2 Days in Ho Chi Minh is enough to cover several attractions if you arrange the schedule it by zone. On day 1 in Saigon ( Ho Chi Minh city), tourists explore Independence Palace, the War Remnants Museum, Ben Thanh Market, and a rooftop view over the Saigon River. Day 2 starts with a morning at the Cu Chi tunnels and back to the city center in the afternoon for the Jade Emperor Pagoda and Cholon, the Chinese quarter. Vietnam Trust Car Rental offers Ho Chi Minh car rental service with an English-speaking driver during the journey. Door-to-door from hotel or Airbnb and Tan Son Nhat International Airport, no hidden fees, and support the tourists in customizing the itinerary to suit the demand. Book via WhatsApp (+84.934.189.301). 

Is 2 days enough for visiting Ho Chi Minh City?

If you only have 2 days in Ho Chi Minh, you still have an opportunity to explore many famous sights, local food. With a clear itinerary and split the city by zone, Ho Chi Minh City 2-day itinerary is enough for visiting.

In 2 days, you can explore the Independence Palace, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, War Remnants Museum, Ben Thanh Market, a rooftop evening over the Saigon River, a morning at the Cu Chi Tunnels, and the pagodas and Cholon on Day 2's afternoon.

However, if you land at Tan Son Nhat Airport at midday, you only have one and a half days. We highly recommend, after hotel check-in, you visit the War Remnants Museum for day 1 (unchanged day 2).

Besides, you can connect the two places, the Mekong Delta & Cu Chi tunnel from Ho Chi Minh for day 2.

A 2-day Saigon itinerary is the best option for a history buff to enjoy local dishes and experience the life of the Mekong Delta people.

Day 1 itinerary Ho Chi Minh city 

8:00 - 9:30 AM: Pick you up at hotel and visit Independence Palace (Dinh Độc Lập), 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia. Tourists explore th state rooms, presidential quarters, war command bunker and rooftop helipad.

9:35 – 10:15 AM: Discover Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, Cong Xa Paris Square. The cathedral was built in the 1880s, outstanding features include twin 58 m bell towers.

10:15 – 10:45 AM: Visit Saigon Central Post Office, 2 Cong Xa Paris (directly opposite). Travelers stroll around the mail hall, admire the hand-painted route maps.

11:00 – 11:45 AM: .  Enjoy a Vietnamese coffee break ( ca phe sua da) at Café apartment block, 42 Nguyen Hue and admire Nguyen Hue walking street.

12:00 – 1:00 PM: Enjoy your meal at lunch. Enjoy Vietnamese food at Ben Thanh area such as com tam (broken rice with grilled pork), or pho.

1:15 – 3:15 PM: Explore War Remnants Museum, 28 Vo Van Tan. You have a chance to visit photography halls, requiem exhibit, and the outdoor aircraft and armor yard.

3:30 – 4:30 PM: Come to Ben Thanh Market. This is a symbol of the city's trading core, operating since 1914. Tourists can buy many items such as fabric, lacquerware, dried fruit, coffee beans.

4:30 – 5:30 PM: Walk the old Rue Catinat past the Opera House, Hotel Continental, and Union Square at Dong Khoi Street.

5:45 – 7:00 PM: Rooftop bar at Rex Hotel terrace or Landmark 81 SkyView. Enjoy the sunset drink and admire the view of the Saigon River from the Landmark 81 deck.

7:15 – 8:30 PM: Eat dinner and go back to the hotel.

Tourists travel to Independence Palace

Saigon Central Post Office

Notre-Dame Cathedral

Day 2 itinerary: Cu Chi Tunnels, pagodas and Cholon

7:00 AM: Waiting for you at the hotel and transferring to Cu Chi tunnels.

8:30 – 11:00 AM: Get to Cu Chi Tunnels (Ben Duoc or Ben Dinh site). Crawl a widened tunnel section to see hidden trapdoors, air vents, kitchen smoke ducts and the trap displays as well as experience the shooting range (extra fee).

11:00 AM – 12:15 PM: Back to city center and have lunch.

1:30 – 2:15 PM: After lunch, you can visit Jade Emperor Pagoda (Chua Ngoc Hoang), 73 Mai Thi Luu. The pagoda was constructed in 1909 by the Cantonese community. You can stroll the incense-heavy halls, the Hall of Ten Hells carvings and the turtle pond.

