Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Ho Chi Minh City?
Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Ho Chi Minh City?
Many travelers spend three to four days in Ho Chi Minh City during their visit. After all, the colorful city has plenty to explore such as the famous sights and museums, the big city activities, and the restaurant scene.
Ho Chi Minh City is a mix of old and new, modern and historic, and it fills your senses with colors, sounds, scents, and tastes. The city has many museums that reflect the country's war torn past, but there are also peaceful parks and beautiful art. The food scene is second-to-none and the people are friendly and welcoming.
Do you have one or two days to visit Ho Chi Minh City? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one day enough time in Ho Chi Minh City?
Ho Chi Minh City, renowned for its numerous sights and attractions, is a major draw for tourists. So with one day, you'll probably feel rushed to see the main attractions. You really need more time to appreciate everything that the colorful city has to offer. Many visitors prefer to have three to four days to fully enjoy the city. If you have one day or less, we still have some great ideas for what to do while you're in town.
How to spend a day in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City is famous for it's world-class attractions, museums, and landmarks. You'll want to spend at least a day exploring one or more that you're interested in the most. It's a day trip outside of town, but the Cu Chi Tunnels are a must-see stop for any visitor. The War Remnants Museum is also a not-to-be-missed spot. Other highlights of the city include Thiên Hau Temple, the Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica, the Saigon Opera House, and the Reunification Palace.
Make sure to set aside around 2 hours for War Remnants Museum, which is ₫40000. It's great for backpackers and is known for extensive exhibits on the Vietnam War including photographic displays, military equipment, and the impact on civilians.
It's worth around 2 hours for Ho Chi Minh City Museum. Entry is approximately 40,000 VND for adults, with reduced prices or free admission for children and students.. It's known for its exhibits on the history, culture, and development of Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam.
Make sure to set aside around 2 hours for Museum of Vietnamese History, which is ₫40000. It's great for families and is known for its extensive collection of artifacts and exhibits that trace the historical evolution of Vietnam from ancient times to the modern era.
You'll want to have around 2 hours for Fine Arts Museum. It's a nice activity for backpackers and is known for its extensive collection of traditional and contemporary Vietnamese artworks and its beautiful colonial architecture. It's ₫40,000 for adults and ₫20,000 for students and children, with discounted rates potentially available for groups..
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon is worth visiting for around 1 hour, which is great for families. Known for its distinctive red-brick neo-Romanesque architecture and status as a major religious and historical landmark in Ho Chi Minh City, entry is free.
It's worth around 2 hours for Jade Emperor Pagoda. Entry is free. It's known for its intricate wood carvings, statues of deities, and spiritual significance in Taoism.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Vung Tau Essential: Beach, Christ Statue & Colonial Heritage ($41)
- Small-group Saigon City Tour: 4-Hour Must-see Iconic Landmarks ($30)
- Cu Chi Ben Duoc Tunnel & War Museum – Original, Less Touristy ($24)
The culinary scene in Ho Chi Minh City is world famous, and draws visitors from around the globe. Make sure you spend time enjoying breakfast, lunch, and dinner at some of this city's best restaurants. And consider a food tour, too. Many are either a half day or just a few hours, so you can fit one into your schedule easily. This city, arguably, has some of the best food in Vietnam. You'll find everything from food stalls selling mouthwatering street food to luxury restaurants preparing traditional dishes with a modern twist. Banh Mi (a Vietnamese sandwich) and Pho (Vietnamese soup) are the most well known dishes around town, but also try the Bún mắm (a noodle dish) and Bún bò Huế (a beef based soup).
A few tour suggestions include:
- Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City ($29)
- Private Vegan Food Tour By Scooter in Ho Chi Minh City ($45)
- Saigon Evening Food Tour by Scooter ($49)
Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Ho Chi Minh City?
Since it's a large city, you'll probably need more than a weekend to take advantage of everything to do in Ho Chi Minh City. Two or three days still gives you a good amount of time to explore, though, as you'll have a chance to experience at least some of the major attractions. In addition to the great museums and landmarks and fun big city activities, visitors can enjoy the nightlife, shopping, and theater by staying for a weekend.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
How to spend 2 days in Ho Chi Minh City
With a weekend (two to three days) in Ho Chi Minh City, you'll have a bit more time to enjoy everything that the city has to offer.
Since Ho Chi Minh City is such a large city, you can spend at least a day exploring the many neighborhoods, attractions, and activities found around town. Break up visiting popular landmarks with the more authentic neighborhoods for shopping and dining. It's a chaotic, cultural mix of modern high rises, motorbikes, traditional eateries, and world class museums. It'll hit all your senses with its many sights, sounds and smells.
You'll want to have around 2 hours for Saigon Opera House (Municipal Theatre). It's a nice activity for couples and is known for its beautiful French colonial architecture and hosting a variety of cultural and artistic performances. It's tickets generally cost around 200,000 VND for adults, with discounts available for children and seniors depending on the event.
Bitexco Financial Tower & Skydeck is worth visiting for around 2 hours, which is great for couples. Known for its iconic lotus-inspired architecture and breathtaking panoramic city views from the Skydeck, entry is ₫200,000.
Make sure to set aside around 1 hour for Ho Chi Minh City Hall (People’s Committee Building), which is free. It's great for backpackers and is known for its stunning French colonial architecture and being the headquarters of the city government.
It's worth around 1 hour for Saigon Central Post Office. Entry is free. It's known for its impressive French colonial architecture and historic significance as a functioning post office.
You'll want to have around 2 hours for Nguyen Hue Walking Street. It's a nice activity for families and is known for lively pedestrian atmosphere with cultural events, street performances, and nightlife in the city center. It's free.
Pham Ngu Lao Street is worth visiting for around 2 hours, which is great for backpackers. Known for vibrant nightlife, budget-friendly hostels, and lively street food scene, entry is free.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Saigon Night Street Food and City Tour on Scooter ($65)
- Half-Day Mekong Delta by Speedboat and Leisure Biking ($112)
- Saigon Historical City Tour ($45)
The nightlife scene is very popular here. After dark, head out to one of the many venues around town. The city never settles down and you'll find all night parties and dance clubs open into the early hours. Backpackers keep the energy high, but there are also luxury clubs and more relaxed places where you can have a good night out if the backpacker thing isn't your scene.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Saigon Nightlife ($97)
- Enjoy Your Nightlife In Saigon As A Saigonese! ($5)
- Ho Chi Minh Nightlife by scooter ($83)
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Ho Chi Minh City, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.