The first evidence of a settlement in the area dates back to the Funan Empire (1st - 6th century AD). Following the fall of the Funan Empire, the area eventually came under the control of Champa, during which it was named Baigaur. With the rise of the Khmer Empire, the Chams were eventually forced out, and the settlement was incorporated into the Khmer Empire and renamed Prey Nokor. It grew to have an ethnic Khmer majority, which remained even after the fall of the Khmer Empire, and it was not until the 17th century that ethnic Vietnamese started settling in the area. In 1698, by which time it already had an ethnic Vietnamese majority, the Nguyễn lords sent Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh to the area to establish Vietnamese administrative structures, thus incorporating it into the Vietnam's Lê dynasty. In time, the city of Prey Nokor came to be known by the names Gia Định and Sài Gòn. The former was the name used for the city until French rule commenced, with the city officially called Saïgon in French.

Saigon was ceded to the French under the Treaty of Saigon in 1862, and became the capital of the French colony of Cochinchina, which covered most of what is today southern Vietnam. As a result, the city has a rich French colonial heritage, with many magnificent French colonial buildings in the city centre, along with a strong cafe culture. After independence in 1955, Saigon became the capital of the capitalist South Vietnam, with Hanoi becoming the capital of the communist North Vietnam. Saigon was captured by communist North Vietnamese forces in 1975, thus reuniting Vietnam under communist rule.

The Thu Thiem district on the east side of the Saigon River was cleared around 2010 for high-rise redevelopment. The government plans to move the residents of District 1 into the new housing, and then rebuild much more of that district.

Ho Chi Minh City has a tropical climate with wet and dry seasons. The dry season which is from December to May. The most pleasant time to visit is from December to February when temperatures and humidity are lower. March and April are the hottest time of the year with temperatures that can reach up to 40 °C (104 °F). The wet season is long, usually beginning in May and ending in October is characterized by high temperatures and humidity. Cloudy weather is more common although periods of sunshine do occur during the wet season.

• 10.818889106.6519441 Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN ^IATA, Tân Sơn Nhất) (8 km from the city center). Vietnam's largest airport with numerous international flights from major cities in East Asia and Southeast Asia, with some intercontinental services to Australia, Europe and the United States, and around 19 domestic connections.  

You can get to the city center by taxi, but the buses are much cheaper. There are several routes, and all of the buses are air-conditioned and cost differently. Bus number 152 is a city bus (green colored) costs 6000 dongs and if you have a luggage it is payable extra. It departs every 15 mins. Bus number 109 is an express one less frequent and costs 20 000 dongs. When going from the airport to the center you can buy it at the terminal. If you are going from the city center, you will get to buy the ticket from a bus conductor.

If you take a bus into Ho Chi Minh City, you will end up at one of the following bus stations:

• 10.814837106.7108912 Mien Dong Coach Station (Bến xe Miền Đông), Ben Thanh (You can take city buses #14 or #45 from/to this station (or #19 or #93 from the street Dinh Bo Linh just outside the station) to get to the city center from Ben Thanh.). Mostly buses heading north arrive and leave from here, but also Vung Tau is served through this bus station. Note that Miền Đông just means east and there is another bus station called Mien Dong Moi further out near the National University, often also called Suoi Tien Bus Station. It case locals or the bus driver want to know which one you mean, say "Mien Dong, Ben Thanh", Ben Thanh is the center, and say "Suoi Tien, no!". (updated Dec 2023)
• 10.741037106.618983 Mien Tay Bus Station (Bến Xe Miền Tây), 395 Kinh Dương Vương, Phường An Lạc, ☏ +84 2838776594. To get to the city center, take buses #2, #10, #39 or #139. (updated Dec 2023)
• 10.751265106.6511284 Cholon Bus Station (Bến xe Chợ Lớn). To get to the city center, take buses #1 or #150. (updated Aug 2017)

From these stations, public buses into and around the city will cost you 6,000-7,000 dong per journey.

• 10.76781106.691335 Private bus companies, Pham Ngu Lao (just west of De Tham, right in the center). This is where most tourist buses will end and start, including buses from and to Cambodia for US$22–25. Many companies exist along Pham Ngu Lao in range of +/-500 m, including Danh Danh, Kumho Samco, Hanh, Futa and others. (updated Dec 2023)

As you hop out of the bus, taxi drivers will surround you with questions like "Where you go?" You might be confused about your location in the city and consequently some taxi drivers will try to take advantage. You will most likely already be in Pham Ngu Lao and when you tell taxi driver to head to the same place, he will just zigzag around a few blocks to inflate the fare.

See also: Vietnam > By train

• 10.782326106.6772716 Saigon railway station (Ga Sài Gòn), 1 Nguyen Thong St (On Cach Mang Thang Tam (CMT8) northwest of the city centre, a short taxi or public bus ride away from the main hotel districts, or less than 3 km on foot.). Tickets can be bought from the official Vietnamese Railways website. There is also a ticket office at the train station with limited English proficiency. Furthermore, it is possible to purchase from the official train ticket office at 275C Pham Ngu Lao, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1. In both latter cases beware of scams. (updated May 2019)

There are five daily departures from (and to) Hanoi along the "Reunification line". Although several of the trains are called "express", all journeys take 30–35 hr. The fastest train is SE3 departing from Hanoi at 23:00 and arriving at 05:00 two days later.

