Ho Chi Minh City 3-Day Itinerary for First-Timers

Three days is a great amount of time to spend in Ho Chi Minh City. I’ve put together a three-day itinerary that takes you to HCMC’s best attractions, suggests street food tour options, and includes day trips outside the city.

If you find yourself with less than three days, I’ve also written a one-day HCMC itinerary.

Don’t forget to download and use the Grab app to get around HCMC during your three days. It’s one of my recommended apps for traveling in Vietnam. You can download the Grab app here.

Ho Chi Minh City 3-Day Itinerary Map

Here’s a map that highlights the activities, tours, and hotels I discuss in the three-day itinerary. You can view the full map here.

How to use this map: Ahoy! Click the arrow in the top left-hand corner to view the layers. I color-coded the map with some sights for three days in Ho Chi Minh City. I have also included some of the best tours and activities, as well as my favorite hotels.

Day 1 in Ho Chi Minh City

If you don’t eat breakfast in your hotel, I highly recommend checking out any of Little HaNoi Egg Coffee’s locations in Ho Chi Minh City (see them here). They serve a number of breakfast/brunch items and also have great egg coffee. I’ve visited all five of their locations (including their Hoi An one) many times. You can read my Little HaNoi review here.

An excellent first day in Ho Chi Minh City should include visiting the Independence Palace and the War Remnants Museum. These are arguably the city’s most popular attractions. Adult tickets to the palace cost 40.000 VND (65.000 VND if you want to see the extra exhibit on Norodom Palace), while adult tickets for the War Remnants Museum cost 40.000 VND.

Visiting the Independence Palace and the War Remnants Museum, setting aside time to wander during the day, and then joining a street food tour at night would make a great first 24 hours in Ho Chi Minh City.

Independence Palace

The Independence Palace – or Reunification Palace – is arguably the most popular attraction in Ho Chi Minh City. Its biggest competition is the nearby War Remnants Museum. You can easily walk from one to the other in under 10 minutes. See the walking directions here.

Once inside the courtyard, you can freely wander the palace grounds and several floors inside the palace itself. I’ve put together a thorough Independence Palace guide here.

I filmed this video from inside the courtyard of the palace.

Some palace background: First, the original palace was Norodom Palace, which the French controlled and handed over to Vietnam in 1954. It was then renamed Independence Palace.

During a coup attempt in 1962, that palace was bombed and partially destroyed. President Ngô Đình Diệm, the first president of South Vietnam, ordered the palace be demolished and rebuilt.

This is the current palace and the site of the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, after a North Vietnamese army tank crashed through its gates, ending the Vietnam War.

War Remnants Museum

The courtyard of the War Remnants Museum has many aircraft and vehicles, including planes, tanks, and helicopters. There are also some artillery weapons and cannons – about 10 items in total. There’s an outdoor coffee shop right on the grounds as well.

The museum has three floors of exhibits, some of which are very graphic. I have been to this museum a few times, and it’s an interesting and sometimes emotional experience. Here’s my complete guide to visiting the War Remnants Museum.

If you visit with kids, keeping them outside the graphic areas is easy. The graphic displays and exhibits (Agent Orange and War Crimes) are separated from the central area.

There is a lot to see at the museum – you could easily spend between 1.5 to 2 hours here. I’ve also visited and reviewed other museums in the city. See my Ho Chi Minh City museum guide.

Other Attractions

Most of the city’s downtown areas are very walkable. By staying in a hotel in District 1 and most of District 3, then setting aside some time to wander, you’ll easily see the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon (located here) and the Saigon Central Post Office next door. HCMC Book Street is here, too.

If you’re looking to buy souvenirs in Ho Chi Minh City, the Saigon Central Post Office is a great place to do it. Unlike Ben Thanh Market, there’s no haggling at the post office. Everything is fairly priced.

You’ll also easily see the French colonial People’s Committee Building, which is behind the Ho Chi Minh Statue (located here), just off two very popular streets: Dong Khoi Street and Nguyen Hue Street.

Here’s a video I filmed in front of the Ho Chi Minh Statue and the People’s Committee Building.

The Caravelle Saigon (Agoda / Booking) is a five-star hotel about as downtown as you can get, right near the Ho Chi Minh Statue. A lot of readers also like the Rex Hotel (Agoda / Booking) nearby.

