Wondering what are the things you must see in Ho Chi Minh City? And what are the best things to do in Saigon (as Vietnam’s southern metropolis is also sometimes known as)? Honestly? This is a city to eat and drink your way through. The historic sights of Saigon can be a little disappointing. But attune yourself to the pace of the city, explore its eclectic street food, and cultured coffee shops and cocktail bars, and you’ll probably end up staying an extra day (or more).
First of all, let’s dispense with the most asked question of all, is Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City? Yes, Saigon is Ho Chi Minh City, roughly speaking. People might say Saigon refers to the downtown area, and Ho Chi Minh the wider metropolitan area.
Mostly, perhaps for convenience, people use Saigon as it’s shorter and has a romantic air to it.
Either way, if you say either Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City people will know what and where you’re talking about – Vietnam’s magnificent southern city.
Ho Chi Minh City (AKA Saigon) is a place to be rather than a place to see. Graze your way around town, checking off street food spots (we wrote about 12 of our favorite Saigon street food restaurants recently), with regular coffee breaks, or cocktails (and there’s 40+ of our favorite cocktail bars in Saigon in this recent recap), if it’s later in the day.
How We Chose The Things You Must See In Ho Chi Minh City
In this list of the things you must see Ho Chi Minh City, we chose a mix of the predictable, like checking off the sights, with some oddities, like a shooting range. But even when we’ve considered things to do in Saigon that might also be on your tour itinerary, we’ve added some insights into what it’s like to visit (and whether you should consider skipping it).
Like any big city, your experience will be defined by lots of things: where you stay, who you meet and what you do in Saigon. We’ve tried to point you in the right direction in these regards too.
The Things You Must See In Ho Chi Minh City
So, this is our list of the things you must see in Ho Chi Minh City and the best things to do, for all those who ask, what is must see Saigon like. There’s cathedrals and museums, jazz bars and river boats. And lots more.
Check Off Saigon’s Sights (If You Insist)
You may feel obliged. Every guidebook and website will list the same places you must see Ho Chi Minh City. It’s a tourist’s penance to visit the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Saigon Central Post Office, the Reunification Palace and the War Museum.
Not to be party poopers, but the Notre Dame Cathedral feels eternally shrouded in scaffolding, and the Saigon Central Post Office a prim, yellow-walled portal into the past – that can probably be covered in a whistle-stop 10-minute visit.
The Reunification Palace is fleetingly interesting for its ‘60s soft furnishings. And there’s the tank in the yard that smashed through the gates to signal the end of the war.
Fortunately, those three things to see in Saigon are close together. At one end of the park, Công viên 30 tháng 4, or 30th April Park, named after Vietnam’s Reunification Day, is the Reunification Palace, and at the other is the Saigon Central Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral. Handily, in between, there’s Au Parc and Propaganda, from the same owners to take a lunch, a snack or simply a coffee in, with romantic terraces looking out at the leafy park. Also, near to the Saigon Central Post Office, there’s a small branch of Maison Marou, for a cacao or coffee pick-me-up.
The War Museum is probably the most urgent of the things you must see in Ho Chi Minh City. There’s a yard filled with wartime aircraft – A-37 Dragonflies and A-64 Intruders, wonderfully evocative for war movie aficionados. Inside, the romance quickly dwindles away to reveal the horrors of the American War (as it’s known here). Some sections are wincingly graphic, others, like the section on war photographers, completely engrossing.
Two more off-the-beaten path options, that may have been etched into your psyche through iconic wartime photographs, are the crossroads where the Buddhist monk self-immolated, and the old CIA Building, often mistaken for the American Embassy, and which featured in the famous panicked, last-days, airlift photograph.
There’s a small park and a statue of the monk Thich Quang Duc to linger over, staring at the Nguyen Dinh Chieu-Cach Mang Thang Tam intersection, replaying the image in your mind.
And the rooftop in the airlift photo still exists, at 22 Ly Tu Trong, across the street from the Vincom Centre. You can take the elevator up to the 9th floor to take a look at the roof.
You should probably take a stroll down Nguyen Hue Walking Street too, especially during the weekend when the side streets are closed off and the whole area is pedestrianized. There are frequent live music events, particularly during holidays, but aside from that it’s a very Vietnamese kind of night out, with lots of sitting around and grazing on the snacks from the street vendors that pitch up.