Ho Chi Minh City's first metro line opened in December 2024, running between Ben Thanh Market in the city centre and Suối Tiên in the northeast. The line is only mildly useful for hops around the city centre until the full network of 8 lines is constructed.

Tickets are distance-based and cost 7,000-20,000 dong. Fare payments can be made by tapping a contactless Mastercard, Visa, JCB, UnionPay or American Express on the fare gates, including those in Apple Pay and Google Pay. Alternatively, you can buy a stored value card or single journey card at all stations.

Trains run every 8-12 min from 5 AM to 10 PM. Signs and announcements are in both Vietnamese and English.

Primary bus stations:

• 10.767963106.6878897 Saigon Bus Station (Bến xe buýt Sài Gòn). This station is in the centre of HCMC, next to Thái Bình Market. Bus 109 to the Airport stops here. (updated Dec 2024)
• 10.770924106.6988118 Ben Thanh Bus Station (Bến xe buýt Bến Thành). This station is in the centre of HCMC, next to Bến Thành Market. Bus 109 to the Airport stops here. (updated Aug 2017)

Bright green public buses serve 150 routes throughout the city. You can find maps of the bus system at the large Ben Thanh bus station across the street from Ben Thanh Market in District 1. Go into the waiting room to the desk in the middle. The buses are cheap, safe and not too crowded. Many are modern and comfortable, with such amenities as air conditioning, music, and even television. Finding the right line can be a challenge if you don't speak Vietnamese, but with the help of maps and your hotel staff you can get where you want easily. If you cannot find your way, ask the locals nicely and they will try their best to help. At the biggest bus stations you can read bus destinations at every single stop (useful, for example, if you need to get to Cholon).

The website of the bus authority includes journey planning and real-time tracking information. Routes and schedules are also available using Google Maps. The destination and number of the bus route will display along with its frequency.

The buses are efficient and fast. Most are staffed by two employees: the driver and a conductor. The driver keeps the bus moving while the fare collector interacts with the passengers. If you show the collector your trip on your phone, they'll charge you the correct fare and flag you when it's time to get off. Fares usually cost 4,000-8,000 dong. Locals claim, plausibly, that buses are even faster than taxis. The reason is that buses have an informal right of way on the streets of HCMC; when another vehicle sees a bus coming, that vehicle gets out of the way. Taxis know that they are supposed to back down from confrontations with buses. The biggest problem is that when you get off the bus, you become a pedestrian (see below).

When boarding and exiting a public bus in Ho Chi Minh City, do not expect it to “stop” at the bus stop. This means two things: first, you often need to flag a bus to stop; to do this, watch for the correct bus number and when the correct bus is about 20 meters away, make a motion with your arm as if you were hailing a taxi. Second, buses often do not come to complete stops, but slow down just enough to let passengers on and off; this is especially true the farther you get from the city center. The bus is more likely to come to a complete stop if there are elderly persons entering or exiting or a large group waiting at a bus stop. Also, if you are trying to catch a bus during rush hour traffic, it may not always be able to make its way to the side of the road where the stop is, so it may stop for passengers towards the middle of the road.

Saigon Waterbus operates a service on the Saigon River from District 1 into Tu Duc District in the north of the city. It is geared more towards local commuters than tourists, but one of its stops is located near the Hotel Majestic, making it easily accessible from the Opera House and other downtown attractions.

See also: Vietnam#By taxi

The easiest way to get around by taxi or motorbike taxi is by using any of the popular ride-hailing apps: Grab (Android, iOS), Xanh SM^{[dead link]} (Android, iOS), or the mostly in HCMC available beTaxi (Android, iOS). The English UI with address search makes navigation a cinch, fares are fixed and typically slightly cheaper than (motorbike) taxis, and you can pay by cash or credit card.

By motorbike taxi

[edit]

Motorbike taxis (xe ôm, literally hug-vehicle) are plentiful (get used to hearing "you want moto?" everywhere), but as a tourist as you are likely to get scammed if you just take a random one in the street. To protect yourself from getting scammed, use a reliable ride hailing app like Grab or be to call one. These are a cheap and safe way to get around provided you avoid getting scammed.

Agree on a price before you set off. Short hops around town shouldn't be more than 20,000 dong, if you go between districts this increases and all the way to the airport around 70,000 dong. Drivers are generally quite friendly and will go slower upon request. They are also not adverse to a bear hug if you are really struggling to hold on to the motorbike.

Many of the moto drivers, especially in District 1, speak some English and like many Vietnamese will repay you in a flood of smiles, and probably point out all the sights, if you make a little effort to get to know them.

See also: Vietnam by motorcycle

You can rent your own motorbike (called a Honda, regardless of the brand) in many places, especially around the backpacker area (Pham Ngu Lao) in District 1. 110,000 dong should get you a decent 100-110cc manual bike. Automatics are more expensive.

Driving in Saigon is best left to experienced drivers. The traffic is intense and has its own rhythms and logic. Drivers with limited experience should consider renting an automatic bike (usually a bit more expensive), as at busy crossroads there is not time for worrying about how to change gears.

Beware of thieves: always keep your motorbike in sight or parked with an attendant. Most restaurants have guards/parking attendants out front who will issue you a numbered tag and take care of your motorbike. Independent parking lots are scattered around the pavements, alleys and basements of the city. Look for rows of neatly-parked motorbikes or signs that say giu xe.

