25 Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh for First-Timers

his city offers a variety of exciting attractions that you must visit—starting from culinary tours, and history, to shopping.
Traveloka Accomodation
13 Sep 2023 - 5 min read

Ho Chi Minh has lots of things that everyone likes. Ho Chi Minh has a tropical climate with two seasons, so you can come any time of the year. This article will share a list of the best things to do in Ho Chi Minh City that you can do when you visit here, starting from visiting Notre Dame Cathedral, exploring Ben Thanh Market, and more.

1. Visit Notre Dame Cathedral

The first what to do in Ho Chi Min is to visit the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon. This church is an iconic landmark in Ho Chi Min. This building is unique, consisting of materials directly imported from France, including bricks. Visiting Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigan is also a fun thing to do in Ho Chi Min at night.

2. Explore Ben Thanh Market

Ben Than Market is the biggest and oldest market in Ho Chi Minh. Ben Than Market has a local name, Cho Ben Thanh. Here, you can find various items, such as clothing, souvenirs, and local products. The hallmark of this market is the Clock Tower at the entrance.

3. Take a walk along Nguyen Hue Street

Nguyen Hue Street is a street in Vietnam filled with shops, cafes, and restaurants. This street is one of the oldest in Saigon and is one of the tourist destinations. The location of Nguyen Hue Street is at Le Thanh Ton Street, right across from Ho Chi Minh City Hall to Ton Duc Thang Street.

4. Visit the War Remnants Museum

The War Remnants Museum tells the history of Vietnam's war with the United States and France. In the museum courtyard, visitors are presented with exhibits of helicopters, tanks, and other war equipment. Then, inside, you can see uniforms, weapons, and armor. There are also photos of Vietnam's history.

5. Go on a food tour

Ho Chi Minh has some of the best food in Vietnam. So, when you vacation in this city, don't miss tasting some of its specialties. Some foods popular in Ho Chi Minh and must be tried are banh mi, bun mam, goi cuon, cang cua and oc, and more.

6. Visit the Cu Chi Tunnels

Cu Chi Tunnels is a popular tourist attraction in downtown Vietnam which is 40 km from Ho Chi Minh. This is a historical tour that you must visit. Cu Chi Tunnel is an underground tunnel used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War.

7. Take a cooking class

Vietnamese cuisine is unique with delicious flavors. When on vacation to Ho Chi Minh, you can try to take part in a cooking class. There are various cooking classes in this city, starting from cooking with a chef, cooking while farming, and learning to make Vietnamese coffee.

8. Visit the Floating Markets

You can find a floating market in Ho Chi Min. This is a traditional market that presents various activities of residents. You can visit the Cai Be floating market to try this experience. Here, you can find multiple items, such as traditional Vietnamese food.

9. Go shopping at Saigon Square

Those of you who like shopping can come to Saigon Square, a mall with various kinds of shops including international brands. Saigon Square is always crowded with visitors because it is the most popular shopping center in Ho Chi Minh. Here, you can find various types of fashion, such as clothes, shoes, and bags. Also, you can find watches, cameras, and jewelry.

10. Take a boat ride on the Saigon River

The next exciting activity is to take the Saigon River tour. This is a great way to see the city's beauty from a different perspective. Saigon River is the main river in Ho Chi Minh with fast currents and is surrounded by skyscrapers.

11. Visit the Bitexco Financial Tower

Bitexco Financial Tower is a skyscraper in Ho Chi Minh built in 2007 and completed in 2010. The height of this building is 265.5 meters, the tallest building in Ho Chi Minh. Bitexco Financial Tower is used for offices and world centers. You can visit this building to see the stunning view of Ho Chi Minh from a height.

12. Go to a water puppet show

Don't miss watching a traditional Vietnamese performance by watching the Thang Long Water Puppet Show. This show features a unique work of art from the Red River Delta: the water puppets that tell local culture. The show location is in Hoan Kiem District.