The People’s Committee Building (86 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1) is like an ornate exclamation mark at the end of Nguyen Hue Walking Street. Originally, the Paul Gardès-designed Hôtel de Ville, which opened in 1908
The hall was constructed in 1898 on high ground at the end of Charner street (the former name of Nguyen Hue walking street) and inaugurated in 1909, in 1975 it became the People’s Committee Building Saigon. And, since last year, it’s been possible to take a trip around it through various tour companies.
Slurp Through The Backpacker Area Around Pham Ngu Lao
As residents, and rabid converts to the charms of Ho Chi Minh City, we do worry that visitors staying in the backpacker area, roughly referred to as Pham Ngu Lao, which is the main street that runs between the backpacker area and the park, might get the wrong idea.
It’s mayhem there after dark. There’s the constant rush of inflating balloons and the thump of Vina-hay – the local take on trance music. Check it out. But preferably don’t stay around there if you want a good night’s sleep.
But, we should add, there are a couple of great street food joints in the area. Pho Quynh has the perfect corner location (323 Pham Ngu Lao, District 1) for people watching.
You may not look up for long, because the noodles are so engrossing – especially the phở bò kho with its incandescent red broth and big chunks of beef.
De Tham Street slices right through the backpacker area, from Pham Ngu Lao and the September 23rd Park all the way down to Vo Van Kiet. It’s worth a walk down there to visit Bún Thịt Nướng Kiều Bảo.
While phở and bánh mì selfishly hog all the attention, bún thịt nướng deserves its time in the spotlight – the crisp greens, and chunks of grilled pork, and the bucket of nước chấm on the table which you ladle into a saucer and add chilis to until you reach level of spice to suit your palate. As you stagger out satiated, next door is a stall serving silky, sweet nước mía with some added pineapple.
And if you insist on sticking around, at the end of Bui Vien is the rooftop bar, Banana Mama. With an Aperol Spritz in hand, and the sun setting, the chaos down below feels a world away.
Canter Through Saigon’s Cafe Apartment Buildings
Saigon’s cafe apartment buildings are testament to our contention that Ho Chi Minh City is a place to be rather than a place to see.
The most famous block is at 42 Nguyen Hue. At night, it’s a dazzling sight, each cafe and store with its own brightly lit balcony. Oddly, you pay a small fee to use the elevator – eminently worth it during Saigon’s eternal summertime – then wander the corridors, until you find a place that suits your mood.
The other apartment buildings, at 26 Ly Tu Trong and 42 Ton That Thiep have more boutiques, although there’s usually a cafe or two to catch your breath in after hiking up the stairs. The one at 14 Ton That Dam might be the most characterful, with indie cafes and a speakeasy, and lots of AirBnBs.
And Dive Deep Into Saigon’s Cafe Culture
Which leads us neatly onto cafe culture in general. Whether it’s a commercial cup at Katninat – the new one on the corner of Ly Tu Trong and Dong Khoi has a great location – or a brew at a more underground, indie spot like Cafe Slow, cafe culture in Saigon is your chance to slow down.
Recently brands like Rang Rang, Okkio, Bosgaurus, Cason Caphe have been breathing new cool, minimal energy into Vietnamese coffee shop design – you can wander from Rang Rang on Hai Ba Trung around onto Nguyen Sieu, for another cup at the Okkio and Bosgaurus there to get a snapshot, sipping on their pour overs and cold brews and choosing your favorite.
Later in the evening, the end of the street becomes a rowdy hangout with 100s of people sitting outside the egg coffeeshop, 3T, or at the branch of Juicetin, or one of the other spots down here.
Have A Wheely Good TIme As You Tour The City
The first thing that strikes you, as you exit the airport blinking into the sunlight and big-city haze, is that Saigon is on the move. There’s the endless honking of horns and the swirl of motorbikes. So, why not join them? Things make more sense when you’re in the thick of it.