43 bicycle stations have been set up on sidewalks along major streets, namely Le Loi, Ham Nghi, Nguyen Hue, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, and Le Duan around the district, with each station housing nearly ten bicycles.

The bicycles are equipped with smart locks and GPS services which can be operated via 3G, and 4G connections, or Bluetooth.

Users can download the TNGO app on their phones to find the nearest station and register to rent bicycles, then scan a QR code to unlock the bike. Each bicycle is rented out for 5,000 dong for 30 minutes or 10,000 dong per one hour.

See also: Vietnam#On foot

Crossing the road in HCMC can be a nightmare and scary. If ever in doubt, HCMC's "Tourist Security" officers (in green uniforms) will happily help you across. A quicker way of getting across is to simply follow the lead of a local crossing the street.

The traffic police occupy themselves with random roadside checks and do not bother motorbikes who are running red lights or driving on the pavements. Instead police have cracked down on red-light walking pedestrians. While this does not mean that they will hassle you, it's possible you will be held responsible if you are involved in an accident.

Some motorbikers will use the footpath to get ahead of the traffic, so don't assume that the footpath is a safe place to be. Keep an eye out for cycle traffic coming up from behind.

• 10.77688106.701191 People's Committee Hall, Nguyen Hue St. Built as the Hôtel de Ville, it's a striking cream and yellow French colonial building beautifully floodlit at night. No entry, but the statue of Uncle Ho in front is a very popular place for photos.  
• 10.776111106.6997222 Ho Chi Minh Museum, 65 Lý Tự Trọng, Bến Nghé (in the center of the city, a few blocks from Ben Thanh Market, the Reunification Palace, and Notre Dame Cathedral). The museum, housed in a French colonial-era building, narrates the history of Ho Chi Minh City from pre-history to the present and also has exhibits on local culture and traditions. Outside, on the museum grounds, you will find cars and military vehicles of historical significance. The museum also relates the life of the modern-day father of Vietnam. The exhibits include various personal possessions of Ho Chi Minh but are mainly photographs. You may find it a little jingoistic. 30,000 dong (Feb 2020).  
• 10.7875106.70513 Museum of Vietnamese History, 2 Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm, Bến Nghé, Quận 1 (at the intersection of Le Duan St and Nguyen Binh Khiem, just inside the zoo gates). Daily 08:30-11:30, 13:30-17:00. The museum has a fine collection of Vietnamese antiquities. Read up on Vietnamese history first or you'll have no idea what you're looking at. Outside, the Botanical Gardens are very nice and a good place for a cheap lunch away from the crowds. Six times a day, you can see a 20-minute water puppet show (adult 50,000 dong, child 35,000 dong). It's quite amusing, even for adults. 30,000 dong. (updated Feb 2020)
• 10.7771106.695514 Reunification Palace (Also known as Independence Palace (the old name)), 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, ☏ +84 8 969 3272. Daily 07:30-11:00, 13:00-16:00. This is a restored 4-floor time warp to the 1960s left largely untouched from the day Saigon fell to the North; construction started in 1962 and finished in 1966. It was South Vietnam's presidential palace. The war ended on 30 Apr 1975 when Tank 843 crashed through the gate. A replica of that tank is now parked on the lawn outside. Be sure to check out the impressively kitschy recreation room, featuring a circular sofa, and the eerie basement, full of vintage 1960s phones, radios and office equipment, supposedly left exactly as it was found when the North took over. There is also a photo gallery and a propaganda film recounting how the South Vietnamese supporters and American imperialists succumbed to Ho Chi Minh's indomitable revolutionary forces, at which point the South Vietnamese supporters were forgiven and everyone lived happily ever after. Tours are available and are free, but not necessary. There is a nice outdoor café on the grounds outside the palace. 65,000 dong. (updated Feb 2020)
• 10.7795106.6925 War Remnants Museum, 28 Vo Van Tan St, ☏ +84 8 930 2112, +84 8 930 6325, +84 8 930 5587, [email protected]. Open daily 07:30-12:00, 13:30-17:00, last admission 16:30. The museum was opened in a hurry, less than five months after the fall of the South Vietnamese regime. It has moved to new premises with 3 storeys of exhibits and various US military hardware (tanks, jets, helicopters, howitzers) on display outside the building. This disturbing display of man's cruelty during the Vietnam (American) War includes halls full of gruesome photographs, a simulated "tiger cage" prison and jars of deformed foetuses attributed to contamination by Agent Orange. An exhibit on the 3rd floor tells the story of the war journalists from all over the world who documented, and often disappeared or died in the war. Watch out for the amputees who will try and sell you their wares. It's a short walk from Reunification Palace — see the museum pamphlet for a map. Entry 40,000 dong. (updated Feb 2020)
• 10.783708106.687616 Southern Women’s Museum, 202 Võ Thị Sáu, District 3 (close to the War Remnants Museum). Daily 07:30-11:30 and 13:30-17:00 daily. Often overlooked by tourists, this museum celebrates the women’s role in the society, economy, and revolutionary history of the southern part of the country. It offers informative exhibits that include photographs, historical documents, and artifacts such as statues, combat equipment used by women, paintings and dioramas, tools used in the traditional production of textiles, and ao dai worn by famous women. As of a February 2018, the second floor had an exhibit on the history of the ao dai and another on textile production, the third floor detailed women’s revolutionary contributions, and the fourth floor was under renovation. free admission.  
• 10.776188106.6718957 FITO Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine, 41 Hoàng Dư Khương, District 10 (a bit far from the city center but is easily accessible by taxi or bus). Daily 08:30-17:00. A small museum owned by the FITO company (they produce traditional pharmaceuticals) about the history of traditional medicine in Vietnam. The rooms are filled with items ranging from ingredients to tools used to produce and prepare Vietnamese medicine. Each ticket includes an informative tour of the museum and the opportunity to sample some products. The bottom floor also has a gift shop with competitively priced and high-quality traditional remedies. 120,000 dong. 
• 10.784803106.7052788 The Geological Museum of Vietnam, 2 Đ. Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, ☏ +84 918 899 169. M-F 08-16:30 (closed during lunch 11:30-13:00). A rare gem and a must see for geology & natural history enthusiasts. This 3-story building houses a collection of earthly artifacts (and even some non-earthly ones), including a few rare examples. Sadly in a state of neglect with poor lighting and little to no interpretive text. You can read more about it here. free. (updated Dec 2024)
• 10.769444106.79 Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts, 97A Phó Đức Chính, Phường Nguyễn Thái Bìn, District 1 (south of Ben Thanh Market, just past the blue construction walls). Tu-Su 08:00-18:00. Museum displaying art mainly from the 20th century by Vietnamese artists. Two floors of permanent collections are in the main building and the first floor of the second building has a special exhibitions space. The architecture of the French colonial buildings that house the museum is another impressive feature. They were designed by a French architect for the Hua family. 30,000 dong. (updated Feb 2020)
• 10.776522106.70309410 Saigon Opera House (Nhà hát Thành phố or Opéra de Saïgon), 7 Lam Son Square, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, ☏ +84 1245 18 11 88. An opera house built by the French during the colonial period, and without a doubt one of the finest performance venues in Southeast Asia. In modern times it is home to the critically acclaimed AO show, an acrobatic show that fuses Vietnamese traditions with modern Cirque Nouveau performances. Occasionally hosts classical music performances when the AO show is not being performed.  
• 10.777255106.7067111 Ton Duc Thang Museum, 5 Tôn Đức Thắng, Bến Nghé, District 1 (near the financial district along the Saigon River). Daily 08:00-11:30 and 13:30-16:30 daily. A museum detailing the life and achievements of politician Ton Duc Thang, known for his role as president. The first floor has a special exhibit (as of February 2018 about his time on the infamous prison island of Con Dao) and the second floor has a biographical display featuring artifacts, dioramas, and photographs telling the story of his life; there is also a painting gallery. free admission.  
• 10.7752106.686912 The Venerable Thich Quảng Đức Monument, intersection between Cach Mang Thang Tam & Nguyen Dinh Chieu streets. A monument dedicated to the Buddhist monk Thich Quảng Đức, who self-immolated at the site in 1963 in protest against the persecution of South Vietnam's Buddhist majority by the Roman Catholic-dominated Ngô Đình Diệm government.  