13. Visit the Museum of Fine Arts

The Museum of Fine Arts is located in downtown Ho Chi Minh. This is one of the oldest museums in Vietnam, which is a national fine arts museum. Here you can see works of art by Vietnamese artists, such as paintings, sculptures, wood carvings, and ceramics. The Museum of Fine Arts also houses an ancient statue of Champa, a symbol of multi-religious and multi-ethnic culture.

14. Take a day trip to Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta is a great place to see local life. You can take part in the Mekong Delta tour, which presents a variety of exciting activities. With this tour, you can learn about the cottage industry, coconut candy, and more.

15. Dinner Cruise on Saigon River

Saigon brings a vibrant and romantic life at night. While in this area, you can have dinner in the Saigon River. You can't miss the experience of eating delicious food with a beautiful view at night. On the Dinner Cruise in Saigon River, visitors will be given five menus of traditional Vietnamese food.

16. Go on a street food tour

You can visit various places in Ho Chi Minh to taste street food. This is a fun activity at night that you shouldn't miss. Some street food places in Ho Chi Minh are Ben Thanh Market, Ci Giang Street, Tran Khac Chan Street, Chinatown in Saigon, Su Van Hanh Street, and many more.

17. Go to Independent Palace

Independence Palace, or Reunification Palace is a historic building in Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh. Here, you can see a tank which is a replica of the one used to break down the palace doors during the 1975 Vietnam War.

18. Visit Giac Lam Pagoda

Giac Lam Pagoda is a Buddhist temple. You can visit this place to see buildings with Chinese characteristics. Giac Lam Pagoda is even more beautiful with the Bodhi Garden, a sacred tree for Buddhists. Location Giac Lam Pagoda is 3 km from Cholon.

19. Explore Saigon Central Post Office

Saigon Central Post Office is a historical building that has existed since the 19th century. Here, you can find large paintings that are evidence of the history of the Vietnamese people. In addition, several places in the Saigon Central Post Office are attractive to tourists because of their architecture.

20. Go To Saigon Central Mosque

Saigon Central Mosque has been built since 1935. Apart from being a place of worship, this mosque is visited by many tourists to rest because of the safe and comfortable atmosphere of the mosque.

21. Enjoying Ho Chi Minh Park

To enjoy the calm and cool atmosphere of Ho Chi Minh, you can come to the city park. One can visit various city parks in this area, such as Tao Dan Park, Cong Vien Van Hoa Park, and more.

22. Take a Photo with Ho Chi Minh Statue

Ho Chi Minh is a historical figure in Vietnam to be enshrined in a statue. You can visit the Ben Nghe area to find this statue. At night, the fountain at Ho Chi Minh Statue is made even more magnificent by the lights.

23. Visiting Ho Chi Minh City Opera House

You can visit the Ho Chi Minh City Opera House to see the city's ballet and symphony performances. This is one of the ancient buildings that still exist until now.

24. Exploring Monkey Island

As the name suggests, Monkey Island is a tree area with many monkeys. You don't need to be afraid; the monkeys here are harmless and safe.

25. Trying Vietnamese Coffee

Don't miss drinking a unique Vietnamese coffee, namely egg coffee. This coffee is given egg yolks, sugar, and sweetened condensed milk. You can come to Little HaNoi Egg Coffee to taste it.

Those are the fun things to do in Ho Chi Minh Vietnam that you can do. Holidays in Ho Chi Minh will give you an extraordinary experience. You can go shopping, try Vietnamese food and coffee, and see the history of this city.

Plan your vacation to Ho Chi Minh right now via Traveloka. You can book flights from Malaysia to Vietnam with the airlines of your choice, book hotels at the lowest prices, and buy tickets to enter popular places in Ho Chi Minh. With Traveloka, your vacation will be more practical and enjoyable. Install the application on the smartphone.

Explore even more inspiring travel ideas:

Hotels
Flights
Things to Do
Always Know the Latest Info
Subscribe to our newsletter for more travel & lifestyle recommendations and exciting promos.
Subscribe

Traveloka Sdn Bhd (Registration No. 201501003122), Level 14 Tower 2, Menara Kembar Bank Rakyat, 33 Jalan Rakyat Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Copyright © 2025 Traveloka. All rights reserved