Overview
Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is Vietnam at its most dizzying: a high-octane city of commerce and culture that has driven the country forward with its pulsating energy. A chaotic whirl, the city breathes life and vitality into all who settle here, and visitors cannot help but be hauled along for the ride.
From the finest of hotels to the cheapest of guesthouses, the classiest of restaurants to the tastiest of street stalls, the choicest of boutiques to the scrum of the markets, HCMC is a city of energy and discovery.
Wander through timeless alleys to incense-infused temples before negotiating chic designer malls beneath sleek 21st-century skyscrapers. The ghosts of the past live on in buildings that one generation ago witnessed a city in turmoil, but now the real beauty of the former Saigon’s urban collage is the seamless blending of these two worlds into one exciting mass.
Ho Chi Minh City insider tips
Everything you will need when you have plan to Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City has a tropical monsoon climate - it's very much a typical steaming hot Southeast Asian metropolis where you can expect it to be either hot and dry or hot and wet. Regardless of the time of year, you'll never need more than one layer of clothing in this southeastern Vietnam city.
If you’re a first-time visitor to Ho Chi Minh City, it’s important to know where to stay and which hotel that best suits your budget and preference. Without proper research, this could lead to unnecessary hassles and travel expenses. Hailed as Vietnam’s biggest city and business capital, Ho Chi Minh City features plenty of things to see and do, from fascinating historical landmarks and beautiful pagodas to hip bars and sprawling shopping malls.
Ho Chi Minh City Highlights & Activities
Go around Sai Gon and enjoy the city by night, shopping or get entertainment with the dynamic breath life of local people
Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 is a great place to buy local handicrafts, branded goods, Vietnamese art and other souvenirs.
Independence Palace is one of the most fascinating things to see in Ho Chi Minh City
Nguyen Hue Street is a broad walking promenade in the middle of District 1 city centre. This pedestrian area is flanked by some beautiful French colonial architectural wonders like the People’s Comittee, the Rex Hotel and a luxury shopping mall. In front of the People’s Committee you find a statue of Uncle Ho Chi Minh and a fountain show by night.
Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, built in the late 1880s by French colonists, is one of the few remaining strongholds of Catholicism.
Pray at Thien Hau Pagoda. Tue Thanh Assembly Hall, also called Ba Thien Hau Pagoda was built in 1760 to honour Mazu the ‘Lady of the Sea’.
