Tao Dan Park

I suggest you start your day early in the cool of the morning at one of the city’s many parks. If you’re staying in Districts 1 or 3, I recommend you take a stroll to Tao Dan Park. You’ll find it located between Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street to the north, Nguyen Du to the south, Cach Mang Thang Tam to the west, and Huyen Tran Cong Chi.

The park will come alive not long after sunrise and will be a hive of activity by 7 a.m.

Start at the southwestern corner where Bùi Thị Xuân runs into Cách Mạng Tháng 8 and work your way through to the northeast corner of Truong Dinh. If you stick to the right-hand side as you enter, you will find a Temple of the Hung Kings along the way.

Pick up a Vietnamese coffee from one of the street vendors along the way (for about 15,000 VND). Then enjoy the spectacle of Vietnamese locals exercising, socializing, and relaxing in the cool of the morning. If you’re lucky you’ll see groups practicing traditional fan dancing and martial arts.

Distance (~5-600 m depending on the path you take.)

War Remnants Museum

Next, walk straight up Truong Dinh until you hit Vo Van Tan. Turn right and walk until you see the War Remnants Museum on the corner of Vo Van Tan and Le Quy Don. (450 m)

Opened in 1975, this excellent museum exhibits relics and displays related to the American phase of the Vietnam War.

This museum is a must-see on a visit to Ho Chi Minh City. It will give you an insight into the tragedy of the war and help you to understand the country’s resilience and growth since those turbulent times. It is quite graphic and perhaps a little one-sided. But the victors always write the history books, so you wouldn’t expect anything else.

Depending on your nationality, you may feel more comfortable contemplating these exhibits in relative quiet rather than alongside a throng of other tourists. It opens every day at 7.30 a.m., so you can get in early to beat the crowds.

Entrance fee – 40,000 VND.

Opening Hours – 7.30 am to 5.30 pm daily.

The Lovely 30/4 Park

Depending on what time you started out you may be getting pretty hungry by now. Or, you might just need to sit down and reflect on what you’ve just experienced.

Turn right out of the museum and walk a block down Vo Van Tan until you reach Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa and turn right. Walk straight until you run into a lovely shady park. (~650m)

30/4 Park is named after Vietnam’s Liberation Day, the 30th of April. It’s located between the Independence Palace and Notre Dame Cathedral, with great views of both. It’s a great place to take a seat in relative peace and quiet and people-watch. If you need some refreshments, there are usually a handful of coconut, soft drink, water, and ice cream vendors plying their trade.

There are dozens of cafes and restaurants in this part of the city including quite a few around this park. Try Au Parc, Propaganda, or RuNam on Hàn Thuyên. Or there is a large Highlands Coffee outside Diamond Plaza, behind Notre Dame.

If you fancy sampling some fantastic Vietnamese street food, you should find numerous street vendors or local restaurants around this area. My favorites include Banh Mi (Vietnamese baguette), Bo Kho (thick, flavorsome beef stew), or Pho (noodle soup.) Pick a stall that seems popular with the Saigonese and has a good turnover. Alternatively, there is a food court at the top of Diamond Plaza, behind Notre Dame.

Independence Palace: The Symbol of History and Power

After a bit of rest, head over to the entrance of the Independence Palace (Also known as Reunification Palace.) This building is a powerful symbol of Vietnam’s history and stands as a testament to the nation’s turbulent past and steadfast resilience.

On 30 April 1975, an armored North Vietnamese tank dramatically crashed through the massive entry gates of the Palace, signaling the end of the Vietnam War.

Outside the gates, you can join a tour, pick up a personal guide, or just pay the ticket and use the brochure provided for background information. Assign at least an hour for your visit if you want to do it justice.

If you didn’t have lunch before your visit to the palace, you are spoilt for choice for lunch in this neck of the woods.

For Vietnamese cuisine, head up to Nha Hang Ngon at 160 Pasteur Street for a large selection of very reasonable and delicious Vietnamese dishes. Or drop into the elegant surrounds of Quan Ngon 138 at 138 Đ. Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa, just down the road from the palace. They have a mind-boggling array of Vietnamese dishes from around the country.

If you are looking for something a little bit more Western try Au Parc Cafe. You can find it at 23 Hàn Thuyên on the southern side of 30-4 Park, between Pasteur and Cong Xa Paris.