• 10.79171106.6978613 Jade Emperor Pagoda (Chùa Ngọc Hoàng or Phước Hải Tự), 73 Mai Thi Luu St. A Taoist temple considered by many to be Saigon’s finest, dedicated to the Jade Emperor, the king of the gods in Chinese mythology. Built by Cantonese immigrants in 1909. Check out the room filled with unusual figurines, to the left of the main hall. There are many turtles in a concrete pond in the courtyard. A calm place to rest from the city noise.  
• 10.778056106.68666714 Xá Lợi Pagoda (Chùa Xá Lợi), 89 Bà Huyện Thanh Quan, Võ Thị Sáu, Quận 3. The largest Buddhist temple in Ho Chi Minh City, and the headquarters of Buddhism in South Vietnam prior to the Fall of Saigon, said to house relics of the Gautama Buddha. During the Vietnam War, it was known for being a centre of resistance against the oppression of Buddhists by the Roman Catholic-dominated Ngô Đình Diệm government, and was raided several times by the South Vietnamese military in 1963.  
• 10.779444106.64916715 Giác Lâm Pagoda (Chùa Giác Lâm), 565 Lạc Long Quân, Phường 10, Tân Bình. Built in 1744, this is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Ho Chi Minh City. On the temple grounds is a bodhi tree that was gifted by a Sri Lankan monk in the 1950s. There is also a 7-storey tall pagoda that is said to house relics of the Gautama Buddha that were gifted by the same monk that gifted the bodhi tree.  
• 10.7762106.704316 Central Mosque, 66 Dong Du, ☏ +84 8 8242903. 08:00-20:00. One of 12 mosques in Ho Chi Minh City, the Central Mosque was built in 1935. It was constructed for worshipers from southern India then resident in Saigon, but now Muslims from as far as Pakistan and Indonesia come to pray. Friday has the biggest congregations. The shaded veranda and cool stone floors make it an ideal place to sit, read, or even nap in the heat of the day. As with most mosques, remember to take your shoes off before entering and dress conservatively if you wish to enter. 
• 10.77977106.6990417 Notre Dame Cathedral (Nhà thờ Đức Bà or Basilique-Cathédrale Notre-Dame), Han Thuyen St (facing down Dong Khoi, it's next to the Post Office). It is closed for renovations as of Feb 2020. A French-built Catholic cathedral in the city center. Free. (updated Feb 2020)
• 10.7723106.695618 Mariamman Temple (Đền Bà Ấn), 45 Trương Định, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1. Hindu temple build by Tamil Indian immigrants in the late 19th century. Although most of the Tamils fled Vietnam following the Fall of Saigon, the temple remains in active use, and today most of the devotees are ethnic Vietnamese or Khmers. (updated Oct 2024)

There are several Chinese temples in Cholon, the Chinatown district of old Saigon. Only a few are listed here.

