Ho Chi Minh is a massive but easily accessible city. Many of the top tourist destinations are located in District 1. Getting around District 1 and all of Ho Chi Minh is cheap and easy via Grab (Vietnam’s version of UBER.) Set up the app before leaving home and you are ready to go upon arrival. Many top tourist destinations are within walking distance of each other. We began our 1st day of exploring by visiting Ben Thanh Market. This large market is full of stands offering clothes, shoes, purses, souvenirs, and food. Here is where you will find many knock-offs or seconds of top brands such as Nike, Adidas, North Face, Guess, Louis Vuitton, and Prada to name a few. Each stand is independently run and each is eager to make a sale. If you are willing to engage in some negation, you can easily get the price down much lower than their 1st quote. Just be prepared for the sellers to use tactics like standing in the aisle to prevent you from walking away. We actually had to just push past them to get away. Some find the haggling process overwhelming and some enjoy the challenge. From Ben Thanh you can walk to Notre Dame Cathedral, which was undergoing renovations when we visited so the outside was covered in scaffolding and the interior was closed to the general public. Across the street from Notre Dame is the Post Office. This historic building is worth a quick peek. Inside you will find souvenirs, a photo booth, and the chance to buy postcards and mail them to friends and family back home. Ho Chi Minh is hot and humid. Next door to the Post Office is a Highlands Coffee (the Starbucks of Vietnam, although you will find authentic Starbucks as well.) Enjoy a cool drink inside the air conditioning before you venture down Book Street, right next to Highlands Coffee. Book Street is a short street of booksellers. There are also some paper crafts and other souvenirs available for sale.
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Another fun area to walk around is near City Hall. This area is home to City Hall, the Opera House, Cafe Apartments, a statue of Ho Chi Minh, and the Bitexco Tower. There is also a long, wide boulevard for pedestrians. City Hall, the Opera House, and the Ho Chi Minh statue are nice locations for photo opportunities. Café Apartments is an apartment building that has been turned into a lot of cafes. The Bitexco Tower is a skyscraper that you can pay to go up to the 49th floor. We chose to go up Landmark 81 instead because you can go up higher and have the opportunity to go outside. The Bitexco Tower is worth walking around and taking some pictures of the outside though.
Landmark 81 is the tallest skyscraper in Ho Chi Minh. The bottom levels are full of the top name brand stores, as well as a food court. There are also several restaurants near the top of the tower, as well as a small giftshop area. For 300,000 dong ($9.24 at the time of our visit) you take the elevator to the 79th floor. You don’t every get a 360-degree view at once but you walk in a clockwise direction up to the 81st floor and you can see out the entire time. On the 81st floor you can go outside on a glass platform. There is also an option to put a harness on and climb a short flight of steps for an even better view. There is no time limit on how long you can stay at the top and we even walked back down to the 79th floor and then back up to the 81st floor. We were at the top for sunset but it was very cloudy so there wasn’t a sunset to see. It was fun to watch the city light up as it got darker. Once you are done, you take the elevator from the 81st floor back to the bottom.
Outside of Landmark 81 is a nice park. There are walking paths, 2 playgrounds, and some exercise equipment. It is a great place to let the kids run off some extra energy or to just stroll along the river.
The Saigon Water Taxi is a fun and inexpensive way to see some of the city. For about $0.60 you can cruise along, seeing some riverfront mansions and Landmark 81. The waterbus has about 8 stops or you can ride the entire route and either get off at the end or ride back to the starting station, all for one price. However, it is not a hop on/hop off ride. Once you get off, your ride is over.
The Pink Church (Tan Dinh Church), built in 1876 in the Romanian architectural style, is a nice place to get some pictures but the interior of the church is not open to the public. Right across the street is the Tan Dinh Market. I had read that this market is much smaller and more local than the Ben Thanh Market so we checked it out but it is mostly fabric, bedding, and food and has even smaller aisleways than Ben Thanh so we only spent a few minutes there.
