4 Days in Ho Chi Minh City: Our Saigon Itinerary, Experience & Tips
Traveling to Saigon soon and looking for some inspiration? Here’s how we spent 4 days in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Ho Chi Minh City, previously known as Saigon, was the former capital of South Vietnam, known for its rich history, well-preserved cultural sites, vibrant coffee culture, and delicious Vietnamese food, of course!
We traveled for 4 days in Ho Chi Minh City and experienced the best of what this charming city has to offer – from sampling the best phở, bánh mì, and cà phê sữa đá (Vietnamese iced coffee with milk) to following the footsteps of the Vietnamese soldiers in the Cu Chi Tunnels.
Let us walk you through our whole journey, complete with a detailed itinerary and tips to make the most of your trip.
Things to prepare before your Saigon trip
Travel documents
1. Passport – Make sure your passport has at least a 6-month validity before your trip.
2. Accommodation – Find Ho Chi Minh hotels and stays in Agoda, Booking.com, Klook, or Trip.com. We booked this Luong Huu Khanh Homestay located in District 1, which accommodated our group of 7 guests. See our list of cheap hotels in Ho Chi Minh.
3. Flights – As soon as Cebu Pacific launched direct flights from Cebu to Saigon, we booked the promo fare for only ₱4,103 (round-trip) at the time.
4. e-Travel (Philippines) – Fill out the online eTravel QR Code at least 3 days before your departure and arrival in the Philippines. If you are traveling with direct family members (e.g. parents, siblings), you can generate the QR code for them under your account.
5. Tours – Book your Saigon tours on KKday or Klook in case the PH immigration officer asks for it when you leave the Philippines. Use our KKday promo codes: CNTKK5 (5% OFF) and CNTKK10 (10% OFF) upon checkout to get discounts.
Travel essentials
6. Connectivity – Secure your Vietnam SIM or eSIM for navigation and communication. We used this Viettel eSIM in Saigon, which gave us a fast and reliable connection throughout our trip.
7. Transportation – Most of the time, we used Grab for transportation around the city. Be sure to have your Grab app ready for easy navigation. You can also download the MultiGo app (Google Play; App Store) for public transport routes.
Other things to prepare
8. Travel insurance – While this is not mandatory, we recommend you get travel insurance for peace of mind. We got this TravelJoy insurance for Philippine residents. You can also check more options on Klook Protect.
9. Outfit – Ho Chi Minh City has a tropical climate with two major seasons: wet season (May-Nov) and dry season (Dec-Apr). Prepare your outfits according to the season. We went there during the wet season (Sep), so we packed some jackets and parkas, and waterproof footwear.
Best areas to stay in Saigon
We researched the best areas to stay in Saigon and sieved through a long list of accommodation options. We narrowed down our options to these two popular areas:
1. Nguyễn Huệ – Central area in District 1 close to many top Saigon attractions, including the Cafe Apartment and Saigon Opera House
2. Bui Vien Walking Street – Known for vibrant nightlife and cheap Saigon stays for backpackers and budget travelers
Our accommodation: Luong Huu Khanh Homestay
After a long search for the best Ho Chi Minh stays, we finally picked the 3BR apartment of Luong Huu Khanh Homestay as it can accommodate our group of 7 pax for 4 nights. It also has a laundry area and a kitchen with games to keep you entertained during your stay.
This budget-friendly homestay is located in District 1, close to basically everything, from the local shops and cafes to public transportation. You may read our actual Luong Huu Khanh Homestay review on Agoda.
Address: 196 Nguyen Trai, Phuong Phạm Ngu Lao, Quan 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Distance from Bui Vien: 750m (11-min walk)
Rates: VND 7,778,588 (US$295 / ₱17,739.09) for 4 nights (3BR Apartment good for 7 pax)
Our planned Ho Chi Minh itinerary 4 days
Day 0: Arrival
- Arrival at Saigon (Tan Son Nhat International Airport – Terminal 2)
- Late check-in: Luong Huu Khanh Homestay
Day 1: Culture & City Sights | Saigon Opera House
Morning:
- Reunification Palace
- Notre-Dame Cathedral of Saigon
- Saigon Central Post Office
Lunch:
- Eat local Vietnamese food at A Taste of Saigon
Afternoon:
- War Remnants Museum
- Dong Khoi Street
- Chill at The Cafe Apartment and try cà phê sữa đá at 1971’s
Night:
Day 2: Free & Easy | Chill Day
*Day 2 Option: Mekong River Day Tour from Ho Chi Minh: KKday | Klook
Morning:
- Brunch at Ben Thanh Market
Afternoon:
- Cafe hopping
- Shopping for pasalubong (souvenirs):
- Saigon Kitsch
- Ben Thanh Night Market
- An Dong Market
- Nguyen Tri Phuong Market
- Ho Chi Minh Flea Market
- Shopping for sports apparel:
- VNB Sports
- TF Badminton
- SG Cầu Lông Shop
- XB Sports
Night:
- Dinner at a local restaurant
Day 3: Cu Chi Tunnels
Morning:
Afternoon:
- Chill at a local cafe
Night:
- Dinner at Nguyen Hue Walking Street
- Spa treatment: L’Apothiquaire Spa or Temple Leaf Spa
Day 4: Prepare for departure
Morning:
- 11am: Check out: Luong Huu Khanh Homestay
- 12nn: Lunch at a local restaurant
Afternoon:
- 3pm: Chill or last-minute shopping
Night:
- 6pm: Dinner
- 7pm: Leave for airport
- 12am: Flight back home
Our actual Ho Chi Minh City itinerary and experience
Day 0: Arrival
Those from Cebu arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport – Terminal 2 around 10pm, with the rest of the group from Manila arriving past midnight.
