How To Spend 2 Days in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly called Saigon is Vietnam’s largest city, in the south of the country. Located not far from the Mekong Delta, it makes for the perfect city to take a day trip from. 

Though their name changed from Saigon to Ho Chi Minh City in 1976 after the Vietnam War, most locals favour the name Saigon. Not just for sentimental reasons but for the succinctness of the shorter name – so you will hear that a lot when you visit. I have used both interchangeably throughout this post, as I agree, Ho Chi Minh City is a bit long winded!

Now I have made it no secret that this was my least favourite city in Vietnam, and it is usually a short pit stop on most travellers’ itineraries due to there being far more interesting places to spend your time in across the country. It was no different for us, and we spent just 2 days in Ho Chi Minh City, exploring all it has to offer.

There is a lot to see and do with 2 days in the city, but it is entirely possible and I personally think that is the perfect amount of time to spend here. 

Ho Chi Minh City is a frantic, hot, crowded city that offers a different facet of Vietnam’s culture in comparison to Hanoi. However, it is filled with history, great restaurants, millions of motorbikes and more liberal locals than the capital.

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Day 1: Embracing the heartbeat of Saigon

We flew into HCMC from Da Nang the night before, so had a full two days to explore.

Morning: explore the colonial charms

Depending on when you arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, start your day began with a steaming hot bowl of pho at Pho Viet Nam, a Michelin-starred gem in District 1 that serves pho for less than £2.50. 

Skip this place if you are veggie though, as they don’t serve vegetarian pho. We opted for breakfast at Hot Beans Coffee & Cuisine instead, which was decent, but not outstanding.

Ho Chi Minh City Hall

Walk down to Ho Chi Minh City Hall, also called the People’s Committee Building which is a beautiful French colonial style building to admire the architecture.

Union Square

Opposite this is Union Square, a huge flag festooned area with a statue of President Ho Chi Minh at the centre of it.

Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon

Right across the street from here is the Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, a symbol of the city’s colonial past. This red brick church with its twin bell towers was constructed by the French in the late 19th Century.

Lunch

After a morning of sightseeing, you will most probably want to stop for lunch somewhere. I have a guide on the best restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City however, I would suggest heading to the infamous Ben Thanh Market instead.

Ben Thanh Market

Ben Thanh Market is a bustling market and an experience like no other. It is an interesting place to wander around and shop for clothing or souvenirs. You will find everything from knock-off designer clothing to unusual kitchen gadgets, an endless supply of chopsticks and freshly squeezed sugarcane juice – you can easily spend a couple of hours here.

The vibrant stall holders offer a variety of unusual local delicacies, including fan favourites such as banh mi and pho. A great place to stop for lunch and spend a couple of hours browsing. Don’t forget to haggle for any purchases you wish to make so that you don’t get scammed – haggling is expected here.

Depending on how you choose to spend your second day, you may not get time to come back here in your 2 days in Ho Chi Minh City, so I would suggest buying any gifts and souvenirs now.

Afternoon: delve into Vietnam’s history

War Remnants Museum

The War Remnants Museum is a harrowing experience looking into Vietnam’s tumultuous past. It is however a great place to visit to learn about their tumultuous history, with informative and moving exhibits offering deep insights into the country’s history. 

There are numerous old military vehicles and equipment around the outside of the museum to explore. While the photographic displays inside depict the horrific images of war, death, mutilation and destruction.

This museum is not for the faint hearted as it makes for a sobering, but important visit on your 2 days in Ho Chi Minh City itinerary.

Evening: Rooftop sundowners and dinner

Bitexco Financial Tower

Head to the Bitexco Financial Tower after dinner to enjoy panoramic views of the city illuminated by twinkling lights from the Sky Deck on the 49th floor (You can buy cheap tickets here.) If you get there early enough, you might get a seat by the window, though the view can be hit and miss.

End your first day in Ho Chi Minh City perfectly with sundowners here before heading to dinner.

Dinner

My favourite restaurant in HCMC was Veggie Saigon. With no visible sign outside and a location that was challenging to find on google maps for both ourselves and the taxi driver.

It is well worth a visit when you do find it, a real home-cooking style gem of a place, with the friendliest of service and excellent food, tucked away on the first floor above some shops.

Very much a cheap eats, no frills kind of place which was right up my street. I highly recommend dinner here.

Alternatively, you can take an evening street food tasting tour by motorbike to give you a taste of the city’s food scene in a unique way. 

This one isn’t for me, but apparently, eating a fertilised duck egg is a must-do in Saigon. It’s something that is on many people’s bucket list for Vietnam and of course there was no way I could bring myself to do that.. but if that intrigues you, don’t forget to hunt one down!

Day 2: day trips from Ho Chi Minh City

No Ho Chi Minh City itinerary would be complete without a trip to the Mekong Delta. This was the highlight of our time in HCMC, but there are a couple of options you can choose from.

Either option will require an early start, so I suggest having breakfast at your hotel before you get picked up by your tour provider, which is usually at around 7.30am.

