Ho Chi Minh 5-Day 4-Night Tour Itinerary Planning, Transportation, Food and Drinks

Vietnam Tourism has gained popularity in recent years. People's impression of Vietnam has been slowly altered. In my visit to Vietnam, I noticed that the area is endowed with many delicious and fun things to engage in. Goodness, Southeast Asian tourism is cheaper than that of Japan and South Korea! Ho Chi Minh City is the richest city in Vietnam. What to see that is interesting for an all-free Trip to Ho Chi Minh City? How does one set up a trip of 6 days and 5 nights in Ho Chi Minh City? What to look out for before going? All will be provided in this Ho Chi Minh City Travel guide.




The other name for Ho Chi Minh City is Saigon. The name of Saigon was created in the course of the French colonial period. The French colonization of Vietnam, carrying on from 1884 until 1955, had left Saigon as the capital of South Vietnam aligned with the European and American governments. French colonialists could still be seen sprouting every nook and cranny of the city in Saigon. For 20 years after the Vietnam War, Saigon received little damage, thanks to aid from European and American Powers. Compared to Hanoi, in this city, the intensity of French colonial culture because of colonialism has been preserved well enough. In 1976, North Vietnam and South Vietnam eventually unified, and the communist government adjudged that, in tribute to the founding father of Vietnam-an arch rival of the auxiliary forces; namely the "Viet Cong", Saigon was supposed to be renamed Ho Chi Minh.



Today, Ho Chi Minh City is known as "Little France". The coffee culture, French bread, French architecture and the city atmosphere of the fusion of East and West have attracted many travelers to stay here. The charm of Ho Chi Minh City can only be understood by experiencing it yourself~

Preparation for a free trip to Ho Chi Minh City



First, we will introduce the precautions for Traveling to Ho Chi Minh City and other pre-travel preparations, including basic information such as air tickets to Ho Chi Minh City, accommodation recommendations in Ho Chi Minh City, airport transportation, downtown transportation in Ho Chi Minh City, and the Internet, to help you pack your luggage more easily before departure.

Ho Chi Minh City Flights



If you want to fly to Ho Chi Minh City in South Vietnam, you can choose to fly to Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN), which is only 6 kilometers away from downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Currently, there are traditional airlines such as China Airlines, EVA Air, and Vietnam Airlines, which have regular direct flights every week, as well as low-cost flights provided by VietJet Air. The flight from Taipei takes 3 hours and 15 minutes.



If you want to buy cheap flights to Ho Chi Minh City, go to Skyscanner to compare prices. You will have the opportunity to search for low-cost airline Ho Chi Minh City flights for less than NT$4,000, or traditional airline tickets with the lowest price around NT$6,000.




Ho Chi Minh City Security

Vietnam's security is hard to describe in one sentence. Robberies are rare, usually in the early morning when there are few people, or in the alleys at night. The more common ones are thieves or people who raise prices with a clear conscience. When they are exposed, they can respond without blushing or panting. Vietnamese people have a trait that makes some people very uncomfortable, that is, "love money very much". They love money more than Chinese people. Ho Chi Minh is the largest city in Vietnam, with many tourists. There are also many people who want to charge tourists' gas like cockroaches that cannot be killed. It is common for taxis to jump meters or take detours. It is safer for travelers to use Grab (Uber in Vietnam) to call a taxi. In addition, it is recommended that you prepare small change as much as possible to avoid using large bills when taking a taxi or shopping, so as to prevent the other party from making random changes or not making changes.

Ho Chi Minh City Airport Transportation

Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat International Airport (airport code: SGN) is about 7 kilometers from the city center, which is very close, so the transportation cost to the city center is not expensive. The main transportation methods are airport bus, taxi, Grab taxi, and chartered car.

Airport bus: Bus No. 190, No. 152, and No. 49 can go to the center of Ho Chi Minh City. It is recommended to use Google Map to see which bus is closer to your destination. The fare is about 20,000~40,000 Vietnamese Dong, which is the cheapest option.

Taxi: There are scheduled taxis outside the airport, but there are many taxi scams in Vietnam. Please make sure that the driver has pressed the jump meter, and open Google Map to confirm whether the driver has taken a detour. You must also prepare small money to prevent him from deliberately not giving change.

