Franz ElizHo Chi Minh City is one of Asia’s top destinations and is usually the first stop first-time travellers to Vietnam make. It was the first Vietnamese city I visited (back in 2013), where I had the chance to learn about the Vietnam War and the local cultures.
Formerly known as Saigon but renamed Ho Chi Minh City after the Vietnam war, this vibrant destination is home to some of the country’s best talents and foreign start-ups.
Suppose you’re planning to visit Ho Chi Minh City for the first time. Keep reading to explore these Ho Chi Minh City attractions and reasons to add them to your itinerary, especially if you’re only spending a few days in the city. Let’s go!
Cu Chi Tunnels
Cu Chi Tunnels played a significant role in Vietnam’s history. The construction of these tunnels started in 1948 (in an effort to fight the French) and continued for 25 years.
This labyrinth is so long that one can crawl up until the Cambodian border. The tunnels’ length helped Vietnamese from different villagers to stay in touch and escape attacks from the French.
Fun fact: The tunnels used to have facilities catered to the local people, from schools to hospitals.
One of the best ways to explore the attraction is to get a guide. A guide can give you more insights into the tunnels’ history and things left behind after the war, such as bombshells.
While these tunnels may not suit people who struggle with claustrophobia or certain health conditions, I still recommend visitors make a trip to the attraction. No need to crawl into the tunnels if you don’t want to. The site is quite big, and exploring the area is good enough. Today, two tunnels are open for visitors: Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc.
Prices per person for the tunnels are as follows:
- Ben Duoc: VND110,000
- Ben Dinh: VND90.000
Visit duration: 2–3 hours
War Remnants Museum
The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City is a must-visit local attraction for visitors interested in the Vietnam War. Every year, more than a million people visit the museum. When I was there last time, I noticed many of the visitors were American.
While having a guide is helpful, exploring the museum without one is fine, too, as the information displayed at the museum is insightful. There, one can learn about the atrocities that occurred during the Vietnam war, which might not be everyone’s cup of tea as some of the contents are hard to look at. Some people I met weren’t pleased with how the information was presented, either.
I do recommend visiting this museum, though.
Visit duration: 1–3 hours
Entrance: VND40,000
Central Office
The Central Office in Ho Chi Minh City is one of the oldest buildings in Ho Chi Minh City and is one of the city’s must-visit attractions. It’s a gothic-style post office constructed between 1886 and 1891. The building is mainly bright yellow and green. As you enter the building, you’ll notice a big clock. Once inside the building, a portrait of Ho Chi Minh is one of the first few things you’ll see.
Many tourists come here to buy and send postcards. If you plan to do so, you might want to avoid visiting during rush hour, between 8.30 and 10 a.m, or between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. The Central Office also has gift shops for souvenirs like fridge magnets and more.
Since the Central Office is next to the Notre Dame Cathedral, you can cover the attraction before or after visiting the cathedral. It takes about 7 minutes to walk. The building is free to enter.
Visit duration: 1–2 hours
Entrance: FREE
Notre Dame Cathedral
Next to the Central Office is the Notre Dame Cathedral, another must-visit attraction in Ho Chi Minh City. Your visit to Ho Chi Minh City isn’t complete without visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral.
Constructed in 1877, this more-than-150 years old cathedral features French colonial architecture. The materials used for the Notre Dame Cathedral (such as the red bricks) were brought from France. It’s impressive how good the bricks still look today. Outside the cathedral, visitors will notice a Mary statue made of marble. Pay attention to the cathedral’s bell towers, which stand at 60.5 m (198 ft).
Do you know? The Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the world’s most beautiful cathedrals.
Its beautiful architecture makes it not only a popular tourist spot but also a wedding and film location. Many people also like to go there at night to hang out and enjoy street food – what I did last time.
The Notre Dame Cathedral isn’t far from the Reunification Palace, so you can easily walk for about 5 minutes to the site after visiting the Reunification Palace.
Visit duration: 1–2 hours
Entrance: FREE
Reunification Palace
Another must-visit Ho Chi Minh City attraction is the Reunification Palace, also known as ‘Independence Palace’. It’s not far from the city centre, up to 2.8 km (1.7 miles) from Saigon’s backpacker street Phạm Ngũ Lão.
The Reunification Palace was once the home of South Vietnam’s president during the Vietnam War. The building was built by the French in the 1960s. Today, the building represents the liberation of the city.
Inside the building, visitors can see war equipment and vehicles – radios, a helicopter, etc. Photography is allowed. While the site is wheelchair-friendly, the rooftop terrace isn’t.
Visit duration: at least 1 hour
Entrance: VND20,000
Ben Thanh Market
Most tourists stop by Ben Thanh Market upon their visit to Ho Chi Minh City, thanks to its strategic location in District 1, which is within walking distance from Phạm Ngũ Lão. This market is the oldest in Ho Chi Minh City and lies in the heart of the city.
There, visitors can shop for snacks, desserts (like Chè), fruits, textiles, souvenirs, and more. Visitors can also sit down for meals, such as fried fish.
Even though it’s a popular tourist attraction, you can also find many locals shopping there. Since things can get overpriced at the market, haggling is normal. However, be mindful when haggling; you don’t want to haggle for things that are already cheap.
Tips: Suppose you know a local. Invite them to the market with you. You’re less likely to overpay for goods when you go with a local. Also, don’t forget to check out the night market.