• 10.7662106.698319 Phung Son Tu Pagoda, 408 3 Thang 2 Blvd (on the outskirts of Cholon), ☏ +84 28 3829 6684. Dedicated to the god of happiness and virtue. The pagoda is dusty and dwarfed by high-rises under construction nearby, but the small, sculpted grounds are a good place for a rest from the hectic city. 
• 10.7541106.659620 Quan Am Pagoda, 12 Lao Tu, Cholon (just off Hung Vuong, close to Thien Hau Pagoda). 08:00-16:30. The oldest pagoda in town, dedicated to the Buddhist Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (known as Quan Am in Vietnamese), home of a lot of incense and a cheerful puppy. Originally built by Hokkien immigrants in the traditional Hokkien architectural style. Free.  
• 10.75418106.6646821 Thien Hau Pagoda, 710 Nguyen Trai St, Cholon. Dedicated to Lady Thien Hau, the Chinese sea goddess (known as Mazu in Chinese), who left two giant turtles to keep an eye on things in her absence. A festival is held in her honour on the 23rd day of the March lunar month. Don't miss the gorgeous sculptures in the walls of the courtyard outside the temple. Originally built by Cantonese immigrants in the traditional Cantonese architectural style. Free.  

• 10.7719106.705522 Bitexco Financial Tower, 36 Ho Tung Mau St, ☏ +84 8 39156156. Skydeck viewing platform (daily 09:30-21:30) with a 360° panorama of the city. Adult 240k VND, child (4-12) / senior (65+) / disabled 160k VND. (updated Mar 2024)
• 10.730183106.70383823 IMAX cinema, Vivo shopping mall. Vietnam's IMAX cinema. (updated Feb 2017)
• 10.794931106.72208324 Landmark 81 (The Landmark 81 Central Park), 720A Dien Bien Phu, Ward 22, District, ☏ +84 9 81601620. 09:00-22:00. The highest tower of Vietnam with 81 floors which is 461.3 m, it has a big mall inside which includes a CGV cinema. Landmark 81 are also surrounded in a complex of apartments as part of Vinhomes' Tan Cang, or Central Park. Access the views by paying for SkyView (top 3 floors; 300k/500k weekdays/weekends, children/elderly half price; 200k for VND students on weekdays) or by patronizing one of the restaurants/cafes/lounges on the upper floors (prices vary, but tend to be 100k+ VND, high for Vietnam but about average for global HCOL cities; these are accessible through the Marriott Autograph Collection hotel by transferring elevators at the hotel's skylobby). There's also reasonably priced local and international food in the food court on the lower level. No entry fees but has parking fees for vehicles. (updated Mar 2024)

• Cholon - This is Ho Chi Minh City's Chinatown. While many of the ethnic Chinese fled Vietnam for Western countries such as Australia and the United States as a result of persecution following the Fall of Saigon, a large number of them continue to reside in the district. Many signs of the Chinese heritage can still be found in the form of Chinese clan temples, as well as stalls selling Chinese food. While everyone speaks Vietnamese as well, many ethnic Chinese residents here speak Cantonese as their mother tongue, and there is also a significant Teochew-speaking minority.

Ho Chi Minh City is a good place to experience traditional Vietnamese performances in a tourist-friendly way. The Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre is a popular place for tourists to watch traditional Vietnamese puppetry. For those who prefer more modern interpretations of Vietnamese culture, Lune Production stages several shows in the magnificent colonial-era Saigon Opera House, the most famous of which is the aforementioned AO Show.

See also: Vietnam#Money

For exchanging money try your luck with the gold shops around Ben Thanh Market. Also, many travel agents will offer to exchange your foreign currency, though their rates are usually not as good as the gold shops.

In case you are heading to Cambodia next and generally don't use US dollars but ATMs, you might get some very competitive rates if you help merchants (like gold shops or travel agent) to get rid of their Cambodian riel.

Vietnamese arts and crafts, or mass-produced resin knock-offs thereof, are sold by dozens of shops around the central tourist district. The best, most expensive items can be mostly found on Dong Khoi or the immediate side streets. The goods tend to get progressively simpler and cheaper as you move west toward Ben Thanh Market (though the best wood-carving shop is a stall on the back side of Ben Thanh). A few shops have authentic woven silk textiles from Sapa and the north. Lacquered paintings, plates, bowls, etc., are quite striking and unique to Vietnam. Vietnamese propaganda posters can be very impressive and offer a taste of history.

There are two good guide books for shoppers in Ho Chi Minh City: the Luxe City Guide and the MySherpa Guide which also includes a map with shops cross-referenced.

