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Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam. With its diverse culture and bustling streets filled with scooters and motorbikes, it is the main economic heart of this beautiful country.
Formerly known as Saigon, the city was named after Vietnam’s famous revolutionary leader and is not too far from the historical Cu Chi Tunnels which played a pivotal role in the Vietnam War, or as the Vietnamese call it, the “American War.”
Read on for the perfect two-day Ho Chi Minh itinerary.
How to get to Ho Chi Minh
Ho Chi Minh City’s main airport is known as Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport and is located about 30 minutes from the centre by taxi or Vietnam’s version of Uber (Grab). As with the rest of Vietnam, taxis are inexpensive, especially on Grab or Gojek (another app-based option).
Private taxis are also easy to get, just make sure you agree the fare with the driver beforehand unless they have a meter. There is also an Airport Bus (109).
If you are entering Vietnam for the first time via the airport, pick up a local sim card, there’s plenty of vendors and they’re super cheap. You could also purchase an eSim card before you travel.
Alternatively, you can get the sleeper train to Ho Chi Minh from the north of Vietnam or travel by coach. The city is just an hour and a half from the Cambodian border, with border crossing services taking just three hours from Phnom Penh.
Giant Ibis Transport operates between Ho Chi Minh and Phnom Penh with pretty low prices, plus for $40, they will sort out your visa for you.
For all of these options, 12Go is definitely the website or app to use when getting around most of South East Asia. It gives you a list of most of the options whether it’s a train, plane, coach or taxi.
Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City
When it comes to where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City, District 1 really is the best place to be. It offers easy access to the attractions, nightlife, and restaurants, as it’s so central.
The Myst Dong Khoi is a really unique and stylish boutique hotel, located right in the heart of District 1 and although at times it can be pricey, you can sometimes be fortunate enough to get a room for little over £100. Lotus Boutique Hotel is also a fantastic option, with rooms costing around £75.
For a more budget-friendly alternative, The Common Room is a fantastic option at around £50, or for a super budget-saver, Vy Da Backpackers Hostel has rooms for under £10.
If you like a quieter vibe, District 3 is great. It is known for its charming cafes and has a more local feel.
You can book a room in the Huong Sen Hotel for around £40.
Day 1: Dinner and markets
Ho Chi Minh is another busy city in Vietnam, but it definitely has a different feel and is far more digitally advanced than the north. There are some fantastic markets and the city really does light up at night with plenty of places to eat and drink.
Dinner: Be An Vegetarian Café
This is a beautiful bistro, which is really chilled so it’s the perfect place for you to enjoy your first meal in Ho Chi Minh. It offers some really well-presented vegetarian Vietnamese cuisine and it’s super yummy.
Post dinner: Bến Thành Market
What better way to get the full Ho Chi Minh experience than by checking out the oldest surviving market in the city. There’s plenty of stalls at Bến Thành Market and I found some really nice souvenirs and a cute Buddha necklace.
Day 2: Cu Chi tunnels tour
Breakfast at Zeroism Vegan – Café & Sourdough Bakery
With a big day ahead of you, Zeroism Vegan – Café & Sourdough Bakery is a great place to start your day. With some awesome vegan choices, this cafe offers some really colourful options on toasted sourdough and some scrumptious Buddha bowls.
Cu Chi Tunnels tours
Coming to Vietnam, you cannot ignore the history of the Vietnam War and the Cu Chi Tunnels are a fantastic way to learn about this civil war. An hour away from Ho Chi Minh City, the tour gives you the opportunity to learn about the history of this underground tunnel system.
Dug by Viet Cong soldiers to launch surprise attacks, it’s a fascinating way to explore what life was like during the Vietnam war. The tour takes place in the forest where you can see the different traps and hide.
You can explore the hiding spaces and tunnels for yourself if you’d like but it’s a very tight squeeze. There are also different areas showing how the soldiers lived, along with tanks, artillery guns and even a shooting range.
The whole experience is fascinating and you can see the sheer resilience of the Viet Cong soldiers that won the war.