Mekong Delta

Now any day trip you take will be a total tourist trap, but it’s good to be aware of that before you proceed. Regardless, I think every traveller should visit the Mekong Delta. We took a full day trip there and given that the actual boat ride down the delta barely lasted 15 minutes, it was still a wonderful experience and we met some interesting people along the way. 

My only advice would be to ask for a vegetarian lunch in advance, because some of the dishes served looked unappetising, even to the carnivores in the group. This can’t be said for the whole of Europe, but in the UK particularly, most of the fish we consume is battered or filleted and the elephant ear fish that takes centre stage at lunch is far from either of these things!

Check availability and book this Mekong Delta tour here.

Watch my vlog below for a closer look at our experience

Cu Chi Tunnels

Another popular day trip from Ho Chi Minh City is to explore the underground Cu Chi Tunnels. This is part of a huge complex built by the Viet Cong 27, where soldiers hid and transported goods during the war.

The tunnels themselves have since been adapted to accommodate tourists as the vast majority of Western tourists are much larger than Vietnamese people – this takes away from the authenticity for me somewhat.

The drive from Saigon takes approximately 3 hours, so this really is a full day trip in itself. Personally, we opted not to visit as we’d heard this isn’t a great experience in the sweltering jungle. 

What I would chose to do instead is book a combined tour of the Mekong Delta and Cu Chi Tunnels. I think that learning about the history in such a visual way would be really interesting, and seeing two major landmarks in one trip would lessen the number of irrelevant places these tour providers take you on in an attempt to get you to part with your money.

Check availability of this combined tour here.

Evening: dinner and drinks

If you don’t suffer with vertigo like me, I’d recommend getting a late night manicure, pedicure or massage literally anywhere – you won’t struggle to find a salon in Ho Chi Minh City, District 1.

Have some dinner and end your night at Caravelle Saigon Hotel’s rooftop bar; Saigon Saigon, for some great views of the city on your final night in HCMC.

5 more things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

Feel free to skip some of the spots on this 2 days in Ho Chi Minh itinerary above, if they aren’t your thing. Instead, you might want to visit some of the following places. 

Take a food tour

Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to do this, which is a shame because the food in Vietnam is incredible and a food tour is the best way to sample it all. The most popular tour is a motorbike food tour of the city, but you can also do a walking vegan foot tour too.

Visit the Independence Palace

You can make a quick stop to see the Independence Palace, also known as the Reunification Palace. This building was the seat of government for south Vietnam during the war and was also a symbol of the end of the war in 1975. 

Take a selfie at the Instagram-famous pink church

Tan Dinh Church, affectionately known as the Pink Church, stands out with its shocking bubblegum pink exterior and Gothic architecture, making it a must-see landmark in Ho Chi Minh City for instagammers from across the globe.

The church is only open for service on Sundays, but I am certain that all the people flocking there aren’t doing so to visit the church itself. It’s worth strolling past for a photo op if you’re a keen photographer in the area.

Shop at The Cafe Apartment

The Cafe Apartment Building, is a cool and iconic landmark located at No.42 Nguyen Hue Street, perfectly blending modern and old-world charm. Originally constructed in the mid-1960s, this nine storey apartment block has undergone various transformations over the years.

Today, it houses a vibrant array of independent cafes, boutique stores, co-working spaces and more. It is a popular destination for those seeking a lively atmosphere in a unique setting, somewhere to shop and grab a coffee.

Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City

We stayed at Silverland Mây Hotel located in District 1. While this hotel wasn’t my favourite in terms of the service, the location was perfect, which made it easy to explore most of the city on foot. All tour providers offer collection and drop off services as part of their day trip packages from district 1 hotels too, so it’s worth keeping that in mind.

Overall, I found the locals in HCMC to be aloof and not as welcoming in comparison to other parts of Vietnam, and I think this was reflected in the staff at the hotel.The rooms are small, but clean and for an affordable luxury hotel with a rooftop pool, I didn’t have much else to complain about.

One of the unique features of this hotel was that they offer a complimentary afternoon tea to all guests, every afternoon, in a two hour time slot. The vegan and vegetarian options were limited, but not non-existent. Service was quite slow when ordering a coffee with a dairy-free milk, but the selection of food was regularly topped up.

Incidentally, this is where I discovered how much I love fresh jackfruit – if you haven’t tried it, it has a subtle taste that is a cross between an apple, banana and mango. Interesting, truly delicious and something you must try in Vietnam!

How to get around Ho Chi Minh City

HCMC is a very walkable city. The attractions in Ho Chi Minh City we visited on day 1 were all within walking distance. Just bear in mind that you will be walking slower due to the heat and humidity, with a few pit stops for iced coffee along the way.

There are other transportation options available in Saigon, including buses, taxis, ride-sharing apps (like Grab), motorbike taxis, and cyclos. We didn’t need to use any of these, other than hailing a Grab when we wanted to try a vegan restaurant which was slightly further out of the city. 

Busses are of course a budget-friendly option, while Grab and motorbike taxis are the most popular and efficient modes of transport depending on how you like to travel. Personally, motorbikes are a no-no for me.

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