Best day trips from Ho Chi Minh City
The Cu Chi Tunnels and Tay Ninh make for an easy day out just north of the city, the Mekong Delta's canal towns and floating markets lie a couple of hours south, and Vung Tau and Mui Ne suit a longer day or an overnight stay along the coast.
Ho Chi Minh City itself
A day without leaving the city — District 1's Reunification Palace and War Remnants Museum, Ben Thanh Market, and Cholon's pagodas and markets.
Cu Chi Tunnels
The Cu Chi Tunnels explained: what the network was, how long to spend there, and how to get there from Ho Chi Minh City.
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City travel guide: districts, the Saigon riverfront, airport access and why locals still call it Saigon.
Ben Thanh Market
A guide to the historic covered halls of Ben Thanh Market in Saigon, and how it differs from the temporary night market stalls outside.
Cao Dai Holy See: Inside Vietnam's Own Syncretic Religion
The Cao Dai Holy See at Tay Ninh: architecture, symbolism and the home-grown religion behind one of Vietnam's most distinctive temples.
Cholon, Ho Chi Minh City's Historic Chinatown
Cholon is Ho Chi Minh City's historic Chinatown, a distinct district of temples, markets and old pharmacies shaped by Chinese immigration.
District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
District 1 is Ho Chi Minh City's downtown core: Nguyen Hue, Notre-Dame, the Central Post Office and the Bitexco tower, distinct from Cholon.
The Saigon River
The Saigon River in Ho Chi Minh City: dinner cruises, riverside quays and skyline views, distinct from Mekong Delta boat trips.
Tay Ninh: Gateway to the Cao Dai Holy See and Black Virgin Mountain
Tay Ninh province, north-west of Saigon: home to the Cao Dai Holy See and Black Virgin Mountain, and a separate place from the Cu Chi Tunnels.
Black Virgin Mountain (Nui Ba Den)
Ba Den, the Black Virgin Mountain, is a pagoda-covered peak with a cable car to the summit — a destination on its own, not a Cu Chi extra.
War Remnants Museum
What the War Remnants Museum actually holds, why it differs from Cu Chi, and how to read its collections on a visit to Ho Chi Minh City.
Cu Chi and Tay Ninh
About 1 h 30 north of the city — the Cu Chi Tunnels' underground network, and Tay Ninh's Cao Dai Great Temple and Black Virgin Mountain cable car.
Can Tho
Can Tho is the Mekong Delta's biggest city and the true home of the Cai Rang floating market, reached from Ho Chi Minh City by expressway.
Mekong Delta
A traveller's guide to the Mekong Delta's provinces, from My Tho and Ben Tre to Can Tho and Chau Doc, and how to plan a visit from Ho Chi Minh City.
Ben Tre
Ben Tre is coconut country in the Mekong Delta, a separate province from neighboring My Tho with narrower canals and its own coconut craft.
Cai Rang Floating Market
How Cai Rang floating market actually works on the water, and why it isn't the same as Cai Be or Phong Dien.
Can Gio
Can Gio is the mangrove biosphere reserve closest to Ho Chi Minh City — not to be confused with the far more distant Ca Mau mangrove forest.
Con Dao
Con Dao is an island archipelago off southern Vietnam, reached only by air or ferry, prized for its national park, quiet beaches and prison history.
My Tho: Saigon's Nearest Gateway to the Mekong Delta
My Tho is the closest Mekong Delta town to Ho Chi Minh City, known for river islands and orchards, not the Cai Rang floating market.
Vung Tau: Ba Ria-Vung Tau's Seaside City Near Saigon
Vung Tau is a seaside city in its own province, east of Saigon and separate from the Mekong Delta. Here's how it fits into the region.
Ca Mau
Ca Mau is Vietnam's southern tip and a true mangrove wilderness, distinct from Can Gio and further into the Mekong Delta than most visitors go.
Cai Be
Cai Be's floating market is smaller and calmer than Cai Rang's — here's what actually happens on the water, and how the two get confused.
Chau Doc
Chau Doc sits on the Bassac River by the Cambodian border, a gateway town unlike any other stop in the Mekong Delta.
Ho Tram
Ho Tram is a quiet, resort-driven stretch of coast east of Vung Tau — a different kind of beach trip from Saigon, not a smaller Vung Tau.
Phu My Cruise Port
Phu My is the deep-water cruise port for Ho Chi Minh City — separate from Vung Tau. What it is, where it sits, and how to reach Saigon from the dock.
