Ready To Fall In Love?

This Southeast Asian gem is climbing to the top of travellers’ bucket lists, and it’s no wonder why. With its vibrant culture, budget-friendly costs, and unforgettable experiences, Ho Chi Minh City is a must-visit for anyone craving adventure and value. Welcome to Vietnam, baby!

Formerly known as Saigon, this energetic city is the beating heart of southern Vietnam. History and vibrancy overpower everything else, offering rich culture, delicious delicacies, and a never-sleep-all-night-long vibe.

This travel guide is packed with insights, tips, and recommendations from my own adventure with my mum this year. It covers where to stay, what to do, and what you absolutely can’t miss in just three days. Ready to fall head over heels for this Southeast Asian beauty, Ho Chi Minh City? Let’s go!

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Ho Chi Minh City is awesome!

Vietnam is an awesome destination!

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Language & Currency In Vietnam


Currency: The currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong (VND), one of the world’s least valuable currencies—making you feel like a millionaire when exchanging money! Cash is the main payment method; however, businesses also widely accept cards. Small tips are also very appreciated by the locals.

Language: Vietnamese is the official language in Vietnam, and it has a unique tone. Those in the tourist sector can also speak some English, which is useful for visitors. Google Translate is also used by the locals when there is a language barrier. Try to learn a few key phrases like ‘Xin Chao’—pronounced Zing-Ciao, which means hello—and Cam’on—pronounced come-on, which means thank you.


Day One – Getting A Feel


HOHO Bus

I love to spend the first day just getting a feel for any destination I explore. By that, I mean doing my favourite tour – the Hop On Hop Off Bus (HOHO Bus), to see as much of the city as possible.

The HOHO Bus allows you to get on and off as often as you like throughout the service. It’s made for tourists, so it stops at many popular attractions. It also includes audio with fascinating insights into the history and location you stop by.

You can take two routes in Ho Chi Minh City: Saigon Sightseeing HOHO Bus and China Town Saigon routes. There’s also a night tour route for the evening, which is usually included in your rate.

The hop on hop off bus in vietnam, aka hoho bus saigon. Transport for getting around Ho Chi Minh City in just 3 days

The HOHO Bus is super easy to use and a great way to get a feel of Ho Chi Minh City

We chose to take the City Tour Saigon route (but would have loved to take the Chinatown route also, as it features stops like the Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas, Binh Tay Market, and Ho Thi Ky Flower Market, which look awesome).


War Remnants Museum


The City Tour Saigon begins at 9 am by the meeting point, Saigon Opera House, with the last bus departing there at 4 pm. There are ten stops on this route in total. We stopped at a few stops to explore more of the location; our first stop was the War Remnants Museum, stop six on the map.

Other stops before stop 6 are Nguyen Hue Street, Nha Rong Wharf, Tran Hun Dao Statue & Bach Dang Warterbus Station, and the History Museum.

The war remnants museum in vietnam, ho chi minh city, saigon. The outside building and the war vehicle

The war remnants museum was pretty good

I’m unsure whether we got there at a bad time or if it’s just closed in general, but there’s an outdoor museum. Despite the main building not being open, it was still a pretty cool stop. It was pretty fascinating seeing the collection of military tanks, fighter jets, and artillery from the Vietnam War.

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Central Post Office & Norte Dame Cathedral


Our final stop was at stop ten, which is the Central Post Office and Norte Dame Cathedral stop. Other stops before stop ten are: Pham Ngu Lao Street, Ben Thanh Market, and Independence Palace.

The post office and notre dame building in ho chi minh city, Saigon. Popular attraction in vietnam.

2 popular spots – Central Post Office & Notre Dame Cathedral

This was a cool stop! Inside the post office, you’ll find people writing and sending postcards and some nice souvenir shops.

Outside is the Norte Dame Cathedral. It was a shame it was covered in construction when we visited during the day; however, at night, it is covered in bright lights, which was really pretty—so make some time to check it out in the evening, too.

So, the HOHO Bus was pretty good! Seeing the locals going about their daily lives from the top of the bus was nice. The audio was also very informative which was super helpful.


Beauty In The Pot


After this adventure, we were hungry, so it was time for some food. What did we find? Beauty In The Pot. This cool hotpot spot has an aesthetically pleasing interior—perfect for the gram!

Beauty in the pot - hot pot cool food spot in ho chi minh city, viietnam. Add this in your travel itinerary got saigon.

Delicious hot pot at Beauty In The Pot

It’s a 5/5 for the Beauty In The Pot experience. It was a first for my mum and I to have a hotpot, and it was such a fun experience from beginning to end. We spent nearly two hours here enjoying the food! I highly recommend the collagen hot pot base; it was super delicious.


