Ho Chi Minh City Travel Guide

Getting to Know Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, is Vietnam’s largest metropolitan area. It’s a dynamic economic and cultural hub with a unique blend of French colonial architecture, modern skyscrapers, and bustling street life.

HCMC consists of 24 districts, roughly three times the size of Jakarta. Each district has its own character—District 1 is the business and tourism center with skyscrapers like in Sudirman, and there are areas that resemble Singapore. District 3 has more shops and townhouses with a local vibe, while District 10 feels more like an outskirts area with narrow alleyways that often serve as favorite shortcuts for Grab drivers.

Accommodation: M Home Saigon (District 3)

During my stay in HCMC, I chose M Home Saigon located in District 3. This turned out to be an excellent choice for several reasons:

Strategic Location:

• Located in District 3 with a local vibe but close to District 1 (city center, CBD, and tourist areas)
• Not too deep into narrow alleys, easily accessible
• Close to various food options and minimarkets
• Easy for Grab pick-up

Facilities and Service:

• Very professional host, shared check-in details immediately and fast response, even helped order from Shopee
• Friendly cleaning staff (kind ahjummas)
• Has an elevator—rare in Vietnam, especially at this price point
• Reality matches the photos displayed
• Complete facilities, can do laundry yourself (just buy detergent)
• Drying area right next to the room on the 4th floor

At a reasonable price, M Home Saigon offers excellent value for travelers wanting to experience HCMC comfortably.

Tourist Destinations

1. Notre Dame Cathedral (Nhà thờ Đức Bà)

A must-visit, especially during Christmas! Although currently under renovation, don’t worry because the night view with decorative lights is absolutely beautiful and spectacular. You can take photos in the beautiful front garden.

Tip: Combine your visit with a night city tour bus ride to get more interesting footage of this cathedral.

2. Central Post Office (Bưu điện Trung tâm)

Located across from Notre Dame Cathedral, this post office is a historic building that still functions as a post office. Inside there are many souvenir vendors, though for gifts it’s better to look elsewhere.

This place might not need much time—about 15 minutes is enough, especially when crowded. Note the closing time at 6 PM, as the gates will be locked suddenly until the security guard arrives!

3. Book Street (Đường Sách)

Located very close to the Post Office. A whole street filled with bookstores. Most books are in Vietnamese. Good for taking photos but be careful not to block the shops too much or the vendors might scold you. There’s traditional music entertainment too. There are chairs for sitting.

Next to Book Street is Highlands Coffee if you want to rest.

4. Diamond Plaza

Still in the same area. A mall with vibes somewhat like Sarinah but filled with branded goods. Has several floors, not large. If you want clean toilets, you can come here, they’re on the 3rd floor if I’m not mistaken.

Good for taking photos during Christmas because the decorations are quite nice in front. You can also take photos from across the street if you want to see the mall building.

5. Area Around Ben Thanh Market

Walking toward Ben Thanh Market: there are parks, government buildings, just enjoying the evening atmosphere. Proper pedestrian walkways!

By the way, if you see Ben Nghe Food Market/Street Food, better skip it because the prices are very touristy—over 100k VND, can be 200k, 500k VND. Like outdoor food court hangout spots in Bali that specifically target visitors. Just keep walking straight to Ben Thanh Market, okay!

6. Ben Thanh Market (Chợ Bến Thành)

As reviewed above, the food is okay but be patient and don’t feel pressured or uncomfortable with the aggressive vendors. Many say you can buy souvenirs here but I didn’t because I was lazy to bargain haha and there wasn’t much variety (maybe because it was already night).

At night it’s not too crowded and some parts are already closed. I think this place is okay to grab dinner. When you exit the main entrance gate with the big “Chợ Bến Thành” sign, there’s a large square where you can take photos with views of the main road and buildings.

7. War Remnants Museum (Bảo tàng Chứng tích Chiến tranh)

A MUST to learn about Vietnam’s history. This museum isn’t like those in Indonesia that focus on independence and positive things, but truly portrays suffering and doesn’t hide historical facts. The content is truly documentation (photos, artifacts) so it’s not for taking pretty photos. You need to diligently read the explanations. By the way, there are many unsensored graphics.

You can buy tickets on the spot for 30k VND per person.

8. Huyen Sy Church (Gereja Huyện Sỹ)

You can take Grab Car after visiting the museum area. Walking is also fine.

