Comparison · Hanoi vs Ho Chi Minh City · Vietnam
Hanoi vs Ho Chi Minh City
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Quangnlnhe182394, CC0
Quick answer
Choose Hanoi for Old Quarter and Hoàn Kiếm Lake; choose Ho Chi Minh City for War Remnants Museum, Independence Palace and a milder winter. Day-to-day costs are similar, and the two are about 1,144 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 1,144 km
- Less expensive
- About the same
- Best time for Hanoi
- March–April and October–December
- Best time for Ho Chi Minh City
- December–March
Side by side
| Hanoi | Ho Chi Minh City | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Vietnam | Vietnam |
| Known for | Old Quarter, Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Phở | War Remnants Museum, Independence Palace and Bến Thành Market |
| Best time to visit | March–April and October–December | December–March |
| Ideal stay | 4 days | 4 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $60–$120 | $60–$130 |
| Cost level | Very affordable | Very affordable |
| Warmest month | June, 33°C (91°F) | April, 35°C (95°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 19°C (66°F) | September, 31°C (88°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 9 | 9 |
| Day trips in our guide | 5 | 6 |
| Beaches | — | — |
| Airports | HAN | SGN |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Hanoi for…
Old Quarter and Hoàn Kiếm Lake. Hanoi has been Vietnam's capital, on and off, for about a thousand years, and it shows: a dense Old Quarter of guild streets and narrow tube houses, French colonial boulevards around the 1911 Opera House, and the Confucian Temple of Literature founded in…
Choose Ho Chi Minh City for…
War Remnants Museum, Independence Palace and a milder winter. Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by most residents, is Vietnam's largest city and its commercial engine on the Saigon River. Visitors focus on District 1, where the Central Post Office, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Opera House and Bến Thành Market are a…
Top sights compared
| # | Hanoi | Ho Chi Minh City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple | War Remnants Museum |
| 2 | Old Quarter guild streets | Independence Palace |
| 3 | Temple of Literature | Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon |
| 4 | Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Đình Square | Saigon Central Post Office |
| 5 | One Pillar Pagoda | Bến Thành Market |
Food compared
| Hanoi | Ho Chi Minh City |
|---|---|
| Beef phở | Broken rice |
| Bún chả | Bánh mì |
| Chả cá Lã Vọng | Southern phở |
| Bánh cuốn | Hủ tiếu Nam Vang |
Which is cheaper?
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City cost about the same: a mid-range day is roughly $60–$120 in Hanoi and $60–$130 in Ho Chi Minh City (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Hanoi on a budget.
Can you visit both?
They are about 1,144 km apart, so combining them means a flight. With 9 days or more it works; otherwise pick one.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City cheaper?
Neither is clearly cheaper: a mid-range day costs about $60–$120 in Hanoi and $60–$130 in Ho Chi Minh City (estimates).
+Is Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City better for a first trip?
Pick Hanoi for Old Quarter and Hoàn Kiếm Lake, or Ho Chi Minh City for War Remnants Museum, Independence Palace and a milder winter.
+How far is Hanoi from Ho Chi Minh City?
About 1,144 km in a straight line.