Tigit Motorbikes, in one of the blocks of the Sala Apartments in District 2, have everything from scooters to big bikes. It’s easy to book online (especially necessary during holidays when they’re very busy). And their website also has a long list of recommended routes, in case you’re leaving town. Or keep it simple and take a spin down to the rural and romantic Sadec country cottage of Neverland de Papillons, or up to Dalat to explore coffee country, or out to the beach – Mui Ne gets nearer as the roads keep improving.
There’s an old-Saigon air about rolling around town on a xích lô. But some of the drivers can hustle a bit too hard. Hit up Xích Lô Tours, the orange shirted gang will turn up on time and take you around town for a fixed pre-agreed price, although, true to their trade, the guys wouldn’t say no to a small tip at the end. It is hot out there.
Prefer to see things from a different angle? Launched at the start of 2020, Saigon’s Hop on Hop off Vietnam Co. runs trips around the city in its open-topped buses that last around 40-minutes, and cost VND 330K for adults and VND 250K for kids.
And, suitably for this city that really never sleeps, an overnight service has launched. Just remember that the rainy season in Ho Chi Minh City – roughly from May to November – can put a serious damper on the tour, at least temporarily as the storms usually pass quickly.
Make Waves With A Trip On The Saigon River
The imposing statue of the 13th century royal, politician and military leader Tran Hung Dao, in the center of the roundabout outside the new Hilton Hotel, seems to be gesturing directly down at the Saigon Waterbus Station (10B Ton Duc Thang, District 1). “Discover Saigon through its waterways at bus prices,” you imagine him saying – a far different rallying cry from in his heyday when he was repelling Mongol invaders.
The round trip is a two-hour undertaking. Or watch out for Saigon Water Go’s evening pleasure trips, some of which include music – like the ominously titled ‘River Flows In You’ with sailings at 17:00, 18:00 and 19:00.
The Saigon Boat Company has a characterful wooden boat for private parties of up to 20 people, or shared guided boat tours along the Saigon river that start at $12.50. And there are companies like Saigon Princess Dining Cruise that offer evenings of dining and sailing for around $50 per person.
K-Cafe, the sushi institution on Hai Ba Trung, also has a small bookable yakata-bune boat, which, naturally, they cater themselves, meaning you get the freshest possible cuts of sashimi alongside views of Saigon’s burgeoning skyline.
Another option is to hop on The Deck’s exclusive boat that whisks guests from District 1 to this District 2 riverside restaurant. There, bar manager Andrea will be waiting with a Martini, and the kitchen team will be out with a plate of oysters or a seafood tower shortly after.
Or for special occasions, splash out – as we did for this shoot back in 2020 – on a yacht. Try Tam Son Yachting, which sails from Vinhomes Central Park Marina or Tam Son Yacht Club at Swanbay.
Take (Or Create) A Saigon Street Food Tour
There are lots of street food tours in Saigon. There’s the girls-on-motorbikes, Saigon Street Eats by Saigon Kiss Tours, and the #1 ranked food tour by Forbes, XO’s Saigon Street Food Tour, and there’s the team from Vespa Adventures, offering foodie adventures and even craft beer tours.
But with the ubiquity, at all hours of the day, of Grab, Be and Gojek, you could easily create your own edible adventure. Start at Cơm tấm Ba Ghiền in Phu Nhuan, swoop down into District 1’s Dakao Ward with Bánh Mì Bảy Hổ and then try the rice paper rolls at Bánh Cuốn Tây Hồ a few doors down.
Deeper into District 1, consider stopping at Bún Riêu cua ốc Phan Rang, for their noodles loaded with crab and snails. By now you’re near the backpacker area. Try Bún Thịt Nướng Kiều Bảo (remembering to get a pineapple sugar cane juice from next door). Then you’re near the bridge over to District 4, to finish with the chaos of Oc Thao, on Vĩnh Khánh Street.
Stick To It With A Game Of Pool
One of Saigon’s great recreational joys is the passion for pool (and billiards and carom). The city teems with pool halls. And the country produces some world class billiards players.
Saigon’s pool halls can seem a little intimidating. But the welcome is routinely warm. And the tables are well cared for. There’s usually a bar with cold beers, and sometimes snacks too, and it’s also possible to sneak in a bottle or wine or spirits with the staff turning a blind eye.