The queue at the immigration counter in Saigon was so long; we lined up for about an hour to get cleared. Then, we booked a Grab to Luong Huu Khanh Homestay, which was about a 30 to 40-minute drive from the airport.
The homestay has a self check-in, so we didn’t have to worry about arriving late. Our friendly host was also fast in communicating and answering our queries via WhatsApp. We arrived around midnight, washed up, and called it a day.
Day 1: Culture & city sights
We started day 1 of our 4 days in Ho Chi Minh not too early since we needed to get enough rest the previous night.
Independence Palace
First stop on our Saigon itinerary was the Independence Palace, also called the Reunification Hall, where the Fall of Saigon happened on 30 Apr 1975, ending the Vietnam War. We didn’t get to enter as we were already pressed for time.
Address: Ben Thanh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Admission: VND50,000 (Adult); VND20,000 (Child)
A Taste of Saigon
We then had lunch at A Taste of Saigon, one of the must-try restaurants offering local Vietnamese specialties like the signature grilled pork vermicelli and broken rice.
It was quite challenging to locate their old market branch as it is hidden inside an old building that can be easily overlooked.
We took a photo of this entryway so you won’t get lost like we did:
Address (Old Market): 42/6B Đ. Tôn Thất Thiệp, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
Address (Kitchen): 272 Đề Thám, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
The Cafe Apartment
Of course, we can’t leave Saigon without visiting The Cafe Apartment, an entire building full of cafes and shops.
With so many cafe options, you’ll be spoilt for choice. We chose 1971’s Cafe (upper right part) as it is a top-rated cafe and recommended by a friend.
We didn’t regret the decision as their cà phê sữa đá (iced Vietnamese coffee) is truly divine!
Address: 42 Nguyễn Huệ, Street, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
More cultural sites
We also visited the Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was still under renovation, and the Saigon Central Post Office, where you can mail actual postcards and shop for local items.
A O Show at Saigon Opera House
We arrived at the Saigon Opera House around 5pm, presented our KKday mobile vouchers, and exchanged them for actual tickets. There was a brief introduction before the show started at exactly 6pm.
Tip: There is no strict dress code, but we recommend that you dress appropriately, as this is a culturally significant show and setting.
We learned so much about Vietnam’s colorful history, from its humble beginnings to what it is today, all presented in jaw-dropping sequences with innovative props, pulsating beats, and acrobatic moves — definitely something we’ve never seen before. You have to see it for yourself!
Where to buy tickets: KKday | Klook
Prices: VND800,000 (‘aah’ Section); VND1,250,000 (‘ooh’ Section); VND1,750,000 (‘wow’ Section)
Phê La
After the A O Show, we had dinner at a local restaurant in Nguyen Hui and capped off our first day at Phê La, a local cafe in Saigon known for its oolong tea drinks and handcrafted specialty coffee. This was also recommended by the staff from A Taste of Saigon, so we tried it.
Day 2: Shopping & food trip
We particularly reserved day 2 for shopping and indulging in more local food.
Nguyen Trai Street
Our homestay in Nguyen Trai Street is just within walking distance to many local cafes and food shops.
For breakfast, we tried the special banh mi from Bánh Mì Bà Huynh (Madam Win), a well-loved local banh mi store. You can tell how good their banh mi is with the long queue of customers every morning.
We also had our coffee from Highlands Coffee, a popular Vietnamese coffee shop chain, with the majority of its shares now owned by Jollibee Foods Corporation.
Bu Vien Walking Street
In the morning, we explored Bu Vien Walking Street and shopped for badminton apparel at the nearby VNB Premium and Luong Sport.
