How to spend 24 hours in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)? My first point is that one day or 24 hours is not a long time but it is not too short to explore the city. The top things to do in Saigon for travelers who do not have so much time are visiting the iconic sites, must-see tourist attractions, eating Saigon specialties, and experiencing the vibrant nightlife. Let me share with you the sample itinerary for first-timers as follow.
Would you like to book tours in Ho Chi Minh City? Please contact Tracy Do & Bill Bui at +84938314386 (Whatsapp/iMessage/Viber/SMS) for detailed information and the best price for your group.
Table of Contents
How to spend 24 hours in Ho Chi Minh City?
Morning – must-see tourist attractions
Having breakfast
In the morning, your hotel will serve free breakfast or you will go out to eat. It is recommended to spend about a half of hour to have breakfast. You can buy a Banh mi which is known as one of the best breakfast staple in Ho Chi Minh City. You can search for Banh mi shops on Google Maps and read reviews before going to a Banh mi shop. The best choice is to book a hotel room with breakfast to save your time. Moreover, you are recommended to wake up before 8:00 so you can see more in the city.
Visiting must-see tourist attractions
After having breakfast, you will visit must-see tourist attractions:
- Cathedral Notre-Dame (1877):
- See the magnificent architecture of the most beautiful cathedral in the city.
- Walk around the garden, see the statue of Virgin Maria which was said to tear in 2005.
- Saigon Central Post Office (1891):
- See how they work and people send postcards, money, packages,…
- Take nice photos inside and outside the building in yellow color.
- Walk in the post office and feel like being in a railway station in Europe in the 20th century.
- Buy souvenirs such as post cards, 3D pop up cards, handmade bags, magnets, keychains, bamboo dining wares, vases, statues, paintings, lacquer paintings, conical hats, cups, tea sets,…
- Reunification Palace (1871):
- Walk around to see living room, meeting room, bedrooms, kitchen, dining rooms with luxurious furniture.
- Admire the special design which reflects symbolic concepts derived from Eastern philosophy.
- Listen to the story about two tanks crashed the gate of the palace and marked the end of Vietnam War on 30th April, 1975.
- Relax in the large garden with green grass and many old trees.
- War Remnants Museum:
- Learn more about the wars against the French colonials, American troops through 15,000 artifacts displayed indoor and outdoor.
- See many military vehicles equipment such as airplanes, tanks, cannons, bullets,…
- Read many Vietnamese and international articles, magazines, newspapers about the Vietnam War.
- Watch videos and look at the photos from the wars, see artifacts relating to agent orange and crimes in the country.
- Buy souvenirs relating to the wars in Vietnam.
- Ben Thanh Market:
- Learn how local people sell and buy products and understand the market culture in Saigon.
- Buy souvenirs such as lacquer, rice, sand paintings, plates, magnets, fans, conical hats, sedge, bamboo, wooden, water hyacinth handicrafts, dried food, clothes, fashion accessories such as bags, T-shirts, Ao Dai, Ao Ba Ba, fabrics, tea, coffee, postcards.
- Enjoy Vietnamese traditional dishes and street food.
Going shopping
As mentioned above, you have visited places where you can buy interesting souvenirs, clothes, fashion accessories, and many other things. If you would like to buy more, Saigon Square 1 Shopping Mall which is 2 minutes walk from Ben Thanh Market is a good place to buy watches, jewelry, bags, scarfs, tops and bottoms, fabrics, hats, caps, dresses, skirts,… at affordable prices. At souvenir stores in Saigon Central Post Office and War Remnants Museum, the prices are clearly indicated. At Ben Thanh Market and Saigon Square 1, you should negotiate deals and lower prices to save money.
Read more about 6 Must things to know about Bargaining in Vietnam
Having lunch
You can eat in Ben Thanh Market which has many food vendors serving amazing dishes.
Read more about Top 5 Dishes at Ben Thanh Market.
You can get to tourist attractions by taxi, motorbike taxi, and walking or explore the city on a Chi Minh City Half Day Tour.
How to spend 24 hours in Ho Chi Minh City? Saigon Central Post Office
Afternoon – Saigon China Town & Hidden places
Visiting Saigon China Town and hidden local places in District 10, District 11
In the afternoon, you will get to Saigon China Town which is located in District 5,6,10,11. The first stop should be Binh Tay Market which is one of the oldest, biggest wholesale and retail market in Saigon. After that, you can walk freely in the area and explore the biggest China Town in Vietnam, learn more about the real local life and the multicultural area.
- Binh Tay Market (1928):
- See the unique architecture of the market.
- See what they sell there. Plastic items, dried food, artificial flowers, wedding decorations and supplies, groceries, school bags, shoes, sandals, slippers, vases, stickers,…
- Buy something to bring home.
- Cha Tam Church (1900):
- See the mix of Catholicism and Chinese culture.
- Trang Tu vegetable market.
- Hai Thuong Lan Ong Decoration item market.
- Herbal medicine street.
- Thien Hau Temple:
- Immerse in the mysterious atmosphere and admire the beautiful architecture.