All three choices are in beautiful colonial buildings with leafy outlooks so you can chill before the next leg of the tour. On the same street as Au Parc, you’ll find Propaganda, another excellent Vietnamese Restaurant, and several others.

If you’re looking for something a bit more casual, Ben Nghe Street Food Market is around 50m further on from Quan Ngon 138 at 134 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa.

Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon (Nha Tho Duc Ba Saigon)

Next, we’ll head to the other side of 30/4 Park. The first stop is the imposing Notre Dame Cathedral, situated on an island between the Park, Diamond Plaza, and the Central Post Office.

A symbol of Ho Chi Minh City’s colonial past is the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception. Constructed in the late 1800s from imported French materials, the cathedral remains a remarkable vestige of the French Colonial era. Its twin bell towers, each topped with a cross, soar to a height of 200 feet, creating an imposing silhouette against the city’s skyline.

Over the past few years, they have covered the outside in various stages of scaffolding as they undertake a major renovation. Hopefully, by the time you get there, all that will be gone.

Opening hours are between 5.30 am and 5 pm but visiting hours are more restricted. If you are lucky, you’ll see some couples out having their wedding pictures taken. Of course, you may enter when services are on, but please be respectful if you are visiting at this time. There is an English mass at 9.30 am on Sundays.

The church sits in a lovely setting close to the park, juxtaposed against Diamond Plaza and your next stop, the railway station-like City Post Office. Even if you can’t get in, the outside of the building is quite a sight.

Don’t forget to visit the statue of Our Lady of Peace in the garden at the front of the church. You may see visitors checking to see if the statue is crying, a phenomenon reported in 2005.

Browse Through Nguyen Van Binh Book Street

For a different kind of cultural experience, make your way to Nguyen Van Binh, better known as Book Street. Book Street stretches around 150m from Notre Dame Cathedral to Hai Ba Trung Street. The pedestrianized lane has more than 20 bookstores that display and sell thousands of non-fiction and fiction books, along with newspapers, magazines, stationery, literary memorabilia, and souvenirs.

You’ll find a number of cafes, an old book exchange with plenty of titles in English, and various book exhibitions. This location is extremely popular with the locals, especially students and families. But it also offers tourists a peaceful respite from the bustling city streets and an opportunity to pick up a range of excellent publications and souvenirs specific to Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam. It’s well worth including in your Ho Chi Minh City walking tour.

Saigon Central Post Office

Right next to Book Street, the Saigon Central Post Office is in a gorgeous colonial building from the late 1880s that is still in excellent condition. Its bright yellow façade, adorned with green shutters, houses an interior reminiscent of an old European train station. Despite its historical significance, the building still functions as the city’s main post office, selling postcards on-site for visitors to send home as an inexpensive souvenir.

You’ll also find souvenir shops, tour booking services, and kiosks. The interior is just as elegant as the outside with high vaulted ceilings, beautiful tiles, and unique features such as the wooden phone booths.

Dong Khoi Street

From the Post Office, head further south-east along Dong Khoi taking the time to photograph more of the beautiful buildings still in fantastic condition. Along the street, you’ll find many high-end shopping choices, unique souvenir shops, and galleries full of local art that are worth your time.

Ho Chi Minh City Hall (People’s Committee Building)

By now it should be mid to late afternoon. Continue down Dong Khoi, until you reach Le Than Ton Street. On your right, you will see the gorgeous City Hall that is now the Office of Ho Chi Minh City’s People’s Committee. Its magnificent design was inspired by the Hotel de Ville in Paris and is adorned with ornate columns and bas-reliefs.

You can take a few pics now, but this is one of the many buildings around town lit up like a Christmas tree at night. So make sure to come back later and witness its exquisite features illuminated by colored lights.

Across the road is a brand new ritzy Union Square shopping center chock with high-end designer goods. Thankfully the architects designed the new building to fit in with the surroundings. If you didn’t know better, you wouldn’t guess it was built this century.

Ho Chi Minh City Municipal Theatre (Saigon Opera House)

Directly in front of City Hall, you’ll see Saigon’s famous walking Street, Nguyen Hue. But we have one more destination before we return to explore this.

