Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: things to do, prices and tips 2026

Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam): Ben Thanh Market, War Remnants Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral & Post Office. Prices, opening times and the author’s tips.

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What to see

🛍Ben Thanh Market

Saigon's main market under the clock tower: fabrics, coffee, dried fruit, souvenirs and rows of food stalls where tourists and locals both have lunch.

Price Free entry

Insider tip Tourist prices here are higher than anywhere: haggle boldly and start at half. Coffee and nuts are better value in a supermarket. Eat at the stalls full of Vietnamese diners, where food is fresher.

🪖War Remnants Museum

Vietnam's most visited museum: real tanks, helicopters and planes stand in the courtyard, and the halls hold photographs by war correspondents. Heavy, but important.

Price About 40,000 ₫

Insider tip Allow 2 hours and start on the upper floors while you still have the energy: the main photo exhibitions are there. With children, the hardware in the courtyard is enough.

⛪Notre-Dame Cathedral & Post Office

French Saigon in one spot: a 19th-century cathedral of red brick shipped from Marseille, and across the street the Central Post Office designed by Eiffel's workshop, where stamps are still sold.

Price Free

Insider tip The cathedral has been under restoration since 2017, due to finish in 2027. In March 2026 most of the scaffolding came down and gilded crosses went back on the towers. Send a postcard home from the post office: it takes 2–4 weeks.

🕳Cu Chi Tunnels

An underground city over 200 km long where guerrillas lived for years.

Secret spot: details and the map pin are in the full guide

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