Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, is Vietnam’s largest city and the country’s economic and cultural powerhouse. Located along the Saigon River in southern Vietnam, the city played a pivotal role during both the French colonial period and the Vietnam War, leaving behind a fascinating blend of historic landmarks, colonial architecture, and modern development.
Today, towering skyscrapers stand alongside centuries-old pagodas, bustling traditional markets, and important wartime sites that tell the story of Vietnam’s transformation. Visitors exploring tourist places in Ho Chi Minh City can discover iconic attractions such as Ben Thanh Market, the War Remnants Museum, Independence Palace, and the nearby Cu Chi Tunnels.
The city also serves as the main gateway to the Mekong Delta, one of Vietnam’s most unique cultural and agricultural regions. Whether interested in history, food, architecture, or local culture, Ho Chi Minh City offers a diverse range of experiences that make it one of Southeast Asia’s most rewarding urban destinations.
10 Places to Visit in Ho Chi Minh City
Independence Palace (Reunification Palace)
The Independence Palace, also known as the Reunification Palace, is one of the most historically significant places to visit in Ho Chi Minh City. Located in District 1, it served as the residence and workplace of the President of South Vietnam during the war era. The original palace on this site was built during French colonial rule, and the current modernist structure was completed in 1966 to a design by Vietnamese architect Ngô Viết Thụ. The palace gained global attention on April 30, 1975, when North Vietnamese tanks broke through its gates, marking the end of the Vietnam War.
The interiors have been preserved largely as they were in 1975, allowing visitors to walk through presidential reception rooms, war command bunkers, a cinema room, and rooftop helipad. The basement war command center, complete with original communications equipment and maps, is a particularly compelling section of the tour.
Famous For: End of Vietnam War, preserved Cold War-era interiors, war command bunker
Tickets: Approximately 40,000 VND for adults
Opening Timings: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (closed during government functions)
Ideal Time to Explore: 1–1.5 hours
Things to Do: Tour the presidential quarters, explore the underground bunker, view the ceremonial halls
War Remnants Museum
The War Remnants Museum is one of the most significant and sobering tourist places in Ho Chi Minh City, located in District 3. Opened in 1975 shortly after the end of the Vietnam War, it documents the conflict from the Vietnamese perspective through an extensive collection of photographs, military equipment, and personal testimonies. The museum is consistently ranked among the most visited sites in Vietnam and draws visitors from around the world seeking to understand the human cost of the war.
The outdoor exhibits display captured American military hardware including tanks, helicopters, artillery, and aircraft. Indoor galleries cover topics such as the effects of Agent Orange, war crimes documentation, and international opposition to the conflict. The photography exhibits, many taken by renowned war journalists, are especially powerful.
Famous For: War photography, Agent Orange exhibit, captured military hardware, historical documentation
Tickets: Approximately 40,000 VND for adults
Opening Timings: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM daily
Ideal Time to Explore: 1.5–2 hours
Things to Do: Browse photo galleries, view military exhibits, learn about the Vietnam War history
Ben Thanh Market
Ben Thanh Market is one of the most recognizable landmarks and tourist places in Ho Chi Minh City, located in the heart of District 1. Originally built by French colonial authorities in the early 20th century and formally inaugurated in 1914, the market has served as a commercial and cultural hub of Saigon for over a century. Its distinctive clock tower gate has become an unofficial symbol of the city. The market sells everything from fresh produce and street food to clothing, souvenirs, handicrafts, and local spices.
Visitors can explore hundreds of stalls packed into a large covered hall, sampling Vietnamese street food such as bánh mì, phở, and fresh spring rolls. The surrounding streets transform into a lively night market after 6 PM, extending the experience well into the evening.
Best Time to Visit: November to April (dry season)
Major Attractions: Clock tower gate, street food stalls, souvenir shopping, night market
Ideal Duration to Explore: 1–2 hours
Things to Do: Shop for local handicrafts, try Vietnamese street food, explore the night market
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon
The Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon is one of the most iconic colonial-era landmarks and best places to visit in Ho Chi Minh City. Situated in the center of District 1, the cathedral was constructed by French colonists between 1863 and 1880 using materials almost entirely imported from France, including red bricks from Marseille and stained glass windows from Chartres. Its twin bell towers, rising 58 meters each, remain one of the most photographed sights in the city. The cathedral continues to serve as an active Roman Catholic place of worship.
