food tour. Look for one that takes you off the main tourist drag and into local neighborhoods where actual residents eat.
You’ll try dishes like bánh mì (Vietnamese baguette sandwiches), phở bò (beef noodle soup), bún thịt nướng (grilled pork vermicelli), and cà phê trứng (egg coffee) — all in one go. Vietnamese food isn’t just good, it’s dangerously good. You’ve been warned :/ Your diet will not survive this trip.
- Evening food tours work best — more stalls open, better atmosphere
- Ask your tour guide about hủ tiếu Nam Vang (Cambodian-style pork noodle soup) — it’s a local gem
- Bring cash; most street vendors don’t take cards
Final Thoughts on Your First Trip to Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City rewards the curious traveler. The more you wander, eat, and ask questions, the more it gives back. With this list of 11 best things to do in Ho Chi Minh City, you now have a solid starting point — from underground war history to rooftop cocktails and everything in between.
Don’t try to rush through all 11 in two days, though. Give yourself time to sit with a coffee, watch the scooters weave past, and just soak it all in. That unplanned hour you spend doing absolutely nothing at a sidewalk café? That might end up being your favorite memory of the whole trip.
Now close this tab, open a flight search, and go. Ho Chi Minh City is waiting — and it doesn’t slow down for anyone.