We had lunch in a random local eatery named Com Tam Chi Hang. Then, we ordered coffee, tea, and desserts at Phuc Long, a famous Vietnamese tea and coffee chain established in 1968.
The shopping spree continues
Since we had different interests, we had to split and go to different shopping places. Some of us continued our badminton shopping at DKN Store, VNB Sports, and Dai Hung. The rest went to RUBIES for women’s clothing, and The New Playground, an underground shopping area in Saigon selling affordable local streetwear.
Ben Thanh Market
Our last shopping stop was Ben Thanh Market to buy some pasalubong (souvenirs), including keychains, ref magnets, hand-painted fans, coffee, and other food items.
Tip: Before buying anything at Ban Thanh, check the prices in other areas as the vendors here tend to bloat the prices to make you think you get a huge discount, when in reality, you can find cheaper alternatives outside just like what happened to us. We bought some coffee grounds here only to find out we could buy the same coffee at a significantly lower price in a local cafe.
Dim Tu Tac
Come dinner time, we went to Dim Tu Tac, a must-try dimsum place in Saigon, which was awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its relatively affordable Cantonese cuisine.
Day 3: Cu Chi Tunnels & more local food
We made sure to add the Cu Chi Tunnels to our Saigon itinerary. Indeed, it was a major highlight of our Ho Chi Minh trip!
Lam Phat 2 Company stop over
Before going to the actual Cu Chi Tunnels site, we stopped by the Lam Phat 2 Company. It produces seashell and lacquered eggshell handicrafts made by the victims of Agent Orange, a herbicide used by the US Military during the Vietnam War.
Cu Chi Tunnels
At the Cu Chi Tunnels, we followed the footsteps of Vietnamese soldiers as they built these tunnels and lived underground, protecting their land. It was certainly an interesting and immersive way to learn about Vietnam’s war history and ingenuity.
Crawling through the dark, narrow tunnels was breathtaking (quite literally!). Be warned, though, while this activity is exhilarating, we don’t recommend it if you are claustrophobic like some of us.
Kudos to our dynamic tour guide Kevin from TNK Travel for making our Cu Chi Tunnels experience an incredible one.
Book Cu Chi Tunnels tour: KKday | Klook
Jollibee in Saigon
After our Cu Chi Tunnels tour, we were dropped off at the nearest Jollibee branch to have our lunch. We can say that the food quality here was so much better than in the Philippines, especially their Chicken Joy and Jolly Spaghetti. The main difference was that their Jollibee does not have the signature gravy.
La Viet Coffee
Just a few steps from Jollibee is La Viet Coffee, a local Vietnamese coffee brand known for its specialty coffee and high-quality Arabica beans. This was where we found out that the coffee grounds in Ben Thanh Market were overpriced since the ones sold here were significantly cheaper.
Pho Viet Nam
It was raining, so we wanted to slurp a bowl of pho. Despite being soaked, we walked to Pho Viet Nam, one of the best pho places in Saigon, which we later found out was just 400 meters away from our homestay.
Day 4: Last-minute shopping and flight back home
It’s the last and final day, but we still have more than 10 hours before our flight. So, after checking out of Luong Huu Khanh Homestay at 11am, we decided to head over to Saigon Centre to have our lunch and explore the nearby spots.
Pizza 4P’s
We had our lunch at Pizza 4P’s, a well-known Japanese-Italian pizza restaurant in Vietnam. Just look at that mouthwatering pizza on our table. It’ll make you drool!
Trung Nguyen Coffee
Since we were carrying our luggage, we had to settle in a local cafe inside Saigon Centre. There were a few cafe options but we decided to chill at Trung Nguyen Coffee, one of the most reputable coffee brands in Vietnam. We tried their best-selling coffee including ca phe trung (Vietnamese egg coffee).
Shopping and massage
We still had a few hours left before our 4 days in Ho Chi Minh is over, so some of us continued shopping for badminton stuff at VNB Sports and Sunrise Sports, while others had a massage at the Nails D’ Art Saigon.
Flight back home
At around 6.30pm, we booked a Grab to Tan Son Nhat International Airport and had our last pho for dinner at the airport before our flight back to the Philippines.
And that concludes our 4 days in Ho Chi Minh City. While we covered a lot in this trip, we can say there’s still a lot more to discover. In fact, we haven’t ticked every must-try in Saigon yet.
We’ll surely be back, especially since cheap direct flights to Saigon are already available.
*Cám ơn (Thank you) to our travel buddies, our tour guide Kevin, our homestay host, and the friendly locals for making this Saigon trip one for the books.