Markets

[edit]

• 10.77252106.698062 Ben Thanh Market (Chợ Bến Thành) (southwest end of Le Lai). Till 18:00. A den of thieves, but great shopping for tourists — locals rarely head here for their every day needs. Ben Thanh is recognizable from its clock tower on the large roundabout. Due to its popularity with tourists, the market is now divided between tourist goods (jeans, T-shirts, smaller souvenirs in abundance) and regular items (fruit and vegetables, rice, kitchen wares, flowers, meat, fast food and local-style pickled fruits). Most items are not price-marked, and vendors always quote a 50-100% higher price to tourists, so bargaining hard will save you money. The chief method of parting visitors from their money is ambiguity: for example, never making it quite clear how much you are being quoted or what the exact price is or what exchange rate is being used to calculate your change. Be ready for these ruses (often by a sweet, smiling young lady), or be prepared to part with more cash than you need to. At the north side (back) of Ben Thanh Market are some shops that are operated by Ben Thanh Group and they sell goods at fixed price and much cheaper than the stalls in the market. No bargaining needed. If the good selection of knock-offs here just won't do, there's plenty to be had in the surrounding side street shops or night market later. If retail warfare isn't your cup of tea, you could skip the touristy Ben Thanh altogether and go to Chợ Bình Tây. (updated Mar 2018)
• 10.749603106.6509883 Chợ Bình Tây (in Chinatown). The underrated twin of Ben Thanh, selling everything from fruits, meat, spices, Chinese medicines, and silk to obscure varieties of fermented fish, dried seafood, and jerky. If you are searching for a variety of Vietnam silks and velvets, skip the tourist trap Ben Thanh Market and go to Bình Tây instead. Most of Chợ Bình Tây is wholesale goods. Much of Ben Thanh Market's goods are from here. 
• 10.766703106.6887794 Thái Bình Market (Chợ Thái Bình). Not that large but got all the things locals need on a daily basis. Head inside the market where you can also find food stalls. (updated Dec 2023)
• Night Market (Just outside of Ben Thanh Market). Daily 18:00-late. Here you can enjoy many kinds of different foods and drink and do your shopping as well. But it is just a small street with traffic passing and pushy sellers, not the nicest place to hang around. (updated Apr 2017)
• 10.78139106.706765 Saigon Square (A stones throw from Ben Thanh Market). A good place for a visit. It is a twin of Ben Thanh but with air conditioning. Haggling your way through this place is the rule of thumb. Local middle-class Vietnamese shop here on the weekends too. Consider planning your shopping here during the day and go to Ben Thanh for the night market. The daytime Ben Thanh can be planned as a sightseeing trip instead of a shopping spree. 
• 10.766347106.698116 War Surplus Market (Dan Sinh Market), Yersin, District 1 (Intersection with Nguyen Cong Tru). Sometimes called the American Market or "Cho Cu" or "Khu Dan Sinh". Hidden behind rows of hardware and electric supplies shops, just brace yourself and enter. Dense warrens of stalls include those selling old American military gear of indeterminate authenticity (e.g., "nice collection of so-called authentic GI's Zippo lighter from the war era"), cheap T-shirts and military paraphernalia: just don't hope to find a genuine US wartime Zippo, they're all fakes now. Despite the name, most stalls now specialise in various industrial-type products such as hand tools and personal safety equipment. (updated Dec 2023)

• 10.77187106.6979251 Ben Thanh Market, Lê Lợi. It's a rather touristy market where you still can enjoy the most authentic Vietnamese pho. (updated Aug 2022)

• 10.770735106.692512 Bánh Mì 37, 185 6-8, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão. Absolutely delicious even though a bit different than the traditional. Popular among locals, there might be a queue. (updated Aug 2022)

Food stalls are scattered all over the city, but there's a fair collection in the Ben Thanh market (see Buy). For local fast food, try the ubiquitous Pho 24 chain (though it can be more the twice the price of local fare).

The setback of eating street food or food prepared in holes-in-the-wall in any town or city in Vietnam is dodgy hygiene. Street hawkers are not only cooks but they are also cashiers. They touch money and often flip over the notes with their fingers moistened with their saliva. If a bun or baguette is dropped in the pavement, it is picked up to be mixed with the rest. A hawker may cough or sneeze and while preparing food, cover their mouth with their bare hands then resume what they were just doing. Food may have unwanted items such as hairs. Utensils may be washed from the same portable ice-cream container washing basin, without detergent. Debris on spoons are just wiped off from the water on that small dish. Drinking glasses may just be dunked two or three times and ready for the next user.

At holes-in-the-wall, if there is shortage of counter space, contained food is placed on the floor. Floors are mostly wet and muddy. Utensils are washed on the floor itself. Waiters tossed used chopsticks and other dishes like bowls and if they don't get in the tub, they fall to the floor to be picked up later. Vegetables and meat parts are also cut in the floor and if they fell off, they are picked up again. Big quantities of vegetables are placed in plastic buckets and cleaned in the toilet tap. The plastic buckets may have been used as bathing or toilet flushing pail. And when they are not used, they may be stacked together and stored in the toilet.

However, street food and holes-in-the-wall food are flavourful, fascinating, exotic, ingeniously contrived, and cheap with all the elements of the nutrition pyramid and all the flavours: sweet; sour; salty & hot are well represented. Despite the vastly lower prices, street food is often tastier and more flavourful than the same dishes when served in the posh hotels or tourist restaurants.

