16 Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City: A Contrast of Emotions

There are so many fascinating things to do in Ho Chi Minh City. For us, the city stirs up a mix of emotions.

We stared up at modern architecture, drank exotic beverages, and learned new skills. In contrast, we experienced a sombre reality of the aftermath of a war that took place in our lifetime. Ho Chi Minh City, the cultural capital of Vietnam, grabbed our attention and held on.

I found myself captivated by a seamless blend of tradition and progress and sometimes a bit frightened by the seemingly endless parade of motorbikes that weaved along the roads.

Below, find what we believe are the best things to do in Ho Chi Minh City, including typical tourist sites, war remnants, several off-the-beaten-path (and amazing) experiences, and even tips for crossing the street. We also recommend several top-rated group tours. However, we opted for a private guide and are thrilled with our choice.

Is it Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon?

Ho Chi Minh City and Saigon are two names used interchangeably to refer to the same city in Vietnam. Saigon was the original name of the capital of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

However, after the reunification of Vietnam, the city was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in honour of the revolutionary leader, Ho Chi Minh and was a symbol of the country’s communist ideology.

Many locals and foreigners still refer to the city as Saigon, and both names are widely recognized and used, but Ho Chi Minh City is the official name of Vietnam’s most modern city.

First, be inspired by Vietnam …

Best things to see in Ho Chi Minh City

• Saigon Central Post Office
• Notre Dame Cathedral
• Ben Thanh Market
• Saigon Opera House
• Ho Chi Minh City Hall
• Bitexco Financial Tower
• Cu Chi Tunnels
• War Remnants Museum
• Reunification Palace (Independence Palace)
• Cai Rang floating market

Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City – Downtown sites

Immersing ourselves in the heart of the city, Jeff and I discovered a vibrant tapestry of attractions that showcased the unusual things to do in Ho Chi Minh City. We listed those related to the war in the next section.

Saigon Central Post Office

A stunning neo-classical European building, this architectural gem designed by Gustave Eiffel is still the main post office in Saigon. Free to enter, the ornate Indochina interior is as impressive as the grandeur of its exterior.

On the back wall, there is a large image of Ho Chi Minh made up of thousands of stamps. We could only get close enough to see the stamp outlines in the background. 

The high ceilings help keep the interior cool, and honestly, it was a good place to escape the heat for a few minutes. It really should be on any list of things to do in Ho Chi Minh City.

Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon

The stunning red-brick façade of the Notre Dame Cathedral seemed almost out of place in this city. Built from imported material from France in the 1870s, it was closed for a three-year refurbishment when we visited.

The white marble statue of the Virgin Mary was brought from Italy mid-last century.

Cho Ben Thanh Market

The bustling Cho Ben Thanh Market served as a sensory delight, enticing us with its vibrant colours, aromatic scents, and lively atmosphere.

Exploring inside, we discovered an array of goods, from traditional crafts and textiles to delectable street food. Watching our guide engage in the art of bargaining and sampling local delicacies, we immersed ourselves in the dynamic energy of this iconic market.

This was a fun visit, loaded with some unusual things to do in Ho Chi Minh City, like trying new foods, ordering custom-made clothes and shoes, or just hanging out in the city’s oldest market.

Check out some of the impressive architecture

• Saigon Opera House
  This elegant French colonial structure stands as a testament to the city’s cultural vibrancy and French influence. Built during the 1890s, it’s the details carved on the facade that impressed us the most.
• Ho Chi Minh City Hall
  Officially called Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Head Office, the imposing city hall, with its impressive Beaux-Arts architecture, stands as a symbol of governance and history. Its location in the heart of the city made it an unmistakable landmark and a reminder of the city’s evolving identity.
• Bitexco Financial Tower
  As we gazed up at the 68-story towering Bitexco Financial Tower, we marvelled at its modernity as well as the helipad on the 49th floor. We didn’t venture inside to enjoy the impressive views from above. Reserve your Bitexco Skydeck General Admission ticket here.