The War Remnants Museum commemorates the American War (as the Vietnam War is called in Vietnam). On the grounds are planes, tanks, and helicopters that were captured or left behind when the Americans evacuated. There are also replicas of some of the ways that captured soldiers were imprisoned, as well as an exhibit and pictures of their treatment. This section is very graphic. The museum building itself has 4 floors of exhibits, covering topics like ‘life in Vietnam’, ‘information about the war’, ‘agent orange’, and ‘photo news coverage of the war.’ All exhibits are well labeled in both Vietnamese and English. Just keep in mind that the museum is told from the perspective of the North Vietnamese.
Some of the iconic pictures of the Vietnam War – a tank crashing through gates or a helicopter flying off with people clinging to the landing skids – happened at Independence Palace, also known as Reunification Palace. You can explore all 6 levels (4 aboveground and 2 belowground) of the palace and see all the rooms, including the kitchen, bedrooms, board rooms, and meeting rooms. You can pay extra for a tour guide or for an audio headset tour but we found that the signage was good and in English. We did end up paying 2x the admission price (approximately $3 instead of $1.50) because we paid for the palace and exhibition. It wasn’t until we were reading the brochure after we got back to the hotel that we realized the exhibition is a sperate 2-story building on the palace grounds that gives some history of Vietnam. We might have encountered this building if we had wandered around the grounds but it was raining the day we visited so we didn’t.
Our final day in Ho Chi Minh we had hit all the top tourist sites so we decided to spend the morning at the zoo. We had read mixed information online on whether the zoo accepts credit cards or only cash. We didn’t have enough cash and didn’t want to withdraw more since we were leaving so we decided to chance it. Turns out the zoo is cash only so we spent some time wandering around trying to find an ATM. The zoo is mainly a large outer circle with several paths crossing the circle. They had a good variety of animals including elephants, zebras, rhinos, giraffes, primates, and reptiles but most of the enclosures were on the smaller side and rather muddy. The zoo is in the city and is only 49 acres so we were able to cover everything in about 2 hours. Unless you really want to visit a zoo, I would recommend skipping this one. One interesting note on the zoo is that, while the bathrooms had toilet paper, the single toilet paper dispenser was located in the center of the restroom so you had to get some before you went into a stall. This is the only place in Vietnam where we encountered this, although most of the places we went to cater to Western tourists.
We had wanted to stop at the Ho Chi Minh History Museum after the zoo. The gates were open and a tour group was leaving just as we arrived at 11:30 on a Monday morning but the man at the ticket counter informed us they were closed. The sign did say they were only open Tuesday to Sunday from 8 to 11:30am and 1-5 pm. Then we watched passengers from another tour bus disembark and enter the museum. We were a bit confused but whatever was happening, we didn’t get to visit the museum.
The Jade Pagoda is a Buddhist temple that often shows up on must do in Ho Chi Minh lists. It’s worth a quick stop to snap a few pictures (outside only) and take a quick peak at the shrines inside. There are signs asking that you have modest attire to enter the temple. We had shorts, as did many others, and no one stopped us from entering. You will need to remove your shoes before entering. This is a place of worship for Buddhists so please be respectful and do not take pictures inside.
Getting around Ho Chi Minh is easy and inexpensive. If you stay in District 1, the area where most of the tourist sites are located, much of it is walkable. Use extreme caution when crossing the street. Cars and motorbikes keep coming. A few areas have crosswalks with pedestrian signals but that doesn’t mean that all the traffic will stop. Be alert, a bit aggressive, and be ready to play a bit of Frogger or Crossy Road and you will do just fine. There is a metro available that is fast, cheap, and clean, although a bit limited in where it goes. The easiest option is to set up the Grab app before your trip and use that. Trips are per trip, not per person, so if you are traveling with several people, the cost is very low per person. We stayed in District 1 for several nights just for the experience but then moved out further, where we could get a much bigger place for the same price. We could then Grab back in to District 1 for less than $5 a ride.
Ho Chi Minh is a rapidly developing city. There was lots of new construction going on, including the building of a new airport that will be located about an hour outside of the city center. Several of the construction projects have been the building of huge malls. The Mega Mall and the Giga Mall are both filled with name brand stores, tons of restaurant options, indoor play places for kids, and fancy arcades. There are some more local brands and stores that will have better prices but most of the top brands that you see in the US will end up costing more in Vietnam than in the US.