Instead, continue walking down Dong Khoi Street until you see the elegant Hotel Continental on a corner on your left. Just across the road is the magnificent Ho Chi Minh City Municipal Theatre, otherwise known as the Saigon Opera House.

In French Colonial times, they originally built the Municipal Theatre to entertain Saigon’s burgeoning middle class. It was designed as a classical opera house and built in the flamboyant style of the French Third Republic. The original façade bore an uncanny resemblance to the Petit Palace built the same year in France.

The building is only open during performances, but you will get a great outside view. Consider taking in a show while you are here to gain entrance. The current performance of AO is internationally acclaimed. With a mixture of dance and acrobatics, there will be no language barriers to your enjoyment.

Now, you have a couple of choices on where to go next on your HCMC walking tour.

If you’re getting tired, cut back to Nguyen Hue from the theatre and leave the rest of Don Khoi for another day.

Now you have a couple of choices on where to go next on your HCMC walking tour.

If you’re getting tired, cut back to Nguyen Hue from the theatre and leave the rest of Don Khoi for another day.

But if you’re still feeling energetic, or it’s early in the day, keep walking down Dong Khoi towards the Saigon River. You’ll find lots of lovely shops, cafes, and bars to explore. When you get to The Majestic Hotel on your right, pop in to admire the gorgeous foyer. Even better, they have a traditional afternoon tea in the Catinat Lounge between 3 and 6 p.m. Once you’ve finished at the Majestic, you can cross the road to take a look at the dinner cruise boats that ply the Saigon River. Or, instead, turn right along Vo Van Kiet and walk until you reach the river end of Walking Street.

Nguyen Hue Walking Street

Take your time exploring Ho Chi Minh City’s most famous ‘Walking Street.’ It’s lined with some of the city’s nicest bars, restaurants, cafes, and souvenir shops. So you could easily spend a few hours getting back to the People’s Committee Building (City Hall.)

Highlights include the Apartment Block Cafes, the Rex Hotel, The Famous Ho Chi Minh Statue, and the Nguyen Hue Music Fountain as described below.

Apartment Block Cafes

This old Apartment block has been converted into a rabbit warren of quirky cafes, restaurants, and shops. The city keeps threatening to pull it down, but it’s managed to survive so far, probably due to its popularity.

The Rex Hotel

If you can time it right, get back to the top end of Nguyen Hue by around 5 p.m. and head to the Rooftop Garden in the Rex Hotel for sunset drinks. During the 60’s and 70s, the Rex Hotel was the site of the famous ‘Five O’clock Follies” where military officials delivered press briefings to international correspondents covering the Vietnam War.

The bar overlooks much of Ho Chi Minh City center. You’ll gaze down on Ho Chi Minh Square, Union Square Shopping Centre, City Hall, and Nguyen Hue (Walking Street.) It’s a beautiful place to relax with a cocktail and reflect on what you’ve experienced on your walking tour of Saigon.

I’m not sure if it still happens but they used to have two-for-one cocktails from 5-7 p.m. and will sometimes have a live performance in the early evening as a bonus.

Ho Chi Minh Statue

Possibly Ho Chi Minh City’s most popular selfie spot. This 24-foot-tall figure of a waving President Ho Chi Minh stands proudly in front of the People’s Committee building, gazing down the length of Walking Street. As you admire its imposing stature, take a moment to appreciate its symbolic significance. President Ho Chi Minh is the most revered figure in the country and played a pivotal role in the nation’s history.

Nguyen Hue Music Fountain

With a large lotus flower in the center, lots of LED lighting, and dancing water spouts, this is another of Saigon’s favorite selfie spots.

If you’ve still got some energy, head straight down Le Loi Street for about 600m to find the famous Ben Thanh Market

Ben Thanh Market

Centrally located, Ben Thanh Market is open during the day and is an integral part of Ho Chi Minh City’s cultural and commercial life. Steeped in history, the market traces its origins back to the 17th century and moved into its present location in 1912. It’s a bustling hive of activity where you can explore a wide variety of goods ranging from fresh produce and street food to clothing and souvenirs. The majority of visitors to Ho Chi Minh City will visit this iconic market at least once.

At night, the surrounding streets are filled with vendors hawking all sorts of wares, food, and drinks. And there are some lovely cafes there as well.