Ho Chi Minh City

Landmark 81

The Landmark 81 Central Park

The highest tower of Vietnam with 81 floors which is 461.3 m, it has a big mall inside which includes a CGV cinema. Landmark 81 are also surrounded in a complex of apartments as part of Vinhomes' Tan Cang, or Central Park. Access the views by paying for SkyView (top 3 floors; 300k/500k weekdays/weekends, children/elderly half price; 200k for VND students on weekdays) or by patronizing one of the restaurants/cafes/lounges on the upper floors (prices vary, but tend to be 100k+ VND, high for Vietnam but about average for global HCOL cities; these are accessible through the Marriott Autograph Collection hotel by transferring elevators at the hotel's skylobby). There's also reasonably priced local and international food in the food court on the lower level.

Closed · opens 9 am·No entry fees but has parking fees for vehicles

Independence Palace

Also known as Reunification Palace

This is a restored 4-floor time warp to the 1960s left largely untouched from the day Saigon fell to the North; construction started in 1962 and finished in 1966. It was South Vietnam's presidential palace. The war ended on 30 Apr 1975 when Tank 843 crashed through the gate. A replica of that tank is now parked on the lawn outside. Be sure to check out the aggressively 1960s recreation room on the third floor, featuring a circular sofa, and the eerie basement, full of vintage 1960s phones, radios and office equipment, supposedly left exactly as it was found when the North took over. There is also a photo gallery and a propaganda film recounting how the South Vietnamese supporters and American imperialists succumbed to Ho Chi Minh's indomitable revolutionary forces, at which point the South Vietnamese supporters were forgiven and everyone lived happily ever after. Free guided tours and an audio guide are available (90,000 dong). The audio guide is extremely informative, but not necessary. There is a nice outdoor café on the grounds outside the palace.

Daily 07:30-11:00, 13:00-16:00·40,000 dong · Heritage listed

War Remnants Museum

The museum was opened in a hurry, less than five months after the fall of the South Vietnamese regime. It has moved to new premises with 3 storeys of exhibits and various US military hardware (tanks, jets, helicopters, howitzers) on display outside the building. This disturbing display of man's cruelty during the Vietnam (American) War includes halls full of gruesome photographs, a simulated "tiger cage" prison and jars of deformed foetuses attributed to contamination by Agent Orange. An exhibit on the 3rd floor tells the story of the war journalists from all over the world who documented, and often disappeared or died in the war. Watch out for the amputees who will try to sell you their wares on the museum grounds, though largely their wares take the form of only somewhat overpriced books on historical topics relevant to the museum, and are less of a scam than more of an informal gift shop. The museum is a short walk from Reunification Palace — see the museum pamphlet for a map.

Open daily 07:30-12:00, 13:30-17:00, last admission 16:30·Entry 40,000 dong

Saigon Opera House

Nhà hát Thành phố or Opéra de Saïgon

An opera house built by the French during the colonial period, and without a doubt one of the finest performance venues in Southeast Asia. In modern times it is home to the critically acclaimed AO show, an acrobatic show that fuses Vietnamese traditions with modern Cirque Nouveau performances. Occasionally hosts classical music performances when the AO show is not being performed.

Heritage listed

Ho Chi Minh Museum

The museum, housed in a French colonial-era building, narrates the history of Ho Chi Minh City from pre-history to the present and also has exhibits on local culture and traditions. Outside, on the museum grounds, you will find cars and military vehicles of historical significance. The museum also relates the life of the modern-day father of Vietnam. The exhibits include various personal possessions of Ho Chi Minh but are mainly photographs. You may find it a little jingoistic.

Closed · opens 7:30 am·30,000 dong (Feb 2020) · Heritage listed

Museum of Vietnamese History

The museum has a fine collection of Vietnamese antiquities. Read up on Vietnamese history first or you'll have no idea what you're looking at. Outside, the Botanical Gardens are very nice and a good place for a cheap lunch away from the crowds. Six times a day, you can see a 20-minute water puppet show (adult 50,000 dong, child 35,000 dong). It's quite amusing, even for adults.

Daily 08:30-11:30, 13:30-17:00·30,000 dong · Heritage listed · Built 1929

Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts

Museum displaying art mainly from the 20th century by Vietnamese artists. Two floors of permanent collections are in the main building and the first floor of the second building has a special exhibitions space. The architecture of the French colonial buildings that house the museum is another impressive feature. They were designed by a French architect for the Hua family.

