Discover Ho Chi Minh City
Hotels, halal food, prayer spaces, things to do, and itineraries in Ho Chi Minh City.
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Must-see attractions in Ho Chi Minh City
From headline landmarks and heritage icons to parks, waterfronts, and major museums, discover 26 standout sights to build into your time in the city.
Formerly known as Saigon, the largest city in Vietnam is now a bustling city of commerce and culture and has helped drive the country forward economically. Vibrant Ho Chi Minh City boasts of festivities and events throughout the year, which are set among its ancient pagodas and the markets teeming with life. Religion and spirituality are also accentuated in this city with its beautiful temples and churches scattered all around. This fascinating city has evolved through the ages and with its rapid growth and development, it is now one of the most populated and most visited cities in all of Vietnam. For visitors, Ho Chi Minh City offers both th
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Muslim travel planner
Plan a Muslim-friendly trip in Ho Chi Minh City
Halal restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City’s food scene is part of the city experience. Choose from 21 restaurants and food districts with location notes and planning tips.
ho-chi-minh-cityVilla Romaine
Cuisine: Italian Villa Romaine offers the city’s highest quality Italian food and is part of the famous Thao Dien Complex. The restaurant is just a 15 minute drive from District 1 and can also be reached by boat. It is definitely worth visiting if you want to enjoy a nice quiet meal on the peaceful banks of the river.
ho-chi-minh-cityPomodoro’s
Cuisine: Italian Pomodoro’s is a fancy Italian restaurant that gives you a true sense of being in Italy. Their specialty is lasagna and their pizzas are absolutely delicious. The restaurant not only serves fine entrees, but also offers an array of appetizers if you’d just like to snack. Desserts here are also a treat.
ho-chi-minh-cityAu Lac Do Brazil
Cuisine: Brazilian This restaurant is known as a Brazilian churrascaria – an all-you-can-eat restaurant featuring a wide variety of barbecued meats. Live Latin music and dancing provide the main attraction from Tuesdays to Saturdays. For authentically Brazilian cuisine and fine service, visit any of the Au Lac Do Brazil outlets in Ho Chi Minh City.
ho-chi-minh-cityLa Habana
Cuisine: Spanish & Cuban With its colorful Mediterranean décor, La Habana offers outstanding Spanish and Cuban food. There are over 50 different types of tapas on the menu, as well as paella specialties. La Habana hosts free salsa lessons on Tuesdays and live music on Fridays, but show up any night of the week for a fun and relaxing atmosphere and great food.
ho-chi-minh-cityHuy Long Vien
Cuisine: Chinese Huy Long Vien offers the best Peking duck as well as fantastic all-you-can-eat dim sum. Location: 99 Nguyễn Du, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3823 7799
ho-chi-minh-cityL’En Tete
Cuisine: French A stylish French bistro, L’En Tete serves classic French cooking along with its live jazz piano performances. Every two months, the restaurant also organizes an art show and hosts an opening with the artists. With its fine food and great atmosphere, L’En Tete, which is open until midnight, offers a magnificent dining experience.
Ho Chi Minh City masjids and Muslim travel
Landmark masjids and prayer-aware notes for visitors planning salah, family movement, and halal-friendly days.
Cholon Mosque
The Cholon Mosque is found in the Chinatown – Cholon – of Ho Chi Minh City, and is an austere and clean building compared to the many colorfully decorated and lit Chinese and Vietnamese Buddhist pagodas around. The mosque was built by Tamil Muslims in 1935 but is not used extensively by the Malaysian and Vietnamese Muslim community. In the courtyard, you can find a pool for the ritual ablutions. There is also a tiled niche in the wall, mihrab, indicating the direction of prayer, towards Mecca.
Saigon’s Mosque (Central Mosque)
This mosque was also built in 1935, by Indian Muslim Traders that lived there at the time. However now, Muslims from as far as Pakistan and Indonesia come to pray at the Central Mosque. Built in a traditional fashion, it contains a main minaret, a large courtyard and two verandas. Since the verandas are shaded, the stone floors make it an ideal place to sit and pray or read. Shoes must be removed before entering.