Very beautiful at Christmas! You don’t have to arrive super early but don’t come too late or you won’t get a seat inside. For Christmas mass, there are no tents outside, just partially.

The safe Christmas evening mass is at 5 PM because it’s not too crowded, but if you want one with performances, you can take the 7 PM (favorite time) or 9 PM slot. But of course, arrive early.

Fun Activities

Saigon City Tour Bus (Double Decker)

Riding the double-decker bus around the city is highly recommended!

• Buy tickets on Traveloka for around Rp80,000 for the night tour (NOT the 4-hour drop-off one, choose the direct time slot). But actually, they’re not too strict about the time, because yesterday I bought for 6 PM but it was full so I was moved to 6
  .
• Arrive as early as possible to get seats on top and at the very front!!!!
• Get a raincoat. Yesterday it rained heavily so it was very helpful.
• Tour takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour. So worth it in my opinion. You can see various things including the CBD.

I prefer to take this bus NOT on the first day in HCMC, but after exploring on foot first (so you understand which areas are which), but some prefer to take this bus at the start of the trip or if they don’t have much time in HCMC so they can quickly see many places.

There should be an audio guide but why didn’t I get one (?)

Taking this bus isn’t for people who want to take pretty OOTD photos because it’s prone to rain. It’s really for sightseeing. I personally love it and don’t mind the heavy rain.

Saigon Waterbus (River Cruise)

Cruising on the Saigon River offers a different perspective of the city:

• Tickets can be bought on the spot for 30k per person. You can also buy on Traveloka/Klook.
• If asked whether day or night is better… I think I prefer night because of the lights and it’s not hot. Or maybe late afternoon around sunset.
• I boarded at Bach Dang pier (walking distance from the city tour bus drop-off) to Binh Anh pier, then back to Bach Dang. Round trip ~45 minutes.

When you disembark at Binh Anh, there’s 20 minutes spare time if you want to use the toilet or find food BUT BE QUICK. The staff are quite strict about time. Don’t take too many photos right after getting off the boat (on the bridge) because that’s for next passengers to pass through.

By the way there are many river cruise providers, but I chose this because it’s cheap and quick. There are other companies offering dinner packages and more with super beautiful boats.

Transportation

Grab Car (Highly Recommended!)

Grab Car is the best transportation choice in HCMC:

• The cars are new, clean, and fragrant
• Complete with safety instructions
• Many use electric vehicles (EVs)
• Friendly drivers—some even give small Christmas gifts!
• Affordable and safe

Alternative: Xanh SM (Vietnamese electric taxi) but I didn’t try it.

Walking

Walking in HCMC is still very doable, especially in District 1. Sidewalks are decent and there are many pedestrian crossings. However, prepare an umbrella and raincoat because rain can come suddenly.

Practical Tips

Weather and Clothing:

• Quite hot though not as hot as Indonesia
• Prepare an umbrella (can be UV-protected), jacket (can be UV-protected or waterproof), and raincoat because it can go from hot to heavy rain suddenly
• Casual clothing like t-shirts, shorts, and sandals is safe enough
• SUNSCREEN IS A MUST!!!

Safety:

• HCMC is quite safe for travelers
• Pollution sometimes exists but still very minimal despite the many vehicles (number of motorcycles >>> cars) and many still use ICE

Who is HCMC For?

• Suitable for city people especially those who enjoy urban planning observation and human activities
• Not suitable for those who prefer adventure/nature—you might feel bored here with nothing to do
• Okay for children and seniors IF the itinerary is relaxed and not much walking
• Vietnamese food is generally clean and uses fresh ingredients

Final Verdict

HCMC is an interesting city to explore, especially if you:

• Enjoy metropolitan city vibes
• Want to experience a blend of modern and traditional culture
• Are food lovers wanting to explore street food
• Are travelers comfortable with modern transportation like Grab

This city might not be for everyone—if you’re looking for nature or adventure experiences, HCMC might feel less satisfying. But for city exploration, culinary adventures, and urban culture observation, HCMC offers a rich and memorable experience.

Happy exploring Ho Chi Minh City! 🇻🇳

For a complete food guide in HCMC, see Vietnamese Food Guide. For transportation and shopping tips, see Practical Tips for Vietnam Travel.