Vung Tau
Vung Tau is a short two-hour trip from Ho Chi Minh. This beach town is the perfect place to get out of the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh for a few days. Vung Tau is located on a peninsula in the South China Sea. Even though there are many miles of coastland, only the east side has beaches for swimming. There are many reasonably priced hotels within walking distance of the beach. The water is warm and shallow and the waves are gentle. Between the beach and the road, there is a wide greenspace with sidewalks, trees, elevated view platforms, and artistic structures that light up at night.
Other than the beach, one of the main tourist attractions in Vung Tau is the Christ the King statue. This statue rivals, and in some ways surpasses, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Christ the Redeemer is 98ft tall with a 26ft tall base for a total height of 124ft, with an arm span of 92ft. Christ the King is 105ft tall with a 13ft tall base for a total height of 118ft, with an arm span of 60ft. The biggest difference between the two statues is that you can climb to the top of Christ the King. Christ the King is free to visit. Modest dress is required (knees and shoulders should be covered). The security guard at the bottom informed us that no plastic was allowed so we had to leave our water bottles at the bottom. There are 3 places along the walk to the top where you can buy drinks (in plastic bottles) and souvenirs. There are 811 steps to reach the base of Christ the King. Along the way there are areas to rest, sit, and enjoy the view. There are also some statues and reliefs depicting Bible scenes and figures. Near the pedestal of Christ the King is a replica of Michelangelo’s Pieta and on the pedestal itself is a carved relief replica of DaVinci’s Last Supper. When you enter the base, you are given a locker key (free of charge) to place your shoes and bags in because neither are allowed on the climb up the 133 steps to Jesus’ arms. The staircase is winding and somewhat narrow. There were only a few people there on the day we went so it wasn’t a problem but when we drove past the next day there were several tour buses in the parking lot. That many people would certainly cause a lot of congestion inside the statue and make the steps much more difficult to maneuver. At the top you can go out onto either of Jesus’ arms. There is only room for 2 to 3 people on each arm. If there aren’t many people there I would suggest you go out on each arm as the view and perspective is different on each.
The Vung Tau Lighthouse is a nice but short visit. During the week you can drive the 3km to the top of this hill where the lighthouse is located but our Grab driver said that on the weekends you usually have to walk up the road as parking is very limited at the top. The drive is long, steep, and winding and would be a challenging walk. The lighthouse itself is rather short and you can’t go inside it. There were signs for a lighthouse museum but the security guard told us that it had closed. Strangely, the view from the lighthouse overlooks the town, not the ocean. When we went to leave a guard came over and said we had to pay a parking fee. I’m not sure if it was legit, as there were no signs that we saw about a parking fee but we paid anyway, rather than question it. It was worth the time to drive to the lighthouse but I’m not sure it would be worth it if you had to walk an hour to get to the top. There are some food and drink and rest options along the road, including a cute little restaurant with a patio with a great view.
On the recommendation of our Grab driver, we stopped at Our Lady of Bai Dau, an 82 ft statue of Mary located on the slope of Big Mountain. This turned out to be an enjoyable stop. The statue sits just a little way up the mountainside, making it much easier to walk to then the Christ the King statue. There are also several paths that you can take. From the parking lot, you can ascend to the statue by either the right-hand, left-hand, or center paths. The center path leads straight up to the statue. The right-hand path has smaller statues depicting the story of Jesus’ birth and life. The left-hand path depicts the stations of the cross (the story of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion). There is also a small chapel at the beginning of the left-hand path. The last station of the cross is shortly after the statue but the path continues to climb to the top of the hill, where there is a stone cross. There was so much more to see here then at the lighthouse. There is also a gift shop with souvenirs, snacks, and drinks. There are signs around warning you not to feed the monkeys. On the way up we saw a monkey off in the distance but on the way down we encountered a troop of them. Monkeys are not friendly and can be aggressive. We enjoyed watching them but they definitely let us know when they thought we were getting too close.
There are a few other highlights in Vung Tau which we didn’t have time to visit, such as the Buddhist temple with the large golden Buddha statue and a hilltop amusement park that is reached via cable car. We only ended up with 2 nights in Vung Tau because a typhoon was approaching and we wanted to return inland to Ho Chi Minh but Vung Tau definitely provided a nice few days of quiet and relaxation after the hustle and bustle of the city.