Visit duration: 1–2 hours
Entrance: FREE
Fine Arts Museum
If you’re into fine arts, then consider visiting the Fine Arts Museum, which was built in 1929. This colonial-style building designed by the French architecture Rivera is bright yellow and is located less than 2 km of walking distance from the Reunification Palace.
Explore 16 of the three-storey building’s showrooms, where you can see paintings, sculptures, and more. The paintings displayed come in various styles, from pencil-drawn to oil-based.
While some visitors might find the museum dated in appearance, the Fine Arts Museum is worth visiting, especially if you have spare time on hand.
Visit duration: between 1 and 3 hours
Entrance: VND30,000
Ho Chi Minh City Museum
A visit to the Ho Chi Minh City Museum is a must as it takes you into Vietnamese history, including the Vietnam War. The Ho Chi Minh City Museum is often overlooked, so the museum is usually less crowded than other museums nearby.
You might find the building old and lacks maintenance, but don’t let that discourage you from stopping by.
You can see old coins, war vehicles, artefacts, paintings, potteries, and more as you explore the museum. It won’t be a surprise to stumble upon wedding photoshoots there as well. Many people enjoy taking photos at this museum for its vibes that take them back to the past. Note that smartphone photography is free. However, a fee of VND20,000 applies to professional camera photography.
Highlands Coffee is just by the museum, so feel free to drop by the cafe after touring the museum.
Visit duration: 1 hour
Entrance: VND30,000/person
Vietnam History Museum
Unlike some of the museums you find in Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnam History Museum doesn’t display anything related to the Vietnam-US war. So, your visit here would make a nice change of atmosphere after visiting the war museums in the city.
Located in district 1, the Vietnam History Museum was built in 1929. It’s a villa turned into a museum. Compared to other museums in the city, this Sino-French museum isn’t as crowded.
There, you’ll learn about Vietnam’s ancient history, such as Vietnam in different periods, all the way until the French Colonial period. While many displayed artefacts are from the Bronze Age, you can also see artefacts from the Paleolithic period.
As you explore the museum, you’ll come across rock-made human and animal statues, even a mummified local woman and Angkor Wat relics. There are also Buddhist statues of various Asian countries on display.
Visit duration: 1–2 hours
Entrance: VND30,000/person
Tan Dinh Church (Ho Chi Minh City Pink Church)
The Notre Dame Cathedral is indeed impressive and popular, but if you have time, you might want to visit the Tan Dinh Church in District 3. It’s also known as the ‘Pink Church in Ho Chi Minh City’.
This Catholic church with Romanesque revival architecture is one of the first churches to be built in Ho Chi Minh City. The public was able to access it for the first time in 1876.
Outside the church is a garden with the statue of Jesus and colourful flowers. There’s a stone pathway in the garden for easier walking access. You’ll see a big clock on the church’s wall before entering the building.
Both the church’s interior and exterior are painted pink. Even some of the statues are pink.
The church looks even more beautiful around Christmas time as decorative ornaments and bright lights complement the church’s already-stunning architecture. All Christians are welcome to join local masses at the church from Monday through Sunday if they like.
Visit duration: 1–2 hours
Entrance: FREE
Giac Lam Pagoda
One of the oldest pagodas and Buddhist temples in Ho Chi Minh City, the Giac Lam Pagoda, was built in 1744. It’s a must-visit attraction if you’re into temple architecture. The attraction is in District 11, so you need to take a ‘xe om’ (bike taxi), car taxi, bus, or your own vehicle to get to the site from the city centre.
The attraction features a Bodhi tree (gifted by a Sri Lankan monk in 1953) and more than 100 statues. 8 of the statues are made of bronze, while the rest are made of wood or cement. Next to the Bodhi tree is the Goddess of Mercy, Quan The Am Bo Tat.
The pagoda has 7 floors, so making your way up to the final floor is good exercise. Once you’ve reached the top, you can get some blessings from the relics you find there. Reminder: Please remember to dress modestly. Bringing a big scarf to cover your knees or shoulders is ideal.
Visit duration: up to 1 hour
Entrance: FREE
Phạm Ngũ Lão (Backpacker Street)
Chances are you’ll stay in a hotel/hostel on Phạm Ngũ Lão street if you’re a backpacker. Phạm Ngũ Lão is the backpacker street in Ho Chi Minh city. It’s where you’ll find hotels, travel agencies (like Sinhcafe), restaurants, and more.
The street isn’t long, so exploring the area won’t take much time unless you plan to stop by for a night out in one of the bars. Both tourists and local people enjoy partying on this street. Go ahead and enjoy some Bia Saigon or local street food.
If you’re sore from a long day of travelling, there are massage places you can go – a 60-minute body massage typically costs more than VND200,000 (about USD12).
Suppose you don’t like noise or crowded places. Then you might want to skip the nightlife here or consider somewhere quieter to sleep.
Visit duration: up to a couple of hours
Entrance: FREE
Night River Cruise
If you prefer to avoid the noise at Phạm Ngũ Lão, you might want to consider doing a river cruise at night.
You can get a sightseeing tour from Cyclo or Scooter. The cruise takes you around the Saigon river while serving you a nice dinner and keeping you entertained by its live dance and music performance.
Visit duration: 3.5 hours
Entrance: from VND1,226,482/person