They’re often elaborately branded, with engrossingly odd interiors, like B52 Billiards Club at 204 Pasteur or Right Now Billiards Club, at 38-40 Huỳnh Khương Ninh. The latter, handily, is surrounded by great cocktail bars like The Pi, Du Bar and Apothecary.
And if you’re familiar with the hands-off approach in pool halls in Europe, where you have to rack your own balls, it will feel like quite a luxury to have someone diligently do it for you here.
It’s Show Time
The AO Show at the Ho Chi Minh City Opera House is a joy and at 1-hour long it doesn’t overstay its welcome. To avoid confusion, LUNE Productions, the team behind it, helpfully describe it as Vietnamese Bamboo Circus. Or something like Cirque set in the Vietnamese countryside.
It’s interspersed with classical music nights and ballet – keep an eye on the billboard beside the building for updates, or on their website.
But for something more immersive, in an old apartment block a short walk away, movie director Leon Quang Le is keeping the art of Cải Lương alive. At weekends, he generously lets Gánh Cải Lương THIÊN LÝ take over the small stage in his apartment for an intimate, donations-only shows of this form of modern Southern Vietnamese folk opera.
His excellent, emotionally fraught movie, Song Lang, featured Cải Lương singer Tu Quyen, and she reprises her role for this show. At the end of the same block, at weekends, the sleepy cafe, Cafe Le Saigonnais, hosts rousing nights of pre-1975 bolero music.
Discover The City’s Burgeoning Jazz Music Scene
In the past decade live music has gone from rare – usually the preserve of five-star rooftop bars who would bring in bands often from the Philippines – to ubiquitous, as tenacious locals have mimicked along to YouTube long enough to reach performer level.
In the Coco Saigon (143 Nam Khi Khoi Nghia, District 1) complex, there’s a dining room in the back serving Chef Vuong’s tasting menus. Beside that, is a grill concept, with smoke-licked cuts of fish and meat available a la carte or through chef’s menus. And next to that, there’s the chic Coco Saigon Cocktail Bar, where Indochine style meets New York vibes. Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, a cool combo strikes up in the corner, giving pop standards a jazzy edge.
CỘI Saigon (77-79 Ly Tu Trong, District 1) is offering delirious nights of live music, with funk, soul and jazz in Saigon weekly from Thursdays to Sundays. The old building is a characterful space to nod away to some neo-soul, below Summer Experiment and a short distance from Ben Thanh Market.
It’s a joy to stumble across Legato Bar at the ramshackle end of Pham Viet Chanh. And there it is, a refined cocktail bar with a small garden, and a music rooms with vinyl records and bottles of Laproaig on the shelves, and the windows slung wide open so everyone can hear, this live jazz music in Saigon’s Binh Thanh area on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 9PM.
Get In Some Target Practice
For something more challenging, try shooting, archery, or pickleball in Saigon.
Saigon Sniper (25 Nguyen Binh Khiem, Ben Nghe) began in 2012, at the National Defense Education Center – Ho Chi Minh City National University, but Saigon Sniper moved to this new location shortly after. Here, there are 10 shooting platforms from which to take pot shots at the targets, meaning you can line up with your friends and have a blast.
At Galaxy Archery Club (55B Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, District 1) they take hitting the target equally seriously. Galaxy Archery Club happily hosts team building events in Ho Chi Minh City, but you’re welcome to drop by informally on your own or with a small group and get your Robin Hood on.
In the same center, you can also play the increasingly popular pursuit of pickleball – the singles or doubles, paddle racket sport.
Find Time To Relax
When your list of things you must see in Ho Chi Minh City is exhausted, or even when you are, take a break and search out a spa. The prices are cheap (around $10-25 per hour) and the service impeccable.
Everyone has their preferred spot. But Japanese-style Miu Miu is reliably relaxing. Booking is essential, preferably a day ahead. And they have different centers that are numbered, Miu Miu 1, 2, 3…around District 1.
The Taiwanese massage spots on Mac Thi Buoi and Thai Van Lung are rough, ready and reinvigorating options. There are even Japanese-style rotenburo – outdoor baths with saunas and cold plunge tubs – above the nearby chain of Azumaya Hotels, which offer combo tickets with a massage and a bath, for around VND 500K.
