1. Overview:
Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is the most dynamic economic, cultural, and tourist center in Vietnam, where the depth of history of more than 300 years meets the modern pace of a global metropolis. From ancient French architecture, ancient churches and pagodas, and skyscrapers to bustling shopping areas and vibrant nightlife, Ho Chi Minh City always has its own way to attract and fascinate visitors.
With modern infrastructure, developed tourism services, and friendly people, Ho Chi Minh City is an ideal destination for everyone—from adventure enthusiasts to those looking for relaxation and new experiences in the heart of a vibrant city. If you are planning your upcoming trip, the list of things to do in Vietnam Ho Chi Minh below will bring you a series of memorable experiences.
2. Best Things To Do In Vietnam Ho Chi Minh 2025 – Explore Dynamic Saigon
2.1. Discover the Independence Palace—a historical symbol in the heart of Saigon.
The Independence Palace is an important historical symbol in Ho Chi Minh City. It was once the residence of the President of the Republic of Vietnam and the place marking the liberation of the South in 1975.
The building has a modern style of the 1960s with more than 100 rooms still intact. Visitors can visit the meeting rooms, command bunkers, and historical corridors to learn more about the nation’s past.
- Address: 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Sai Gon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.
- Reference ticket price:
Adults: 1.70 USD
Additional admission ticket: 2.70 USD
- Opening hours: 7:30–11:30 & 13:00–17:00 daily
The Independence Palace is a historical iconic structure located in the center of Ho Chi Minh City. (Source: internet)
2.2. Admire Notre Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office—French Architectural Imprint
These two prominent French architectural works are familiar check-in spots for tourists.
Notre Dame Cathedral was built in the 19th century with red bricks from Marseille, artistic stained glass windows, and a soaring bell tower.
The Central Post Office next door has a Gothic style combined with East Asia, with a large dome, an ancient clock, and a ceiling painted with a map of ancient Indochina.
Both locations bring the feeling of stepping back in time, ideal for those who love art and want to find traces of old Saigon.
- Address:
Notre Dame Cathedral: 01 Cong Xa Paris, Sai Gon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
Central Post Office: 02 Cong Xa Paris, Sai Gon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
- Opening hours:
Cathedral: Monday to Saturday: 5:30-17:30. Sunday Mass times: 5:30, 6:45, 8:00, 9:30 (English Mass), 16:00, 17:15, 18:30.
Post office: 7:00–19:00 (daily).
Ho Chi Minh City Post Office is in the top 11 most beautiful post offices in the world. (Source: internet)
2.3. Explore the War Remnants Museum.
If you want to understand more about the losses of war and the Vietnamese people’s desire for peace, there is no better place than this museum. The museum holds more than 20,000 artifacts, images, and documents reflecting the consequences of war.
The outdoor exhibition space also has planes, tanks, and a simulated prison camp in Con Dao. This place is not for a simple trip but a destination to understand and reflect on human history.
- Address: 28 Vo Van Tan, Xuan Hoa Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
- Reference ticket price: 1.70 USD
- Opening hours: 7:30–18:00 (daily, including holidays)
2.4. Stroll on Nguyen Hue Walking Street—the bustling heart of the city.
Nguyen Hue Walking Street is an ideal destination to fully experience the rhythm of Saigon life—where culture, art, and urban energy intersect. During the day, you can take pictures next to ancient French architectural works, and at night, the street is bright and vibrant with street music, entertainment activities, and bustling shops. Sipping iced milk coffee and watching the streets is also one of the things to do in Vietnam Ho Chi Minh, that you should not miss.
- Address: Nguyen Hue Street, Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
- Ticket price: Free
- Opening hours: 24/24, busiest from 18:00 to 22:00
Nguyen Hue Walking Street is one of the places not to be missed by young people and tourists when coming to Ho Chi Minh City.(Source: internet)
2.5. Panoramic view of the city from Bitexco Skydeck and Landmark 81 Skyview
Saigon when lit up has a modern and vibrant beauty. From above, you will admire the sparkling panorama of the city, from the busy traffic to the Saigon River floating among the urban lights.
Bitexco Skydeck—Central architectural symbol: From the 49th floor of the Bitexco building, you can have a 360-degree view of the city center. Don’t miss EON51 on the 51st floor to enjoy cocktails with a beautiful view.
