Ho Chi Minh City Tours

Why visit Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City is the country's commercial centre, and it moves at a faster pace than anywhere else in Vietnam. In the centre, the Central Post Office, the Independence Palace and the War Remnants Museum are all within walking distance, and together they tell much of the country's 20th-century story. Beyond the centre, the markets and temples of Cholon and the food stalls that open each evening show how people live in the city today.

Top things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

• Cu Chi Tunnels: visit the network of underground tunnels used during the war, northwest of the city, and crawl through a short section with a guide.
• Independence Palace and War Remnants Museum: two very different views of the war, from the palace kept much as it was in 1975 to the museum's photo galleries.
• Cholon: the city's Chinatown, with the busy Binh Tay Market and incense-filled temples such as Thien Hau Temple.
• Street food tour: ride pillion with local drivers or walk with a guide to try broken rice, banh mi and seafood at small stalls.
• Colonial landmarks: the Central Post Office, the Opera House and the red-brick cathedral are close together and easy to see in a morning.

Best time to visit

The dry season runs from about December to April, with sunny days and lower humidity in December and January, while March and April are the hottest months. From May to November the wet season brings short, heavy afternoon downpours, though mornings are often clear and sightseeing carries on as normal.

Getting there

Tan Son Nhat International Airport is in the north of the city, usually 20 to 40 minutes from the centre depending on traffic. Flights from Hanoi take a little over 2 hours, and there are direct connections from Da Nang, Hue, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc. The Cu Chi Tunnels are about 1.5 to 2 hours by road, and My Tho and Ben Tre in the Mekong Delta around 2 hours.