Street Food Tour: Scooter, Walking, or Private

A street food tour would be a great way to end your first day in HCMC. Street food tours come in two forms: walking or on the back of a scooter!

Many tours also offer morning (around 8 AM) and lunchtime (around 1 PM) tour times. I recommend the evening street food tours if you want to see museums and city attractions, which mostly close in the late afternoon or early evening, so it’s best to see them first.

I personally – and strongly – recommend a scooter food tour if you’re comfortable with it. You’ll be able to get out of the touristy areas of District 1 and District 3 and see some different and lesser-known areas of Saigon.

You could also mix and match: a motorbike food tour one day, then a private walking tour at night another.

Day 2 in Ho Chi Minh City

For your second day in Ho Chi Minh City, I would allocate the morning slot to a day trip. These are done best on some kind of tour, whether private or in a group (small or big). Some will be earlier in the day, leaving room for evening activities back in HCMC; others are full-day tours that stop at multiple attractions.

The choice is yours, but all the tours I recommend below are highly rated.

Cu Chi Tunnels Tour

The Cu Chi Tunnels are split into two different locations: Ben Duoc and Ben Dinh. Both of them are in the Cu Chi District, about 60 kilometers from downtown Ho Chi Minh City.

Cu Chi Tunnels tours come with different options and packages:

• Half-day tour: This Cu Chi Tunnels Half-day Tour is about 6 hours long and is one of the most popular tours in Ho Chi Minh City.
• Cu Chi Tunnels +: This Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta Tour is a full-day, 10-hour tour with pickup from hotels in District 1.
• VIP Speedboat Tour: This Cu Chi Tunnels and VIP Speedboat Tour is 6 hours long and offers meals, unlimited refreshments, and pickup and dropoff service.

The best Cu Chi Tunnels tours come with – or offer – roundtrip transport directly from downtown hotels in District 1. Some pick up from Districts 3 and 4 as well. They’ll include all entry fees, bottled water, and English-speaking local guides.

Mekong Delta Tour

Exploring the Mekong Delta on a day trip is one of the more popular activities for Ho Chi Minh City travelers. Like the Cu Chi Tunnels tours above, Mekong Delta tours come in different shapes and sizes.

Some are half-day or full-day, and they may include stops at other attractions. I have hand-picked the best Mekong Delta tours below:

• Mekong Delta +: This Mekong Delta & Vinh Trang Pagoda Tour is 8-9 hours and includes a ride on a sampan boat in the Mekong Delta, touring a coconut farm, and visiting the Vinh Trang Pagoda. 
• Multi-day tour: This Mekong Delta & Cai Rang Floating Market 2-Day Tour includes hotel pick up and drop off, a local tour guide, a motorboat and sampan boat ride, a one-night hotel stay in a 3-star hotel, two lunches and one breakfast, and all entry fees.

Bui Vien Walking Street

Bui Vien Walking Street (located here) and the surrounding area have long been popular with backpackers and partygoers. The main walking street is lined with bars and clubs, tattoo parlors, and massage shops. At night, it gets seedy, crowded, and loud – far too chaotic for me, personally.

However, if you’re in Ho Chi Minh City for only a brief visit, witnessing the rowdiness of Bui Vien is worth experiencing once, just to say you’ve been. Alternatively, you can visit during the morning or daytime just to check out the area.

You can walk here if you’re staying in District 1 or most areas of District 3, otherwise, use the Grab app to book a ride.

You will need to keep an eye on your belongings and surroundings here. Cell phone and purse snatchings happen — not frequently, but not unheard of. See my guide to safety in Vietnam for more info.

But if you’re not interested in Bui Vien at all (I don’t blame you) and would rather look for calmer nightlife elsewhere, it’s far from your only option. There are several other areas of Saigon to check out if you’re looking for better quality nightlife.

Some good choices are Nguyen Hue Street and Dong Khoi Street in District 1, Pham Viet Chanh Street in Binh Thanh District, and Xuan Thuy Street in Thao Dien (District 2).

Day 3 in Ho Chi Minh City

For your third day in Ho Chi Minh City, I recommend exploring even more attractions on foot (or by Grab). Let’s hope the weather is nice, sunny, and clear for today’s activities. You can learn about when to visit HCMC here.

Ben Thanh Market

I’m including a stop at Ben Thanh Market (located here) because it’s a popular attraction, regardless of how I personally feel about it. My problem with the market is that it’s so touristy and has been famous for so long that it stinks of inauthenticity.