Thánh Đường Jamiul Islamiyah
459 Trần Hưng Đạo, Cầu Kho, 1, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam08 3920 3325
Masjid AnWar
phường 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City
Choose where to stay by trip style, from landmark luxury and family bases to central, airport, and neighborhood-led stays.
ho-chi-minh-cityInterContinental Asiana Saigon
InterContinental Asiana Saigon is set in the commercial center of Vietnam, just 3 kilometers from the train station and 7 kilometers from the Tan Son Nhat International Airport. Most of the tourist sites and landmarks are easily accessible from its location in the heart of the Ho Chi Minh City. The lavish hotel has 305 rooms and 18 suites and each elegantly-appointed room is equipped with a satellite television, a DVD player, telephone and minibar. The hotel also promotes multicultural restaurants, which cater to a range of tastes with fine Cantonese, French, Italian and Vietnamese cuisines. A business center, fitness center, convenience store, ballrooms, meeting rooms and tour desk assisting you in planning your itinerary make it an excellent choice for both business and leisure travelers.
ho-chi-minh-citySheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers
The Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers is situated in the bustling business and entertainment district close to the Ho Chi Minh Zoo, the Botanical Gardens and several other sites worth visiting. Also within walking distance are the Saigon River and Saigon Centre. Each of the 470 room has access to state-of-the-art facilities, including marble bathrooms, massage-style showers, iPod docking stations and nice welcoming touches like fresh flowers and turndown service. The rooms in the 25-story Grand Tower are all newly renovated and have access to the Grand Tower Lounge and its 24-hour butler service and personal chef. Business conferences are made easy with 16 meeting rooms and an impressive 750-square meter Grand Ballroom, earning the Sheraton Saigon Hotel and Towers the title of “Best Business Hotel” in Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam by notable business and travel magazines year after year. With 8 restaurants within the hotel, there is no shortage of dining options allowing visitors to sample the delicacies of the Far East or enjoy international flavors and local favorites. A gymnasium, spa, casino and an outdoor swimming pool allow visitors to unwind after a day exploring the city.
ho-chi-minh-cityMajestic Hotel
Roughly 7 kilometers from the airport, the Majestic Hotel is situated very close to the Saigon River and is walking distance from the main commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City. Each room is well-equipped and fully furnished in the French colonial style. The hotel offers the very best of business services for corporate visitors. There is also a gymnasium, swimming pool and sauna within the premises.
ho-chi-minh-cityNew World Hotel
Strategically located in the city of Ho Chi Minh, New World Hotel is within walking distance of the popular Ben Thanh Market, in the vicinity of the Reunification Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon, Vietnam Wonderland and the Saigon Water Park and is just a 20 minute drive from the International Airport. The 5-star hotel is fully equipped with all the facilities required for a comfortable stay and the Executive Floors enjoy a range of additional personalized services. The New World Hotel’s ballroom, banquet halls, meeting rooms and skilled event organizing team are excellent resources for business conferences, exhibitions, shows or weddings. Located within the hotel, the Dynasty restaurant serves excellent Cantonese food and Dim Sum favorites and Parkview offers a buffet and international cuisine. For lighter fare, a poolside lounge serves refreshments and small meals and the Saigon Baking Company provides an excellent place to relax with a pastry and coffee.
ho-chi-minh-cityCaravelle Hotel
This acclaimed 5-star hotel, which has hosted numerous celebrities and dignitaries since its inception in 1959, is located right in the center of Ho Chi Minh City, a convenient 8 kilometer journey from the International Airport and 5 kilometers from the railway station. The rooms are elegant and spacious and the recreational facilities- fitness center, outdoor pool and salon and spa are state-of-the-art. Meeting facilities can accommodate 500 in the ballroom or host smaller meetings in the 11 meeting rooms. One on-site restaurant serves a continental buffet catering to all sorts of culinary needs and a fine-dining restaurant offers a sophisticated dinner inspired by world-class international chefs.
History and today in Ho Chi Minh City
Read the city today, its history, residents, culture, and character before planning your route.
Fast Facts
Location: Ho Chi Minh City is located in the southeastern region of Vietnam, 1760 km south of Hanoi. Its average elevation is 19 meters above sea level.
