One Day in Ho Chi Minh City Itinerary: What to do in 24 hours in Saigon

What to do and see if you have only one day in Ho Chi Minh City? In this article, I will help you to look at Ho Chi Minh Itinerary for one day, things to do within 24 hours. It is a very short time but you will be able to see the most famous sights of Saigon.

Ho Chi Minh City is a major city in South Vietnam, home to an important international airport called Tan Son Nhat airport. It often serves as the transit hub for international travelers before heading to other parts of Vietnam like Phu Quoc, Da Lat, or Nha Trang.

While I often recommend spending at least two to three days in the city, you can see many key attractions within a day. All main sights are centrally located in the city center, so you can easily explore most of them within a half or full day.

Is one day enough in Ho Chi Minh City?

In my opinion, one day in Ho Chi Minh won’t be enough to explore everything, but with good planning, you can see the most popular attractions of the city, try some Vietnamese food, visit some local markets, and enjoy the nightlife.

Generally speaking, within 24 hours, you can explore the city center with attractions such as the War Museum, Independence Palace, Central Post Office, and Notre Dame Cathedral.

You can do some shopping at Ben Thanh Market or Central Market. At night, you can check out many bars and nightclubs in Bui Vien Walking street and Nguyen Hue walking street.

Within one day, you can try as much Vietnamese food as you can. Famous dishes to try are pho, banh mi, com tam, bun thit nuong, goi cuon, and bun bo.

One day is not enough to do day trips from Ho Chi Minh. With extra days, you can consider taking day tours to Mekong Delta or Cu Chi Tunnels. You can learn more about war history at the tunnel, as well as the river life and visit floating markets in the Mekong region.

You can explore the city center easily on foot or Grab. You can also consider taking guided tours, which will give more insights of local culture in a short time. I took the city jeep tours and highly recommended it. There are also street food tours, cooking classes, or walking tours.

Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City for one night?

In my experience, District 1 is the most convenient area to stay in Saigon for one night. This is the heart of the city, so you’ll have easy access to major sights, as well as the city’s best restaurants and bars. Additionally, district 1 has high concentrations of hotels for all budgets.

If you like trendy and upscale atmospheres, I recommend booking a hotel around Nguyen Hue, Dong Khoi, and the riverside area. If you prefer a backpacker atmosphere, and bustling nightlife, you can choose to stay near the Bui Vien and Pham Ngu Lao area.

District 3 is also a good alternative option to district 1. If you want a more local atmosphere while still being close to main attractions, you can consider staying in district 3.

What to do and see in Ho Chi Minh City in One day?

War Remnants Museum

The War Museum is one of the must-see attractions in Ho Chi Minh City, especially if you are interested in learning more about the Vietnam-American war.

You can view photographs, read stories, and military equipment such as tanks, helicopters, and actual weapons. There is an area documenting the atrocities and aftermath of the war, especially the toxic effects of Agent Orange on Vietnamese.

The War Museum is centrally located in district 3, very close to other popular attractions like Independence Palace, Ben Nghe street food market, and Ben Thanh Market. You can buy a ticket at the entrance and spend a couple of hours exploring this building.

Reunification Palace (Independence Palace)

Reunification Palace is another top attraction in Ho Chi Minh City. It is conveniently located in district 1, just 10 minute walk from the War Museum, and very close to Tao Dan park, Central Post office, and Ben Nghe street food market.

Reunification Palace was originally built during the French colonial period as the residence of the French governor, but it was later rebuilt and became the residence and office of Nguyen Van Thieu, the president of South Vietnam.

It is best known as the site when a North Vietnamese tank crashed through its gates in April 1975, ending the Vietnam American war.

You can buy a ticket at the main gate and spend a couple of hours exploring this complex, the ground, different rooms, and the underground bunkers. There is a cafe restaurant inside the area where you can sit, relax, and have a meal after exploration.

Saigon Central Post Office

HCMC Central Post Office — HCMC Post Office

Saigon Central Post Office is a famous sight in Ho Chi Minh City. It is centrally located in district 1, right next to the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Book Street.

This building has beautiful French architecture. It was designed by Gustave Eiffel and built between 1886 and 1891 during the French colonial period.

You can spend around 30 minutes here admiring its inside and outside architecture. You can also send letters or purchase souvenirs here.

In front of the Central Post Office, you can spot the rooftop of Former CIA Building, where the last US helicopter evacuations took place in 1975 during the Fall of Saigon.

Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon

Notre Dame Cathedral, located near the Central Post Office, is one of the iconic attractions of Ho Chi Minh City. It is currently under renovations, so you can have some look from the outside.

This building has beautiful French colonial architecture, built between 1863 and 1880, featuring a red brick façade, twin bell towers, and stained glass windows.

Ben Thanh Market

Ben Thanh Market is one of the must-see attractions in Saigon. It can be very hectic and chaotic for first-timers to the city, but it is absolutely well worth a visit. Even if you don’t plan to buy anything, just go to have a look and experience local life.

