Solo travel · Ho Chi Minh City · Vietnam
Solo travel in Ho Chi Minh City
How to enjoy Ho Chi Minh City at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Lê Minh Phát, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
Ho Chi Minh City suits solo travellers who enjoy energy and food: hostels are plentiful around Phạm Ngũ Lão, motorbike food tours and day trips are easy to join, and ride-hailing makes getting around simple. Many solo travellers base themselves in Phạm Ngũ Lão and Bùi Viện.
Key facts
- Base
- Phạm Ngũ Lão and Bùi Viện
- Getting around
- Ride-hailing
- Emergency number
- 113 police, 114 fire, 115 ambulance
- Language
- Vietnamese
Solo travel tips
- Stay near Phạm Ngũ Lão for hostels and other travellers, or District 3 for a calmer local base.
- Book a motorbike food tour early in your stay to learn what and where to eat.
- Join group tours for the Củ Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta to share costs.
- Hold your phone firmly and away from the street when using maps, especially in District 1.
- Share ride-hailing trip details with a friend when travelling late at night.
Where to stay
$ · Best for budget, nightlife and solo travellers
Phạm Ngũ Lão and Bùi Viện
Around Bùi Viện, Phạm Ngũ Lão and Đề Thám streets, guesthouses, hostels and tour agencies cluster within walking distance of Bến Thành Market. Bùi Viện becomes a pedestrian bar street at night with music competing from every doorway, while the side alleys hold family-run guesthouses and street food.
- Good
- Lowest room prices in the centre; Easy to meet other travellers; Tours and buses depart from here
- Watch out
- Very loud until late; Touts and inflated bar prices; Little local character
- Nearby
- Bùi Viện walking street, Bến Thành Market, 23/9 Park
Great on your own
Museum · District 3
War Remnants Museum
Start on the top floor with the photojournalism galleries, and allow time to recover afterwards; some images are very distressing.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Rainy day
Palace · District 1 (Đồng Khởi)
Independence Palace
Head straight for the basement first, which shows the war-time telecommunications rooms, before the tour groups arrive.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Kids
Religious site · District 1 (Đồng Khởi)
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.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Free
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Architecture · District 1 (Đồng Khởi)
Saigon Central Post Office
Send a postcard from the counters; then walk into the adjoining Book Street.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
- Rainy day
Architecture · District 1 (Đồng Khởi)
Saigon Opera House
Seeing a performance is the only way inside; check the programme and book a day or two ahead.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours for a show
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- After dark
- Couples
- Rainy day
Religious site · Đa Kao
Jade Emperor Pagoda
Visit in the morning, dress modestly and avoid photographing worshippers at close range.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
Meeting people
- Motorbike street-food tour — Ride pillion with a local guide to eat in Districts 4, 5 and 10, tasting snails, bánh xèo and desserts you would struggle to find alone.
- Snail night in District 4 — Share plates of grilled shellfish and snails with cold beer at the plastic tables on Vĩnh Khánh street.
- Bùi Viện — The backpacker bar street, closed to traffic at night, with loud music, cheap beer and people-watching.
- District 1 rooftops and cocktail bars — Hotel and tower rooftops around Đồng Khởi and Nguyễn Huệ, plus speakeasy-style bars in old apartment blocks.
Sensible precautions
Bag and phone snatching by thieves on passing motorbikes is the most common problem, especially in District 1 and around Bùi Viện. Traffic is the main physical hazard, and overcharging by unofficial taxis and some bars happens. During the rainy season, streets can flood briefly after storms and at high tide.
- Emergency number
- 113 police, 114 fire, 115 ambulance
- Staying connected
- Local SIMs and eSIMs with large data allowances are inexpensive at the airport and in the city, and Wi-Fi is available in most cafés and hotels.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Ho Chi Minh City good for solo travellers?
Ho Chi Minh City suits solo travellers who enjoy energy and food: hostels are plentiful around Phạm Ngũ Lão, motorbike food tours and day trips are easy to join, and ride-hailing makes getting around simple.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Ho Chi Minh City?
Phạm Ngũ Lão and Bùi Viện: Backpacker quarter of hostels, travel agents and a loud bar street.