Grab taxi: The Vietnamese version of Uber, which is much more reliable than taxis. You need to download the app and bind your mobile phone number to use it. Chartered car: It is more expensive than taxis, but it is the most worry-free and safest option. You can book an airport pick-up to the city center in Taiwan.

Traffic in Ho Chi Minh City



Ho Chi Minh attractions are quite concentrated, almost all in "District 1", so most tourists like to stay in District 1. If you want to walk all the way, it is actually quite tiring, so it is recommended to use transportation to assist. Common transportation in the city are: bus, taxi or Grab, motorcycle taxi, rent a motorcycle.

Bus: cheap, but there are not many routes, it is not very convenient to take a bus between attractions, and there is no arrival time, so you can only wait. Unless you want to experience the Ho Chi Minh bus system, it is recommended to skip this option directly.

Taxi or Grab: The most popular means of transportation for tourists. Taxis in Ho Chi Minh are very cheap. Moving within District 1 usually does not exceed NT$50 (unless you are being slaughtered). The things to pay attention to when taking a taxi have been mentioned above. If you are afraid of being cheated, just use Grab to call a taxi! The disadvantage is that there is a language barrier with the driver and you may miss each other. If the driver calls you to confirm the address, be brave and ask passers-by for help!

Motorbike taxis: Like Thailand, Vietnam also has motorcycle taxi services. They are usually dressed in bright uniforms, so you will definitely recognize them. The price is cheaper than taxis, but you have to bargain with the driver yourself, or use Grab's motorcycle taxi service, where the price is open and transparent.

Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City



Anyone who has been to Vietnam will be surprised by the incredibly cheap housing prices here. Backpacker hostels on Pham Ngu Lao Street cost less than NT$300, good hotels cost NT$1,000, and more upscale five-star hotels cost less than NT$4,000. The key point is that the quality is pretty good. Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City are like tourist attractions, mostly concentrated in District 1. Which hotels have convenient transportation, complete living functions, and beautiful designs? Just refer to my hotel guide to choose accommodation!

How to enjoy attractions in Ho Chi Minh City?

How to enjoy the city



You can visit all the attractions in Ho Chi Minh City in two days. The attractions in Ho Chi Minh City are mainly buildings that integrate Eastern and Western cultures. On the first day, you can take the Red Church in District 1 as the center and walk to all the surrounding attractions in one day. It would be perfect if you can have a good meal and a massage in the evening. On the second day, you can take a taxi and visit some attractions on the edge of District 1 or even District 3. You can visit all the attractions in Ho Chi Minh City in two days.



If you have more time, you can take a day trip to the Mekong River Basin and Cu Chi Tunnels in the suburbs. You can refer to my article to decide where you want to go.

Combined with nearby resorts



Because I like Dalat and Nha Trang so much, I planned to stay in these two cities for four days and three nights.

Ho Chi Minh City Food

Classic Vietnamese Snacks

The food served in restaurants, roadside vendors, and restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is very different from our taste. If you like to experience the local food culture, you must try traditional Vietnamese food. Vietnamese rice noodles (Pho), Vietnamese French bread (Banh mi), Vietnamese spring rolls (Gỏi Cuốn), and Vietnamese pancakes (Bánh xèo) are all must-eat foods in Vietnam, and can be found in North Vietnam, Central Vietnam, and South Vietnam.



The most recommended Vietnamese French bread is "Banh mi Huynh Hoa", and for coffee, you can go to Vietnam's number one coffee brand "Trung Nguyen Coffee".



There are too many famous restaurants for Vietnamese rice noodles. Phở Hòa Pasteur, Jinli Rice Noodles, Pho Hung, and Pho Hien are all very famous. The rice noodles are all above the standard, but everyone has different tastes. I personally think Phở Hòa Pasteur is convenient and delicious.

