Ho Chi Minh City 7-day itinerary

Start at the War Remnants Museum (₫40,000) — allow 2 hours for one of Asia's most powerful museums. Walk through the French colonial district — Notre-Dame Cathedral (exterior), the Central Post Office by Gustave Eiffel, and the Reunification Palace (₫65,000) where the Vietnam War effectively ended when a tank crashed through the gates in April 1975.

Walk to Bến Thành Market — the city's iconic market since 1912. Phở inside: ₫50,000. Bánh mì: ₫25,000. Haggle for souvenirs at 40% of asking. Then experience Saigon's coffee culture at The Workshop on Lê Lợi — cà phê sữa đá (₫55,000) in an industrial-chic loft. Vietnamese coffee dripped through a phin filter over condensed milk is a ritual, not just a drink.

Head to Bùi Viện — Saigon's backpacker strip. Bia Saigon: ₫15,000. Street food vendors sell grilled skewers and bánh tráng trộn. For proper dinner, Phở Hòa Pasteur serves the city's best phở (₫85,000). For atmosphere, the rooftop bars along Bùi Viện have cheap drinks and city views. Saigon is a city that runs on caffeine by day and cheap beer by night.

Half-day tour to Cu Chi Tunnels (₫250,000–500,000 with transport). The 250km tunnel network is extraordinary — crawl through widened sections, see booby trap demonstrations, and learn about underground hospitals and kitchens. The Ben Dinh site is less commercialized. The experience is claustrophobic, fascinating, and deeply humbling.

Cross to District 4 — a gritty local neighbourhood tourists rarely visit. Alleyway stalls serve the best cơm tấm (broken rice, ₫40,000), bánh xèo (crispy pancakes, ₫35,000), and bún thịt nướng (vermicelli with pork, ₫45,000). The narrow lanes buzzing with scooters are Saigon at its most authentic. This district is the antidote to the tourist bubble of District 1.

Head to District 2 (Thảo Điền) — Saigon's expat neighbourhood. The Deck has riverside dining. Biacraft serves Vietnamese craft beer (₫80,000/pint). For the best views, Chill Skybar on the 26th floor of AB Tower has panoramic city views and cocktails from ₫200,000. Or keep it local at a bia hơi stall by the river watching the city light up.

Grab to Cholon (District 5) — Saigon's sprawling Chinatown. Bình Tây Market is the wholesale hub in a beautiful art-deco building. Thiên Hậu Temple (1760) has elaborate ceramic roof figurines and giant incense coils. The surrounding streets sell traditional Chinese medicine, dried goods, and the largest selection of fabric in the city.

Visit the Jade Emperor Pagoda (free) — the finest Chinese temple in the city with carved doors, ceramic figurines, and heavy incense. Then explore District 3 — The Snap Cafe in a converted apartment and Cong Caphe (communist-themed, coconut coffee ₫45,000) are local favourites. District 3 is where young Saigonese hang out — creative, affordable, and very local.

Queue at Bánh Mì Huỳnh Hoa on Lê Thị Riêng Street — the legendary overstuffed baguette (₫55,000) with pâté, cold cuts, and pickled vegetables. The queue is always long but moves fast. Explore the Bến Thành Night Market after 6pm for cheaper clothes and street food. End at a rooftop bar overlooking the Nguyễn Huệ pedestrian boulevard — Saigon's Times Square equivalent.

Book a Mekong Delta day trip (₫500,000–800,000 with transport, lunch, and boat). The Mekong River splits into a labyrinth of tributaries, canals, and islands south of Saigon. Cruise through floating markets where vendors sell fruit, vegetables, and phở from boats. The Cái Bè floating market is closest (2 hours from Saigon). Cần Thơ's Cái Rang floating market is larger but requires an overnight.

The tour typically visits a coconut candy workshop on a river island, a honey farm with bee tastings, and a local home where you eat tropical fruit and listen to traditional đàn tranh (zither) music. Kayak or row through narrow palm-lined canals — the scenery is lush and peaceful. Lunch is usually elephant ear fish (cá tai tượng) wrapped in rice paper with herbs — a Mekong specialty.

