We spent two days based in Ho Chi Minh City on our visit to Vietnam. Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is the country’s biggest city and its commercial and financial hub. Our first day was spent exploring the main attractions in the city. On the second day, we took a trip to the nearby Cu Chi Tunnels.
How to get to Ho Chi Minh City
Although Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City is the country’s largest city with a population of 9.5 million. Hence, Tan Son Nhat International Airport is Vietnam’s busiest airport, well served with flights from South East Asia and beyond. The airport is located 4 miles north west of downtown HCMC. Bus lines 109 and 152, as well as shuttle bus line 49, connect the airport with the city centre. Howver, many hotels offer airport pick up and we took this option.
Getting around Ho Chi Minh City
The attractions we visited were all within walking distance. My Day 1 itinerary consists of a 4 mile circuit, which we covered over the course of a full day. Note: We found that walking needs to be done at a slow pace due to the heat and humidity.
Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City
We stayed at C Central Hotel, which is conveniently located in the centre of the city, at the junction with Bui Vien Walking Street and close to the main attractions. The hotel is split over two buildings. Our room was in a tall, narrow building, eleven storeys high, with just two rooms on each floor. The restaurant, which serves an excellent breakfast, is in the other building a minute’s walk away.
Ho Chi Minh City in 2 Days Itinerary
| Flight to Ho Chi Minh City Accommodation – C Central Hotel – Đề Thám Bùi Viện Walking Street | |
| Day 1 | Ho Chi Minh City War Remnants Museum Notre Dame Cathedral Central Post Office People’s Committee Building Union Square HCMC Museum Lunch at Quan Ngon 138 Independence Palace Bui Vien Walking Street Dinner at Vietnam Harvest |
| Day 2 | Cu Chi Tunnels Dinner at The View Rooftop Bar |
Flight to Ho Chi Minh City
We flew to Ho Chi Minh City from Siem Reap in Cambodia. Our hotel sent a Land Cruiser to collect us, which is a relief as the traffic is mental; mostly motor bikes apparently driven by suicidal maniacs. Our driver is taking no prisoners. The fact that we reach the hotel without killing anyone is genuinely a surprise.
Accommodation – C Central Hotel – Đề Thám Bùi Viện Walking Street
Our hotel; C Central Hotel – Đề Thám Bùi Viện Walking Street is right in the heart of the city. Our room is in a tall, narrow building, eleven storeys high, with just two rooms on each floor. It’s rather luxurious and has two things we haven’t seen in weeks; a bath and a set of scales. Being so centrally located, we had worried that the room might be noisy at night, but it wasn’t. The hotel is actually split over two buildings, with the restaurant, which serves an excellent breakfast, being in the other building a minute’s walk away.
Ho Chi Minh City Day 1
Today, we are going sightseeing in Ho Chi Minh City. The little I know about Vietnam come from studying the Vietnamese War in politics classes at university (and from watching Miss Saigon). So after breakfast, we start by walking to the War Remnants Museum.
It’s only a mile away, which doesn’t sound too onerous. But we have underestimated the heat, the humidity and the crazy motorbike drivers. It soon becomes clear that I don’t have the mental fortitude for crossing Vietnamese roads. Eventually I develop a routine – wait until the pedestrian light goes green, shut my eyes and cross. It slightly increases my chances of dying, but at least I won’t see what’s coming.
War Remnants Museum
Going to the War Remnants Museum straight after breakfast was a mistake. It’s a truly harrowing experience and keeping my fried eggs down is quite an effort.
Outside and downstairs inside are plenty of old military vehicles and equipment.
Inside, as you ascend to the next floor, it’s mostly photographs. Horrific, harrowing photos of war, death, mutilation and destruction.
After that, more photos. A section on the devastation caused by the tens of thousands of unexploded bombs that the Americans left behind. The cluster devices, designed to explode and send out hundreds of pieces of shrapnel, are small, yellow and shiny and often mistaken for toys by children.
Last, and possibly worst of all, is a section on the effects of Agent Orange, a gene damaging herbicide, on those exposed to it and their unborn children. It is truly horrific.
The museum is open daily from 7.30 am until 5.30 pm. Entry costs 40,000 VND (around £1.10).
Notre Dame Cathedral
We leave the museum and walk past some of the old French colonial buildings. First, Notre Dame Cathedral. This red brick church with its twin bell towers was constructed in the late 19th Century.
The Central Post Office
The Central Post Office is another grand French 19th Century building.
Outside, a war memorial is somewhat ironically flanked by a McDonald’s.
You can go inside the building, which still functions as a post office, to see the concourse with its historical maps and and the hall with its mosaic of Ho Chi Minh.
The People’s Committee Building
The People’s Committee Building is another example of French colonial architecture. The building was originally the Hôtel de Ville.
Union Square
Opposite is Union Square; a huge flag festooned plaza with a statue of Ho Chi Minh at the centre.
HCMC Museum
We continue to the HCMC Museum. This former palace now covers the history of the city and is very interesting.
It’s also a popular place for wedding photos, so we have to keep ducking and diving to avoid unintentional photo bombing.
Lunch at Quan Ngon 138
We have lunch and replace the huge amount of fluids we have lost at Quan Ngon 138. Rice and beer – all the essential food groups represented. The food here is excellent.
Independence Palace
Suitably refuelled, we enter the Independence Palace. This 1960s building, also known as the Reunification Palace, has been left untouched since the 1970s. Above ground, it’s like straying into the set of an Austin Powers movie. There’s a funky card room and a plush cinema.
There’s even a helipad on the roof. Meanwhile, in a bunker underground are the presidential war rooms.
Bui Vien Walking Street
In the evening, we head for Bui Vien Walking Street; a crazily busy pedestrian street lined with bars and restaurants.
Dinner at Vietnam Harvest
We end the day with a scrumptious Vietnamese feast at Vietnam Harvest.
Day 3 – Cu Chi Tunnels
Today, the old man has booked a ‘luxury’ tour to the Cu Chi tunnels, part of a huge complex built by the Viet Cong 27 miles north east of Ho Chi Minh City. He can’t say what the difference is with the regular tour booked by our daughter, other than it costs 4 times the price.
The drive to the tunnels takes 3 hours mostly through the sprawling suburbs of HCMC. After 2 hours, we stop at a government workshop, where we are shown victims of Agent Orange making things to sell to tourists.
We continue to the tunnel location and spend 2 hours in the sweltering jungle heat while our guide tells all about the tunnels; how they were built, how the Viet Cong lived and fought, how cunning and clever they were. It’s very interesting and rather ironic seeing as his father fought on the other side.
There is an option to go underground in a tunnel specially adapted for tourists (because most westerners are too fat for the original tunnels).
After the opportunity to shoot an AK47 for £2 per bullet, we depart in our thankfully air conditioned bus whilst watching a propaganda video on the return journey. Our half day tour has taken almost 8 hours and we arrive back tired and hungry.
Dinner at The View Rooftop Bar
Time for one last outing to Bui Vien Walking Street for dinner. The View Rooftop Bar is a 7th floor bar decorated with fairy lights and lanterns. It’s a little sea of tranquility to relax in, whilst observing the melee on the street below.
- Trip taken: April 2018
- Updated: December 2025
I hope you found the above information useful. For guides to more destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full list of Independent Travel Itineraries here.
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