Night Sightseeing Bus In Saigon


We headed back to our hotel to freshen up, and then it was time for the night bus, which was included in our HOHO bus ticket. The last night bus departs around 10 pm, so allow yourself plenty of time as we arrived at 7:30 and had to wait 45 minutes in the queue.

If you happen to be in Saigon on the 15th of any month, they offer a Saigon Music Tour on the double-decker bus at 7:30 pm. It costs 350.000 VND (approx. £11).

Night bus tour in saigon, cool lights on buildings in ho chi minh city

Love the night vibes in Ho Chi Minh City

We saw the city come alive with lights which was amazing! It’s a slightly different route from the day tour, which was good as we crossed the bright light bridge (Ba Son Bridge) and saw more of Ho Chi Minh City. The night bus also takes you around the Norte Dame Cathedral, so you’ll see its amazing lights.


Day Two – Full-Day Tour


Chu Chi Tunnels

Day two is usually when we like to pack in the most, so we opted for a full-day tour of the Chu Chi Tunnels with other cool attractions, and we were not disappointed! Although we started early in the morning – and returned late in the evening, we thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip; it was pretty epic.

Our guide explained the mind-blowing underground network used by Vietnamese soldiers during the war and the creation of the Cu Chi Tunnel. This historic site showcases trapdoors, underground bunkers, booby traps, old wartime experiments and even a shooting range where you can fire away!

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Shooting Range


The ammo for the shooting range is priced per bullet. I was under the impression (from online) that it was a minimum of 5, but when we went to purchase, they said a minimum of 10. So we purchased 20 bullets totalling under £40 – and money well spent, just WOW.

There are ear muffs to wear and staff to help you with the equipment. You can’t pick up the weapon; it is placed in a certain position, but you can fire away at the target ahead. This was our first time at a shooting range and a memory we’ll cherish forever.

forever living yes enjoying the shooting range in Ho Chi Minh City, vietnam

Loving the shooting range


Through The Cu Chi Tunnels


We were offered the opportunity to go via the Cu Chi Tunnels, so of course I did. However, I had a mini panic attack inside the tunnels as I felt a crazy rush of danger come over me.

The tunnels are pretty compact and dark, and I wasn’t unaware of exits along the route. I had to scream out that I needed to exit, which, thankfully, I had just approached. If I had known there were exits, I probably wouldn’t have panicked—I’d never been claustrophobic until that moment. Despite this shaky experience, I highly recommend it! It was awesome as well as petrifying.

Inside the Cu Chi Tunnels in Saigon, Vietnam. Dark and small spaced made me panic.

People used their flashlights to navigate through


Cao Dai Temple


Our next stop was the Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh. It’s a colourful, one-of-a-kind spiritual site that blends Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism, and Confucianism. It was super beautiful, with eye-catching architecture, stunning big pillars, and vibrant murals.

We were fortunate enough to witness a worship ceremony when we arrived at the Cao Dai Temple. It was a fascinating masterpiece to watch, with chanting, traditional music, and believers dressed in special outfits. Cultural lovers, this stop is for you!

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After this cool stop, we went and had lunch at a local restaurant. Once we recharged, we were ready for our final stop, the Black Virgin Mountains.


Black Virgin Mountain


Black Virgin Mountain (Nui Ba Den) is the highest peak in southern Vietnam. It offers stunning views, trails, and a mix of adventure and spirituality.

Home to ancient pagodas, caves, and legends, it’s a popular spot with a cable car adventure to the top. There were many statues, cool photo opportunities, great activities, and cultural explorations.

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My favourite part of the trip was the big Buddha, although the Cao Dai Temple was spectacular, and the shooting range was unforgettable. But the views here at Black Virgin Mountain were just unreal, and the photo opportunities were fire!

Unreal views of Big Buddha at the Black Virgin Mountain, a tour from Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam

Big Buddha at the Black Virgin Mountains was amazing!

Overall, this tour was a solid 10/10. I couldn’t recommend it highly enough, so if you plan on visiting Ho Chi Minh City for three days, make sure you fit this one in!


Day Three – Vibe & Chill


Ben Nghe Food Market

After a busy few days, we needed more chilled vibes. We decided to hit up Ben Nghe food market, which was pretty tasty. They have a lot of different food and drinks for great prices. I was completely obsessed with the lemonade and strawberry juice from the Juicy Juice Dessert stall.