Rach Gia: Gateway to the Gulf of Thailand and Phu Quoc
Rach Gia is a Gulf of Thailand port city and Phu Quoc ferry gateway, distinct from the inland Mekong Delta towns clustered around Can Tho.
Sa Dec: River Villas and Flower Gardens in the Mekong Delta
Sa Dec's ancestral villas and flower gardens on the Mekong, and how this quiet river town differs from livelier, neighboring Vinh Long.
Soc Trang
Soc Trang's Khmer pagodas form a distinct architectural tradition in the Mekong Delta, separate from the Vietnamese Buddhist pagodas found elsewhere.
Vinh Long, Where the Mekong Delta's Rivers Meet
Vinh Long is the Mekong Delta's river crossroads, distinct from Can Tho — orchards, brick kilns and island homestays on the Co Chien River.
Further afield — the Mekong Delta and the coast
The longer trips — My Tho and Ben Tre's coconut groves around 1 h 30 away, Can Tho and Cai Rang floating market roughly 3 h 30 south, and Vung Tau's beaches about 2 hours by road or 1 h 30 by hydrofoil.
Mui Ne: The Kitesurfing Coast of Binh Thuan
Mui Ne is Vietnam's kitesurf coast in Binh Thuan province, next to Phan Thiet and the sand dunes — not part of the Mekong Delta.
Cat Tien National Park
Cat Tien National Park is inland lowland rainforest, not delta or coast. A clear guide to the region and how it differs from the mangroves.
Phan Thiet
Phan Thiet is a working fishing port and provincial capital, distinct from the resort strip of neighboring Mui Ne.
Mui Ne Sand Dunes: Red Dunes vs White Dunes Explained
The Mui Ne sand dunes are two separate sites, red and white, often confused as one. Here is how they differ and how to tell them apart.
Good to know about day trips from Ho Chi Minh
Several worthwhile excursions sit within reach of Ho Chi Minh City, each with a different character. The Cu Chi tunnels are the most straightforward half-day option, combining a short trip out of the city with a visit to either the Ben Duoc or Ben Dinh section of the network. Tay Ninh, further northwest, pairs the Cao Dai Holy See with Black Virgin Mountain and generally takes a full day given the distance, and the two towns are sometimes combined into a single long day when a tour covers both Cu Chi and Tay Ninh.
The closer Mekong Delta provinces, My Tho, Ben Tre, Cai Be and Vinh Long, work well as a full day trip built around a boat ride, a stop at a fruit orchard or a small workshop, and a market, and these provinces sit near enough to the city to return the same evening. Can Tho and the Cai Rang floating market sit further south and are harder to fit into a single day from Ho Chi Minh City given the travel time, so an overnight stay is the more common way to catch the market at its liveliest in the early morning. Closer to the city, Can Gio's mangrove forest makes for an easier half-day or full-day nature trip without the distance of the delta.
Vung Tau, on the coast southeast of the city, is a common full-day or overnight beach trip, while Con Dao, further out, requires a flight and is not a realistic day trip from Ho Chi Minh City. Each of these areas works as a half-day to full-day trip depending on how many stops are combined, and it's worth building in some flexibility around the weather, since the delta's boat rides and Tay Ninh's outdoor sections are less enjoyable during a heavy downpour.
Frequently asked questions about day trips from Ho Chi Minh
What's the best day trip from Ho Chi Minh City for first-time visitors?
The Cu Chi tunnels are the most popular choice for a half-day trip, while a Mekong Delta day trip to My Tho or Ben Tre suits visitors who want a boat ride and a market stop within a single day.
Can Cu Chi and Tay Ninh be combined in one day?
They can be combined, though it makes for a long day, since the tunnels and the Cao Dai Holy See sit in different directions from central Ho Chi Minh City and a full loop takes most of the daylight hours.
Is Can Tho and the Cai Rang floating market doable as a day trip?
It's possible but tight, since the round trip covers a significant distance and the market is at its best early in the morning, so many travellers prefer an overnight stay in Can Tho instead.
Should Con Dao be a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City?
No, Con Dao is an island reached by flight, and there's no realistic way to visit and return within a single day, so it's better planned as its own multi-day stop.
Is Vung Tau better as a day trip or with an overnight stay?
A day trip covers the main beach and viewpoint areas, but an overnight stay allows a slower pace and an evening on the coast without the return drive.
Day Trips from Ho Chi Minh City
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