Ho Chi Minh City 3-Day Itinerary: Saigon, Cholon and Cu Chi

This three-day route pairs cool early-morning walks and evening street-food crawls with air-conditioned palaces and museums during the hot midday hours, finishing with a classic southern excursion on day three. Review our practical before-you-go tips before setting out.

Day 1: Historic District 1, Independence Palace & Nguyen Hue Walking Street

• Morning: start with an iced ca phe sua da and charcoal-grilled broken rice (com tam), then walk to Paris Commune Square to see the exterior of Notre-Dame Cathedral, the vaulted 1891 Saigon Central Post Office and shaded Nguyen Van Binh Book Street.
• Late morning: stroll through the park to tour the 1966 modernist Independence Palace (Reunification Palace), including its state reception halls, rooftop helipad and basement command bunker.
• Afternoon: after a crusty Saigonese banh mi or bowl of pho, escape the midday sun inside the 1929 mansion of the Museum of Fine Arts and browse Ben Thanh Market.
• Late afternoon & evening: walk down Dong Khoi Street past the Saigon Opera House to Nguyen Hue Walking Street, climb the 42 Nguyen Hue Cafe Apartments for a balcony coffee, and finish with a rooftop drink over the Saigon River.

Day 2: War Remnants Museum, Cholon (Chinatown) & the Saigon Waterbus

• Morning: head to District 3 when the doors open to spend two hours at the War Remnants Museum, then pause at nearby Turtle Lake or the incense-filled 1909 Jade Emperor Pagoda in Da Kao.
• Midday & early afternoon: ride west into Cholon (District 5 Chinatown) to explore wholesale Binh Tay Market, walk along the herbalist shops of Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street, and step beneath the hanging incense coils of 1760 Thien Hau Temple.
• Late afternoon: return to Bach Dang Pier in District 1 and board the yellow Saigon Waterbus or take Saigon Metro Line 1 across the river to Thao Dien for sunset river views.
• Evening: feast on crispy banh xeo turmeric crepes in District 3 or wok-tossed sea snails (oc) along Vinh Khanh Street in District 4.

Day 3: Choose Between the Cu Chi Tunnels OR a Mekong Delta Day Trip

• Option A (Cu Chi Tunnels half-day trip): depart early by river speedboat from Bach Dang Pier or by road to the Cu Chi Tunnels (Ben Duoc or Ben Dinh) to see the camouflaged trapdoors, underground kitchens and wartime tunnel network, returning to Saigon by afternoon.
• Option B (Mekong Delta full-day trip to Ben Tre or My Tho): drive two hours south-west into the Mekong Delta to cruise brick-kiln rivers and shaded nipa-palm canals by sampan boat, tasting orchard fruit and coconut candy before returning at dusk.