- Learn more about the story about the Sea Lady who saves people on the sea.
If you have more time, you can visit the following sacred places to learn more about the religious believes in the city. Buddhism, Cao Dai, Islam, Confucianism, Taoism, Catholicism are the most popular religions in Ho Chi Minh City.
Traveling the city is not difficult to professional travelers, solo travelers, and young travelers. You can get around the city by motorbike taxi, taxi, or walking. A Ho Chi Minh City Full Day Tour is a good choice to improve your experience, listen to mysterious and less-known stories, and enjoy a non-stress day trip.
How to spend 24 hours in Ho Chi Minh City? Cao Dai Temple
Evening – Water puppet show, Dinner on Cruise & Cyclo Ride
Watching water puppet show, enjoying a cyclo ride, having dinner on a cruise
Water puppet show is one of the best way to learn more about Vietnamese culture, tradition, and folk music. The shows start at 17:00 and 18:30, the second choice is recommended because you will have enough time to relax after exploring Saigon China Town. You can start at your hotel at 18:00. The show lasts 45 minutes, you will leave the Golden Dragon Theater for the Wharf to board a cruise where you enjoy a set menu or buffet, enjoy the traditional Vietnamese, royal, or ethnic music and dance show, cruise along Saigon River, and enjoy the fascinating view of the city at night. At 21:45, you will leave the wharf for Bui Vien Street.
CLICK HERE to BOOK Water Puppet Show & Dinner on Cruise & Cyclo Tour
Visiting Bui Vien Street
Bui Vien Walking Street is one of the craziest street in Saigon thanks to dozens of small and big bars, pubs, lounges serving beers and other alcoholic beverages, live music, sexy dance, DJ performance, billboards, snacks, beer food pairings,… You can also enjoy the night at coffee shops, restaurants serving noodle soups, fried rolls, kebab rice noodles, seafood, snail, sushi, BBQ, get a tattoo, get a massage,…
Would you like to book tours in Ho Chi Minh City? Please contact Tracy Do & Bill Bui at +84938314386 (Whatsapp/iMessage/Viber/SMS) for detailed information and the best price for your group.
Is there any chance to meet your expectations and preferences?
For elderly travelers: The above itinerary is suitable for old adults so you do not need to change anything. But you should book a private tour to make your trip comfortable and enjoyable. Bui Vien Street can be skipped if you are afraid of loud music and crowded places.
For families with kids: The visiting places such as the museum and palace are educational places. Markets with various things to see are interesting to children and I hope they will learn too much on the trip.
For foodies: In the evening, most night street food vendors are open and it is a great chance for you to sample succulent street food in Saigon – the paradise of food. So you can spend your time wandering night food markets, food streets, and eateries hidden in alleys to enjoy the best food. Saigon night food tour is a good choice, you can read more about The ultimate guide to Ho Chi Minh City food tour for more information including tips on booking the best tour.
How to spend 24 hours in Ho Chi Minh City? Night food tour
For travelers who would like to learn more about religions in Saigon and visit sacred places: You should change the itinerary and the stop should be:
- Cathedral Notre-Dame
- Tan Dinh Church (Pink Church)
- Jade Emperor Pagoda
- Mariamman Hindu Temple
- Vinh Nghiem Pagoda
- Vietnam National Pagoda
- Cha Tam Church
- Ten Thousands Buddha Pagoda
- Saigon Cao Dai Temple
For history lovers: The itinerary should be changed as follow:
- Cu Chi Tunnels (in the morning)
- Reunification Palace
- War Remnants Museum
- Museum of Vietnamese History in Ho Chi Minh City
- Do Phu Coffee Shop – Museum
For travelers who love taking photos:
- Cathedral Notre-Dame
- Tan Dinh Church (Pink Church)
- Saigon Central Post Office
- Reunification Palace
- Nguyen Hue Walking Street
- Saigon Opera House
- Landmark 81
- Bitexco Finacial Tower
Tips for first-timers having only 24 hours in Ho Chi Minh City
- You should try your best to save and maximize your time in the city.
- A hotel in the city center is better because most of the must-see tourist attractions are located in District 1.
- If you are in a hurry, strong, and adventurous enough, you should take a motorbike taxi instead of taxi to get around the city during rush hours (7:00 – 9:00, 16:30 – 20:00).
- Most tourist attractions are open during the day.
- Staple food and fast food are the best choices.
- It is more convenient to eat at Ben Thanh Market or restaurants near the market. If you would like to eat at fine dining restaurants, you can find them in Saigon Centre Shopping Mall which is a few minutes walk from Ben Thanh Market.
- Private tours are always better because you can travel on your own pace.
- If you are lazy to seek information, read information at visiting places, arrange transfers, and plan the trip yourself, you should book a tour instead of traveling Saigon on your own.
- Being out at night is not 100% safe but you should not miss one of the most exiting cities at night in Southeast Asia. You should learn how to enjoy the nightlife in Saigon in a safe way.
- You should not only see Saigon on main streets and luxurious streets but also in back alleys.