You can find everything here at the market, from clothes to traditional handicraft and food. Just remember to bargain as you do at any market in Vietnam or South East Asia.

Ben Thanh Market is open daily and centrally located in district 1. You can easily reach this market by using Grab. The market and area surrounding it can be crowded, so be sure to take good care of your belongings to avoid pickpocketing.

Central Market

Central Market is the smaller version of the Ben Thanh market. It is located on Pham Ngu Lao street, only a 10 minute walk away. This is a good spot to check out for more shopping. You can find similar goods here but with cheaper prices than Ben Thanh.

Saigon Skydeck

Saigon is packed with skyscrapers, especially in district 1. You can have stunning views of the city and Saigon river from many rooftop terraces in the city.

Saigon Skydeck is one of the top places for taking in the skyline, especially at sunset. Additionally, you can learn some history of the city from its establishment. The ticket can be bought onsite at the ground floor, it is quite expensive but I think it is well worth it.

Saigon Skydeck is located very close to Nguyen Hue Walking Street and Saigon River. You can spend one hour here exploring different parts of the city from above.

Nguyen Hue Walking Street

Nguyen Hue Walking Street is a popular part of Saigon. This street along with Dong Khoi street nearby are some of the most expensive areas in Ho Chi Minh. They are surrounded by luxury hotels, high-end shopping malls, and trendy bars.

On this street, you can explore the City Hall, Ho Chi Minh statue, Apartment Building, as well as many cafes, shops, and street vendors. It often holds many events and is a popular hangout place for both visitors and locals.

Bui Vien Walking Street

Bui Vien Walking Street is the top place to go for nightlife in Ho Chi Minh City. It is centrally located in district 1 and is packed with a variety of bars, restaurants, and street food vendors.

This area offers a lively nightlife scene as well as many affordable accommodations and food options. You can find many hostels and backpacker guest houses in Bui Vien and the nearby Pham Ngu Lao street.

Try Vietnamese food and iced coffee

With one day in Vietnam, you can try many foods such as pho, banh mi, and com tam. If you love coffee, be sure to try Vietnamese iced coffee which helps you cool down on hot days.

Check out a rooftop bar

There are many rooftop terraces in Ho Chi Minh City where you can grab a drink and enjoy stunning views of the city. Popular rooftop bars include Social Club Rooftop Bar at Hôtel des Arts Saigon, or Saigon Saigon Rooftop Bar at Caravelle Hotel.

4 hour Ho Chi Minh City jeep tour

I recommend taking the guided tour, such as a jeep tour, especially if you have a short time in Ho Chi Minh City or just simply want to explore the city more in-depth. The tour will pick you up and drop you off at the hotel, and help you navigate around easily.

I took the jeep tour when visiting the city as a couple and highly recommend it. This tour will take you to both famous and lesser-known sights such as:

Emperor Jade Pagoda
Notre Dame Cathedral
Saigon central Post Office
Independence Palace
War Museum
Ben Thanh market
Nguyen Hue Walking Street, City Hall, and Opera House

Chinatown district 5

While one day will probably give you time to comfortably explore the city center and district 1, you can consider exploring Chinatown district 5 if you are interested in Chinese food, local life, and some attractions such as Thien Hau pagoda.

You can use reading share services such as Grab or Xanh SM to get to district 5. Grab is an Uber alternative and Xanh SM offers electric vehicles for transportation.

While in district 5, you can visit Thien Hau pagoda, stroll around, explore different streets, and try Chinese dishes such as dim sum. You can consider taking a street food tour in this neighborhood.

One Day in Ho Chi Minh City Itinerary

The tourist area of Ho Chi Minh City is quite compact, you can easily spend a half or full day exploring all of them. It doesn’t need to be in order, just pick the place you want to see and go for it. From one location, you can easily walk or use Grab to another location.

Morning:

Start morning by having a buffet Breakfast at your hotel or check out many street food restaurants for traditional Vietnamese dishes such as Pho or Banh Mi.

War Remnants Museum (2 to 3 hours depending on your curiosity to the history)
Reunification Palace (1-2 hour)
Notre Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office (15-30 minutes)
Ben Thanh Market (around 1 hour, you can have a meal here).

Afternoon:

Saigon Skydeck at Bitexco Financial Tower (1 hour)
Nguyen Hue Walking Street (wandering around, checking Ho Chi Minh statue, City Hall, Opera House, Dong Khoi Street, Apartment Building, and Bach Dang River park)

Evening:

Find a nice place to have dinner
Bui Vien Walking Street

See more:

This is my recommendation for how to spend one day in Ho Chi Minh City and Saigon Itinerary for 24h. Basically, within one day, you can see many key attractions in the city center. You’ll have a chance to try authentic Vietnamese food, buy some souvenirs, and have some fresh local beers.

It is not recommended to take a day trip to Cu Chi tunnel or Mekong delta if you have such a short time in this city though. You can do it when you have extra days in Saigon.