Top Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City

Descend into narrow, earthen passageways that once hid an entire military campaign. You will feel the cool, confined darkness of the tunnels. Guides recount ingenious survival tactics. This tour makes abstract history viscerally real.

This full-day journey contrasts underground guerrilla networks with the sunny, watery world of the Mekong. You will hear folk music. You will taste fresh coconut candy. It captures two essential, opposing landscapes of southern Vietnam.

Glide along tea-colored canals shaded by water coconut palms. Visit a family workshop where you will smell molten coconut candy and taste tropical fruits. This tour has a slower, sensory respite from the city's frenetic pace.

Tailor your day entirely to your curiosities. Examine war history. Uncover antique shops. Seek the perfect banh mi. A resident is your guide. This is a completely personalized key to the city.

Navigate the cacophony and busy colors of a wet market. Select ingredients before learning to transform them into a proper meal. You will feel the slick tiles underfoot. Later you will taste the difference of dishes made with produce bought minutes prior.

Discover a wholly different side of Vietnamese vegetarian cuisine. Sample mock meat stalls and Buddhist temple food, all accessed from the nimble seat of a motorbike. You will taste the delicate, often surprising flavors of plant-based recipes.

Learn the secret to the city's well-known frothy coffee. Whip egg yolk and condensed milk into a sweet, creamy cloud. You will taste your own rich creation. You will feel the satisfaction of mastering a unique local ritual.

Elevate your perspective from a skyscraper bar. Sip a cocktail while watching the city's neon lights ignite. Then descend to street-level stalls recognized for their quality. You will see the urban grid transform into a glittering map. You will taste expertly crafted local dishes.