• 10.774252106.6991119 Barbecue Garden, 96B Lê Thánh Tôn (100 m from Ben Thanh Market, behind the General Sciences Library), ☏ +84 8 823 3340. A barbecue restaurant offering both Vietnamese and international foods. USD5–7. 
• 10.767598106.69452210 Bi Saigon, 185/26 Pham Ngu Lao St, District 1 (in an alley just off the main tourist street, Bui Vien). Extensive menu with a choice between Vietnamese, Italian, Mexican and other styles. Open plan kitchen so you can see your food being prepared. (updated May 2022)
• 10.7638106.689611 Hoa Khai Vegetarian Restaurant, 124 126 Nguyen Cu Trinh St, Cu Trinh Ward, District 1 (about 500 m west of the backpacker area). Tasty Vietnamese vegetarian food although with surly service. Be careful of being charged for unexpected items, such as the disposable hand towels that are presented to you without asking as you sit down. 100,000 dong. 
• 10.770492106.6848312 Hủ Tiếu Hồng Phát, 391 Võ Văn Tần, Phường 5, Quận 3, ☏ +84 28 3839 0187. Restaurant selling Hủ tiếu Nam Vang, a flat rice noodle dish that is a specialty of the city. The dish is often called "Cambodian noodles" in English, even though it cannot be found in Cambodia. (updated Aug 2022)
• 10.777256106.69956113 Quan An Ngon, District 1. Two different restaurants operate with the same name within a few blocks of each other, one at 160 Pasteur Street, and the other Quán ăn ngon Sài Gòn on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia across from the Reunification Palace. Set in atmospheric old French villas, with similar menus Vietnamese food, including regional specialities prepared in numerous independently-operated food stalls around the perimeter. Both are popular and both tend to be jammed at peak hours requiring a wait for a table. (The name literally means "restaurant of delicious eating".) The one on Pasteur has dozens of kerosene lamps burning for ambience at night, so if you have asthma or pulmonary issues or feel you've had enough pollution already, better to try the other one. Mains from 45,000 dong. 
• 10.791597106.70310714 Bloom Saigon Restaurant, 3/5 Hoàng Sa, P. Đa Kao, Quận 1. 11:00-22:00. Temporarily closed as of August 2022. Non-profit restaurant run by Aid to Children Without Parents (ACWP) and serves as a culinary training facility. Very nice staff, excellent food, terrace on the 3rd floor. Situated a bit in the North and in a small calm community. Worth to go by foot, 20 mnin walk from the Jade Pagoda. (updated Aug 2022)

• Au Lac do Brazil, 238 Pasteur (Between Dien Bien Phu and Vo Thi Sau.). Just to prove that Saigon has everything, here is a Brazilian-style churrascaria (all-you-can-eat restaurant featuring barbecued meat), with live Latin music Tuesday to Saturday. They also have a new outlet in Sky Garden II, Phu My Hung, District 7. It's a larger and less crowded one with usually better service. From USD30 per person. 
• The Deck Saigon, 38 Nguyen U Di, Thao Dien, An Phu, District 2 (15 min from the centre of Saigon), ☏ +84 8 3744 6632. The only posh restaurant on the banks of the river. Modern fusion cuisine using the local ingredients. (updated Aug 2022)
• 10.771727106.70285715 Anan Saigon, 89 Tôn Thất Đạm, Bến Nghé, District 1, ☏ +84 9047 92920, [email protected]. Tu-Su 17:00 - late. A premier fine dining restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, one of only two in Vietnam to be ranked among Asia's top 50 restaurants. Reservations essential. (updated Aug 2022)
• 10.79012106.7120816 The Olive Grove Saigon, 106 pham viet chanh, ward 19, ☏ +84 903913633, [email protected]. 16:00 to 00:00 Tuesday to Sunday. Mediterranean cuisine. (updated Aug 2023)

• Halal@Saigon, 31 Đông Du, District 1 (Opposite the Indian Jamia Mosque, near Sheraton Hotel), ☏ +84 8 3824 6823 (Vietnamese), +84 8 38274602 (English), fax: +84 8 38274603, [email protected]. 10:00-22:00. Vietnamese, Malaysian, and vegetarian cuisine prepared to halal guidelines. Has a Malaysian owner and there are several Malaysian staples on the menu, however it is primarily Vietnamese, with a wide range of dishes from around the country. (updated Aug 2022)
• Lion City Cafe and Restaurant, 45 Le Anh Xuan, District 1 (Near Ben Thanh market opposite New World hotel), ☏ +84 8 3823 8371. Daily, 19:00-03:00. Certified halal, serves halal food on 2nd floor. (updated Aug 2022)

Vietnam is the world's second largest exporter of coffee after Brazil, and cà phê is very popular among the Vietnamese. It's a paradise for coffee-loving visitors. The local style is strong and sweet; key words to remember are: sữa (sweetened condensed milk), đá (ice), and nóng (hot, pronounced "nowm"). Cà phê đá is strong, sweet iced coffee; and cà phê sữa đá is the same with condensed milk. Cà phê (sữa) nóng is brewed fresh on your table brewed in a little metal apparatus placed over a cup; just lift it off when it has cooled enough to touch (and hence drink). Prices range from 10,000 to 20,000 dong for coffee in the local style.

Since ice might or might not be made with purified water, strictly cautious visitors should avoid it, though long-term residents consume ice from reputable cafes and restaurants all the time.

Espresso, cappuccino, and American-style filter coffee are now also widely available in the tourist district, usually at 2-8 times the price of the local style. You will be able to differentiate the better places if they use UHT milk as opposed to condensed milk.