However, since it is so famous, it’s worth visiting as more of a check-the-box stop since you’re already in the area. Ben Thanh Market is very central and free to visit. I recommend several hotels in District 1 below, and you can easily visit the market from any of them.

Also, like Bui Vien, this is an area to keep an eye on your purse and phone. I wouldn’t plan to buy anything here — as I said above, the Saigon Central Post Office is a great place for souvenirs in HCMC. But if you do decide to buy something, you should haggle with the vendor, as everything is marked up.

If you need to exchange any money, an exchanger that I personally use is next door. Here is the location (Ha Tam Jewelry).

Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts

Our third activity of the day doesn’t open until 9:30 AM, so if you want something to do before then, check out the Museum of Fine Arts. A 30.000 VND ticket grants access to the grounds and three different buildings.

The Museum of Fine Arts is only a couple minutes away from Ben Thanh Market. Here are the walking directions.

Once you’re inside the grounds, you can freely wander in and out of the three buildings. The first building is definitely the biggest and has three floors. All three buildings are a bit worn, but not at all in a bad way; it suits the experience.

The museum is a really relaxing place to visit. The grounds were peaceful, and many people were sitting and reading quietly, as well as local students working on projects. This is definitely worth the 30.000 VND entry ticket.

The Saigon Skydeck

The Saigon Skydeck is an observation area located on the 49th floor of the Bitexco Financial Tower in downtown District 1. The Bitexco building is located just off Nguyen Hue Street. By now, you’ve probably noticed it from various parts of the city by its helipad jutting out from the 52nd floor.

At 240.000 VND per ticket, it’s one of the more expensive attractions in Ho Chi Minh City.

I filmed this video as I rode the elevator up to the 49th floor and stepped out of the elevator.

The Skydeck provides 360-degree views of Ho Chi Minh City. You can walk around the entire circle, which is lined with windows, stationary binoculars, and interactive touchscreens that provide additional information.

The 49th floor is nice and clean. There are places to sit and relax. There is good air conditioning, free water bottles, and bathrooms. I definitely recommend this as a way to start your day (alternatively, visit at sunset).

It is a relatively expensive ticket. If you want to skip it, feel free. It’s not required to enjoy Ho Chi Minh City, more like a bonus.

Nguyen Hue Walking Street

After visiting the Skydeck, you’ll be right next to Nguyen Hue Street (located here) and its pedestrian plaza. It’s a long road split by a central walking area that leads from Ho Chi Minh City Hall and the Ho Chi Minh Statue all the way down to the Saigon River. This is one of the more popular streets in Saigon.

This street is home to the Cafe Apartments (among a lot of other things). There are a ton of places to eat and a lot of side streets to check out with more restaurants, cafes, and shopping. This is a very walkable area of District 1.

And if you’re wondering how Nguyen Hue Street looks at night, here’s a video I filmed while walking around the area.

The plaza hosts different events, concerts, and all types of shows throughout the year. As you can see from my video, this is a nice place to stroll in the evening, too. If you stay at one of my District 1 hotel recommendations below, you’ll be within easy walking distance of the plaza.

Bach Dang Wharf Park

The Bach Dang Wharf Park (located here) is a long, skinny park along the Saigon River at the ends of Nguyen Hue Street and Dong Khoi Street. The park has excellent river views and a bit of fresh air, which can be difficult to find in Ho Chi Minh City.

The park is home to the Saigon Water Bus (located here), a water taxi that makes a handful of stops along the Saigon River. You’ll go north along the Saigon River, stopping across from my favorite park in Ho Chi Minh City, Vinhomes Central Park.

The Bach Dang Wharf Park is also where the high-speed ferry to Vung Tau departs. The trip is about two hours and costs around 300.000 VND per adult ticket. The ferry is operated by GreenlinesDP.

You could take the high-speed ferry to Vung Tau in the morning and return in the evening. This would be tight time-wise, but it’s doable and regularly done.

Visiting Bach Dang Wharf Park at night is also nice.

Japan Town

Next, I would wander to Japan Town (located here) to admire the scenery and eat some of Ho Chi Minh City’s best Japanese ramen. The best time to visit Japan Town is around lunchtime because it gets very crowded at night.

Here are the walking directions from Bach Dang Wharf Park to Japan Town in Google Maps. It’s about 10 minutes away.

