Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

There are so many things to do in Ho Chi Minh City, so I decided to compile a list of what we did while recently there for our honeymoon. Keep reading to get ideas for your trip!

Ho Chi Minh Climate

I decided to put this section first because it may dictate what you do on your trip or when you visit. The city is in southern Vietnam and pretty close to the equator. Therefore, it's hot. Very hot. And year-round. The country has a wet and dry season, with wet season being more rainy and lasting from about May to November and dry season going from November/December to April/May.

No matter when you're traveling to Ho Chi Minh, I recommend packing lightweight clothing and a rain jacket! Layers are great as well. Be prepared for lots of sweating!

Ho Chi Minh Tours

There are many things to do in Ho Chi Minh! We spent about 4 days in the city but you could definitely fill up more days with activities. Here are my top tour recommendations if you're looking for things to do:

• Walking tour
• Food tour
• Mekong Delta
• Cu Chi Tunnels
• Bitexco Financial Tower
• Shopping

Food in Ho Chi Minh

Good food in this city is endless. From street food to restaurants, you definitely won't go hungry.

Dishes to Try:

• Bun thit nuong
• Bo la
• Bot chien
• Pho

It can be overwhelming with how many dishes there are. I highly recommend doing a food tour of some sort to have a local show you the best spots and dishes!

Restaurants:

• Banh Mi Huynh Hoa (pictured above)
• Quan Bui
• Le Comptoir Bistro & Books
• Old Compass Cafe
• Quince
• Social Club Saigon (good cocktails & tapas)
• Anan Saigon
• Racha Room
• Pho Le
• Godmother Bake & Brunch
• Danbo Ramen
• Cong Ca Phe (get the coconut coffee - refreshing coconut sorbet/ice cream mixed with Vietnamese coffee; it's the perfect afternoon pick-me-up!)

Some of these restaurants book up quickly so I recommend making reservations in advance whenever you can, just in case!

5 Star Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City

With the prices being more affordable in Vietnam compared to the US and if your budget allows, splurging on a 5 star hotel is definitely worth it while staying in the city.

The city is split into districts and from what I researched, the top areas for tourists to stay are District 1, 3, and 5, although there are cool things in every district! We stayed in District 1 and found it easy to walk to most of the things we wanted and had time to do.

Here is a list of 5 star hotels to consider while staying in the city:

• The Reverie Saigon - this is where we stayed and absolutely LOVED it. The service was unbelievable and out of this world. Our room was great - spacious, clean, and had a cool view of the city. The attention to detail on every level in this hotel was fantastic. I cannot recommend it enough!
• Park Hyatt Saigon
• Hotel Nikko Saigon
• Caravelle Saigon
• New World Saigon Hotel
• The Myst Dong Khoi

Other Cities to Explore Nearby

• Hanoi - a traditional city in Northern Vietnam with wonderful sights and delicious food (where egg coffee originated!). It's only a 2 hour flight! I actually have a 3-day Hanoi itinerary post 🙂
• Singapore - less than 2 hours by plane, Singapore is a bustling city full of culture. It's very diverse with neighborhoods like Little India, Kampang Glam, and Chinatown, the food is out of this world.

Ho Chi Minh City: Summary

Ho Chi Minh was a blast to explore and eat our way around. It's a necessary stop when visiting Vietnam. I hope this post gave you some ideas of things to do in the city - please leave any comments or questions below if you're in the middle of planning your trip! I would love to help 🙂