City Information
Exchange Rates
The Dong is the official currency of Vietnam. (VND – Vietnamese Dong )
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Public Holidays
1st January – New Years’: Last day of the last lunar month - 3rd day of the first lunar month – Vietnamese New Year 10th day of the 3rd lunar month – Hung King’s Commemoration 30th April – Liberation Day / Reunification Day 1st May – International Worker’s Day (Labor Day); 2nd September – National Day: Other Holidays 3rd February – Communist Party of Vietnam Foundation Anniversary 8th March – International Women’s Day 19th May – President Ho Chi Minh’s Birthday 1st June – International Children’s Day 28th June – Vietnamese Family Day 27th July – Remembrance Day 19th August – August Revolution Commemoration Day 10th October – Capital Liberation Day 20th October – Vietnamese Women’s Day 20th November – Teacher’s Day 22nd December – National Defense Day (People’s Army of Vietnam Foundation Anniversary) 25th December- Christmas Day 15/1 (Lunar) – Lantern Festival 15/4 (Lunar) – Buddha’s Birthday 5/5 (Lunar) – Midyear Festival 15/7 (Lunar) – Ghost Festival 15/8 (Lunar) – Mid Autumn Festival 23/12 (Lunar) – Kitchen Guardians
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Annual Temperature
a- January: 1. High: 31.6 °C 2. Low: 21.1 °C; b- February: 1. High: 32.9 °C 2. Low: 22.5 °C; c- March: 1. High: 33.9 °C 2. Low: 24.4 °C
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Ho Chi Minh City Residents
There are now nearly 10 million inhabitants in Ho Chi Minh City with a population that is growing rapidly at a rate of 200 thousand per year. About 90% of the population is Vietnamese and 8% of the population is Chinese, a large number of whom live in the district of Cholon, the largest Chinatown of Vietnam.
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Visa Information
Citizens of most Asian countries such as Korea, Japan as well as Scandinavians can enter Vietnam without an entry visa and this is valid for a visit within 30 days. All other citizens need to have an entry visa before they depart their own country, or they need to be in possession of a pre-approved entry visa which is then issued on arrival. The passport must be valid for at least one month from the date of exit of the city. Also two passport sized photos of size 4x6 cm are essential. Stamp fees need to be paid. These vary based on the type of visa you need. For a single entry visa, a stamp fee of 25 USD is mandatory. For a multiple entry visa, 50 USD needs to be paid and it costs 100 USD for a 1 year visa. These passport stamps can be available by applying to any one of the Vietnamese Embassies or Consulates. A visa can also be obtained on arrival, once you’ve reached your port of destination. As you pass through immigration, the entry visa is stamped on the passport and is valid for only 30 days. It can be extended however, once you’ve entered Vietnam.
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When to go
Depending on when you visit Ho Chi Minh City, you can experience either tropical wet conditions or a relatively dry climate. The year is divided into two distinct seasons, the rainy season essentially lasts around 7 months from the month of May to November. The rest of the year is nice and dry. If the heat ever gets to you, there are plenty of water parks to help you cool down. This season is the best for people who love the outdoors as well as like to stay dry.
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Ho Chi Minh City Today
Formerly known as Saigon, the largest city in Vietnam is now a bustling city of commerce and culture and has helped drive the country forward economically. Vibrant Ho Chi Minh City boasts of festivities and events throughout the year, which are set among its ancient pagodas and the markets teeming with life. Religion and spirituality are also accentuated in this city with its beautiful temples and churches scattered all around. This fascinating city has evolved through the ages and with its rapid growth and development, it is now one of the most populated and most visited cities in all of Vietnam. For visitors, Ho Chi Minh City offers both the finest hotels and the cheapest guesthouses, the classiest of restaurants and the most modest street stalls.
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Shopping in Ho Chi Minh City
Explore 22 shopping stops, from malls, markets, and book bazaars to fashion streets and souvenir finds.
ho-chi-minh-citySaigon Center
The Saigon Center, also known as Sedona Suites is an office building but has 3 floors of shops in its base. The ground floor consists of cafés and a golf shop, the second floor is mostly children’s items and a supermarket and the third floor is mostly home furnishings. If you’re looking for gifts, crockery or home appliances, the Saigon Center is the best place to shop. Many people are put off by the high prices, but the quality of the items is good. It is open every day of the week from 9 am to 9 pm.
ho-chi-minh-cityParkson Saigon Tourist Plaza
The Parkson Saigon Tourist Plaza is a Malaysian outlet mall. From designer apparel, jewelry and cosmetics to children’s clothing, sportswear and home appliances, Parkson has brands and prices of every kind. You can find absolutely anything in this plaza if you’re willing to spend a fair bit.
ho-chi-minh-cityGaya Designer Showroom
Gaya is famous for its new and defined style of furniture, Quasar Khanh lamps and the elegant tailoring of the French-Cambodian Romyda Keth. Furniture of the best quality and design can be found here along with other home décor.
ho-chi-minh-cityZen Plaza
Hip Vietnamese who love to spend come to this mall where prices are high and all merchandise is branded. The ground floor is mainly for women, where they can find colorful ruffled dresses designed by Vietnamese designers - Trong Nguyen and Thanh Long. Men will be excited by the likes of Pierre Cardin and other such outlets.
ho-chi-minh-cityChi Chi
Chi Chi is a designer shop in Ho Chi Minh City with exquisite fabrics and designs and custom-made tailoring. It is open from 8 am to 8 pm.
