World · 29 Places · Best December
Ho Chi Minh City, still widely called Saigon, is Vietnam's largest city and commercial engine, a dense, motorbike-driven metropolis on the Saigon River where French colonial landmarks, war-era history and a fast-growing skyline stand within a few kilometres of each other. Most visitors base themselves in District 1 and District 3, and the city is also the usual gateway to the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta.
Saigon began as a Khmer fishing settlement called Prey Nokor, was taken by Vietnamese settlers in the 17th century, and became the capital of French Cochinchina in 1862. The French left the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica, the Central Post Office, the Opera House and the tree-lined boulevards of District 1 and District 3. The city was the capital of South Vietnam until 30 April 1975, when tanks of the North Vietnamese army entered the grounds of today's Reunification Palace, and it was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in 1976, although residents and most signage still use Saigon. The War Remnants Museum, the Reunification Palace and the Cu Chi Tunnels, about 70 km north-west, anchor the history circuit. Cholon, the Chinese quarter in District 5 and District 6, holds Binh Tay Market and temples such as Thien Hau. Food is a main reason to come: banh mi, pho, broken rice (com tam), banh xeo and iced coffee with condensed milk are sold on almost every block, and the Michelin Guide has listed Ho Chi Minh City alongside Hanoi and Da Nang since 2024, with six one-star restaurants in the June 2026 edition. Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh to Suoi Tien) opened in December 2024. Since 1 July 2025 the city's administrative area has been enlarged by merging Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces, so official figures now cover about 14 million people, although the urban core visitors see is the former city of roughly 10 million.
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The 29 destinations our editors recommend — from iconic landmarks to under-the-radar finds.
This museum documents the American War through captured US military hardware in the courtyard, photojournalism exhibits, and rooms devoted to the effects of Agent Orange and other chemical defoliants. The building formerly served as the US Information Service headquarters. Exhibits are presented largely from the Vietnamese and international anti-war press perspective, so expect a one-sided but powerful account rather than a balanced military history.
Built in 1966 as the South Vietnamese presidential palace, this building is preserved largely as it was on 30 April 1975, when a North Vietnamese tank crashed through its gates and ended the war. Visitors walk through the president's reception rooms, war room, and living quarters, all furnished in period style. The basement holds the old telecommunications and command bunker.
One of the oldest markets in the city, this covered market sells clothing, souvenirs, dried goods, and cooked food from densely packed stalls under a single roof near the clock tower that marks its main entrance. It functions as both a retail market for tourists and a working food market, with a cluster of eateries along one side selling Vietnamese dishes cooked to order.
The red-brick neo-Romanesque cathedral, built 1863-1880 from materials shipped from France, stands in Paris Commune Square opposite the Central Post Office. Its twin towers rise about 58 metres, and a long restoration that began in 2017 has been extended toward 2027, with two new gold-plated crosses reinstalled on the towers on 19 March 2026. Visitors can photograph the exterior and the bronze statue of Our Lady of Peace in the square; the interior may still be closed to the public.
Built in the early 20th century by the local Cantonese community, this Taoist temple is dense with carved wooden statues, smoke from incense coils hanging overhead, and shrines to figures including the Jade Emperor and the Chief of Hell. A back room houses statues of the ten Kings of Hell, and a courtyard pond is home to turtles that visitors release for merit.
At 262.5 metres, this skyscraper's helipad-shaped design makes it one of the most recognizable buildings in the Saigon skyline. The Skydeck occupies the 49th floor and gives a 360-degree enclosed view over the Saigon River and the District 1 grid below.
Pick a length, follow the route. Each itinerary balances headline sights with breathing room.
Three tiers, every traveller covered — from cost-conscious to flagship hotels.
Hostels, budget hotels, and guesthouses offer affordable stays without sacrificing experience.
Boutique hotels and well-located accommodations provide comfort and convenience at reasonable prices.
World-class resorts and premium hotels deliver unforgettable experiences.
A five-star hotel on Lam Son Square beside the Opera House, with a restaurant and bar in a French-colonial style. It is about 0.8 km in a straight line from Ben Thanh Market.
Check rates on Booking.comA five-star hotel on the Nguyen Hue walking street, in the Times Square tower, with Italian-style interiors and a pool. It is about 0.8 km in a straight line from Ben Thanh Market.
Check rates on Booking.comA 1925 riverside hotel at the foot of Dong Khoi Street with art-deco styling and a rooftop bar facing the Saigon River. It is about 0.9 km in a straight line from Ben Thanh Market.
Check rates on Booking.comA five-star hotel at the northern end of Le Duan Boulevard, opposite the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens, with a pool and several restaurants. It is about 1.4 km in a straight line from Ben Thanh Market.
Check rates on Booking.comCafés, neighbourhood gems, and tasting menus worth the table reservation.
A large, long-running pho restaurant on Pasteur Street, serving southern-style beef noodle soup with a plate of basil, bean sprouts, lime and chilli.
A banh mi shop on Le Thi Rieng Street known for baguettes stuffed heavily with pate, cold cuts and pickles; the queue forms most afternoons.
A garden-style restaurant famous for large crisp pancakes that are wrapped in lettuce and herbs and dipped in fish-sauce dressing.
A restaurant in a former villa in Tan Dinh serving southern home-style dishes; rooms are decorated with salvaged brick and period furnishings.
A modern Vietnamese restaurant set in the Ton That Dam street-food area, reinterpreting street dishes in a tasting-menu format; it carries a Michelin recommendation.
A villa restaurant where open kitchens around the courtyard cook dishes from across Vietnam, a convenient way to sample several regional specialities in one sitting.