- Address: 36 Ho Tung Mau, Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
- Skydeck ticket price: about 8.5 USD
- Cocktail price at EON51: from 6 USD
- Opening hours: 9:30–21:30
Landmark 81 Skyview—The tallest building in Vietnam: Enjoy panoramic views of Saigon from a height of 460 m on floors 79–81 of Landmark 81—one of the new destinations loved by international tourists.
- Address: 720A Dien Bien Phu, Thanh My Tay Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.
- Skyview ticket price is about 33 USD.
- Opening hours: 8:30–22:00.
2.6. Shopping and enjoying cuisine at Ben Thanh Market—the soul of old Saigon
Ben Thanh Market is not only a shopping place but also a part of the memories of Saigon people. This market still retains its characteristics with more than 1,500 stalls selling everything from clothes, souvenirs, and fabrics to street food.
In addition, you can also find dishes such as banh beo, bun thit nuong, goi cuon, or che mep cam at the food court with extremely affordable prices. Don’t forget to bargain for a true Vietnamese shopping experience!
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- Address: Le Loi Street, Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
- Entrance fee: Free
- Opening hours:
Main area: 7:00 – 18:00
Night market (surrounding): 19:00 – 23:00
2.7. Visiting Cu Chi Tunnels—Underground Journey
The Cu Chi Tunnels, 70 km from the center of Ho Chi Minh City, are a unique underground structure over 200 km long, located underground, which was once an important base during the resistance war. When visiting, you will see with your own eyes the intricate tunnel system, narrow passages, living and meeting places, and weapons storage cleverly designed to avoid detection by the enemy.
In addition to experiencing tunneling, you can also watch documentaries, try shooting, and enjoy grilled cassava—a typical wartime dish. This is one of the activities worth trying if you want to learn more about the indomitable spirit of the Vietnamese people.
- Address: Phu Hiep Hamlet, An Nhon Tay Commune, Ho Chi Minh City
- Ticket price: about 3.70 USD (if there is a tour guide: from 5.73 USD (in groups))
- Opening hours: 7:00 – 17:00 (every day)
Cu Chi Tunnels make a strong impression on international tourists because of its cultural and historical values and emotional real-life experiences. (Source: internet)
2.8. Saigon River Cruise—Experience the brilliant night on the river.
Sitting on a luxury cruise, watching the city’s brilliant lights on the banks of the Saigon River is an unforgettable experience. You can enjoy a Vietnamese or European dinner, watch an art performance, or simply sip a glass of wine and feel the slow pace of life.
From the cruise, the city’s splendid view appears with Bitexco lighting up, the romantic Bach Dang wharf, and the sparkling bridges across the river. This experience is ideal for couples, families, or international guests. Some notable cruises: Saigon Princess, Ben Thanh Princess, Indochina Queen, Hon Ngoc Vien Dong, Ben Nghe, and Elisa.
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- Popular departure address: Bach Dang Wharf, 10B Ton Duc Thang, Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
- Ticket price:
Standard cruise: from 15–25 USD/person
Luxury cruise (including dinner and show): from 40–70 USD/person
- Operating time:
- Evening departure at 18:00–20:00, journey about 1–2 hours
From the cruise, visitors can admire the sparkling Saigon at night. (Source: internet)
2.9. Explore Bui Vien Street—Vibrant Nightlife in the Heart of Saigon
Walking around Bui Vien Street is one of the things to do in Vietnam Ho Chi Minh, that you should not miss. This place is known as the “street that never sleeps,” brightly lit and full of energy with music, cuisine, craft beer, cocktails, and street parties that last until morning.
When night falls, the street becomes bustling with international tourists and street performances such as beatboxing, dancing, or fire dancing. Whether you like excitement or just want to “chill” gently, Bui Vien will definitely bring you an unforgettable night in Saigon.
- Location: Bui Vien Street, Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
- Busiest hours: 20:00 to 01:00 am
- Note: Motorcycles are usually banned during peak hours on weekends to accommodate pedestrians and street art performances.
