7 Things to Do when Visiting Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam for the First Time

- 22
Required Disclaimer: This post may contain products with affiliate links. If you make purchases using these links, we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support.

On many lists as one of the best places to visit in Vietnam is the bustling Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). Previously known as Saigon, it was renamed after the war between America and Vietnam. It was once the capital of South Vietnam and is a fascinating place to explore. We’ve made a list of the top 7 things to do in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for all visiting for the first time.

Visiting Ho Chi Minh City for the First Time Motorbikes (Saigon, Vietnam) www.compassandfork.com

1. Watch the Swarm of Motorbikes!

Calling the traffic in Ho Chi Minh City chaotic is an understatement. The primary form of transportation is a motorbike, or motorcycle, and there are millions of them. Sometimes it seems like they all are at the same intersection! Swarming like bees, when the lights change, they’re off.

The drivers come incredibly close, with perhaps an inch to spare, the embodiment of the Asian concept of space, “as long as you don’t hit, you had plenty of room!” Crossing the street is frightening as the bikes just keep coming. The best advice we received was walk at a slow and steady pace (do not freak out and speed up or stop) and they judge where you will be and go around you. It seems to work, we survived!

Are you wondering why I started by talking about the traffic? It is seriously my most vivid memory of visiting Ho Chi Minh City.

I have seen recommendations for tourists to rent a motorbike to get around when visiting Ho Chi Minh City. This is insanity! Unless you are used to riding a motorcycle and driving in these conditions it is a good way to ruin your holiday. Leave it as a spectator sport! Taxis are cheap (and air conditioned) and proably the best option for your time in HCMC.

Visiting Ho Chi Minh City for the First Time (Saigon, Vietnam) French Architecture www.compassandfork.com

2. See the French Influence in Ho Chi Minh History: Walking through District 1

Are you wondering what to do in HMCM? District 1 is the main commercial and cultural hub of Ho Chi Minh City and one of the best places to visit in Vietnam to gain an understanding of the history.

Designed by French architects during the Colonial era; wide boulevards, beautiful parks and colonial French buildings are some of the highlights.

The Notre Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, the old City Hall, the famous Rex Hotel and the Saigon Opera House (also known as the Municipal Theater) are all examples of the French architectural influence.

Many of the five-star international hotels are also located in this area. There are fantastic coffee shops and restaurants around this area just waiting to be discovered. A walk through this area is a must when visiting Ho Chi Minh City.Visiting Ho Chi Minh City for the First Time Saigon Opera House (Saigon, Vietnam) www.compassandfork.com

 

3. What To Do In Saigon:  Opera House & The AO Show

Want to see the inside of the Saigon Opera House? Going to see the AO Show is great way. The AO Show itself is fantastic.

A Vietnamese inspired live show. The show changes from time to time so check what is on. Each show features the most incredible acrobatics performed on bamboo poles! It is somewhat like a Vietnamese version of Cirque de Soleil.

The show is very popular so it would be best reserve tickets in advance at the link above if you really want to go during while visiting Ho Chi Minh City.

4. One of the Best Places To Visit in Vietnam: The War Remnants Museum

One of the best tourist attractions in Vietnam, the War Remnants Museum  was once known as the Museum of Chinese and American War Crimes, and is the museum most Westerners see when visiting Ho Chi Minh City. This museum is all about the war between the USA/Vietnam, which is known as the American War in Vietnam.

It is interesting to see how the Vietnamese present their version of events. The language, what is included (and excluded) and the official Vietnamese version of events are all very interesting. If you want to see a different point of view on this war, don’t miss this museum. It is about the War, and many aspects of it can be quite disturbing, but nonetheless worthwhile to see and learn.

On the top floor there was a photographic exhibition, “Requiem”. It is a collection of the photos taken by photographers that died covering the War. It is a collection of their last photos taken. It is a most moving collection of photos. Many people risked and lost their lives to make sure the world knew the story of what was happening in Vietnam. This is the legacy of those photographers that died.

5. The Presidential Palace

This is also known as Reunification Palace or Independence Palace. This is the huge building with the tank out front. The President of South Vietnam lived and worked in this building during the War. This building played a large role during the War and in its final days as this is the site of the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. The final scenes of the War (which you can see in the War Remnants Museum above) took place here.

The palace has been left much as it was during the war and it is like stepping back in time, making it one of the most authentic things to see in Vietnam.