War and historical things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City offers a wealth of Vietnam War and history-based attractions, allowing us to delve into the country’s tumultuous past. We also saw reminders of the war in other areas of Vietnam, a cave in Marble Mountain being the first to come to mind.

Cu Chi Tunnels

Visiting the Cu Chi tunnels was a surreal experience, humbling, depressing, a bit terrifying, and yet somehow awe-inspiring.

It’s here that the Viet Cong built an elaborate network of 250km of underground tunnels that allowed them to live in secret, launch attacks from unknown places, and build booby traps that made my skin crawl.

Descending into the intricate network of tunnels was an immersive experience. Crawling through narrow tunnels and witnessing the ingenuity of the Viet Cong fighters were haunting remnants of the war.

While the experience was emotional, I am glad we went as the first-hand experience highlighted the reality. Located a bit over an hour away, a tour is the ideal way to get here. Reserve your top-rated half-day Cu Chi Tunnels tour from Ho Chi Minh City here.

Or, do like we did and go with a private guide. Ours was able to take us to a less touristy section of the tunnel area. As a result, it was less crowded, we were alone with him in the tunnels, and we saw more dense jungles. Reserve your private Cu Chi Tunnel tour here.

War Remnants Museum

Stepping into the War Remnants Museum was another emotionally charged encounter that highlighted the horrors of war. Exhibits detailing the effects of Agent Orange, war photography, and the display of war-related artifacts left us deeply moved.

The barbed wire prisoner cages above held multiple people who could only lie in the sand or sit stooped. They are one example of some of the cruelty we saw here.

I saw things I wish I had never seen. They serve as a stark reminder of the immense suffering endured by both the Vietnamese people and the soldiers caught in the conflict. Hopefully, they foster a deeper appreciation for peace and a desire for a better future.

Reunification Palace (Independence Palace)

The Reunification Palace, formerly known as the Independence Palace, stands as a symbol of significant historical events. Tours can take you inside to see the war command centre in the basement, offering a glimpse into the final moments of the Vietnam War. We opted not to do this.

Displayed nearby are the two tanks that crashed through the gate and ended the war.

More things to notice in Ho Chi Minh City

It seemed everywhere we looked, our guide was pointing out something interesting. Either super modern, like the helipad on the Bitexco Financial Tower, war remnants, or something we might recognize from the news or movies.

Working with a private guide helped to refine what we wanted to know and focus our days on our interests. Reserve your Ho Chi Minh City guide here.

The photos in this section:

• The rooftop platform of the old CIA building where the last South Vietnam officials fled at the end of the war (seen in a famous photo with a helicopter).
• The Rex Hotel, seen in the movie Good Morning Vietnam.

Is Cai Rang floating market on your list of things to do in Saigon?

While the floating markets on the Mekong Delta appear on many lists of things to do in Ho Chi Minh City, they didn’t make our list. Cai Rang, the largest and most popular of them, is at least 3 hours away by car (and we have visited one in Thailand).

We have been told that the market is a mesmerizing glimpse into daily life on the water. Colourful boats brimming with fresh produce, crafts, and local goods create a lively spectacle as they navigate the intricate waterways. Enjoy the journey with a two-day luxury Mekong Delta tour.

What to do in Ho Chi Minh City – Off the tourist route

Jeff and I like to do more than just be tourists when we travel. We get off the beaten path, meet locals, and try new things. It’s the best way to discover more about a local culture.

Making rice paper

Per our request, our guide took us to a family home whose business is making rice paper. After showing us around, she demonstrated the process to produce about 2,000 on a sunny day. (She can only work on sunny days as they need the sun to properly dry.)

She had already milled the rice and ground it with water to make the rice milk, so we watched her carefully spread the milk on the steamer and then remove the paper with a roller and place it on a rattan drying rack.

Then it was our turn. While making them was pretty easy, ours looked quite sad. Plus, it took us each several minutes per sheet.

Orientea in Cafe Apartments

Honestly, without our guide telling us it was safe, I don’t think I would have entered this building, whose main level was lined with motorbikes. It had all the feel of a dark alley to avoid.

