10 Best Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City

Delicate buildings in both French and Vietnamese styles, enchanting churches and museums capture the culture and history. Ho Chi Minh City is a popular destination that you can't miss when traveling to Vietnam, there is always plenty to see and do in this famous capital city. And here we have selected the to-do list for your Ho Chi Minh City sightseeing. Check it out and get the most out of your Vietnam tour!

Cruise on the Mekong River

The Mekong River is Vietnam's mother river, and the scenery along the river highlights Southeast Asian customs. The rice paddies, orchards and coconut trees, as well as the people working on the crops, will show you a different Vietnam.

Cruise on the Mekong River

Visit Vibrant Markets

A visit to the local markes will give you unexpected surprises. Vietnamese coffee, dried fruits and vegetables, coconut sugar and so on are the most powerful hand gifts. You'd better prepare a big bag to enjoy shopping in the market.

Local Market

Taste Vietnamese Flavor

Strolling through the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, it is hard to avoid stopping at a simple street hawker or a shop window with the delights of Vietnamese food and Western-style sweets. From authentic Vietnamese Pho noodle soup to spring rolls stuffed with meat and fresh vegetables, take as much as you like.

Vietnamese Dishes

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Join a Cooking Class

One of the best ways to experience authentic flavors and local life is to join a cooking class. From choosing ingredients from the local markets or even the family farm to learning the recipe, you will discover the secret of the Vietnamese delicacy that could be your favorite dish on your table. With the help of the nice native chef, there is also no worry about the cooking steps even if you are inexperienced. Just join the friendly cooking class and take this special souvenir home with you!

Local Cooking Class

Enjoy the Nightlife

As the capital city of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City is full of charm and passion and has great nightlife. The dynamic music bar, romantic bar, or full of artistic style of the coffee bar, will let you be dizzying. A window seat offers views of downtown Ho Chi Minh where it's very romantic.

Coffee Bar

Send a Postcard from the Central Post Office

A visit to the Saigon Central Post Office (Buu Dien Sai Gon) is one of Ho Chi Minh City's main experiences. It was built in the late 19th century and is still in operation, so as well as seeing the sights, you can pick up a special stamp and postcard as souvenirs. The postcard sent from here seems to travel through time and space.

Saigon Central Post Office

Listen to the Locals' Pray

Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon is one of the icons of Ho Chi Minh City, an enchanting Western-style church located downtown. It is beautiful and sacred in locals' hearts. You can come here during Mass Time and feel the devout prayers of the locals. You can stroll along the garden path in front of the church and listen to the inhabitants singing their sacred songs, sit in the church or even join in the prayers.

Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon

Watch A Water Puppet Show

Water puppet show is one of Vietnam's most famous entertainments. It is a treasure of folk art that locals are proud of, with performers controlling puppets that act out Vietnamese folk stories and the daily lives of ordinary people. The water puppet show was once only for the royal family to enjoy, now everyone can see it's wonderful. You can enjoy it at Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre.

Water Puppet Show

Shop some Specialties

Ho Chi Minh City is a great place to shop. Prices are relatively low, and it's fun to walk through romantic French architecture. When you come to Ho Chi Minh City, buying some local souvenirs will be a good choice. "Miss Sai Kung" perfume is available at the Central Post Office and is very popular among tourists. Customizing your own traditional Vietnamese national costume Ao Dai made of silk is also a good idea.

Ao Dai

Make a Lacquerware

Generally, bamboo or wood is used as the base, and the SAP of the lacquer tree is used as the paint. Brown and black are natural resinous colors, while red is produced with hematite. Later, with the influence of France, Vietnamese lacquerware patterns began to integrate into Western techniques. Egg shells, animal bones, shells and so on were inlaid into the lacquer layer to form different shapes. You can also take one at An Dong Market or for the other local souvenirs.

With this list of things to do, handpicked by our travel experts, you'll have a taste of what this fascinating city has to offer. But this is only part of the experience, so if you have other ideas or would like to know more, please don't hesitate to contact us at [email protected] and let us create a unique tour of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for you!