01

First time

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Photo: 源義信 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons 01 Ho Chi Minh City travel guide for first-timers: visas, weather, money, getting around The questions people ask most before their first trip to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), in one place. Where there's a longer guide, it's linked. Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons 02 Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City center: Grab, taxi or bus Tan Son Nhat (Tân Sơn Nhất) Airport is about 7 km from District 1. Without traffic it's a 25-minute drive. In evening rush hour it can take 45 minutes or more. Photo: Steffen Schmitz (more photos) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons 03 Where to exchange money in Ho Chi Minh City: airport, exchange counters and ATMs Short version: change a little at the airport, then use an exchange counter in District 1 or an ATM. Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons 04 SIM card or eSIM in Vietnam, and how to use Grab in Ho Chi Minh City Maps, rides and translation all need data in Ho Chi Minh City. The main thing is to have it working the moment you land. Photo: Bahnfrend · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons 05 Common scams in Ho Chi Minh City and how to avoid them Violent crime against visitors is rare in Ho Chi Minh City. What tourists actually run into is overcharging and petty theft. In August 2026 the city's tourism d

02

Where to stay

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Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons 06 Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City: District 1, District 3, Thao Dien, District 7 and Cholon compared Ho Chi Minh City is big, and where you stay shapes every day of your trip. Here's how the main areas compare.

03

Food

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Photo: Satdeep Gill · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons 07 What to eat in Ho Chi Minh City, with Michelin Bib Gourmand picks Pho is only the start. Here are the dishes worth knowing by name, plus a few places from the 2026 MICHELIN Guide's Bib Gourmand list (good food at good prices). Photo: Kritzolina · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons 08 The best pho and cơm tấm in Ho Chi Minh City: 4 Michelin Bib Gourmand spots Breakfast in Saigon means pho or cơm tấm. These four are on the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand list and easy to reach from Districts 1 and 3. Photo: HỒ TRỌNG BA · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons 09 How to order at local restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City without an English menu The best local spots in Ho Chi Minh City often have a Vietnamese-only menu. That's no reason to skip them. Here's how to order with confidence. Photo: HungryHuy · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons 10 Saigon coffee guide: Vietnamese coffee drinks and where to try them There's a café on almost every street in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnamese coffee is brewed strong from robusta beans and usually served with condensed milk, ice or

04

Nightlife

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11 Karaoke in Ho Chi Minh City: types, how you're charged, and checking the bill "Karaoke" signs are everywhere in Ho Chi Minh City. The sign tells you almost nothing about how you'll be charged inside, though, and that's where first-timers Photo: HĐ · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons 12 Entertaining business partners in Ho Chi Minh City: dinner, the second round, and getting home Business in Vietnam runs on relationships. One good dinner often moves a deal further than a week of emails, which is why evening entertaining shows up on almos Photo: Minh Khiem · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons 13 Rooftop bars in Saigon: five that are open, with hours, happy hours and dress codes A lot of "best rooftop bars in Saigon" lists still include places that have shut. These five have working official pages and were operating in 2026. Photo: Bahnfrend · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons 14 Saigon nightlife guide: Bùi Viện, cocktail bars, clubs and what to watch out for Bùi Viện is where most visitors end up on their first night: loud, cheap and packed. If that's not your thing, the city has quieter cocktail bars and a couple o

05

Spa & golf

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Photo: trungydang · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons 15 Massage in Ho Chi Minh City: prices, tipping and how to pick a legitimate spa Massages here are cheap by most standards. The tricky part is that searching "Saigon massage" turns up legitimate spas and sex-work fronts side by side. Below a Photo: PattayaPatrol · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons 16 Golf courses near Saigon: where to play, green fees, caddie tips and booking You can be on a course 30 minutes after leaving the centre, or drive to the coast and stay the night. What's hard is pricing: most courses sell through booking

06

Sightseeing

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Photo: trungydang · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons 17 One day in central Saigon: a walking route, ticket prices and timing Most of Saigon's big sights sit within about a kilometre of each other in former District 1, so you can do them on foot in a day. The heat is the real constrain Photo: MinhVN123 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons 18 Day trips from Ho Chi Minh City: Cu Chi tunnels, the Mekong Delta and Vung Tau The three classic day trips are the Cu Chi tunnels, the Mekong Delta and the beach town of Vung Tau. All three involve a lot of time on the road or water, so on