Tue-Sun 08:00-18:00·30,000 dong · Heritage listed

People's Committee Hall

Built as the Hôtel de Ville, it's a striking cream and yellow French colonial building beautifully floodlit at night. No entry, but the statue of Uncle Ho in front is a very popular place for photos.

Closed · opens 7:30 am·Built 1898 · Heritage listed

Ben Thanh Market

Chợ Bến Thành

A den of thieves, but great shopping for tourists — locals rarely head here for their every day needs. Ben Thanh is recognizable from its clock tower on the large roundabout. Due to its popularity with tourists, the market is now divided between tourist goods (jeans, T-shirts, smaller souvenirs in abundance) and regular items (fruit and vegetables, rice, kitchen wares, flowers, meat, fast food and local-style pickled fruits). Most items are not price-marked, and vendors always quote a 50-100% higher price to tourists, so bargaining hard will save you money. Bargaining is common in traditional markets. Feel free to negotiate the price before purchasing items. The chief method of parting visitors from their money is ambiguity: for example, never making it quite clear how much you are being quoted or what the exact price is or what exchange rate is being used to calculate your change. Be ready for these ruses (often by a sweet, smiling young lady), or be prepared to part with more cash than you need to. At the north side (back) of Ben Thanh Market are some shops that are operated by Ben Thanh Group and they sell goods at fixed price and much cheaper than the stalls in the market. No bargaining needed. If the good selection of knock-offs here just won't do, there's plenty to be had in the surrounding side street shops or night market later. If retail warfare isn't your cup of tea, you could skip the touristy Ben Thanh altogether and go to Chợ Bình Tây.

Till 18:00·Wheelchair accessible

Ton Duc Thang Museum

A museum detailing the life and achievements of politician Ton Duc Thang, known for his role as president. The first floor has a special exhibit (as of February 2018 about his time on the infamous prison island of Con Dao) and the second floor has a biographical display featuring artifacts, dioramas, and photographs telling the story of his life; there is also a painting gallery.

Daily 08:00-11:30 and 13:30-16:30 daily·free admission

Notre Dame Cathedral

Nhà thờ Đức Bà or Basilique-Cathédrale Notre-Dame

A French-built Catholic cathedral in the city center.

It is closed for renovations as of Feb 2020·Free · Heritage listed

Thien Hau Pagoda

Dedicated to Lady Thien Hau, the Chinese sea goddess (known as Mazu in Chinese), who left two giant turtles to keep an eye on things in her absence. A festival is held in her honour on the 23rd day of the March lunar month. Don't miss the gorgeous sculptures in the walls of the courtyard outside the temple. It was built by Cantonese immigrants in the traditional Cantonese architectural style.

Free

Xá Lợi Pagoda

Chùa Xá Lợi

The largest Buddhist temple in Ho Chi Minh City, and the headquarters of Buddhism in South Vietnam prior to the Fall of Saigon, said to house relics of the Gautama Buddha. During the Vietnam War, it was known for being a centre of resistance against the oppression of Buddhists by the Roman Catholic-dominated Ngô Đình Diệm government, and was raided several times by the South Vietnamese military in 1963.

Giác Lâm Pagoda

Chùa Giác Lâm

Built in 1744, this is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Ho Chi Minh City. On the temple grounds is a bodhi tree that was gifted by a Sri Lankan monk in the 1950s. There is also a 7-storey tall pagoda that is said to house relics of the Gautama Buddha that were gifted by the same monk that gifted the bodhi tree.

Southern Women’s Museum

Often overlooked by tourists, this museum celebrates the women’s role in the society, economy, and revolutionary history of the southern part of the country. It offers informative exhibits that include photographs, historical documents, and artifacts such as statues, combat equipment used by women, paintings and dioramas, tools used in the traditional production of textiles, and ao dai worn by famous women. As of a February 2018, the second floor had an exhibit on the history of the ao dai and another on textile production, the third floor detailed women’s revolutionary contributions, and the fourth floor was under renovation.

