2 Days Itinerary in Ho Chi Minh

The First day in Ho Chi Minh

Spend your first day exploring the city center highlights. With a map, you can travel on foot around the city downtown on your own. A package tour is also available if you want a tour guide to explain about these places. 

Start your day with a quick glance at Ben Thanh Market, the symbol of the city. If you are keen on shopping, here is exactly the place you are looking for. Besides goods for daily use, tourists can find a variety of eye-catching local handicrafts, souvenirs. Pick up some gifts for friends and family or something to remind you about your trip to Ho Chi Minh City. Here, you can learn about the local life and get useful experience for shopping in Vietnam also.

Ben Thanh Market

Then, you can either walk or take a taxi to the Notre Dame Cathedral. Nearby, you may have a look at Saigon Post Office, one of the oldest and largest post offices in Ho Chi Minh City. From Saigon Post Office, it takes you about 10 minutes to walk to the Reunification Palace on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai – Nam Ky Khoi Nghia crossroads, being built in 1966 for the South Vietnamese President. The last impressive place you should not miss is the War Remnants Museum on Vo Van Tan Street.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Return to Ben Thanh Market for lunch. There are a number of vendors and food stalls in the market food section that offers guests various kinds of freshly made local dishes like ‘banh xeo’, ‘banh cuon’, ‘banh beo’, ‘cha gio’, ‘hu tiu’, etc.

In the afternoon, pay a visit to the Cho Lon (Big Market) area or Saigon’s China Town in District 5, a place of great historical and cultural importance with its root dating back to 1778. Here you can see classical Chinese architecture reminiscent of years gone by with plenty of Chinese restaurants. Binh Tay Market at the center is the main draw to Cho Lon to enjoy the authentic Chinese atmosphere that has existed for hundreds of years. When you are in Cho Lon, don’t forget to check out the Quan Am Pagoda and Thien Hau Pagoda.

After a festive dinner, you can experience Ho Chi Minh City nightlife by walking around the shopping area of the City Post Office and the Notre Dame Cathedral or Ben Thanh Market. Street vendors and street food stores still open making the atmosphere more exciting.

Saigon Night Life

The second day in Saigon

On the second day, a Mekong delta trip from Saigon is a great idea to discover the other picture of Vietnam and escape from the bustling city as well. Take a morning excursion to visit Cao Dai Divine Temple in Tay Ninh. It takes 2 hours and a half to arrive at the holy headquarters. You will have an opportunity to learn about unique Caodaism - Vietnam's own religion incorporated aspects of Buddhism, Taoism,

Confucianism, and even Catholicism. You are recommended to arrive no later than 11:00, to explore inside the temple, and take a good place to view the mass at 12:00. In the sacred area, vendors are not allowed, so it is advisable to bring water and sunblock. By its distance to the center of Ho Chi Minh City, your journey should be carried out jointly with an outing to the Cu Chi Tunnels.

After lunch, travel to Cu Chi District. Cu Chi Tunnels is an elaborate underground community made up of 250 km of tunnels and chambers. You need an expert guide to get a glimpse at the history of the tunnels and why they were truly a feat of engineering and ingenuity. Only they can tell you the stories of the underground schools, restaurants, and homes that housed thousands of Vietnamese for years as well as incredible ways that the tunnels helped thousands of Vietnamese soldiers and families survive the war.

Cu Chi Tunnel

Getting back to Ho Chi Minh City center in the late afternoon, spend your rest time in the city to relax or go shopping.  

Ho Chi Minh City is a great city to live in, and it is a great place to visit. After 2 days in Ho Chi Minh City, you will have a mixed feeling about your experience. Remember to check for advice and travel tips before your trip to have a wonderful vacation and unforgettable experiences in Vietnam.

Mai Linh

Image sources: Internet