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Visitors to Ho Chi Minh City rarely need to own or drive anything. Ride-hailing apps cover the whole city at low fixed fares, Metro Line 1 handles the Ben Thanh to Thu Duc corridor, and the central tourist grid around Dong Khoi, Nguyen Hue and Pham Ngu Lao is walkable in short stretches. The city has roughly 8 million motorbikes, so crossing streets and riding a rented motorbike both demand care. Driving a rental car is impractical for short stays, and riding a motorbike legally requires a Vietnamese licence or a 1968-Convention International Driving Permit with the A1 or A motorcycle category, which most travel insurance policies also demand. Since 1 July 2025 the old numbered districts are no longer formal administrative units, but District 1, District 3, Binh Thanh and Thu Duc remain the names used on signs, in Grab and by every driver.
Daily spend by tier in VND (1 USD = 26,300 VND), broken out by category.
| Category | Budget | Mid-range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | 250,000-500,000 VND (~$9.51-19.01) for a hostel dorm bed or simple guesthouse room in District 1 or District 3 | 1,000,000-2,000,000 VND (~$38.02-76.05) for a 3-4 star hotel with breakfast | 4,500,000-12,000,000 VND (~$171-456) for Park Hyatt Saigon, The Reverie Saigon or a Landmark 81 hotel |
| Food (per day) | 200,000-350,000 VND (~$7.60-13.31) eating street food, banh mi and com binh dan rice shops | 600,000-1,000,000 VND (~$22.81-38.02) mixing local restaurants with one sit-down dinner | 1,800,000-4,500,000 VND (~$68.44-171) including Michelin-listed tasting menus and rooftop bars |
| Transportation | 40,000-100,000 VND (~$1.52-3.80) using GrabBike, city buses and Metro Line 1 | 150,000-300,000 VND (~$5.70-11.41) using Grab cars for most trips | 600,000-1,800,000 VND (~$22.81-68.44) for a private car and driver |
| Activities | 50,000-150,000 VND (~$1.90-5.70) covering one or two museum entries | 300,000-600,000 VND (~$11.41-22.81) covering museums, the Saigon Skydeck and a guided tour | 1,000,000-3,000,000 VND (~$38.02-114) for private guides and day trips |
| Daily total | 540,000-1,100,000 VND (~$20.53-41.83) | 2,050,000-3,900,000 VND (~$77.95-148) | 7,900,000-21,300,000 VND (~$300-810) |
Best time Shoulder Worth avoiding
Average daytime temperature in °C. Figures are for Vietnam.
Visit Ho Chi Minh City between December and April for sunshine and almost no rain, or in May to November for lower hotel rates and green scenery with rain confined to the afternoon.
Plan outdoor sights such as the Cu Chi Tunnels, the Mekong Delta and walking tours for the morning in the wet season, when storms usually arrive between 14:00 and 17:00. Tet Nguyen Dan falls on 6 February 2027, with the statutory holiday running roughly 5-9 February; the city empties of motorbikes and is unusually quiet, flower streets fill Nguyen Hue, and hotels and major sights stay open while many street-food kitchens shut. Book December to February hotels four to eight weeks ahead.
Traffic is the real risk. Cross at a slow, constant pace without stopping, and never walk in the road while looking at a phone.
Carry bags across the body on the shoulder away from the road, and keep phones off cafe tables near the kerb to avoid motorbike snatching.
Use Grab or Xanh SM, or the two reputable metered brands Vinasun and Mai Linh, so the fare is fixed or metered fairly.
Agree cyclo, motorbike-taxi and street-service prices in dong, as a total for the ride, before accepting.
Rent a motorbike only with a Vietnamese licence or a 1968-Convention International Driving Permit with the A1 or A category; wear a helmet always, as riders without one are fined.
Carry a passport photo page copy and a phone photo of the visa or e-visa rather than the original for daily outings; keep the original in the hotel safe.
Keep valuables in the hotel safe, and carry only the cash needed for the day split between two pockets.
Drink sealed bottled water, and choose busy street-food stalls with high turnover.
Register with the home country's embassy programme (for example US STEP) before arrival and save the numbers 113, 114 and 115 in the phone.
Buy travel insurance that covers medical evacuation and motorbike use, and keep the policy number and helpline in the phone.
Ho Chi Minh City is a large, dense, busy city where most travellers, including solo travellers and families, have trouble-free visits. The statistically biggest danger is road traffic, particularly for visitors who rent motorbikes without experience. The second is opportunistic theft: thieves on mot
The best time to visit Ho Chi Minh City is December. Ho Chi Minh City has a tropical savanna climate with two seasons rather than four. The dry season runs from December to April, with abundant sunshine and little rain, and the wet season from May to No
Most nationalities need an e-visa (USD 25, single or multiple entry, up to 90 days, apply at evisa.gov.vn, usually issued within 3 working days) or a visa from an embassy. Citizens of about 25 countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan and South Korea, may enter visa-free for 45 days. Passports must be valid for at least six months on arrival. Check the current exemption list on the Vietnam Immigration Department site before booking, as it changes. Requirements vary by nationality, so check with your nearest embassy or the official immigration website before traveling.
The currency in Ho Chi Minh City is the Vietnamese dong (VND); 1 USD = 26,300 VND (VND). ATMs are widely available in cities and tourist areas. Credit cards are accepted at most hotels and restaurants, but carry cash for markets and smaller establishments.
The main language(s) spoken in Ho Chi Minh City: Vietnamese (official); English is spoken in hotels, tour agencies and many restaurants in District 1, and far less elsewhere; Chinese (Cantonese and Teochew) is still heard in Cholon. In tourist areas, English is generally understood. Learning a few basic phrases in the local language is appreciated by locals.
The top attractions in Ho Chi Minh City include War Remnants Museum, Reunification Palace, Ben Thanh Market, Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, and Jade Emperor Pagoda. Each offers a unique experience, from historic landmarks to natural wonders.
