How Many Days in Ho Chi Minh City? A 4-Day Route and How to Get Around

The big picture: city and day trips in four days

The Ho Chi Minh City guide suggests 4 to 5 days. This plan follows the guide's four-day route: Day 1 covers the District 1 sights, Day 2 a half day at the Cu Chi Tunnels plus Ben Thanh Market, Day 3 a Mekong Delta day trip, and Day 4 District 3 cafes and Landmark 81. Trim the first and last days to fit your flight times.

The Cu Chi Tunnels are about 1.5 hours away by road and usually visited on a half-day tour, while the Mekong Delta, around My Tho or Ben Tre, needs a full day. That is why the two trips sit on separate days instead of being squeezed into one.

For a first visit, District 1 (Ben Thanh, Dong Khoi) is the easiest base: the main sights, hotels and restaurants are all within walking distance, though it is pricier than other areas. Backpackers can look at Bui Vien Street (Pham Ngu Lao), a loud party street until late, so stay a block away if you want to sleep. District 3 suits a calmer cafe neighborhood (about 10 minutes to District 1 by ride-hailing app), and Thao Dien (former District 2 area) suits longer stays and families, with the metro now linking it easily to District 1.

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Arrival: from Tan Son Nhat to District 1

The easiest way from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) to District 1 is a ride-hailing app. The fare is fixed in the app, and you meet the driver at the designated pickup zone. You need data for the app, so buy a local SIM or eSIM at the airport and activate it on arrival; they are cheap.

Bus 109 links the airport with the Saigon Bus Station at 23/9 Park, near Ben Thanh Market and Pham Ngu Lao. It now runs from domestic Terminal T3 and no longer stops at the international terminal (T2), so take the inter-terminal shuttle to T3 if you arrive on an international flight. It is the cheapest option if you travel light.

• Ride-hailing app to District 1: about 25-45 min, about 150,000-250,000 VND (fare fixed in the app)
• Bus 109 to the Saigon Bus Station: about 45-60 min, check the official fare
• Metered taxi to District 1: about 25-45 min, about 200,000-300,000 VND. Pick a reputable company at the official taxi rank and make sure the meter is running

Day 1: Independence Palace, Post Office and Cathedral, War Remnants Museum, Nguyen Hue

Start the morning at Independence Palace, the former presidential palace and symbol of the war's end in 1975, where you can also see the basement bunkers. Officially it opens daily without a lunch break, but hours can change for events, so check the official site before you go.

Next, see the Central Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral, French colonial landmarks standing side by side, so they are easy to visit together. The cathedral interior may be restricted during restoration. Lunch is pho: beef noodle soup is the classic, at about 50,000-90,000 VND in local shops, so load it up with herbs and lime.

In the afternoon, the War Remnants Museum tells the story of the Vietnam War through powerful photos and artifacts. The content is heavy, so allow about two hours. In the evening, stroll Nguyen Hue Walking Street, which runs from City Hall to the Saigon River, and end the day at a rooftop bar. Central District 1 is very walkable; to cross the street, walk slowly and steadily without running and the motorbikes will flow around you.

Day 2: Cu Chi Tunnels half day, Ben Thanh Market, Bui Vien or a night market

Spend the morning at the Cu Chi Tunnels, a wartime tunnel network about 1.5 hours away by road and usually visited on a half-day tour. Tipping is not required, but about 50,000-100,000 VND for a tour guide is appreciated.

Back in the city in the afternoon, browse Ben Thanh Market for souvenirs, coffee and dried fruit. Haggling is expected. Markets and street food are cash only, so carry dong, and double-check your notes when paying: the 10,000 and 100,000 notes, and the 20,000 and 500,000 notes, look similar.

For dinner, head to Bui Vien Street or the night stalls that set up around Ben Thanh Market. Try bun thit nuong, grilled pork vermicelli, or crispy banh xeo pancakes wrapped in greens and dipped in fish sauce. Motorbike phone and bag snatching happens, so keep your phone away from the street side and carry bags on the building side.

Day 3: Mekong Delta day trip, then a spa

Give the whole day to the Mekong Delta. Around My Tho or Ben Tre, boats take you through canals, orchards and coconut-candy workshops. It needs a full day, so keep the rest of the schedule light.

Back in the city, unwind at a spa. Tipping is not required, but about 50,000-100,000 VND for spa staff is appreciated. Do not drink tap water; stick to bottled water.

Day 4: District 3 cafes, com tam lunch, Landmark 81, airport

Spend the last morning in District 3, with leafy streets, local eateries and stylish cafes, calmer than District 1. Strong iced coffee with condensed milk (ca phe sua da) or coconut coffee costs about 30,000-60,000 VND, and a street-side plastic-stool cafe is worth trying. For lunch, have com tam, southern-style broken rice with grilled pork chop, at about 40,000-70,000 VND.

In the afternoon, take in the city and the Saigon River from Landmark 81 SkyView, the observation deck in Vietnam's tallest building. It is best around sunset, so time it for then if you fly in the evening. Work backwards from your departure, allowing about 25-45 minutes from District 1 to the airport plus check-in time.

With 5 days, add a slower day. Metro Line 1, the city's first metro, runs from Ben Thanh east toward Thu Duc (Suoi Tien) and is handy between District 1 and Thao Dien. Put a relaxed day in Thao Dien, with its brunch cafes, between Day 2 and Day 3 so the two day trips do not fall back to back.

Before you go: getting around, budget and weather

Ride-hailing apps are the main way to get around and the go-to for locals and visitors alike; motorbike rides are fastest and cheapest for short hops. Green electric taxis can be booked in an app or hailed on the street, with transparent fares. Since July 2025 the district level has been abolished and addresses now use new ward names. Old names like District 1 and District 3 are still widely used, so check both in your map app.

The guide's daily budget is about 800,000 VND with hostels, local eateries and motorbike rides, about 2,500,000 VND with a 4-star hotel, restaurants, cafes and a spa, and about 6,000,000 VND+ with a 5-star hotel, fine dining and private tours. Hotels, malls and chain cafes take cards. Change money at banks or licensed exchange counters; exchanging foreign currency at unlicensed places (including some gold shops) can break the law.

Entry and visa rules vary by nationality and can change, so check official Vietnamese government sources before you travel. Apply for an e-visa only through the official portal and avoid lookalike agency sites. The weather figures below are 1991–2020 normals for Ho Chi Minh City (WMO city data) from the WMO World Weather Information Service — Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration. Daytime highs stay around 32-35°C all year.

• Best time: the December-April dry season (about 8-57 mm a month); of these months, December-February is slightly less hot, with highs of about 32-33°C
• March-May runs hot, with highs of about 34-35°C
• May-October wet season (about 202-273 mm a month): short afternoon downpours that pass quickly
• November averages about 128 mm, a little under the yearly average of about 138 mm, and rain eases from November
• Many shops close around Tet (Lunar New Year, January or February), so check dates

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