Other travel tips for Vietnam:
Use a local ATM to withdraw cash in Vietnamese Dong instead of exchanging US dollars. A quick internet search will help you decide which ATM works best for you. The fees and amount you are allowed to withdraw at one time varies among banks. Set up Tap-to-Pay before you leave the US, as most places in Vietnam offer this payment option. Also make sure that you are using a credit card with no foreign transaction fees.
We flew Turkish Air and were very pleased with our experience. The inflight food, service, and entertainment was good but the level of service at the airport for our layover was the best I have ever experienced. We had an 8-hour layover on the way to Vietnam so we were able to take advantage of Touristanbul, a free service offered by Turkish Air. We enjoyed a narrated driving tour of Istanbul with the chance to get off and take pictures at the Galata Bridge. Those with longer layovers have the opportunity to take more extensive tours. Once back at the airport, we were given vouchers for a free meal. The vouchers were only good for certain meals at select fast food restaurants but it sure beat having to pay for our own food. On the way home, our layover was shorter so we didn’t qualify for the free meal vouchers but when our flight was delayed, Turkish Air delivered free sandwiches and drinks to our gate. I would definitely recommend flying Turkish Air.
Restaurants we personally tried in Vietnam:
Mixue: Mixue is a chain known for their cheap milk tea and ice cream. Most of their menu costs about $1 per item. While not the highest quality, this is still a good stop, especially if you have kids.
Dairy Queen: Dairy Queen offers some of the same items you find in the US but if you are feeling more adventurous, try the avocado blizzard. DQ in Vietnam only offers ice cream, not meal items.
Kentucky Fried Chicken: KFC offers similar items to their US menu but the chicken tastes fresher. I enjoyed their chicken and rice bowl.
Pepper Lunch: We ate at this Japensese chain numerous times. Your food, typically rice and raw meat, is served in a very hot iron plate and you have to stir it around until the meat cooks. Nothing fancy but filling and tasty.
Highlands: The Vietnam answer to Starbucks. Although you can find real Starbucks in Vietnam, there is no reason to pay for their overpriced drinks. Go to Highlands instead.
Katinat: This coffee and tea house is very tasty. Just don’t expect US quantities. Most of their drinks could be finished in several big gulps. So sip slowly and enjoy the experience.
Phuc Long: Another coffeehouse. Their pastries were tasty but my matcha was gritty and the coffee was nothing special.
Al Fresco: If you are craving a good Italian meal while in Vietnam, go to Al Fresco but expect to pay about twice the cost of a local restaurant.
Hoang’s Kitchen: This local restaurant has tasty food and a nice vibe but you don’t see the locals eating here. Expect to pay more at this restaurant that caters to tourists.
Pho Viet Nam: This Michelin selected restaurant serves yummy pho (soup with broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat).
Pho Hoa Pasteur: This pho place is more local than Pho Viet Nam but their meat wasn’t quite as tender.
Ben Nghe Street Food: This food court type market has a nice vibe and lots of food choices. The prices at most stands were reasonable. I enjoyed my food but also suspect that my intestinal troubles came from eating here.
Haidilao Huoguo: This Chinese hot pot chain offers a unique dining experience. Hot pot involves cooking raw ingredients in a pot of simmering broth at your table. One of the unique features of Haidilao is the noodle dance, where the chef does a dance to western music, while stretching the noodle dough into one long noodle. This was a fun and tasty dining experience.
Not a restaurant but a must try Vietnamese food is banh mi, a short baguette with a crisp crust and soft inside, split lengthwise and filled with meat.
My Takeaway
Three days is enough to hit the tourist highlights in Ho Chi Minh. If you want to add in some museums, another 1-2 days would be sufficient. We had wanted to do a Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta tour but didn’t get a chance due to both a typhoon headed our way and the fact that I got sick. I’m glad that we took a few days to make the trip to Vung Tau. The beach was a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the city. I’m glad that I got to see another culture and broaden my horizons. Ho Chi Minh is worth a visit but I would make it a stop on a more extensive tour of Vietnam or Southeast Asia, not a destination in itself.