Daily 07:30-11:30 and 13:30-17:00 daily·free admission

Mariamman Temple

Đền Bà Ấn

Hindu temple build by Tamil Indian immigrants in the late 19th century. Although most of the Tamils fled Vietnam following the Fall of Saigon, the temple remains in active use, and today most of the devotees are ethnic Vietnamese or Khmers.

Jade Emperor Pagoda

Chùa Ngọc Hoàng or Phước Hải Tự

A Taoist temple considered by many to be Saigon’s finest, dedicated to the Jade Emperor, the king of the gods in Chinese mythology. Built by Cantonese immigrants in 1909. Check out the room filled with unusual figurines, to the left of the main hall. There are many turtles in a concrete pond in the courtyard. A calm place to rest from the city noise.

Bloom Saigon Restaurant

Temporarily closed as of August 2022. Non-profit restaurant run by Aid to Children Without Parents (ACWP) and serves as a culinary training facility. Very nice staff, excellent food, terrace on the 3rd floor. Situated a bit in the North and in a small calm community. Worth to go by foot, 20 mnin walk from the Jade Pagoda.

Closed · opens 11 am·Vegan options

Anan Saigon

A premier fine dining restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, one of only two in Vietnam to be ranked among Asia's top 50 restaurants. Reservations essential.

Tue-Sun 17:00 - late

FITO Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine

A small museum owned by the FITO company (they produce traditional pharmaceuticals) about the history of traditional medicine in Vietnam. The rooms are filled with items ranging from ingredients to tools used to produce and prepare Vietnamese medicine. Each ticket includes an informative tour of the museum and the opportunity to sample some products. The bottom floor also has a gift shop with competitively priced and high-quality traditional remedies.

Daily 08:30-17:00·120,000 dong

Quan Am Pagoda

The oldest pagoda in town, dedicated to the Buddhist Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (known as Quan Am in Vietnamese), home of a lot of incense and a cheerful puppy. It was built by Hokkien immigrants in the traditional Hokkien architectural style.

Closed · opens 8 am·Free

Nhà Hàng Chay Ngọc Thọ

Incredible range of delicoius veggie options, but also meat and chicken. Clean place, friendly staff, tasty food and satisfying portions.

Vegetarian options · Vegan options

Nhà Hàng Asian Kitchen

Very good place for delicious and diverse food, big choice. Kinda hidden, kinda great. Also lots of vegetarian options.

Vegetarian options

Barbecue Garden

A barbecue restaurant offering both Vietnamese and international foods.

USD5–7

Bánh Mì Hồng Hoa

Banh Mi with local taste. Fresh bread (Vietnamese baguette) with various choices.

Quan An Ngon

Two different restaurants operate with the same name within a few blocks of each other, one at 160 Pasteur Street, and the other on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia across from the Reunification Palace. Set in atmospheric old French villas, with similar menus Vietnamese food, including regional specialities prepared in numerous independently-operated food stalls around the perimeter. Both are popular and both tend to be jammed at peak hours requiring a wait for a table. (The name literally means "restaurant of delicious eating".) The one on Pasteur has dozens of kerosene lamps burning for ambience at night, so if you have asthma or pulmonary issues or feel you've had enough pollution already, better to try the other one.

Mains from 45,000 dong

Pho Quynh

Their specialty is pho. Locals come regularly and lucky backpackers stumble upon it. It is air-conditioned on the second and third floors. They also have decent banh mi bo kho, which is beef stew with carrots, served with French baguette.

24 hours daily·40,000 dong

The Lunch Lady

Nguyen Thi Thanh

The famous Lunch Lady was featured on Anthony Bourdain's show. Different noodle dish every day.

Closed · opens 11 am·30,000 dong

Acoustic Cafe

Though only 1 km from the heavily touristed centre, this club is completely outside the tourist orbit, and offers an interesting view of local life. The all-Vietnamese house band performs every night, mostly American music, and it's always jammed with student-aged groupies. For some reason, they address the crowd in English between songs, even though half the crowd doesn't understand. On weekends, at least, you need to arrive by 19:30 to have any hope of getting a seat. If your hobby is rock ballad or hard rock, you should go on Friday night.

Apocalypse Now

Legendary and still packed on weekends, although aside from a few movie references it's not all that much to look at. Stays open late. Now opened their 2nd floor for DJ, dancing, drinks with less crowded atmosphere.

Cover charge of 150,000 dong