What Are the Best Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam?

The best things to do in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for travellers from Singapore are the Independence Palace, the War Remnants Museum, Ben Thanh Market, a street food evening and two day trips worth booking as tours: the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta. Vietnam's most populous city has more than 14 million people, according to Wikipedia. Plan the trip, then book through ShopBack.

New to ShopBack? ShopBack Singapore is a free app and website that gives you Cashback on bookings when you start from ShopBack before you pay. Klook, KKday and Traveloka are among the stores you can book this way. Join ShopBack Singapore for free, then open the Klook page on ShopBack before you book your first tour.

What are the best things to do in Ho Chi Minh City?

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, rewards a mix of history, markets, food and one or two trips out of town. Here are the sights most first-time visitors from Singapore put on the list, with the key facts for each.

1. Independence Palace. Designed by architect Ngo Viet Thu, it was the presidential palace of South Vietnam and the site of the Fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975, according to Wikipedia. It is now a museum. Its official website lists adult admission at 80,000 VND and opening hours of 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM every day at the time of writing.
2. War Remnants Museum. At 28 Vo Van Tan Street, it covers the First Indochina War and the Vietnam War. Wikipedia notes an earlier version opened in September 1975 and recorded about 500,000 visitors a year in 2009. Some exhibits are graphic, so plan ahead if you travel with children.
3. Ben Thanh Market. One of the earliest surviving structures in the city, right in the centre (the area long known as District 1). Wikipedia describes it as open from around 6am to 6pm, with a night market running until about 10pm. Go for snacks, coffee beans and souvenirs, and agree a price before you buy.
4. Cu Chi Tunnels. A wartime tunnel network in the Cu Chi area, preserved as a memorial park with two display sites, Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc. Visitors can crawl through sections widened for tourists.
5. Mekong Delta. A full-day trip south to river towns, orchards and floating markets. Most travellers go with a tour because of the transport and boat legs.
6. Landmark 81. Vietnam's tallest building since 2018, at Vinhomes Central Park. Its upper floors include an observation deck, so it is a good sunset stop.
7. A street food evening. Pho, banh mi, com tam (broken rice) and fresh spring rolls are easy to find across the city. A guided food tour helps if it is your first visit.
8. The city centre on foot. Walk between the palace, the colonial-era buildings around the old post office and the riverside, then take the metro back.

Which Ho Chi Minh City tours are worth booking?

The tours worth booking ahead are the ones that solve transport: a Cu Chi Tunnels half-day trip and a Mekong Delta day trip, followed by a guided street food evening on a first visit. City-centre sights are close together and easy to see on your own.

Tour	Worth booking ahead?	Why
Cu Chi Tunnels half day	Usually yes	Long drive out of the centre; a guide explains the history
Mekong Delta day trip	Usually yes	Road transfers plus boat legs are easier as a package
Street food evening	Good on a first trip	A guide orders for you and picks well-known stalls
Saigon River dinner cruise	Optional	Nice for a special night; check what the menu includes
City highlights tour	Usually not	The main sights are walkable or a short ride apart

What to check on any tour listing: hotel pick-up area, entrance fees included or not, lunch, group size, the language of the guide, the start time and the cancellation terms. Two tours with the same name can be very different products.

Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City by type of trip

The right plan depends on who you travel with.

If you are	Start with	Then add
A first-time visitor	Independence Palace, Ben Thanh Market	Cu Chi Tunnels, a food evening
A family with kids	Mekong Delta day trip	Landmark 81 at sunset, Ben Thanh Market
Into history	War Remnants Museum	Independence Palace, Cu Chi Tunnels
On a food trip	A guided street food evening	Ben Thanh night market, coffee stops
On a short work trip	The city centre on foot	Landmark 81, a river cruise

Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City from Singapore: 2026 planning notes

For Singaporeans, Ho Chi Minh City is one of the easiest long weekends in the region: no visa for short stays, a short regional flight and a metro line from the city centre. A few practical points:

