See

The Geological Museum of Vietnam

A rare gem and a must see for geology & natural history enthusiasts. This 3-story building houses a collection of earthly artifacts (and even some non-earthly ones), including a few rare examples. Sadly in a state of neglect with poor lighting and little to no interpretive text. You can read more about it here.

Address: 2 Đ. Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm, Bến Nghé, Quận 1
Hours: Mon-Fri 08-16:30 (closed during lunch 11:30-13:00)
Price: free

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Ho Chi Minh City, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

Close by

Drink
163 Cyclo Bar
Two doors down from the Duna Hotel. Thumping music until 02:00 with friendly staff. Sex workers catering to Western men here. If you're not interested, just gently let it be known.
See
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, 13:30-17:0030,000 dong
Buy
Saigon Square
A good place for a visit. It is a twin of Ben Thanh but with air conditioning. Haggling your way through this place is the rule of thumb. Local middle-class Vietnamese shop here on the weekends too. Consider planning your shopping here during the day and go to Ben Thanh for the night market. The daytime Ben Thanh can be planned as a sightseeing trip instead of a shopping spree.
Eat
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 am30,000 dong