• Bobby Brewery Coffee, Bui Vien St. Nice place with good beverages. Used to show movies on 2nd and 3rd floor. Now reopened as La Cantina. 
• Cafe 5 Sao, Pham Ngoc Thach (Near the Turtle Pond). Plays loud techno music. Attractive, but pretentious crowd. 
• Cafe Napoly, Pham Ngoc Thach (Near the Turtle Pond). The decor is Roman ruins-lite (they meant "Napoli"), but the menu is typical for an upscale Vietnamese cafe: coffee, fruit drinks, ice cream, and a simple menu including eggs and rice dishes. Piped music is nice, not too loud by day (though louder at night), prices are decent. Outdoor terrace in the front, air-con section on the ground floor, and evening lounge-bar on the upper floor. Next door to the louder, more trendy and possibly pretentious Cafe Nam Sao. 
• Cafe Saigon, 57 Nguyen Du St (Opposite to Immaculate Conception Cathedral Basilica), ☏ +84 9378 66066. Italian coffee, foods, free Wi-Fi, relaxing & modern music. 
• Chao Ba Ca Phe (Granny's Coffee), TK49/5 Nguyen Canh Chan, Q1 (Walk down Nguyen Canh Chan from the junction with Tran Hung Dao and take a left down the alleyway where the fruit salad restaurant is). This place has a really authentic and wonderful cafe sua da served by the famous "grandma" for about 8,000 dong. A little tricky to find. 
• Chot Nho Café, 189 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan District (10 min by taxi from city centre). Reasonable prices, good menu. Free Wi-Fi. 
• Fresco Coffee, 121 Le Loi St, ☏ +84 838 211 009. Free Wi-Fi, play hill song music. 
• Givral Café, Dong Khoi (Opposite Continental Hotel). In the French tradition, with fresh pastries, collared waiters and elaborate portions of ice cream. Well-located, but over 20,000 dong for the simplest cup. 
• Hideaway Café, 41/1 Pham Ngoc Thach, Q.3. As its name implies, this place is hidden away and a good place to read, or have a quiet conversation or meal. Decent Western menu, although slightly pricey. 
• Highlands Coffee. Highlands Coffee is a Vietnamese chain that is ubiquitous in Ho Chi Minh City. They offer a variety of coffee drinks reasonably priced (25,000-60,000 dong, depending on your order) with consistent quality. 
• M-Comic, 99B Vo Thi Sau A. A rather hard to find coffee shop. Upstairs is like a bedroom with a couple of beds. Arrive early if you want to occupy one. It has large selection of magazine and comic books to chose from. Only serves Vietnamese drinks, and the staff only speak a little English. Free Wi-Fi. 11,000-30,000 dong. 
• Old Saigon Coffee, 2nd floor, 63 Dong Du St, District 1 (Opposite the Sheraton). Reminiscent of HCMC in the past. It has a great view to Dong Khoi St. All the drinks and foods are typical Saigon. The staff are quite decent. 
• Regina Coffee, 84 Nguyen Du St, District 1. Vietnamese coffee or cappuccini. They have a skilled Japanese espresso master who knows how to brew coffee. French mixed with Asian design with brick walls. It is marketed towards tourists and all proceeds go to the church around the corner. 
• Trung Nguyen (Two convenient outlets are on the east side of Nguyen Hue right before the People's Committee Hall, and the corner of Thu Khoa Huan and Ly Tu Trong). The Vietnamese version of Starbucks, but with much better coffee. They have locations all over the city, but are not well represented in the heart of the tourist district. Prices start around 40,000 dong for a basic cuppa, although there are plenty of variations including the infamous weasel coffee (cà phê chồn), made from coffee beans collected from civet excrement; however, a quick Google search about the conditions in which the civets are kept may further dissuade some from sampling. 

Saigon has plenty of places to drink, although to a certain degree Vietnamese and foreigners hang out in different places. This is slowly changing as Westerners become more familiar with the ways of the East (and vice versa). Places with live music usually have no cover charge, but impose somewhat elevated drink prices (typically 55,000-85,000 dong for beer, spirits, and cocktails.) Many places close around midnight or 01:00. Some places remain open later: Go2 Bar in Pham Ngu Lao, popular with backpackers/budget crowd; Apocalypse Now on Thi Sach St, packed with people from all walks of life (you can find anything in this place regardless of your preferences (prostitutes, straight/gay, drugs or just a place to dance the night away); ZanZBar on Dong Du St will appeal to the regular bar crowd and closing time changes daily depending on the number of people in the bar). There are other late night clubs which cater almost exclusively to the young Vietnamese crowd. Anywhere in the city you can find Vietnamese bottled beer places that will stay open until 03:00-04:00. Several bars in Phu My Hung stay open until 02:00-03:00.

Not to be missed are the pavement bars which get very busy with locals and travellers alike, about halfway down Biu Vien. They sell bottles of Saigon beer for 10,000 dong. Sit on the tiny plastic chairs and enjoy the friendly atmosphere. These are perhaps the best places to drink as a backpacker, as they are very cheap and also great places to meet people, and not just other tourists.

• Chill Sky Bar (Sky Bar). Rooftop bar at AB Tower in District 1 along September 23 park. This is the place to see and to be seen. Drinks are expensive at 200,000 dong and up. If you are around the September 23 park at night you will see the lights and hear the music blasting from the top of the AB tower. Look for the spotlights shooting into the sky. (updated Jun 2015)