Return to Saigon by late afternoon. Walk the Nguyễn Huệ pedestrian boulevard — Saigon's main promenade with the Ho Chi Minh statue, fountains, and locals rollerblading and skateboarding. The apartment building at 42 Nguyễn Huệ has been converted into a vertical warren of cafes, each floor with different themes and views. Dinner at a local cơm tấm stall in the surrounding streets.

Visit the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum (₫30,000) — a gorgeous French colonial building with yellow facades housing Vietnamese art from lacquerware to contemporary installations. Then walk to Nguyễn Văn Bình Book Street — a pedestrianized lane of bookshops, cafes, and flower stalls. The nearby Saigon Opera House (Nhà Hát Thành Phố) is a beautiful Flamboyant-style building from 1897.

Grab to the FITO Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine (₫120,000) in District 10 — a beautifully curated museum in a traditional wooden building covering 3,000 years of Vietnamese herbal medicine. The collection includes ancient texts, tools, and a recreated traditional pharmacy. Then head to the Tân Định Church — a stunning pink church in District 3 that has become one of Saigon's most photographed buildings.

Cross to District 2's Thảo Điền for Saigon's best dining scene. Anan Saigon (from ₫150,000) serves modern Vietnamese cuisine from a chef who trained at Eleven Madison Park. For something casual, The Blanket serves Vietnamese tapas in a garden setting. End at Heart of Darkness craft brewery (₫80,000/pint) or BiaCraft — both are favorites of Saigon's international community.

Book a morning scooter tour with a local guide (₫400,000–700,000 for 4 hours, guide drives) — the best way to experience Saigon's controlled chaos from the back of a motorbike. Tours weave through District 4 alleys, Cholon backstreets, and hidden local markets that no walking tour reaches. The guides share real stories about Saigon life. XO Tours and Saigon on Bikes are reputable operators.

Grab to Hồ Thị Kỷ flower market in District 10 — a fragrant alley of flower stalls that also hides an incredible Cambodian food market. Khmer-style num banh chok (noodle soup) and bò lá lốt (grilled beef in betel leaves) for under ₫40,000. Then walk through the surrounding residential lanes for quintessential Saigon — laundry strung between buildings, motorbikes parked on narrow stairs, and food stalls everywhere.

Head to the Bitexco Financial Tower — Saigon's most iconic skyscraper shaped like a lotus bud. The Saigon Skydeck (₫200,000) on the 49th floor has panoramic views, or spend the same amount on a cocktail at EON Heli Bar on the 52nd floor with the same view plus a drink. Then walk to Bùi Viện for one last cheap Bia Saigon on the street — Saigon's farewell tradition.

Start with a final Vietnamese coffee at a local phin coffee shop — sit on the tiny plastic stools and watch Saigon wake up around you. Walk through the District 1 backstreets for one last dose of the motorbike chaos, the food smells, and the energy. Visit the Saigon Central Mosque on Đông Du Street — a beautiful minimalist mosque that is a reminder of the city's diversity.

Bến Thành Market for last-minute souvenirs — lacquerware, silk, Vietnamese coffee beans, and áo dài (traditional dress). Saigon Square on Lê Lợi has cheaper clothes and bags. For premium Vietnamese coffee beans, visit Là Việt Coffee in District 3 — a specialty roaster selling single-origin beans (₫200,000–400,000 per bag) that make the perfect lightweight gift.

For a final meal, return to Phở Hòa Pasteur or try Phở Lệ on Võ Văn Tần — another legendary bowl. The ritual of adding herbs, bean sprouts, chili, and hoisin to your steaming bowl is the most Saigon moment there is. One last walk along the river as the city lights reflect on the Saigon River. Grab to Tân Sơn Nhất Airport (₫120,000–200,000, 30–45 minutes from District 1).