The cathedral’s neo-Romanesque façade and its position at the end of Dong Khoi Street make it a natural focal point of the French Quarter. A statue of the Virgin Mary stands in front of the building. Note that ongoing restoration work may affect exterior views; visitors can often still view the interior.
Famous For: French colonial architecture, twin bell towers, imported Marseille brickwork
Tickets: Free entry
Opening Timings: Monday to Saturday 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM; Sunday Mass schedules vary
Ideal Time to Explore: 30–45 minutes
Things to Do: Admire the exterior architecture, attend Sunday Mass, photograph the bell towers
Saigon Central Post Office
The Saigon Central Post Office is one of the finest examples of French colonial architecture among the places to see in Ho Chi Minh City, located directly adjacent to the Notre-Dame Cathedral in District 1. Designed by Gustave Eiffel’s architectural firm and completed in 1891, the building features a grand vaulted iron ceiling, large painted maps of historic Saigon and southern Vietnam on its interior walls, and a portrait of Ho Chi Minh at the far end of the hall. Despite its age, it remains a fully operational post office.
The interior is particularly impressive, with its barrel-vaulted roof, ornate green ironwork, and warm yellow walls creating a timeless atmosphere. Visitors can send postcards from one of the original wooden phone booths, browse local souvenirs sold inside, or simply admire the colonial craftsmanship.
Famous For: Gustave Eiffel design, vaulted iron ceiling, historic interior maps
Tickets: Free entry
Opening Timings: Monday to Friday 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Saturday 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Sunday 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Ideal Time to Explore: 30 minutes
Things to Do: Send postcards, photograph the interior, browse souvenir stalls
Cu Chi Tunnels
The Cu Chi Tunnels are one of the most remarkable and historically significant tourist places near Ho Chi Minh City, located approximately 40 kilometers northwest of the city center in Cu Chi District. The tunnel network stretches over 250 kilometers and was used by Viet Cong guerrillas during the Vietnam War as a base of operations, hiding place, and supply route. Constructed largely by hand beginning in the late 1940s and expanded significantly through the 1960s, the tunnels include living quarters, hospitals, kitchens, and weapons factories, all built beneath the jungle floor.
Two main sites are open to visitors: Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc. Tourists can crawl through widened sections of the original tunnels, handle wartime artifacts, view exhibits on tunnel warfare tactics, and see various booby traps that were used against enemy forces. An outdoor shooting range where visitors can fire period weapons is also available on site.
Best Time to Visit: November to April
Major Attractions: Original tunnel sections, wartime exhibits, booby trap demonstrations, shooting range
Ideal Duration to Explore: 2–3 hours (plus travel time from city)
Things to Do: Crawl through tunnel sections, view war artifacts, join a guided tour from Ho Chi Minh City
Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is one of the most distinctive and rewarding places to visit near Ho Chi Minh City, beginning roughly 60–80 kilometers southwest of the city. Known in Vietnam as the “Nine Dragon River Delta,” the region is formed by the numerous tributaries of the Mekong River as it reaches the South China Sea. The delta supports a dense agricultural population and is the country’s primary rice-producing region, characterized by lush green waterways, floating markets, fruit orchards, and river villages accessible mainly by boat.
Day trips and overnight tours from Ho Chi Minh City typically include visits to floating markets such as Cái Bè or Phụng Hiệp, boat rides through narrow canals, stops at cottage industries producing rice paper, coconut candy, and honey wine, and lunch at riverside restaurants. My Tho and Ben Tre are among the most popular gateway towns.
Best Time to Visit: December to April (dry season)
Major Attractions: Cái Bè Floating Market, canal boat tours, fruit orchards, river villages
Ideal Duration to Explore: 1–2 days
Things to Do: Boat through waterway canals, visit floating markets, sample tropical fruits, explore cottage industries
Nguyen Hue Walking Street
Nguyen Hue Walking Street is one of the most vibrant and lively places to visit in Ho Chi Minh City, stretching 670 meters through the heart of District 1 from the People’s Committee Hall to the Saigon River waterfront. The boulevard was historically known as Charner Boulevard during French colonial rule and served as a canal before being filled in and paved in the early 20th century. Following a major renovation completed in 2015, the street was transformed into a fully pedestrianized zone and is now lined with fountains, sculptures, and a dramatic view of the illuminated City Hall building.
