Ho Chi Minh City Travelers Recommend

The mighty Mekong River is Southeast Asia’s longest river and cruising around the canals, waterways, and floating markets of the Mekong Delta—often called the “rice bowl” of Vietnam—offers a startling contrast to the busy urban center of Ho Chi Minh City. Here are your options for Mekong Delta tours. 

Day Cruises

Even with limited time in Vietnam, it’s possible to get a taste of the Mekong Delta on a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City. Set sail on a Mekong River cruise and spot wildlife in the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, explore the Cai Be floating market, or experience rural life in riverside towns like Vinh Long, My Tho, Ben Tre, or Chau Doc. For a more personalized experience, opt for a small-group or private tour. 

Multi-Day Cruises

Multi-day cruises mean you can explore further afield, immerse yourself in local life, and spend a night in a traditional Mekong village. Opt for a 2-day cruise and combine a boat trip around Mekong islands and villages, with a bike ride around the rice fields, a Vietnamese cooking class, or a visit to a coconut candy factory, a bee farm, or a tropical fruits orchard. Most multi-day tours include accommodation, round-trip transport, and activities. 

Things to Know

• The Mekong River runs through Southern Vietnam from the South China Sea into Cambodia, and the Mekong Delta stretches south and west of Ho Chi Minh City.

• Traveling by road from Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong Delta takes about two hours, while speedboat transfers are also available from the city.

• Full-day tours from Ho Chi Minh city typically last between nine and 12 hours and often include hotel pickup, lunch, and round-trip transport.

• Be sure to bring comfortable shoes, sun protection, and mosquito repellant.

It’s a short stay, but one day in Ho Chi Minh City gives you just enough time to get a taste of the bustling metropolis formerly known as Saigon. Plan carefully and you can check off the city’s signature attractions, feast on Vietnamese food, and travel back in time to the Vietnam War at the notorious Cu Chi Tunnels. Here’s how to make the most of your time.

Morning: Saigon Sights

Start your day in Ho Chi Minh City by getting a handle on some of the city’s signature sights, from French colonial relics such as the Central Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral to contemporary landmarks such as Reunification Palace. Shoppers won’t want to miss bustling Ben Thanh Market, where stalls are piled high with everything from Vietnamese herbs to colorful souvenirs. History buffs should head straight to the excellent War Remnants Museum, with relics, weaponry, and informative displays on the war against the Americans that shaped the country for many decades. Consider a ride on a classic cyclo (pedal rickshaw).

Afternoon: Tunnel Vision

Spend the afternoon exploring farther afield, on a trip to the notorious Cu Chi Tunnels, a tunnel network dug deep into the ground by freedom fighters during the Vietnam War. Learn about the war through an informative film, then descend into the narrow, cramped tunnels with their camouflaged entrances and see rooms that were once kitchens and even hospitals. Travel by speedboat for insights into life along the Saigon River and classic photo opportunities, or by minivan for a more wallet-friendly experience. Many tour packages include a Vietnamese lunch on-site.

Night: Feeding Frenzy

Street food is a highlight of any visit to Vietnam, from international favorites such as banh mi baguette sandwiches and pho noodle soup to South Vietnamese specialties such as bo la lot (grilled minced beef wrapped in leaves) or xa xui (barbecued pork). Spend the evening discovering the city’s street-food secrets with a guide. Some tours operate on foot, while others let you travel like a local on the back of a scooter through the neon and glitter of the city by night. Wrap up the evening with a freshly brewed draught beer at one of Vietnam’s trademark bia hoi bars.

Three days in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) is enough time for a great introduction to south Vietnam. You can check off the city’s signature sights, feast on street food, take a cooking course, explore the Cu Chi Tunnels and the countryside around them, cruise the Mekong Delta, and discover a uniquely Vietnamese religion: Cao Dai. Here’s how.

Day 1: Streets and Eats

Spend your first day exploring Ho Chi Minh City and feasting on Vietnamese fare. Start with a cooking class that includes a market tour: Soak up the sights and scents of a traditional produce market, then prepare a multicourse lunch. Replete, head out on a tour of the city’s signature sights, including contemporary landmarks such as Reunification Palace and colonial-era gems such as the Central Post Office. As night falls, extend your Vietnamese food adventures with a street-food tour of the heart of the city, traveling by foot or scooter. Cap off the night with a freshly brewed bia hoi draft beer.

Day 2: Tunnels and Temples

On your second day in Ho Chi Minh City, delve deep into the era of the Vietnam War—or, as the Vietnamese call it, the American War. Start with a trip to the War Remnants Museum, where moving displays tell the tale of this tragic conflict. Then travel through the countryside to the Cu Chi Tunnels, a war-era underground maze of narrow, low tunnels where Vietnamese freedom fighters lived, fought, and died. Consider a speedboat tour that brings you into the unspoiled countryside around the tunnels, or make a stop at the Cao Dai Temple, Vietnam’s homegrown Vatican. Wrap up the day with a dinner cruise along the Saigon River.

Day 3: Watery Wonders

Devote your third day in Ho Chi Minh City to discovering the Mekong Delta and its palm-fringed canals, slender waterways, and tropical orchards. Some cruises include a stop at one of the delta’s photogenic floating markets; others offer visits to islands where you can cycle through the countryside. Alternatively, for a different perspective on the river, explore the mangrove swamps of the Can Gio Biosphere Reserve. Back in the city, catch an early dinner at a modern Vietnamese restaurant before discovering the nation’s answer to Cirque du Soleil: the magical A O Show. Cocktails in a rooftop bar make the perfect farewell to the city.

