Luxury hotels in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City guide

Ho Chi Minh City: Saigon's landmarks and the Mekong Delta

French colonial landmarks, the War Remnants Museum, the Cu Chi tunnels and a day on the delta.

Saigon's French colonial landmarks, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office designed in Gustave Eiffel's era and the Opera House, are its most cited sights, along with the War Remnants Museum and the Reunification Palace, which tell the story of the war.

The Cu Chi tunnels, about ninety minutes away, and a day on the Mekong Delta, with floating markets and orchards, are the classic excursions. At night, rooftop bars look over the city, and the street food of District 1 and Ben Thanh Market is excellent. December to April is the dry season.

The Cu Chi tunnels

The Cu Chi tunnels, a network of more than 200 kilometres of underground passages dug during the wars, are the most cited excursion from Ho Chi Minh City. At Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc, visitors can crawl through sections widened for tourists and see hidden trapdoors and underground kitchens.

The tunnels are about ninety minutes away by road, or less by speedboat on the Saigon River, which makes for a more pleasant trip. Go in the morning to avoid the heat, and combine the visit with the War Remnants Museum for context.

The Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta, a vast landscape of rivers, canals and rice fields south-west of Ho Chi Minh City, is one of the most cited excursions from the city. Day trips to Ben Tre and My Tho visit coconut workshops and orchards by sampan, but an overnight stay reaches the best.

In Can Tho, the Cai Rang floating market is liveliest at dawn, when boats laden with fruit and vegetables trade on the river. Luxury river cruises also link the delta with Phnom Penh over several days.