This took up the majority of my time in Ho Chi Minh but without a doubt it was one of the highlights of Vietnam as a whole. The Cu Chi Tunnels tours can last between 6.5 and 11 hours, depending on the tour package and whether you choose to take a scenic boat cruise on the Mekong Delta.
Many tours leave from Ho Chi Minh and take just over an hour to get to the tunnels, going through the beautiful French architecture of the city and lush countryside.
Recommendation: Cu Chi Tunnels guided tour
Dinner: Shamballa Vegetarian Restaurant and Teahouse
This isn’t the cheapest option in the city but compared to restaurants in the UK, it is definitely fantastic value for money. The whole ambiance of this restaurant is beautiful, offering a little bit of tranquility within this busy city.
This Vietnamese cuisine is beautifully presented with some amazing flavours and fantastic drinks. It feels like you’ve walked into a walled garden with the backdrop of water trickling from their indoor pond, surrounded by greenery, offering a blissful, serene experience.
Dessert at Thanh Glado Ice Cream
There’s plenty of ice cream places in Ho Chi Minh and Thanh Glado Ice Cream is a pretty nice find. Offering fantastic desserts and ice cream, with plenty of vegan options.
Enjoying the city lights on Nguyen Hue Street
Ho Chi Minh really lights up at night and Nguyen Hue “walking street” is a fantastic place to experience this, stretching from the Saigon River to the City Hall.
Day 3: Quang Minh Lacquerware and on to Koh Rong islands
Breakfast: Acai Bliss Healthy Smoothie Bowls
This is a fantastic place for a fresh, healthy breakfast, offering açaí smoothies and bowls, the kombucha is great too.
Quang Minh Lacquerware
This is a great initiative, just outside of Ho Chi Minh City. The Quang Minh Lacquerware shop has plenty of works of art and souvenirs made by disabled workers who have been affected by the Vietnam War. You can actually see the art and crafts being made and say hello to the amazing people who are making them.
Ho Chi Minh to Koh Rong
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, Ho Chi Minh is the perfect gateway to Cambodia where you can visit some beautiful places like Phnom Penh and the islands of Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem, with white sandy beaches and turquoise, crystal clear waters. Also Siem Reap is home to the iconic Angkor Wat Temple which takes pride and place on the Cambodian Flag.
If you are heading up to the north, then the night train can take you to see the rest of Vietnam’s beauty. With Da Nang’s beautiful beaches, Ninh Binh’s green countryside and of course the capital, Hanoi. There are also bus routes and flight options all available on 12Go.
You can discover more about Vietnam in my three week Vietnam itinerary for first time visitors.
Weather in Ho Chi Minh
Ho Chi Minh has only two seasons with a year-round tropical climate. The rainy season, or monsoon season, typically runs from May to November and the dry season typically runs from November to April.
Both seasons are very hot, reaching highs of 40°C (104°F).
Money in Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam
Money can be tricky in Vietnam and I definitely found this in Ho Chi Minh city where even a big chain didn’t take card payments or have change. I found myself trailing around shops trying to break a 500,000 đồng note.
So change money in bigger shops when you have the opportunity and make sure that you take out cash when you can as many of the cashpoints have limits as low as 1.5 million Vietnamese đồng which at the time was less than £50. Also VAT is sometimes added on top of the sale price.
Hotels sometimes add on service fees which are in the small print too, so read all of the terms and conditions when booking.
Top tips for travelling in Vietnam
Persistent vendors
One thing that I’ve noticed in Vietnam is that the vast majority of the time when visiting attractions you are being sold to by locals. On most occasions “no” is enough but there are times people can be quite persistent and follow you around.
If this happens, simply ignore them and walk away or go into a shop.
Keep your belongings safe
As always when travelling anywhere abroad, keep your important items and valuables in a bumbag or securely tucked away.
Crossing the roads in Vietnam
Traffic doesn’t stop for anyone out here, so be vigilant. You do have to start walking into the busy roads and have faith that the cars and scooters will go around you.
This can be quite daunting. You can stop walking just don’t go back as traffic will not expect you to do this.
This is a guest post from Tim Jones from Wildness and Wellbeing, a podcast and blog with a focus on how the outdoors can help your mental health. Tim travelled South East Asia last year.