With two days in Ho Chi Minh City, you can check off the city’s signature sights, take a street-food tour, and explore the claustrophobic wartime tunnel network at Cu Chi, but you’ll also have time to get out into the countryside and discover life on the water aboard a Mekong Delta cruise. Here is a typical itinerary.

Day 1: Tunnels, Food, and Touring

Morning: Start the day by visiting some of Ho Chi Minh City’s star attractions. History fans will love the War Remnants Museum with its military hardware and evocative displays; shoppers will thrill to Ben Thanh Market; while sightseers won’t want to miss signature city sights such as the Central Post Office and Reunification Palace.

Afternoon: The Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground labyrinth of cramped tunnels excavated during the war against the Americans, are No. 1 on most visitors’ Ho Chi Minh City must-see lists. Consider taking a tour by speedboat for insight into rural life on the Saigon River, not to mention less time spent in traffic.

Night: Follow in the footsteps of the late, great Anthony Bourdain on a Saigon street-food tour. Whether you’re walking or riding shotgun on a scooter, Ho Chi Minh City’s brightly lit eateries deliver. Be sure to wrap up the night with a chilled bia hoi draft beer.

Day 2: Delta Exploration

Morning: With two days in Ho Chi Minh City, most visitors will want to spend a full day exploring the canals and calm waterways of the Mekong Delta. Start the morning bright and early with a trip to one of the river’s signature floating markets, perhaps Cai Rang, the delta’s largest, or the ever-popular Cai Be.

Afternoon: Continue your Mekong Delta cruise in the afternoon. Many tours include stops at orchards, workshops, restaurants, and islands, where you can watch craftspeople at work, cycle through quiet backwaters, or even learn to cook simple fare such as spring rolls.

Evening: For your last night in Ho Chi Minh City, push the boat out with a little luxury. Marvel at the spectacular bamboo cirque of the A O Show at the 120-year-old Saigon Opera House or enjoy a traditional Vietnamese art form: water puppetry. Toast the city with a fresh-fruit cocktail at a rooftop bar.

The Vietnam War—or the American War as it was known in Vietnam—remains one of the most significant events in Vietnamese history, and the region surrounding Ho Chi Minh City sat at the heart of the conflict. Learn more about the city’s war history on a guided tour with these options. 

City Tours

Uncover the history of Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon, on a city tour accompanied by a knowledgeable guide. See the Reunification Palace, the site of the liberation of Saigon in 1975, which brought an end to the bloody conflict; visit Notre Dame Cathedral and learn how it was used by spies during the war; and browse the moving exhibitions on display at the War Remnants Museum. For a more personalized experience, opt for a private or small-group tour. 

Cu Chi Tunnels Tours

One of the most popular destinations for Vietnam War tours is the Cu Chi Tunnels—a 120-mile (193-kilometer) network of underground passages used by the Viet Cong soldiers. Visitors can venture underground to explore the vast tunnels, which served as living quarters, air raid shelters, ammunition stores, and military supply routes; see the camouflaged trap doors and booby traps; and learn more about the effect of the war on both the soldiers and the Vietnamese people from a guide’s knowledgeable perspective.

The Vietnamese art of water puppetry originated in the Red River Delta of North Vietnam around the 11th century when villagers put on shows after the rice paddies flooded. Today, the tradition is on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Here’s how to see water puppet shows in Ho Chi Minh City. 

Highlights

• Watch as colorfully painted puppets seem to dance on water, accompanied by a live orchestra.

• Learn more about the ancient art of water puppetry from a knowledgeable guide.

• Combine a unique Vietnamese water puppet show with a cyclo tour (3-wheeled bicycle taxi) of Ho Chi Minh City or a scenic cruise along the Saigon River.

• Choose an all-inclusive tour including dinner, show tickets, and hotel pickup and drop-off from Ho Chi Minh City hotels.

Dinner Shows

Tuck into a delicious dinner of typical Vietnamese cuisine at a local restaurant, and then head to a theater, such as the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater in Tao Dan Park, for an unforgettable hour-long show. Watch as the skilled puppeteers maneuver the wooden puppets from behind a bamboo screen, acting out tales of rural Vietnamese life and folklore on the water stage.  

Dinner Cruises

For an even more memorable experience, combine a water puppet show with a romantic dinner cruise along the Saigon River. Admire views of Ho Chi Minh City’s illuminated skyline as you cruise along the water and enjoy live, on-board entertainment from Vietnamese folk singers. 

You'll find good food around every corner in Ho Chi Minh City, where the culinary scene serves as a reflection of the capital city's ever-evolving cosmopolitan landscape. There's everything from inexpensive food-cart fare to fine dining in the city's luxury hotels, and no matter your preference, you're sure to satisfy your appetite. Here are a few dishes and activities you won't want to miss.

Must-Try Dishes

Born from the fusion of French and Vietnamese influences, bahn mi has become one of the country's most iconic dishes and a must-eat for any visitor to Ho Chi Minh City. This sandwich, served on a baguette, comes piled with roast pork, pickled vegetables, cilantro, chilies, pate, and mayo. Flavors of fresh herbs abound in dishes like green papaya salad and spring rolls, while rice is a popular base for barbecued meats. Sticky rice, popular for breakfast, comes topped with bean paste and fried shallots or with yogurt.

Must-Do Experiences

• Embark on a food tour by foot, bike, or motorbike to try the delicious dishes of Ho Chi Minh City's streets and markets.

• Deepen your understanding of Southern Vietnamese cuisine in a cooking class, where you'll learn to create new dishes.

• Combine a cooking lesson with visits to other top Ho Chi Minh City attractions, such as the Cu Chi Tunnels or Cai Be Floating Market.

• Eat like a local while feasting on a made-from-scratch, 3-course meal in the home of a Vietnamese family.