Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeast
Vietnam’s largest city, the usual end of a north-to-south trip, with day trips to Cu Chi and the Mekong.
Ho Chi Minh City is the commercial capital. The walkable core is District 1, around the Opera House, Dong Khoi, and Ben Thanh Market. The war-history sites and the Chinese-influenced streets of Cholon need a deliberate plan, not a leftover hour.
The 2025 merger folded neighboring provinces into the city on paper. Travelers still book Vung Tau, Cu Chi, and the delta as separate journeys. Cu Chi is a half day. The delta wants a full day or a night in Can Tho.
Top destinations in Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeast
Cities
Landscapes and islands
Attractions in Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeast
- Reunification Palace
The former presidential palace, kept as it was in 1975, including the war rooms.
- War Remnants Museum
A direct, photographic museum of the wars in Vietnam.
- Ben Thanh Market
The central market.
- Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Post Office
The French-era cathedral square and the painted post office next door.
- Tunnel crawl
A short section widened for visitors.