I have scoured the Japan Town area (and the city) and tried about a dozen or more different ramen restaurants here.

Ramen, you say? What’s the big deal? I’ve had plenty of Maruchan instant ramen. How much better can it get?

A lot better. Some places make their own noodles in-house. You can select noodle stiffness and flavor strength. Some noodles are chewier and thicker than others. And then there’s the broth, which can come in different styles. Shoyu (soy sauce), shio (salt), miso, and tonkotsu to name a few.

Some of my favorite ramen places in Japan Town and nearby are Ramen Danbo, Daiichi Ramen, and Miso Chikura.

If you haven’t yet walked by the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon or the Saigon Central Post Office, you are within easy range from here. Here are the walking directions: it’s about a 10-minute walk from Japan Town.

History Museum of Ho Chi Minh City

Other than the War Remnants Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, the only other museum I’d recommend checking out is the History Museum of Ho Chi Minh City. A ticket to the history museum costs 30.000 VND.

This museum is in District 1 but is slightly out of the way from the central area. From Japan Town, it’s about a 20-minute walk. You can also take a GrabTaxi to reach it.

This museum is much quieter than the War Remnants Museum. The laid-back experience here is similar to the Museum of Fine Arts mentioned above.

There is a lot to wander through, split over a few floors. I counted about 18 different rooms and exhibits. The museum is in a building that surrounds a courtyard. The grounds and architecture of the buildings are pretty interesting themselves.

As with the Museum of Fine Arts, visiting the History Museum is worth the 30.000 VND ticket.

Bonus Activity: Renting a Scooter

When creating this itinerary, I didn’t include my personal favorite activity: renting and riding a scooter. It’s on my list of things to do in HCMC.

If you aren’t interested in renting a scooter, feel free to skip this section. But I highly recommend it if you’re willing and able. Doing so is the best way to see the city, allows you to visit the attractions I’ve mentioned above (and more), and drastically reduces travel time between them.

Scooter rentals can cost anywhere from 125.000 VND to 350.000+ VND per day, depending on the bike.

There are automatic, semi-automatic, and manual bikes. Most people, including myself, ride the fully automatic. A Honda Airblade (125cc) is a great and reliable starter bike. In my photos, I am riding a Yamaha NVX 155.

If you’re on the taller (I am around 6 feet), you’ll likely want a 150cc or 155cc. A Honda Airblade 150cc, Honda PCX, or Yamaha NVX 155 are great choices. The tires are bigger on the PCX and NVX, so I ride the NVX.

The only motorbike company that I personally recommend is DC Motorbikes, but there are several rental companies throughout Ho Chi Minh City. DC Motorbikes has two locations: one in Thao Dien in District 2 and the other in District 7.

They can deliver the bike and pick it up when you’re finished. Their bikes will be more expensive but are newer and in great condition. I rented from them long-term and had zero issues.

Contact them via the Zalo app or WhatsApp and ask for Ron or Richard.

Where to Stay in Ho Chi Minh City

For three days in Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll want to stay somewhere central and convenient. This means staying in District 1 or certain parts of District 3.

Every hotel I recommend below is in a great location for convenience and to explore the city’s attractions. In general, District 1 is going to be a bit more expensive and touristy, and District 3 slightly cheaper and quieter, but still convenient to access the attractions.

For further details on where to stay, see my guide to HCMC’s best areas.

District 1

Some nice hotels to look at are the New World Saigon (Agoda / Booking), the Caravelle Saigon (Agoda / Booking), and the La Siesta Premium (Agoda / Booking).

For something mid-range, the Silverland Jolie (Agoda / Booking) and the Silverland Yen (Agoda / Booking) are great. And for budget choices, the Calista Saigon (Agoda / Booking) and the Oscar Saigon (Agoda / Booking) are in great locations.

District 3

For District 3, two really nice luxury hotels are the Mai House Saigon (Agoda / Booking) and the Hotel des Arts Saigon (Agoda / Booking).

A well-located mid-range hotel is the Au Lac Legend (Agoda / Booking). For a budget hotel in District 3, look at the Hoang Lan (Agoda / Booking).

The pink Tan Dinh Church is near the back of District 3 but is easily reached by walking from elsewhere in the district. Most of District 3 is very walkable. Personally, I like District 3 better than District 1 because its streets are a bit quieter for walking, and they’re more tree-lined than the streets in District 1.