Best time to visit Ho Chi Minh City
Saigon has two main seasons. Both are good for visiting, but in different ways.
Dry season (December - April) is when most people visit. The weather is warm and sunny with little rain. This is perfect for walking around, visiting outdoor markets, and taking photos. You won't need to worry about sudden rain.
Rainy season (May - November) shows you a different side of Saigon. Yes, it rains more and feels humid, but this is great for exploring shopping malls, museums, and cozy coffee shops. You'll experience real Saigon life.
Our advice: January, February, and March have the best weather if you want to spend time outdoors. June to September has the most rain, so bring an umbrella and stay flexible with your plans.
Top places to visit in Saigon
Historical sites
Independence Palace (Dinh Độc Lập) This unique building mixes old and new styles. You can walk through the green gardens and learn about history through audio guides and displays.
Address: 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1
Open: 8:00 am - 4:10 pm daily (tickets stop selling at 3:30 pm)
Price: 40,000 VND adults; 20,000 VND students; 10,000 VND kids 6-16
Notre-Dame Cathedral (Nhà thờ Đức Bà Sài Gòn) This beautiful Gothic church sits right in District 1. It's being fixed now, but you can still visit. The area around it is perfect for photos.
Address: 1 Paris Commune Square, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1
Open: 5:00 am - 8:00 pm daily
Price: Free to walk around outside
Mass times: Monday-Saturday: 5:30 am, 5:30 pm; Sunday: 5:30 am, 6:45 am, 8:00 am, 9:30 am (in English), 4:00 pm, 5:30 pm, 6:30 pm
Central Post Office (Bưu điện Thành phố) Built by the French in 1891, this building has an amazing curved ceiling. It's not just pretty architecture - it's great for photos too.
Address: 2 Paris Commune Square, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1
Open: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm daily
Price: Free
Dragon House Wharf (Bến Nhà Rồng) This is where Ho Chi Minh left Vietnam to find ways to help his country. You'll see documents and items from his life.
Address: 1 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, Xom Chieu Ward, District 4
Open: 7:30 am - 11:30 am, 1:30 pm - 5:30 pm (closed Mondays)
Price: 20,000 VND (students get in free)
Museums worth visiting
War Remnants Museum (Bảo tàng Chứng tích Chiến tranh) This museum ranks as one of the world's top 99 tourist spots. It has over 20,000 items about war history.
Address: 28 Vo Van Tan Street, Ward 6, District 3
Open: 7:30 am - 5:30 pm daily
Price: 40,000 VND adults (free for kids under 6, disabled visitors, poor families; half price for ages 6-16, students, seniors)
Fine Arts Museum (Bảo tàng Mỹ thuật TP.HCM) Thousands of art pieces from old times to today. Young people love this place because the building looks amazing in photos.
Address: 97A Pho Duc Chinh Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1
Open: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (closed Mondays)
Price: 30,000 VND adults; 15,000 VND kids 6-16, students, seniors; free under 6
Ho Chi Minh City Museum (Bảo tàng Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh) Learn how the city grew and changed over time. The rooms show history from past to present.
Address: 65 Ly Tu Trong Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1
Open: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm daily
Price: 30,000 VND adults; 15,000 VND students (half price); camera fee: 20,000 VND
Sky-high viewing points
Landmark 81 SkyView is the highest viewing spot in Southeast Asia at 461.3 meters high (floors 79-81). See the whole city 360 degrees, walk on a glass bridge, play VR games, and have drinks at the coffee lounge.
Address: 720A Dien Bien Phu Street, Thanh My Tay Ward, Binh Thanh District (B1 floor, Vincom Landmark 81)
Open: 9:30 am - 10:00 pm daily
Price: Packages from 300,000 - 600,000 VND (includes viewing + VR + drinks)
Saigon Skydeck (Bitexco Financial Tower) 49th floor viewing deck at 178 meters high. See the city from all sides.
Address: 36 Ho Tung Mau Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1
Open: 9:30 am - 9:30 pm daily
Price: 200,000 VND adults; 130,000 VND children
Entertainment areas
Nguyen Hue Walking Street (Phố đi bộ Nguyễn Huệ) Saigon's busy center - 670 meters long and open all day. Saturday and Sunday evenings (6:00 pm - 10:00 pm) are special because no cars are allowed. You'll find water shows, street performances, and unique cafes in the 42 Nguyen Hue building.
Address: Nguyen Hue Walking Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1 (from Bach Dang Wharf to Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee)
Open: 24/7 (no cars on weekend evenings: 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm)
Price: Free
Dam Sen Park (Công viên Đầm Sen) Perfect for families. It has exciting rides, high-tech games, an aquarium, and a zoo with many different animals.
Address: 3 Hoa Binh Street, Ward 4, District 11
Open: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm daily
Price: Entry 20,000 VND; full packages 150,000 - 300,000 VND
Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens (Thảo Cầm Viên Sài Gòn) Vietnam's oldest zoo (since 1864) covers over 20 hectares. Home to more than 1,300 animals from 125 species, plus 1,800 trees, 23 types of orchids, and 33 kinds of cacti. They also run education programs and special Saturday night tours called "When Night Falls."
Address: 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1
Open: 7:00 am - 5:30 pm daily; night tours: 7:00 pm - 9:15 pm (Saturdays)
Price: 60,000 VND adults and kids over 1.3m tall; 40,000 VND kids 1m-1.3m tall; free under 1m
Parking: 5,000 - 20,000 VND motorbikes; 10,000 - 50,000 VND cars
Free kids' zoo time: Saturday-Sunday 9:30-10:00 am; holidays 10:00-10:30 am
Suoi Tien Theme Park (Khu du lịch Suối Tiên) 150 hectares of entertainment for all ages.
