Ho Chi Minh City Travel Guide: Save useful information now

Saigon tourism in the eyes of tourists not only has skyscrapers, and bustling commercial centers but also has attractive and interesting tourist attractions. Let’s explore the useful Ho Chi Minh City travel guide right in the article below!

1. When is the best time to travel to Saigon?

Known as the “Pearl of the Far East” and also the largest economic and cultural center of the country, traveling to Saigon has long been a familiar journey for many tourists who love this prosperous land. Besides the splendid and splendid beauty, Saigon also has many simple and ordinary moments that many people are fascinated by, having to return many times, countless times.

Different from the four-season climate in Hanoi, Saigon only has two seasons: rainy season and dry season. The weather here is hot all year round but the temperature is not too high, averaging about 27 degrees Celsius. In which:

• From May to November: The special feature of Saigon at this time is the sudden thunderstorms. If you travel to Saigon at this time, remember to bring an umbrella or raincoat to avoid getting wet.
• From December to April: Although the days are a bit hot, the evenings are still very cool, suitable for sports activities and walking in the park.

Because of the pleasant climate, you can travel to Saigon at any time of the year. Each season in Saigon has its own charming beauty.

2. Means of transportation to and stay in Saigon

Depending on your needs, you can choose one of the following means of transportation:

2.1 Coming to Ho Chi Minh City

• Airplane: Domestic airlines all offer flights from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. If you want to save money, you can choose flights from low-cost airlines such as Vietjet or Jetstar with prices around 1,500,000 VND/round trip/person. At the same time, proactively book tickets early, preferably 1-2 months in advance, to get the best price.
• Train: Trains are an ideal choice for travelers who have a lot of time and want to see the scenery along the way. You can choose the Thong Nhat train at Hanoi station with prices around 1,000,000 VND/person.
• Bus: If you live in the provinces near Saigon, buses are a reasonable choice. Ticket prices are only about 100,000 – 200,000 VND/person/trip, with many trips running continuously throughout the day, giving you many suitable schedule options.
• Personal means of transport: Driving your own motorbike/car to Saigon is also an interesting experience. However, with this method of travel, remember to bring all necessary documents and strictly follow traffic laws.

2.2 Staying at Saigon

• Saigon tourist bus: Saigon bus is quite easy to take. You can check the stops in advance with Google Maps or ask the driver on the bus and the fare is only 7,000 VND/person/trip.
• Saigon tourist taxi: Traveling by taxi will be quite reasonable if you travel to Saigon in a group or with your family. You should choose reputable taxi companies such as Mai Linh, Vinasun to avoid being “ripped off”.
• Saigon tourist motorbike: The motorbike drivers are very enthusiastic and hospitable, so if you want to explore Saigon while listening to interesting stories from the drivers, you can take a traditional motorbike taxi. However, you should ask the price before getting on the bus.
• Rent a motorbike to travel to Saigon: Motorbikes are very convenient for exploring the roads in Saigon, also helping you to be more proactive with your schedule. Motorbike rental prices start from 100,000 VND/day.

3. Ho Chi Minh City Travel Guide: Where to go for fun in Saigon?

Here are some notable places you should plan to visit in Ho Chi Minh City travel guide:

3.1 Independence Palace

• Address: 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
• Opening hours: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm daily
• Ticket price: Adults: 40,000 VND/person/time; Students: 20,000 VND/person/time; Children: 10,000 VND/person/time.

The Independence Palace is a unique architectural work, imbued with East Asian culture, associated with many important milestones in history, a symbol of peace, the place that put an end to the more than 20-year war of the Vietnamese people. When visiting this place, visitors will admire valuable artifacts along with more than 100 rooms that were once where high-ranking leaders and politicians worked, met, etc.

3.2 Notre Dame Cathedral

• Address: No. 1 Cong Xa Paris, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
• Reference opening hours: 8:30 – 10:00, 14:30 – 15:30 from Monday to Friday
• Reference Mass times: 5:30, 17:00 from Monday to Saturday, Sunday: 5:30, 6:30, 7:30, 9:30, 16:00, 17:00, 18:30

The next tourist destination in Ho Chi Minh City travel guide that you should visit is Notre Dame Cathedral, a symbol of the city. Among the modern skyscrapers, Notre Dame Cathedral stands out with its Romanesque style and Gothic architecture from Europe. It owns the largest pair of bells in Vietnam, the pride of the Saigon diocese.

3.3 Ho Chi Minh Museum – Ben Nha Rong

• Address: No. 1 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Ward 12, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City.
• Reference opening days: Tuesday to Sunday.
• Reference opening hours: 7:30 am – 11:30 am, 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Ben Nha Rong was built in 1863 in Western architecture. This is where the young man Nguyen Tat Thanh began his 30-year journey to save the country, which was also a milestone that contributed to changing the entire history of Vietnam. Currently, Ben Nha Rong still preserves and displays many artifacts about the life and career of President Ho Chi Minh.

3.4 Ben Thanh Market

• Address: District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Ben Thanh Market is one of the busiest markets that Ho Chi Minh City travel guide will recommend you. The market was established in the early 17th century. Currently, the market has nearly 1,500 stalls selling a wide range of goods from popular to high-end. Ben Thanh Market has four main gates: East, South, West, North facing major roads and 12 side gates.

4. Suggested Saigon travel itinerary

4.1. Saigon 1-day travel itinerary

If you don’t have much time, you can still explore in Ho Chi Minh City travel guide with a 1-day Saigon tour. You can refer to my experience of traveling to Saigon on your own:

• 8:00: Visit Giac Lam Pagoda – Thien Hau Temple – Nha Rong Wharf
• 12:00: Lunch with goby fish hotpot or fish sauce hotpot
• 13:00: Visit Independence Palace
• 14:00: Visit Notre Dame Cathedral and the city post office
• 16:00: Stop by Ben Thanh market to buy gifts and end the trip

4.2. Saigon 2 days 1 night tour itinerary

Day 1: Reunification Palace – Suoi Tien – Bui Vien Western Street

• 8:00 AM: Visit Reunification Palace and Notre Dame Cathedral
• 10:00 AM: Visit and shop at Ben Thanh Market
• 12:00 PM: Lunch with broken rice, noodles
• 1:00 PM: Visit Suoi Tien tourist area
• 6:00 PM: Dinner
• 8:00 PM: Stroll around Bui Vien Western Street

Day 2: Landmark 81 – shopping

• 8:00 AM: Breakfast with the famous salty sticky rice dish in Saigon
• 9:00 AM: Stroll around, visit and shop at Landmark 81
• 12:00 PM: Lunch at a restaurant in Landmark 81
• 1:00 PM: Stroll through Ben Thanh Market, An Dong Market to buy gifts for friends

With its dynamic, prosperous, but equally poetic beauty, perhaps any travel enthusiast would like to travel to Saigon once to explore this land full of humanity. Save the Ho Chi Minh City travel guide now to have the best experience!

Read more: Some useful seasonal travel experiences in Vietnam according to the season.