[High-end Vietnamese restaurant] Home Finest Saigon Restaurant



If you want to eat at a restaurant with a good atmosphere in Ho Chi Minh City and mainly want to eat Vietnamese food, I recommend going directly to Home Finest. It has a very high rating on Tripadvisor. After dining there, I think it is really good. They cook traditional Vietnamese cuisine in a creative way, which is a visual and taste enjoyment~



When you come to Vietnam, you can enjoy high-end French cuisine at a relatively affordable price, so French restaurants in Ho Chi Minh are also one of the highlights of the trip. La Villa is a manor restaurant, so it not only specializes in authentic French cuisine, but also its beautiful courtyard landscaping (the courtyard also has a swimming pool!). It is recommended to come during the day so that you can take pictures of the French manor to your heart's content.



[Must-drink milk tea in Vietnam] Fulong Milk Tea



People always say that the only way to come to Vietnam is to drink Vietnamese coffee, but I really can't say much about Vietnamese coffee. Instead, I love the famous Vietnamese milk tea shop "Phúc Long Coffee & Tea" more. If you love Hong Kong-style milk tea, Indian milk tea and other milk teas with strong tea and spice flavors like me, I recommend you to try their "Phuc Long Tea Latte". I even changed its name to "Phuc Long Milk Tea", hahaha.

Ho Chi Minh City Souvenirs



In recent years, Vietnam, which is fun, fun to visit, fun to buy, and has a high cost-performance ratio, has almost surpassed Thailand and Indonesia to become the most popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia. If you want to go shopping for small items when traveling to Ho Chi Minh City, Ben Thanh Market is the best place to go treasure hunting. Vietnamese coffee, Vietnamese instant noodles, mung bean cakes, coconut sugar, cashews, woven products, and wood carvings are all must-buy souvenirs when traveling to Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh City Travel Guide

If you only visit Ho Chi Minh City, one day is actually enough. But if you are very interested in Vietnam's cafes, Internet-famous restaurants, high-end French restaurants, and massage parlors, you can actually add one more day to slowly walk around. The remaining four days are for you to choose the suburbs of Ho Chi Minh that you are interested in. If you like history, you can go to Can Tho. I love vacationing, so I went to Nha Trang (one of the most beautiful bays in the world) and Dalat (one of the eight cities in the world most worth a honeymoon).

【Day1】Fly from Da Nang to Nha Trang (you can also depart directly from Ho Chi Minh City) → Airport transfer to Nha Trang City → Vinpearl Resort & Spa Nha Trang Bay

【Day2】Nha Trang holiday

【Day3】Take a bus from Nha Trang to Da Lat → Bao Dai Summer Palace → Datara Waterfall → Da Lat Market, Night Market (Transportation: Private car charter in Da Lat City)

【Day4】Crazy House → Da Lat Railway Station → Linh Phuoc Temple → Xuan Huong Lake → Maria Monastery

【Day5】Take a bus to Ho Chi Minh City → Visit attractions in District 1: Saigon General Post Office, Red Church, Reunification Palace, Book Street, Ho Chi Minh City Hall, Nguyen Hue Street Pedestrian Plaza, Ho Chi Minh Opera House, Coffee Apartment → Enjoy the tranquility of the old house at the hand-poured coffee shop → Pham Lao Ngu Street → Jinli River Noodles

【Day6】Trung Nguyen Coffee or Phuoc Long Coffee → Ben Thanh Market → Pink Church → Mộc Hương Spa → Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater

In the past, our impression of Vietnam was limited to Vietnamese laborers or Vietnamese brides, but Vietnam tourism has become more and more popular in recent years, and the impression of Chinese people on Vietnam has gradually changed. I found that there are actually many delicious and fun things here. The point is that Southeast Asian travel is cheaper than Japan and South Korea! For example, food, clothing, housing and transportation in Vietnam are about 70% to 80% cheaper than in Taiwan, which is why I love traveling in Southeast Asia.

My first impression of Ho Chi Minh City is that it is a busy metropolis with busy roads. The locals seem to have the ability to shuttle freely on the roads without traffic lights. However, next to the busy streets, there are rows of Vietnamese coffee stalls with low tables and low stools. People sitting on the small stools drink strong Vietnamese coffee, which seems to slow down the pace of the city. One fast and one slow, Ho Chi Minh is such a contradictory and conflicting city.