Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is lively, full of great food and easy to enjoy in a few days. This plan is for a first visit, getting around by ride-hailing apps or on foot in the centre. Just landed? Read how to get from the airport to District 1 first.
Day 1: the old centre, mostly on foot
- Morning: Independence Palace, then walk to the Saigon Central Post Office with its vaulted hall and old maps. The Notre-Dame Cathedral next door has been under restoration for years, so you can usually only see it from outside.
- Midday: the War Remnants Museum — allow 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Evening: Nguyen Hue walking street and Ben Thanh Market, then dinner at a broken-rice (com tam) or grilled-pork noodle place. For nightlife, head to Bui Vien street.
Day 2: the Cu Chi tunnels and Cholon
- Morning: the Cu Chi tunnels, about 1.5 to 2 hours' drive from the centre. Go early to beat the heat and wear clothes you can move in.
- Afternoon: back to Cholon (Chinatown): Binh Tay Market, Thien Hau Temple and streets selling dried goods and herbal medicine.
- Evening: eat in Cholon's Chinese food streets, or see the city lights from a rooftop in the centre.
Day 3: food, coffee and the metro
- Morning: pho or banh mi, then an iced milk coffee (ca phe sua da). For the stories behind the dishes, join a guided food tour.
- Midday: ride Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien), running since late 2024, for city views from the elevated track, and stop at Thao Dien across the river.
- Afternoon: shop for handicrafts, or if you can stay longer, take a Mekong Delta day trip.
Getting around: booking a motorbike or car on Grab, Be or Xanh SM is the easiest way, but you need data and usually a phone number for a code. Pre-book a travel SIM or eSIM and collect it at the counter by baggage carousel 8 in International Terminal 2 the moment you land.
Weather and what to wear
Ho Chi Minh City is hot all year. In the rainy season (roughly May to November) heavy afternoon showers come and go quickly, so carry a compact umbrella and keep indoor sights for the afternoon. At pagodas and temples, cover your shoulders and knees.
Where next?
Tan Son Nhat has many daily flights to Phu Quoc, Da Nang, Hanoi and Da Lat. See where to fly next and how to connect, or search domestic flights on Newway SAS.