2.10. Strolling around Chinatown—Discovering Chinese culture in the heart of Saigon
Chinatown (Cho Lon) is an indispensable part of Ho Chi Minh City, not only because of its scale but also because of its cultural depth. When walking around this area, you will admire ancient pagodas such as Ba Thien Hau Pagoda and Ong Pagoda, rows of red-tiled houses in Fujian style, and traditional Chinese medicine shops.
Chinese cuisine is also very attractive with satay noodles, char siu, dim sum, fried dough sticks, etc. All create a space that is both intimate and mysterious, very different from the modern center of District 1.
- Address: Cho Lon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
- Ticket price: Free
- Temple opening hours: 6:00–18:00
2.11. Visiting Ngoc Hoang Pagoda—A Unique Spiritual Space
Ngoc Hoang Pagoda is not only a sacred place, famous for praying for love and children, but also a place visited by former US President Barack Obama in 2016. This is an ideal place for those looking for a bit of peace in the heart of the bustling city.
- Address: 73 Mai Thi Luu, Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
- Ticket price: Free
- Opening hours: 7:00–18:00 (every day)
2.12. Take a double-decker bus—see Saigon from a new perspective.
The open-top double-decker bus “City Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off” is a modern and convenient way to explore the center of Saigon. Sitting on the airy second floor, you can take photos, sightsee, and admire famous landmarks such as the Independence Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, or Ben Thanh Market.
The bus has a multilingual audio system (English, French, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese) to help you better understand the history and culture of the city. With flexible boarding and alighting at stops, this is an ideal choice to combine sightseeing and shopping.
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- Main departure point: 92–96 Nguyen Hue, Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City (near Nguyen Hue walking street)
- Ticket price:
Single ticket: 7 USD/person/trip
24-hour unlimited-ride ticket: 12 USD/person
- Hours of operation: 9:00–23:00, frequency 30 minutes/trip
- Official website for booking tickets: Hop On Hop Off Vietnam
Explore Saigon city from the Hop On Hop Off double-decker bus. (Source: internet)
2.13. Enjoy Saigon street food.
Street food is the soul of Saigon—no need to go to a restaurant; you just need to wander a few alleys or food streets to be able to “eat the city.” Bread, beef noodle soup, sidewalk snails, go-go noodles, grilled rice paper, stewed offal, broken rice, etc, all have the rich flavors of the South.
Some highlights: Vinh Khanh Street—seafood paradise; Ton That Thiep—famous for grilled rice paper & peach tea; Nguyen Thuong Hien—dessert and ice cream paradise; or Ho Thi Ky market—where all kinds of attractive Vietnamese, Thai, European, and Asian dishes converge.
- Average price: 0.6 USD – 2.5 USD/dish
- Opening hours: 17:00–00:00
Saigon Broken Rice – Journey to Conquer the Taste of Diners. (Source: internet)
2.14. Check in at unique concept cafes & rooftop bars.
After a day of exploring, the evening is the ideal time to relax at rooftop bars, where you can sip cocktails, watch the city’s bright lights, and enjoy vibrant live music. Notable destinations such as Chill Skybar, Glow Skybar, or The View Rooftop always attract young people and international tourists.
- Address:
Chill Skybar: 76A Le Lai, Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
The View Rooftop: 195 Bui Vien, Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
Glow Skybar: 93 Nguyen Du, Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
- Drink prices: from 5 USD to 12 USD
- Opening hours: 17:00 – 01:00 (some places open until 2:00)
2.15. Join a Vietnamese cooking class“transform ”your own cuisine.
One of the ways to understand a culture is through its cuisine, and a cooking class in Saigon is an opportunity for you to experience that. You will be guided on how to choose ingredients at the local market and learn how to prepare traditional dishes such as pho, spring rolls, and banh xeo from a professional chef. Many classes also have English textbooks and dedicated tool support, making it easy for international visitors to participate.
- Suggested address:
Saigon Cooking Class: 74 Hai Ba Trung, Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
M.O.M Cooking School: 23 Nguyen Van Giai, Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
- Class price: from 30 USD to 40 USD
- Class time is about 2–3 hours/class (there are morning and afternoon classes).
3. Conclusion
The list of things to do in Vietnam Ho Chi Minh, in 2025 is a collection of the most unique experiences for anyone who wants to explore the cultural depth and modernity of this city. Save the article and contact Asia Luxury Travel to have a complete and memorable journey right away.
4. Contact
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