Address: 120 Xa Lo Ha Noi Street, Tan Phu Ward, District 9
Open: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm daily
Price: 80,000 - 150,000 VND depending on what you choose
Local markets
Ben Thanh Market (Chợ Bến Thành) Saigon's famous trading spot since 1914, right in the city center. It's more than shopping - it's part of the city's story.
Address: Le Loi Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1
Open: 6:00 am - 6:00 pm daily
Ho Thi Ky Market (Chợ Hồ Thị Kỷ) Young people call this the "food paradise" and the city's busiest night market. You'll find food from all over Vietnam at good prices. Famous for Cambodian dishes, special desserts, and lots of street food options.
Address: Alley 52 Ho Thi Ky Street, Ward 1, District 10
Open: Flower market 24/7; food area 3:00 pm - 11:00 pm daily
Food prices: 5,000 - 30,000 VND per dish
Parking: 5,000 VND motorbikes (Trump's parking lot, opposite Ho Thi Ky Elementary School)
Must-try: Cambodian dessert by Ms. Huoi, grilled pork noodles, beef rolls with lemongrass, peach tea, seasoned quail eggs
Day trips outside the city
Cu Chi Tunnels (Địa đạo Củ Chi) About 70km from city center. This 250km tunnel system shows how people lived during wartime. You can try shooting ranges, crawl through tunnels, and learn history.
Address: Cu Chi District (2 locations: Ben Duoc and Ben Dinh)
Ben Duoc site: Phu Hiep Hamlet, Phu My Hung Commune, Cu Chi District
Ben Dinh site: Ben Dinh Hamlet, Nhuan Duc Commune, Cu Chi District
Open: 7:00 am - 5:00 pm daily
Price: 120,000 VND adults; 60,000 VND students
How to get there: Take bus #13 from Ben Thanh Market; taxi about 500,000 VND one way; drive via National Highway QL22 then Provincial Road TL15
Special experiences
Saigon River Cruise (Du thuyền sông Sài Gòn) Evening boat trips from Saigon Port. See the city's beautiful night lights from the water while enjoying dinner and shows.
Starts from: Saigon Port (Bach Dang Wharf)
Address: 10B Ton Duc Thang Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1
Times: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm daily
Price: 350,000 - 1,200,000 VND per person (depends on boat type and what's included)
Group deals: 10,000,000 - 25,000,000 VND for 15-20 people
Open-top double-decker bus (Xe buýt 2 tầng mui trần) City tour with guides speaking different languages, free wifi, and professional help. 13km trip through Districts 1 and 3, stopping at 30 attractions.
Starts at: Nguyen Hue Walking Street
Times: 9:00 am - 10:30 pm daily (22 trips daily, each takes 60 minutes)
Price: 150,000 - 200,000 VND per person
After seeing these places, trying local food completes your Saigon experience perfectly.
>> See more: Discover delicious food in Saigon from street food to restaurants for a complete flavor journey.
Ho Chi Minh City travel tips
Getting around the city
Here are the best ways to move around Saigon:
City buses: Cheapest option at 5,000 - 7,000 VND per trip. Routes go to all major tourist spots.
Ride apps: Grab, Be, Xanh SM cost about 9,000 - 11,000 VND per km. Great for families with kids or bigger groups.
Rent a motorbike: Perfect when you want control over your schedule. 150,000 - 200,000 VND per day. Be careful with traffic - it's quite busy in the city.
Rent a car: Around 800,000 - 1,000,000 VND per day. Good value for groups of 4 or more people.
Motorbike taxi apps: Fast and flexible for city trips using Grab or Be.
Tip: You can combine different transport methods based on your route and needs for the best Ho Chi Minh City experience.
Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City
Saigon has places to stay for every budget:
5-star hotels: 3,000,000 - 10,000,000 VND per night. Top services with spas, pools, and upscale restaurants for special trips.
3-star hotels: 1,000,000 - 2,000,000 VND per night. Everything you need with clean rooms and 24/7 front desk. Best choice for most visitors.
Short-term serviced apartments: 800,000 - 2,000,000 VND per night. Space like having your own home with full kitchen. Perfect for families with kids or friend groups who want private and flexible meal times. This saves money on eating out and gives more freedom. For quality apartments near Tan Son Nhat Airport (under 3km away) with 24/7 security and professional airport pickup, HOME offers exactly what international visitors need.
Homestays/guesthouses: 300,000 - 1,000,000 VND per night. Budget-friendly with the local atmosphere. Good for young travelers or anyone wanting to experience real local life.
Planning tip: For stays of 4-7+ days, book at least one week ahead for better prices. HOME offers 5% discounts for weekly stays, helping you save on accommodation costs.
Ho Chi Minh City travel costs
Plan for 4,000,000 - 8,000,000 VND per person for a 3-day, 2-night independent trip. This depends on your group size, where you stay, how you get around, and what you visit. Upscale hotels, fine dining, or lots of shopping will cost more.
With these Saigon travel tips and attractions HOME shared, you're all set for your complete trip. Need a convenient place to stay? Our serviced apartments near Tan Son Nhat Airport give you everything - reliable internet, full kitchen, and easy airport access. You focus on exploring, we handle the rest. Call +84 944 185 995 to book today!