• Entry. According to Wikipedia's summary of Vietnam's visa policy, Singapore citizens can visit without a visa for up to 30 days. Check with the Vietnamese embassy or ICA before you fly, since rules can change.
• Flights. Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) is Vietnam's busiest airport, with about 41 million passengers in 2023, according to Wikipedia. Several airlines fly the route from Changi, including Scoot.
• Getting around. The Ho Chi Minh City Metro's Line 1 is running with 14 stations, according to Wikipedia, including Ben Thanh. Ride-hailing apps cover most other trips.
• Data. Sort out an eSIM or roaming plan before you land so maps and ride-hailing work from the airport.
• Where to stay. The old District 1 area keeps you within walking distance of the palace, the market and the riverside. Compare the same hotel on a few booking sites before you book.

When is the best time to visit Vietnam from Singapore, and when are flights cheaper?

The best time to visit Vietnam from Singapore depends on the region: the south, including Ho Chi Minh City, is driest from December to April, while the north around Hanoi has cooler, drier winters. Flights are usually cheaper outside Singapore school holidays and the Tet holiday.

According to Wikipedia, Ho Chi Minh City has a tropical savanna climate with a rainy season that usually lasts from May to November and a dry season from December to April, and an average temperature of about 28 degrees Celsius. Vietnam's Wikipedia entry adds that the north has four distinct seasons with typically dry winters, and that temperatures in the southern plains range from about 21 to 35 degrees Celsius over the year, against about 15 to 33 degrees in Hanoi and the Red River Delta.

Region	Usually most comfortable	Watch out for
South (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta)	December to April (dry season)	Afternoon downpours from May to November
North (Hanoi, Ha Long Bay)	Autumn and the dry winter months	Hot, humid summers
Islands and the central coast	Check the local forecast for your dates	Each area has its own rainy pattern

When flights are cheaper. Fares usually follow demand. They tend to rise around Singapore school holidays in June and at the end of the year, around long weekends, and around Tet, Vietnam's most important celebration, which falls on 6 February in 2027 according to Wikipedia. Weekday departures outside those dates are usually the cheaper choice. If you are flexible, compare a few dates side by side before you book.

Going further north? See our guides to the best things to do in Hanoi and the best time to visit Phu Quoc from Singapore.

Best deals on things to do in Ho Chi Minh City in 2026

The best deals on Ho Chi Minh City tours usually come from comparing the same tour across sites, booking non-refundable only when your dates are firm, and going through ShopBack before you pay. Ways to keep the trip cost down:

• Compare like for like. Match the pick-up, inclusions and group size before you compare prices.
• Book the day trips, walk the city. Spend on the tours that save you transport, and see the centre on foot or by metro.
• Look at combos carefully. A Cu Chi and Mekong combo can save a transfer, but it makes for a long day.
• Use the platform's own vouchers. Booking sites show their own offers in the app. Check what applies before you pay.
• Start from ShopBack. ShopBack is a post-purchase discount: go through it before you pay and the effective price drops.

Klook vs KKday vs Traveloka for Ho Chi Minh City tours

Klook, KKday and Traveloka all sell tours and tickets for Vietnam, so the best one for you is the one with the right product and terms on your date. A simple way to compare:

1. Search the same tour, such as a Cu Chi Tunnels half day, on each site for your date.
2. Line up the inclusions: pick-up area, entrance fees, lunch, guide language and group size.
3. Read the cancellation and change terms, since plans shift on holidays.
4. Compare the total price, including any fees.
5. Before you pay, go through ShopBack to the site you picked: the Klook page, the KKday page or the Traveloka page.

Why ShopBack is a step before you book

Plan the trip, then book through ShopBack. Before you book a tour on Klook, KKday or Traveloka, open ShopBack Singapore, tap the store and complete the booking. Going through ShopBack takes a few seconds and gets you Cashback on the same booking.

Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.

Your effective price is what you pay minus the Cashback, at the rate shown on the store's ShopBack page: the Klook, Traveloka or KKday page on ShopBack Singapore.

