Best day trips from Ho Chi Minh City: 10 things to do

Cu Chi Tunnels, Mekong Delta, Vung Tau, and more. Ten day trips from Saigon for first-timers.

Ho Chi Minh City rewards a few full days on its own — the war history, the markets, the coffee culture packed into narrow buildings. But the Mekong Delta and the war-era tunnel networks sit close enough that most visitors build at least one or two day trips into their stay, and the beach towns nearby make a decent escape valve from the city’s heat and noise.

Traffic is the main variable here. Distances on a map look short, but District 1 gridlock and provincial roads both eat time, so build in buffer rather than trusting an optimistic drive estimate.

1. Cu Chi Tunnels

The most-booked day trip out of the city, and for good reason. The tunnel network used during the war is partly open for visitors to crawl through, alongside displays on how the tunnels functioned as living and fighting spaces. About ninety minutes from the center; half-day and full-day tours both run, with full-day options usually adding a stop or extending the tunnel section.

2. Mekong Delta — My Tho and Ben Tre

Boat rides through narrow canals, coconut candy workshops, and floating markets in the delta towns closest to the city — around ninety minutes south. It is a lighter, more accessible taste of the Mekong than venturing further toward Can Tho, and works well as a single-day trip rather than the multi-day delta routes some travelers take.

3. Can Gio biosphere reserve

A mangrove forest reserve about two hours southeast, known for its monkey population and quieter, greener scenery than the city offers. Less visited than Cu Chi or the delta towns, which makes it a good pick if you want nature without a crowd. Some tours combine a boat ride through the mangroves with a stop at a crocodile farm.

4. Vung Tau beach day

A beach town about two hours away by road, or faster by hydrofoil from the city center. It is not Vietnam’s best beach, but it is the closest legitimate one, which makes it popular with locals on weekends and a reasonable break from urban heat for visitors who do not have time to reach the coast further north or south.

5. Cao Dai Temple and Tay Ninh

The Holy See of the Cao Dai religion, a genuinely unusual belief system blending Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism, and other traditions into one colorful cathedral. Time your visit around the midday ceremony (roughly noon) to see the temple in full use rather than empty. Often paired with Cu Chi Tunnels on the same day since both sit northwest of the city, though that makes for a long day.

6. Downtown history walk (soft day)

A legitimate day trip without leaving the city: the War Remnants Museum in the morning, the Reunification Palace and Notre-Dame Cathedral nearby, then the Central Post Office and a wander toward Ben Thanh Market for the afternoon. Useful as a lower-effort day between longer excursions, or as a first orientation day before venturing further out.

7. Cholon (Chinatown)

District 5’s Chinatown is dense with temples, herbal medicine shops, and one of the city’s best wholesale markets at Binh Tay. It sits within the city but feels distinct enough from District 1 to function as its own half-day or full-day theme — good for anyone who has already covered the central sights.

8. Water park day (Dam Sen or Suoi Tien)

Optional, but worth knowing about if you are traveling with kids or just want a break from museums and history. Dam Sen and Suoi Tien are the two main water and theme parks in the city, both reachable without leaving the metro area. Not essential, but a genuine option on a hot, low-ambition day.

9. Long Hai or Ho Coc beach day

Quieter alternatives to Vung Tau, a little further out but noticeably less developed and crowded. Long Hai has fishing-village character alongside its beaches; Ho Coc adds red sand dunes nearby. Both need a car or organized transfer rather than the hydrofoil option that serves Vung Tau.

10. Vietnamese cooking class day

A market tour followed by a hands-on cooking class is one of the better ways to spend a day in the city itself. Most classes start with a guided walk through a local market to pick ingredients, then move to a kitchen to prepare several dishes — pho, spring rolls, and a regional specialty are common. A good pick for a day when you want depth rather than distance.

How to choose

War history in one focused day: Cu Chi Tunnels, possibly paired with Tay Ninh if you want a long day rather than two shorter ones. Want water and greenery: the Mekong Delta towns or Can Gio. Need a beach fix: Vung Tau if time is short, Long Hai or Ho Coc if you want quieter sand. City-only day: the downtown history walk or a cooking class.

Practical tips

Leave the city before 7am for anything requiring a full day round trip — District 1 traffic in the late morning adds real delay. Bring sun protection and water for the Mekong and Can Gio trips, since much of the day is outdoors on boats or open decks. The Vung Tau hydrofoil is worth booking ahead on weekends, when it fills with locals escaping the city heat.

Cu Chi Tunnels involves crawling through narrow, low tunnels — skip the deepest sections if you are claustrophobic, since wider tourist-adapted sections are usually available as an alternative.

See the Ho Chi Minh City destination guide for city context and tour options, or search for day trips on your dates.