The Ultimate Ho Chi Minh City Travel Guide | What to See, Do & Eat in Saigon
For our 10-year dating anniversary, we knew we wanted to do something really special — so we booked a trip to a country that's been on our bucket list forever: Vietnam! Our first stop was Ho Chi Minh City, better known as Saigon. Fun fact: the city was officially renamed after the Vietnam War, but many still call it Saigon to this day.
Ho Chi Minh City (or HCMC) is Vietnam’s biggest city, being home to over 14 million people. There is so much to see and do here, and honestly? We think it deserves way more credit than it gets. In a lot of our research, most people just used HCMC as a layover to get to other places in Vietnam, but we totally disagree. Give the city 3 days, we guarantee it will surprise you.
Keep reading for our top recommendations on the best things to do in Ho Chi Minh City!
Things You Should Know about HCMC
There are motorbikes everywhere! And it can be very daunting to cross the street, even with crosswalks and traffic lights. Our advice is just to go for it lol. The motorbikes will avoid you.
If you don’t want to walk, we recommend using Grab to get around. Grab is a rideshare service similar to Uber that is used a lot in Asian countries. Grab is very affordable and you even choose to go on the back of a Grab bike to get around instead of a car! Make sure to download the Grab app before you arrive.
If you are traveling from the USA like we were, then you will need to apply for a Vietnam visa. The visa’s for Vietnam are very strict, so you have to put the day you arrive and the day you are leaving, there isn’t really room for being spontaneous. We applied for our Vietnam visa online and it took about 3 days to get approved.
Where to Stay in Ho Chi Minh City
We stayed at the Lotte Hotel Saigon and absolutely loved it. We had stayed at a Lotte property when we were in South Korea and had a great experience. Lotte Hotel Saigon is n a great location, overlooking the river and in walking distance to almost everything we wanted to do and see. The breakfast buffet was also amazing and kept us full for most of the day.
We recommend staying in District 1 since it’s nearby most of the tourist attractions. We book most of our accomodations on Expedia and this one is no exception! If you want to see other hotel options for Ho Chi Minh City, you can check here!
Best Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City
Tan Dinh Pink Church
Binh Quoi Tourist Village
Nguyen Van Binh Book Street
Jade Emperor Pagoda
Buu Long Pagoda
Cafe Apartments
Visit The Cafe Apartments - a famous apartment building in HCMC where most of the apartments are shops, cafes, or restaurants! The cafe scene in Vietnam is amazing, so we recommend trying a few different ones while you’re exploring!
Check out the Tan Dinh Church (Pink Church) - This is the famous pink church in HCMC! You have probably seen tons of photos of it everywhere. We didn’t go inside, but the grounds outside are great for a photo.
Walk down Nguyen Van Binh Book Street - a pedestrian street that is filled with local book shops and cafes. Great for getting souvenirs ad exploring!
Visit the War Remnants Museum - an important historical museum that cannot be skipped, especially if you are from the USA. It tells the history of the Vietnam War and does not hold back any information or detail. It is a must on your trip to HCMC to understand the history and culture of the country.
Shop at Bên Thanh Market - Vietnam is a shopping capital since a lot of brands actually make their clothing in Vietnam. At the Ben Thanh Market you’ll find not only decently priced branded clothing, but also local foods and snacks.
Visit the Jade Emperor Pagoda - a local temple built to honor the Taoist god the Jade Emperor or King of Heaven
Explore the Saigon Central Post Office - one of the oldest buildings in HCMC and same architect who designed this building also designed the Eiffel Tower!
Snap Photos at Binh Quoi Village - a tourist village meant to replicate the Mekong Delta! It’s about 15 minutes from downtown and is the perfect, relaxed escape.
Check out the Buu Long Pagoda - a Buddhist temple about an hour outside the city famous for it’s beautiful Thai-inspired architecture.
Book other tours & activities in HCMC here on Expedia!
Where to Eat & Drink in HCMC (Vegan)
Ollin Cafe
Vi Que Kitchen
Bahn Mi Xanh
Kashew Cheese Deli
Pho Chay Nu
Ngam Cafe
We found that Vietnam was one of the easiest countries in the world to be vegan. The word chay in Vietnamese usually means vegan or vegetarian and it refers to food made without meat or animal products, and is often rooted in Buddhist traditions of non-violence and mindfulness. If you are vegan like us, make sure to look out for the word chay on menus or restaurants to get plant based options!
Pho Chay Nu - the best vegan pho!
Kashew Cheese Deli - modern vegan cafe
Bên Nghe Street Food Market - tons of vegan options at different stalls
Bahn Mi Xanh - vegan Bahn Mi chain
Vi Que Kitchen - upscale local food
Nha Hang Chay Ba Xa
Shamballa Vegetarian
Ollin Cafe
1996 Space & Cafe
Ngâm Café
3T Egg Coffee/Ca Phe Trung 3T
Cafe Apartments (Meraki Cafe, Arabica)
We absolutely loved our time in Ho Chi Minh city, and if you want to see everything we got up to make sure to check out our HCMC YouTube vlog (linked below)!
As always, all opinions are honest and our own. Some links on this post are affiliate links of which we receive a small commission, but the price is the same for you.