5 days in Ho Chi Minh City

Day by day

1. Day 1: War Remnants Museum and Independence Palace

   War Remnants Museum, Independence Palace and Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, then Nguyễn Huệ walking street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      War Remnants Museum

      Start on the top floor with the photojournalism galleries, and allow time to recover afterwards; some images are very distressing. (2 hours, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Independence Palace

      Head straight for the basement first, which shows the war-time telecommunications rooms, before the tour groups arrive. (1.5 hours, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Broken rice

      Street stalls and specialist cơm tấm restaurants in every district, with the smoke of charcoal grills marking the best ones.

   4. Afternoon

      Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon

      Check whether the interior is open during your visit; the square and façade are the main draw either way. (20 minutes, free).

   5. Evening

      Nguyễn Huệ walking street

      Come after sunset when it is cooler, and take the lift (for a small fee) or stairs up the café apartment block for a view of the boulevard.

2. Day 2: Bến Thành Market and Saigon Central Post Office

   Bến Thành Market, Saigon Central Post Office and Saigon Opera House, then Landmark 81 SkyView in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Bến Thành Market

      Bargain with a smile and compare prices; eat at the food stalls inside rather than the restaurants around the edge. (1 hour, free).

   2. Late morning

      Saigon Central Post Office

      Send a postcard from the counters; then walk into the adjoining Book Street. (30 minutes, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Bánh mì

      Street carts and famous bakeries across Districts 1 and 3; queues at the best-known ones move quickly.

   4. Afternoon

      Saigon Opera House

      Seeing a performance is the only way inside; check the programme and book a day or two ahead. (1–1.5 hours for a show, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      Landmark 81 SkyView

      Go late in the afternoon to see the city in daylight and after dark on one ticket.

3. Day 3: Jade Emperor Pagoda and Chợ Lớn temples and Bình Tây Market

   Jade Emperor Pagoda, Chợ Lớn temples and Bình Tây Market and Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts, then Vĩnh Khánh food street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Jade Emperor Pagoda

      Visit in the morning, dress modestly and avoid photographing worshippers at close range. (45 minutes, free).

   2. Late morning

      Chợ Lớn temples and Bình Tây Market

      Go in the morning when the market is busiest, and finish with a bowl of noodles or dim sum in the side streets. (Half a day, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Southern phở

      Long-running phở shops in Districts 1 and 3, busiest at breakfast.

   4. Afternoon

      Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts

      Visit during the midday heat; it is quiet and makes a good break from the market. (1–1.5 hours, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Vĩnh Khánh food street

      Order a few dishes to share, point at what neighbouring tables are eating, and check prices on the menu before ordering.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Củ Chi Tunnels

   About 1.5–2 hours each way by road each way. Getting there: Tour bus, car with driver or river boat.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Củ Chi Tunnels

      About 1.5–2 hours each way by road (Tour bus, car with driver or river boat); about 70 km.

   2. Day

      Củ Chi Tunnels

      A network of tunnels used by Việt Cộng fighters, with sections widened for visitors to crawl through, booby-trap displays and reconstructed bunkers. Best for first-timers, culture and families.

   3. Evening

      Back in Ho Chi Minh City

      Dinner: try Hủ tiếu Nam Vang.

5. Day 5: Ho Chi Minh City Museum and Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens

   Ho Chi Minh City Museum, Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens and Tao Đàn Park, then Bùi Viện in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Ho Chi Minh City Museum

      Even if you skip the exhibits, walk round the outside and the gardens for the architecture. (1 hour, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens

      Go early in the morning when animals are more active and the gardens are cool. (2–3 hours, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Hủ tiếu Nam Vang

      Specialist shops in District 1, District 3 and Chợ Lớn, usually from breakfast to early afternoon.

   4. Afternoon

      Tao Đàn Park

      Arrive around 6–7am to see the park at its liveliest, then have breakfast nearby. (1 hour, free).

   5. Evening

      Bùi Viện

      The backpacker bar street, closed to traffic at night, with loud music, cheap beer and people-watching.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, District 1 (Đồng Khởi) keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Phạm Ngũ Lão and Bùi Viện ($) suits budget, nightlife and solo travellers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 20–23 hours of visiting over 5 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.5 hours in December to 12.8 hours in June.

More or fewer days

• One day in Ho Chi Minh City
• 2 days in Ho Chi Minh City
• 3 days in Ho Chi Minh City
• 4 days in Ho Chi Minh City
• 7 days in Ho Chi Minh City

Questions travellers ask