It is interesting to see the building, understand its role in history and explore how and where the war was run from in Vietnam. The communications center in the basement is very interesting if just to see what equipment was available at the time compared to our modern communications infrastructure.

Visiting Ho Chi Minh City for the First Time (Saigon, Vietnam) Presidential Palace www.compassandfork.com

6. The Cu Chi Tunnels

These are a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City. Again a relic of the War and a bit disturbing but an essential piece to understand what happened. The Vietnamese built extensive networks of tunnels which they used to engage in warfare and lived inVisiting Ho Chi Minh City for the First Time Cu Chi Tunnels (Saigon, Vietnam) www.compassandfork.com to survive during the war.

These tunnels are small. Neither of us is very large and it was difficult to navigate these tunnels (and I think the ones visitors can go in have been enlarged!). In the picture below this man makes the size of this tunnel entry look okay, Mark barely fit in this square!

This whole complex of tunnels and actually using tunnels as a tactic in the War leaves me speechless. As I write this, I am finding it difficult to describe what impact visiting this place has. The fact the Vietnamese went to such lengths to fight during the War is one of the reasons they were such a formidable opponent even though the USA had much more fire power.

In many ways I think it has to be seen and experienced. It is one of those places you don’t want to go to but really should see. And it is not far if you are visiting Ho Chi Minh City.

We used our same guide and driver from our journey through the Mekong Delta visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh as a full day trip. Another option is to organize bus transport from your hotel or organize a tour.

7. Eating in Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City Food Tips

And saving the best for last, sample the local cuisine! Surely the highlight of visiting Ho Chi Minh City! If you have had a full itinerary of sightseeing, a Sunday in Saigon would be perfect for a culinary delight or two.

Ho Chi Minh City has a vibrant street food culture, and at night there are a lot of stalls set up around the city including near the Ben Thanh market (which turns into a night market). During the day this market is one of the largest wholesale and tourist markets in Saigon. If you want to buy it, chances are you can find it here. Haggling is essential so be prepared.

All the Ho Chi Minh city districts have a wide variety of restaurants and bars for every budget and taste. We found some surprisingly good cocktails and wine bars and even a place with a nice selection of single-malt scotch. And it was happy hour!

If you want a trip into the past, check out Jerome’s Bar at the Caravelle Hotel (near the Opera House). Located on the 8th floor it has fantastic views of the French District from the terrace. The hotel and this bar were the central meeting spot for the foreign press correspondents and visiting dignitaries during the Vietnam War. There are a lot of historic photos from the War era throughout the hotel. Today it is a nice (albeit expensive) cocktail bar and restaurant.

If you want to try something a bit different, try Saigon HotPot Tours. We did not get a chance to do this, but it was highly recommended from several other travelers we met. Saigon HotPot guides are local university students who are looking to practice their English. The tours are free, with the guide accepting a donation if you enjoyed the day. They will make contact and find out what you would like to do and organize a day tour (usually walking) for you around the city showing some of their favorite spots and great places to eat. It’s a great way to meet a local and get the local perspective.

If you want a break from Asian food, we highly recommend Saffron, a Mediterranean restaurant or Ciao Bella (Italian) both owned by the same people. We ate at Saffron and it was a fantastic meal. Go hungry, it was a large meal!

Final Thoughts: When To Visit Ho Chi Minh

We would recommend visiting in spring or autumn, so you can enjoy the drier climate of Vietnam. Between February and April Ho Chi Minh City has moderate climates and a light rainfall. Visiting Ho Chi Minh in October, or anytime between May to November, you should prepare yourself for the the rainy season. It can be very humid and unexpected heavy rain showers can start at any time.

If you want to enjoy your trip to Vietnam, October could still be a better option than those very hot and humid summer months between March and May. Most travelers prefer visiting during the Dry Season, which runs from December to April.

Now that you have a better understanding of when to plan your trip to Ho Chi Minh City and what you can do while you’re there, we hope that you’re feeling inspired to start planning your trip. We also have some of the best tips for saving money on your travel in Vietnam.

Enjoy visiting Ho Chi Minh City (and watch out for the motorbikes!)

 

 

7 Things to Do when Visiting Ho Chi Minh City for the First Time www.compassandfork.com

22 Responses

  1. Allison Wong
    | Reply

    Between HCM & Hanoi I much prefer Hanoi, but HCM is also a fun city and the trip to Cu Chi Tunnels was quite an unique experience. That’s the highlight of my trip to HCM.