Passing through the Ben Nghe Market Food Stall in Ho Chi Minh City which serves delicious food and drinks for cheap prices

The Ben Nghe Street Food was pretty awesome

We returned to the hotel to rest and pack up for departure the following day. We had booked a Sleeper Bus to Mui Ne for early in the morning, but we still had time for one last evening adventure: the sky tower and some food.


Bitexco Financial Tower


The Bitexco Financial Tower is a great choice if you want to do something more chilled and easy. It’s an iconic 262-meter skyscraper known for its sleek, lotus-inspired design. On the 49th floor is the Saigon Skydeck, which offers beautiful 360° city views; look out for the helipad.

Te bitexco financial tower in Ho Chi Minh City offers panoramic views of the city

Skytower

Also inside the Bitexco Financial tower is a fascinating mini-museum focusing on Vietnamese fashion. There’s a short film along with Ao Dai dresses that have changed throughout the ages. I absolutely loved the Ao Dai dresses so much that I decided to get one made for me in Hoi An later in the trip!


Coco Food & Beer


We finished the day with a stop at Coco Food and Beer, located on Calmette Road in Nguyen Thai Binh. To celebrate our experience in Ho Chi Minh City, we snacked on delicious prawns, pork noodles, and ciders.

Delicious food at coco food and beer restuarant in Vietnam

Coco food and beer


Accommodation In Ho Chi Minh City


We chose to spend all three days in Hotel Milestone Saigon, which is located in a good area and provides what we need. The beds were cosy, and the staff were friendly. However, the breakfast wasn’t the best. But if you’re looking for a good location for a few days, it’s a good place to stay.

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Choosing The Right Accommodation


If you know me, you’ll know I’m exceptionally great at finding boujee places for great rates! However, at least half of our 4-star accommodations in Vietnam did not meet our expectations. This is the first time I’ve really struggled with finding an exceptional stay, but saying that, it wasn’t disastrous.

I often found the ratings didn’t match the accomodation in Vietnam, which was strange – and I’ve been to 39 countries and plenty of hotels. But I realised later what the reason was behind this. The staff will ask you to give them a good rating on checkout (right there and then before you leave), and although they are super friendly with their approach, it’s inaccurate.

Where To Stay

District 1. This is the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, perfect for first-time visitors! It has top attractions like Ben Thanh Market, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Bui Vien’s nightlife. With endless dining, shopping, and easy access to historical sites, it’s the best area for convenience, culture, and excitement!

Recommend: Hotel Grand Saigon is a 5-star hotel offering great stays, good breakfasts, and clean rooms.

District 3. This location is a perfect mix of local charm and modern convenience! Known for its beautiful architecture, trendy cafes, and authentic street food, it’s less touristy than District 1 but still close to major attractions. Ideal for those who want great nightlife and shopping options!

Recommend: La Vela Saigon is a gorgeous hotel with delicious breakfast and unreal views.

Pham Ngu Lao. Here is Ho Chi Minh City’s buzzing backpacker hub, perfect for budget-friendly stays, vibrant nightlife, and endless street food. It has hostels, bars, markets, and easy access to major attractions. It’s great for social travellers and those who love an energetic city vibe!

Recommend: Na Nue Hotel offers budget-friendly rates and clean rooms.

More Hotels


FAQ Travel Tips For Saigon


  • When is the best time to visit Ho Chi Minh City? December – March is a good time as it is dry season and the weather is hot.
  • How can I get around Vietnam? Walking is a good option, or you can take the HOHO bus around the city. Alternatively, download the GRAB app (like UBER in the UK), which is inexpensive. For example, a 15-minute trip costs me under £2. For longer distances, sleeper coaches and trains are accessible.
  • Is it safe for travellers, including solo travellers? Vietnam is generally safe for travellers, including solo travellers. It is typically one of many countries first-time travellers choose to explore in South East Asia. You should also check the GOV.UK site for updated information on safety.
  • How much can I fit into my 3-day trip to Saigon? You can do as little or as much as you like on a three-day trip to Saigon. Three days was enough, but ideally, four days to cover a few other points of interest would be ideal.
  • How much spending money should I bring for 3 days? Excluding hotels, we spent around £300 in total for two people on average. This included food, activities every day, and transport.
  • What didn’t you like about Vietnam? Honestly, the hygiene. There was much coughing without covering the mouth, which irritated me. However, this could not stop me from absolutely loving Vietnam!
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That’s A Wrap!


So there you have it, a guide on how to spend 3 days exploring Ho Chi Minh City. With plenty to see and do, following this guide will help you live your best life in Saigon.

Whether you do it all or parts of it, I tried and tested myself, and I believe your time in Vietnam will be fabulous. So what are you waiting for? Vietnam is ready for YOU! Find flights now!

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