2:20 – 2:45 PM: Visit Tan Dinh Church, 289 Hai Ba Trung. The church is a signature pink, about 5 minutes from the Jade Emperor Pagoda by car.

3:00 – 3:45 PM: Tourists get to Thien Hau Pagoda, 710 Nguyen Trai.  The pagoda, which worships a sea-goddess altar ( Mazu), is one of the spiritual anchor of Cholon since the early 1800s.

3:50 – 4:45 PM: Cholon + Binh Tay Market. Tourists can walk the wholesale lanes, Chinese medicine shops, and guild houses.

5:00 – 5:45 PM: Return to hotel. Say goodbye and end of 2 days in Ho Chi Minh itinerary.

Binh Tay market

Explore Cu Chi tunnels

Jade Emperor Pagoda (Chua Ngoc Hoang)

Tan Dinh church ( Pink church)

What to eat during 2 days in Ho Chi Minh City?

Vietnamese cuisine in Saigon is sweeter than Hanoi food and fresh herbs. The price of food is cheap.

• Pho Saigon: Serving the Southern style with a plate of herbs, bean sprouts and hoisin on the side. You can add anything.
• Hu tieu ( rice noodle soup): is a pork-and-seafood noodle soup from Delta.
• Banh mi: is the most popular food in Vietnam, includes pâté, cold cuts, pickled daikon and chili
• Com Tam ( broken rice with grilled pork chop): eat with a fried egg, attracting tourists with the smell of charcoal-grilled pork ribs.

To enjoy delicious food in Ho Chi Minh, you should stroll around the food stalls along Vinhh Khanh street, Ho Thi Ky alley or Ben Thanh's inner food stalls work for a daytime.

Where to stay for a 2-day visit to Ho Chi Minh?

Due to many attractions concentrated in District 1 (nowadays 4 wards, like Saigon Ward, Tan Dinh Ward, Ben Thanh Ward, and Cau Ong Lanh Ward), you should book a hotel or homestay here.

• The Ben Thanh & Le Loi side puts you between the market and the walking street.
• The Dong Khoi–riverside blocks are quieter and closer to the hotels with rooftop pools.
• The place at Pham Ngu Lao & Bui Vien Street has many bars, operating to 2:00 AM on weekends.
• Thao Dien in Thu Duc is the expat quarter with villas, international restaurants, and riverside cafe.

If you want to save money for a hotel, you should rent a room in District 3. Besides, if you stay in an Airbnb or an alley address, you should provide the building name, apartment number, and nearest lobby or lane entrance. Our driver will wait for you at the closest place.

Tips for visiting Ho Chi Minh City

• Prepare the cash, about 500,000-800,000 VND (25-32 USD).
• Use bank-branch ATMs (Vietcombank, BIDV, ACB) and decline the machine's currency-conversion offer.
• The best time to visit Ho Chi Minh is from December to April (dry season). The remaining months have rain (often bringing a one-hour afternoon downpour).
• Ignore taxi touts inside Tan Son Nhat
• Phones and bags on the building side of your body
• Buy a Viettel or Mobifone eSIM with 4G at the airport.
• Should be formally dressed politely when visiting the Jade Emperor Pagoda and Thien Hau.

FAQ 

Can I combine Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta in one day?

Yes. You can connect Cu Chi Tunnels & the Mekong Delta in a day. Start in the morning at Cu Chi Tunnels and explore the Mekong Delta at lunch.

Should I visit Ben Duoc or Ben Dinh at Cu Chi?

Ben Duoc is the larger original site and quieter, because most bus tours are routed to Ben Dinh. Depending on your demand, you can choose it.

What's the best time of year for this itinerary?

From December to April is the dry season and the comfortable window. From May to November, the rain arrives as a predictable one-hour afternoon downpour, so front-load outdoor stops and put the museum in the wet slot.

Is Bui Vien Street suitable for families?

If you want to admire a look, you can visit it. If you want to overnight, we recommend that you not book a hotel. It runs at full volume past 2:00 AM on weekends. Families do better on Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, ten minutes away, with fountains and street performers.

The best deal when renting a car for 2 days in Ho Chi Minh city

Service includes: All fuel & driver expenses; toll & parking fees, door-to-door private; mineral water; and a basic English-speaking driver.