    • Editor
      |

      Alison, we tend to agree with about Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. We loved the charm of Hanoi. It was also slightly cooler at the time of the year we were there.

  2. Leigha
    | Reply

    I am actually in Vietnam this week for work and will be staying a few days extra to visit Ho Chi Minh City. Which touring company did you use for your tour to the tunnels? And how much did you pay for the tour to Mekong Delta? I want to do both but there are so many touring company and the only difference is just the price.

  3. evan kristine
    | Reply

    Thanks for sharing! I wish I could fly to Asia now, it is getting so cold here up north! p.s i’d be so scared to use those motorbikes!

    • Editor
      |

      Thanks for your comment Evan. The climate is a little different to where you come from. Go some day to Ho Chi Minh City you won’t regret it.

  4. Gemma
    | Reply

    I do miss the street food of Vietnam, even picky Craig managed to eat it! The tunnels look fascinating!

    • Editor
      |

      Hi Gemma. No doubt street food is a highlight in SE Asia. We very much enjoyed it and it helps to keep the cost down. We also loved the little plastic seats you sit on!

  5. James | The Globe Wanderers
    | Reply

    This is the only place I wasn’t very well when exploring South East Asia so only saw half of what I had intended too.
    I found the museum a real shocker and hard to walk round really. The food is amazing. Had great street food…. until it disagreed with me and sent me running back to my hotel room 🙁
    Great post! Love it.

    • Editor
      |

      James, One of the downsides of street food! Maybe you will make it back some day! Thanks for commenting

  6. Katja - globetotting
    | Reply

    I’ve heard that the traffic Ho Chi Minh City is just crazy! I’ve wanted to visit Vietnam for a while now as it sounds like such a fascinating place. Your visit to the Cu Chi tunnels sounds like a really moving experience. Thanks for all the great recommendations.

    • Editor
      |

      Thanks for your kind comment. The motor scooter traffic is just bizarre by western standards but somehow you do manage to cross the roads. They are very aware. There definitely are some very moving moments associated with the war. And the people hold no grudges. They are incredibly kind.

  7. I will be moving to Vietnam in a month and will be traveling from North to South, I really enjoy reading this article!

    • Editor
      |

      Mary, Good luck with your move. I think you will enjoy it. Check out the rest of the blog this month Vietnam was the featured destination!

  8. Marta Grilo
    | Reply

    Great post! The traffic must be insane. It reminds me of Tirana but the problem there were all kinds of drivers. It was crazy… Thanks for the tips!

    • Editor
      |

      Thanks for your comment. The bike traffic is mind blowing. The photo in the post doesn’t do it justice!

  9. Jennifer
    | Reply

    Wow! Amazing post! It looks like Europe indeed! The tunnels are neat. and creepy. Crazy to think they were right under “our” feet.

    • Editor
      |

      Jennifer, And the food is quite French as well! As for the tunnels- terrifying if you were sent there to fight, especially if you were a little person because you “fit” in the tunnels!

  10. Nicole - Champagne and Chips
    | Reply

    I have never really thought to visit Vietnam but I think this post is starting to change my mind. I’ve always had a bit of a skewed view based on Vietnam war movies I think. Lovely photos, the motorbike swarm looks crazy.

    • Editor
      |

      You’ll love it Nicole. The fact that we were an Australian/American couple, we were interested to see if there would be any criticism about the war. No, all good. Just nice, hard working people wanting to improve their lives and that of their families.

  11. Wayne Liew
    | Reply

    Hey Elizabeth,

    Thank you for sharing this list. I am saving this to my Evernote because I know it is going to be useful when I plan for my first trip to Vietnam (won’t take long since I’m just based in Malaysia). 🙂

    Would you describe the swarm of motorbikes as an “organized chaos”? I’ve seen many blogs use this term to describe the traffic conditions of major cities in India too. Anyway, I definitely won’t rent a motorbike to join the locals. I might just mess things up and spoil the tip on how travelers should cross the roads there. Hahaha…

    I’m sharing this on Twitter so more people who are traveling to Vietnam or more specifically, Ho Chi Minh City, can read it.

    • Editor
      |

      Wayne, to the locals it probably seems organised to a visitor it is just chaos! 🙂 Thanks for commenting and sharing.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *