Ho Chi Minh City – also known as Saigon has many places to visit, many delicious dishes to enjoy, many tourist destinations to experience. Discovering Saigon and the famous tourist attractions around the city will definitely bring you a lot of exciting experiences. Here are some places you should explore in 5 days in Saigon trip.
Just-in: Vietnam visa
Perhaps many travelers know but also many even don’t know that before every trip abroad, they should check whether they need a visa to their destination country. Traveling to Vietnam is of course not an exception. Some do not need a visa for Vietnam unconditionally, some do not need it conditionally and some need one no matter where they are, where they arrive in Vietnam, their purpose of visit and also the length of stay in Vietnam.
To check it, just enter Vietnam-visa.com, select nationality on the box on the website header and the full guide will be showed.
For example, when checking Vietnam visa for Spanish citizens, you will see on the link https://www.vietnam-visa.com/guide/spain/ displayed to you full guide on whether the Spanish citizens need a visa for Vietnam, what are conditions for them to enjoy Vietnam visa exemption, in which cases they need to apply for Vietnam visa.
On Vietnam-visa.com, you can find such a guide for citizens from over 200 countries worldwide.
Day 1: Saigon city tour
In the morning: Notre Dame Cathedral – City Post Office – “Bet” Coffee
These are the destinations in the city centre where any visitors who come to Ho Chi Minh City for the first time also visit. Notre Dame Cathedral is considered the architectural masterpiece, located in the middle of the square, with beautiful views from all sides.
The Ho Chi Minh City Central Post Office is located on the left side of the Notre Dame Cathedral, built between 1886 and 1891 under the design of architect Villedieu and assistant Foulhoux, bringing the beauty of the interweaving of European and Asian architecture.
The April 30th park is called a “bet” coffee shop because there is no table or chair here. The salesman will just give you the newspaper to spread out on the ground. Enjoy a cup of coffee and watch the pace of life here.
In the afternoon: Ngoc Hoang Pagoda – Nhieu Loc Canal – Ben Thanh Market
More than 100 years old, Ngoc Hoang temple retains the ancient architecture with yin-yang tile. In the past, the pagoda was a famous place for prosperity, peace, and merit. In 1984, the temple was renamed Phuoc Hai Tu and was recognized as a national architectural heritage in 1994. In May 2016, the temple was also visited by President Barack Obama on the occasion of his visit to Vietnam.
Not far from Ngoc Hoang Pagoda, Nhieu Loc canal with boat tour helps you better understand the daily life of the local people along two river banks, through the story of the formation and development of the Nhieu Loc canal as well as the history of Saigon. There are also famous temples on the banks of the river. There are 2 boat stations in District 1 and District 3, the boat runs from 8h to 20h, according to the route, depending on the weather and tide.
Ben Thanh market with the oldest architecture, is considered one of the most attractive tourist attractions in Saigon. In addition to shopping specialties and souvenirs from many regions, you can explore Saigon cuisine with a lot of delicious food stalls, selling salad rolls, noodles, pancakes…
In the evening: Nguyen Hue Walking Street – Western Quarter
Walking Street is a popular destination for young people in Ho Chi Minh City every night. As a tourist, you will feel the vibrant and colorful life here with weekly music shows or cafes looking up from the street.
The endpoint for a one-day trip in Ho Chi Minh city is the “no sleep” street, home to many local and foreign visitors. Every corner of Bui Vien, Pham Ngu Lao, De Tham streets are crowded. You can choose a wooden chair in a small shop or sitting in a bar to enjoy vibrant music.
The next 2 days: Mekong Delta tour
Day 1: Saigon – My Tho – Ben Tre – Can Tho
In the morning, the scenery of the bustling city is replaced by paddy fields and rural villages in My Tho. Taking a boat in Ben Tre, you will go through the impressive floating islet, called Long, Lan, Quy, Phung which have many lush gardens, fruit gardens of the local families. You can stop at a bee farm to sample honey tea and Kumquat, as well as listen to Don ca tai tu. All are planned into ecotourism to better serve tourists.
Have lunch. After that, you will come to Can Tho city. You can see a typical Vietnamese house, with a spacious room and outdoor kitchen area. The local people are always welcome with the hospitality. Overnight at 4 * hotel in Can Tho.
Day 2: Can Tho – Saigon trip
In Can Tho, take a boat to visit the colorful Cai Rang floating market. Main goods are fruits and vegetables. Each boat has a tree to hang the type of goods they sell. The waterway becomes a maze with hundreds of ships selling mangos, bananas, papayas, pineapples and even floating houses offering noodles. You also visit the rice milling facility before returning to the hotel. At a local restaurant, you will taste the Mekong specialties before continuing to explore the most beautiful and peaceful of the Mekong Delta. Along the way, take a chance to admire the scenery and daily life of local people in the village.
You will have lunch at a restaurant in the eco-tourism area.
After a traditional Mekong-style lunch, you continue to go straight to Binh Thuy ancient house or Binh Thuy orchid garden in the style of French architecture. Then, you will return to Saigon. Again, passing through the landscape of Vietnamese countryside with rice fields and villages in the area creates a great background to take nice photos.
The last 2 days: Tan Lap floating village
When deciding to choose Tan Lap floating village, you will have many interesting things to explore. The ticket prices vary depending on the type of boat you choose. The entrance fee is 55,000 VND/person. At a very cheap price, you will be able to wander through the corners of this resort.
The pathway here bends through the creeping trees of high altitude. All make a very special and impressive path. Like a mysterious labyrinth, it urges you to explore and discover.
Melaleuca forests are more than 30 meters high, so moving in this area, you will feel very cool and comfortable. There is also a bird sanctuary and reserve. You can follow directions to discover all the beauty of this place.
If you come here at the time of the lotus blossom season, you will admire the beautiful scenery of blossom lotus everywhere. Also, you must conquer the tower as high as 38 meters in this Tan Lap floating village. Standing on this and looking down will help you see the panoramic view of all natural scenery here. You will understand how beautiful and attractive this place is.
However, there is one point you should note that the food service here has not been developed. Therefore, preparing snacks to bring along on their journey is very necessary. At the resort, the food to serve visitors will be the specialty of the South West.
Hope that the above itinerary will be useful. Have a nice trip in Saigon!