Signature sights in Ho Chi Minh City
A curated pick of the city's standout sights, led by the strongest editorial recommendations.
Festivals and events in Ho Chi Minh City
Plan around 11 festival seasons, public events, Ramadan/Eid periods, book fairs, art cycles, and winter food activity.
ho-chi-minh-cityTet Festival
Ho Chi Minh City is a city of festivals and fetes. The events are exotic and distinct in their own way and portray Vietnamese culture with grandeur. The ideal time to visit this bustling city is during the months of January and February, when the weather is cooler. This is also the time for the famous Tet Festival. The Tet Festival is the highlight of the Vietnamese festivals which is celebrated with a lot of pomp and ceremony. Usually falling between the 19th of January and 20th of February, the Tet Festival is celebrated for a week in the south. It is the biggest festival celebrated and marks the Lunar New Year. The beginning of the New Year is believed to be the most auspicious time to start any venture and tourists planning a trip to Ho Chi Minh City during the Tet Lunar New Year festivities must be well prepared and have bookings far in advance for accommodation and transport.
ho-chi-minh-cityThe Thien Hau Pagoda festival
The Thien Hau Pagoda festival is celebrated in the famous Thien Hau Pagoda, with reverence to the Lady Thien Hau. Originally a Chinese deity, she is held in high regard in seafaring communities and is believed to offer protection to sailors. People regularly come to this pagoda to pray for a better life and during the festival, a lion dance is performed in the yard of the pagoda.
ho-chi-minh-cityBuddha’s Birthday Festival
An event of great importance in Ho Chi Minh City is Buddha’s Birthday Festival, which is celebrated on the 15th day of the Fourth Lunar Month. In Ho Chi Minh City this festival is lavishly celebrated in the Nghia An Hoi Quan Pagoda. The temple is exquisitely decorated, while monks move in processions through the streets. The celebrations are held on the night of the May full moon and visiting the temple a week before these begin is advisable.
ho-chi-minh-cityHo Chi Minh’s Birthday Festival
Credited as being the founder of the Viet Minh independence movement in 1941 and establishing communist control in part of Vietnam in the 1950s, Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890 – September 2, 1969) was a Vietnamese revolutionary, who was later appointed as Prime Minister (1946–1955) and then went on to become President (1955–1969) of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The name Ho Chi Minh means "he who enlightens." This festival, honoring Ho Chi Minh’s is celebrated on his birthday, the 19th of May.
ho-chi-minh-cityNghia An Hoi Pagoda
This festival is celebrated in the Nghia An Hoi Pagoda that is dedicated to Quan Cong an eminent Chinese officer during the Three Kingdoms period. The Chinese community, such as the Hoas and Kinh, visit this pagoda annually to commemorate this special festival, which is celebrated twice a year-on the 15th of the 1st lunar month and the 24th of the 6th lunar month (July). Once the prayers are over, various non-religious activities take place on the grounds of the pagoda.
Ho Chi Minh City tours and experiences
Heritage walks, food crawls, coastal trips, museum circuits, family days, and guided ideas for an easier day out.
ho-chi-minh-citySaigontourist Travel Service Co
Established since 1975, the Saigontourist Travel Service Company is one of Vietnam’s leading tour operators. It organizes sight-seeing tours of Vietnam with stopovers at all the biggest attractions of Ho Chi Minh City and also provides off-shore excursions.
ho-chi-minh-cityAsiana Travel Mate Company
The Asiana Travel Mate Company is known for its special promotions that combine excellent package deals with hotel accommodations. There are river cruises, cycling trips, adventure tours and tours that take you to see most of Ho Chi Minh’s highlights.
ho-chi-minh-cityNorthern Star International Travel Co., Ltd (NTS international Co., Ltd)
The Northern Star International Travel Company organizes several tours and has a variety of packages to choose from. One offer is for a stay that lasts roughly for 2 weeks, where an NTS guide picks you up from the airport and drops you directly to your hotel. The city tour includes the Central Post Office, the City Hall, the Reunification hall, the Notre Dame Cathedral and other monuments. Transportation to and from your hotel each day is included, as is dinner.
ho-chi-minh-cityPeace Tour Company
The Peace Tour Company is a well known company that organizes several tours around Ho Chi Minh City, which include both day tours around the city as well as from Ho Chi Minh City to Hue, Hanoi and Ha Long. Visitors who are in Vietnam for only a short while should opt for the Highlights of Vietnam Tour that covers all the main attractions and monuments of Ho Chi Minh City as well as surrounding cities.
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Ho Chi Minh City travel guide sections
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