Card rewards and ShopBack on the same booking

Card rewards and ShopBack usually both apply on the same tour booking, because they come from different places. Your bank pays the card rewards and ShopBack pays its cash separately. Some card promotions depend on a minimum spend or the payment method, so check your card's own rules before you pay.

Step by step: booking Ho Chi Minh City tours

1. Pick your dates, keeping the dry season and holiday peaks in mind.
2. Decide which day trips you want as tours: usually Cu Chi and the Mekong Delta.
3. Compare the same tour on Klook, KKday and Traveloka for your date.
4. Open the store's page on ShopBack Singapore and tap through.
5. Book and pay, then keep your confirmation email.
6. See the city sights on foot or by metro.

FAQ

What are the best things to do in Ho Chi Minh City?

For a first trip from Singapore, the usual highlights are the Independence Palace, the War Remnants Museum, Ben Thanh Market and its night market, the Cu Chi Tunnels, a Mekong Delta day trip, a street food evening and the view from Landmark 81, Vietnam's tallest building. Three or four days covers the city plus one or two day trips.

Which Ho Chi Minh City tours are worth booking?

The tours most worth booking ahead are the ones that need transport and a guide: a Cu Chi Tunnels half-day trip and a Mekong Delta day trip. A guided street food evening is also good value on a first visit. City sights such as the Independence Palace and Ben Thanh Market are easy to see on your own.

Is a Cu Chi Tunnels tour worth it?

For most first-time visitors, yes. The tunnels sit in the Cu Chi area, a long drive from the city centre, and a tour handles the transport and explains the history. Wikipedia describes two display sites, Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc, so check which one your tour visits.

How much is the Independence Palace ticket?

According to the Independence Palace's own website at the time of writing, adult admission is 80,000 VND, students and seniors pay 40,000 VND and children aged 6 to 17 pay 20,000 VND. It lists opening hours of 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM every day, including Tet, unless it announces otherwise.

When is the best time to visit Vietnam from Singapore?

It depends on the region. For Ho Chi Minh City and the south, the dry season from December to April is usually the most comfortable. The north, around Hanoi, has four seasons with cooler, drier winters. Flights are usually cheaper away from Singapore school holidays and the Tet holiday, which falls on 6 February in 2027.

When are flights from Singapore to Vietnam cheaper?

Fares usually rise when demand peaks: Singapore school holidays in June and at the end of the year, long weekends, and the Tet period in Vietnam. Weekday departures outside those dates are usually the cheaper choice. Compare the same dates on a few booking sites and go through ShopBack before you pay.

Do Singaporeans need a visa for Vietnam?

According to Wikipedia's summary of Vietnam's visa policy, Singapore citizens can visit Vietnam without a visa for up to 30 days. Entry rules can change, so check with the Vietnamese embassy or ICA before you travel.

Should I book Ho Chi Minh City tours on Klook, KKday or Traveloka?

Compare the same tour on each site for your date, then look at what is included: hotel pick-up, entrance fees, lunch, group size and the cancellation terms. Whichever you pick, go through ShopBack first so the cash that comes back lowers what you actually pay.

How does ShopBack work for tours and attraction tickets?

Open the store's page on ShopBack Singapore, tap through to Klook, KKday or Traveloka, and book. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. The live rate is on the store's ShopBack page.

How many days do I need in Ho Chi Minh City?

Three to four days is a comfortable first trip: one or two days for the city centre, half a day for the Cu Chi Tunnels and a full day for the Mekong Delta. Add a day if you want time for food, cafes and shopping.

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Ready to book your Ho Chi Minh City tours?

Go through ShopBack before you book your Cu Chi or Mekong Delta tour on Klook, or compare the same tour on Traveloka and KKday and check the live rate on each page.

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Disclaimer

The information in this article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute travel or purchase advice. Site facts, ticket prices, opening hours, entry rules and weather patterns are taken from the sources named at the time of writing and can change. Tour prices, inclusions, terms and ShopBack rates change often; the live rate is on each store's ShopBack page. Brand mentions are for editorial reference only and do not imply endorsement by those brands.