The street comes alive at night with street performers, food vendors, and locals gathering around the central fountain. It serves as Ho Chi Minh City’s main venue for public celebrations including Lunar New Year (Tết) flower markets, national holidays, and New Year’s Eve events. Upscale cafés, rooftop bars, and international restaurants line the adjacent buildings.
Best Time to Visit: Evenings; especially during Tết (Lunar New Year)
Major Attractions: People’s Committee Hall view, central fountain, Tết flower market, New Year celebrations
Ideal Duration to Explore: 1–2 hours
Things to Do: Evening stroll, street food, attend public events, rooftop bar dining
Jade Emperor Pagoda
The Jade Emperor Pagoda is one of the most atmospheric and spiritually significant places to visit in Ho Chi Minh City, located in the Phú Nhuận and District 3 border area. Built by the Cantonese community in 1909, the pagoda is dedicated to the Jade Emperor, the supreme deity of Taoism, and also incorporates Buddhist elements, making it a unique blend of Chinese religious traditions. The building’s ornate tiled roof, incense-filled courtyards, and intricate wood-carved figures create one of the most visually striking religious environments in the city.
The interior houses dozens of elaborately decorated chambers containing statues of Taoist deities, Buddhist bodhisattvas, and mythological figures, all surrounded by thick clouds of incense smoke. A pond in the rear courtyard is filled with turtles, which are considered sacred. The pagoda remains an active place of worship and is particularly atmospheric during festivals.
Famous For: Chinese Taoist-Buddhist architecture, Jade Emperor statue, sacred turtle pond, incense atmosphere
Tickets: Free entry (donations welcome)
Opening Timings: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM daily
Ideal Time to Explore: 45–60 minutes
Things to Do: Explore temple chambers, observe local worship, photograph carved deity figures, visit turtle pond
Chinatown (Cho Lon)
Cho Lon, meaning “big market” in Vietnamese, is Ho Chi Minh City’s historic Chinatown district, located in Districts 5 and 6 approximately 5 kilometers from the city center. It is one of the largest Chinatowns in Southeast Asia and has been a hub of Chinese-Vietnamese commerce, culture, and community life since the 18th century. The district is characterized by bustling wholesale markets, traditional medicine shops, Chinese-language signage, ornate assembly halls, and pagodas built by different Chinese ethnic groups including the Cantonese, Teochew, Fujian, and Hakka communities.
The Bình Tây Market at the center of Cho Lon is a grand colonial-era covered market dealing mainly in wholesale goods. Nearby, the Thiên Hậu Pagoda, dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu, is one of the oldest and most beautifully decorated Chinese temples in the city. The district is best explored on foot or by cyclo.
Best Time to Visit: Early morning for market activity; January–February for Chinese New Year celebrations
Major Attractions: Bình Tây Market, Thiên Hậu Pagoda, Chinese assembly halls, traditional medicine shops
Ideal Duration to Explore: 2–3 hours
Things to Do: Explore wholesale markets, visit Chinese pagodas, sample Cantonese-Vietnamese food, photograph street life
Ho Chi Minh City rewards curious travelers with an extraordinary mix of history, culture, and urban energy. Whether exploring wartime landmarks, drifting through river deltas, or wandering incense-filled pagodas, the tourist places in Ho Chi Minh City offer experiences that stay with visitors long after they leave Vietnam.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best time to visit Ho Chi Minh City?
The best time to visit Ho Chi Minh City is from November to April during the dry season, when humidity is lower and rainfall is minimal. December and January offer the most comfortable temperatures for sightseeing.
How many days are enough to explore Ho Chi Minh City?
Three to four days are sufficient to cover the main attractions in the city center, including the War Remnants Museum, Independence Palace, and Ben Thanh Market. Add one or two more days for day trips to the Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta.
Is Ho Chi Minh City safe for tourists?
Ho Chi Minh City is generally safe for tourists. Petty theft and bag snatching can occur in busy areas, so visitors should keep valuables secure. Traffic is heavy and fast-moving; using designated crossings and staying alert is advisable.
What currency is used in Ho Chi Minh City?
The official currency is the Vietnamese Dong (VND). US dollars are widely accepted at hotels and larger establishments, but local markets and street food vendors typically prefer payment in dong. ATMs are widely available throughout the city.