However, once inside, we paid a nominal fee to ride the lift to level 7, where we were treated to our choice of either hot or iced teas. I opted for orange jasmine, Jeff for lychee, and our guide had one made from rose. 

The building, which now houses shops, cafes, restaurants, and this tea shop, was an apartment block used by American soldiers and their families during the war. 

Drink sugar cane juice

On the way back from the Cu Chi Tunnels, we stopped at a local spot for some freshly pressed sugar cane juice, a treat I wholeheartedly recommend. 

Don’t just eat authentic Pho – have the best Pho in Saigon

Reminding us that looks can be deceiving, our guide thought it was time for an authentic culinary experience. He brought us to Ly Quoc Su Ha Noi, a local eatery between the city and the Cu Chi tunnels that he says is renowned for the best Pho in Saigon, the iconic Vietnamese noodle soup.

While I found it quite tasty, the heat surprised me, especially that anyone chose to eat hot soup on such a typically hot day. An alternate use of our time would have been this food tour on a motorbike that our neighbour did when she was here and highly recommended. Reserve your food tour here.

Tips for safely crossing the street in Saigon

Regardless of which things to do in Ho Chi Minh City you choose, if you’re on foot, you might need to cross the street. Honestly, it’s the scariest thing we did in the country.

The city has a population of about 10 million people (although statistics vary from 8 – 14 million depending on the source). They own 8 million motorbikes. 

Cars and motor scooters drive on the right in Vietnam when they stay in their lanes. While crossing any street in the city seems nearly impossible, locals taught us a few tricks to get to the other side safely.

• Wait until it’s mostly motorscooters. Never step directly in front of a bus, car, or taxi.
• To cross, simply step off the curb and walk slowly and continuously to the other side, remembering rule one. The scooters (and usually the traffic) will go around you. Try not to think about the fact that 25 people a day are killed on motorscooters, as very few of the accidents involve pedestrians. 
• Even if you find a crosswalk with traffic lights, remember that a right turn on red is legal; therefore, cars and motor scooters will be turning on and off your street. 
• My trick, I always crossed, standing directly next to a local, on the side away from oncoming traffic. Expanding on this, one Canadian woman told me she stood there, afraid to cross, and eventually, a local helped her. 

Random trivia:
The city has a population of about 10 million (statistics vary from 8 – 14 million).
They own 8 million motorbikes.

10 tips to make your visit to Ho Chi Minh City even better!

1. One of the best things we did here was to hire a private guide to take us around. That way, we could maximize our time by tailoring each day’s itinerary to the things to do in Ho Chi Minh City that interested us the most. We used our favourite guide company worldwide.
2. While visitors can legally drive in Vietnam, you will be hard-pressed to find anywhere that will rent you a car without a local driver. 
3. Vinasun and Mailinh taxis are safe to use, but some of the other taxis are “fake” and will rip you off, according to our guide. 
4. GrabBike is an Uber-like application to hire a motorbike ride within the city. 
5. Take caution when standing close to the street with a camera, phone, or bag, as it is not uncommon for someone passing by on a scooter to grab it from your hand. 
6. Low-flying dragonflies indicate rain is coming. 
7. School starts at 6.45 am, government work starts at 8 am, and others work at a variety of times, so rush hour is long, and traffic is shocking. 
8. It’s NOT safe for non-locals to drink unfiltered water, so take caution and ask about the ice. 
9. Be sure to look at some of the things transported via motorbike. We saw things ranging from whole families to refrigerators.
10. Carry toilet paper in your pocket, and equally as important, when you enter a bathroom, look for a large roll of toilet paper in the common area. Take what you need, as there was rarely toilet paper in the stalls.

To get a more complete feel of Vietnam, don’t forget to visit other cities. Three of our others are China Beach and the fire-breathing Dragon Bridge in Da Nang, the basket boats and temples in Hoi An, and cruising through beautiful Halong Bay.

Which of these things to do in Saigon will make your list?