Ho Chi Minh City 3-Day Itinerary: Sights, Street Food & Nightlife

Central Post Office, Book Street and the Reunification Palace

Leave your luggage at a District 1 hotel, then start at Saigon Central Post Office.
The post office, Book Street and Notre-Dame Cathedral are all in the same block and easily walked;
the cathedral has been under long-term restoration, but the exterior is still worth seeing.
From there, walk or take a short ride to theReunification Palace, where about 1.5 hours is right.

Nguyen Hue walking street and the Café Apartment

Nguyen Hue is at its best in the early evening.
Start at the Café Apartment and pick a café overlooking the street, then walk down towards the Saigon River.
For dinner, take your pick of banh mi, bun cha, pho or a home-style Vietnamese restaurant;
for a city view, book a rooftop bar — but check the dress code and minimum spend first.

Staying in the city: the War Remnants Museum

If you would rather not travel far, spend the morning at the War Remnants Museum, then photograph Tan Dinh Church — the Pink Church.
The exhibits are heavy going, so allow 1.5 to 2 hours.
For lunch, look for com tam, bun bo Hue or banh xeo, then keep the afternoon for coffee and a massage rather than walking in the worst of the heat.

Out of town: the Cu Chi Tunnels

If the war history interests you, swap the whole day for a half-day or full-day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels.
The round trip from the centre takes several hours, so do not try to add many District 1 sights on the same day;
with only three days, choose either Cu Chi or the Mekong Delta, not both.

Two options for the evening

For something calmer and more romantic, take a Saigon River dinner cruise or head to a rooftop bar;
for noise and street energy, do a lap of Bui Vien Street.
Bui Vien is loud and packed — keep your phone and bag secure, and check the menu and prices before ordering drinks.

Start the last day at Ben Thanh Market — mornings are cooler and better for photos.

Inside you will find coffee beans, cashews, dried fruit and woven goods, but compare a few stalls before buying. For speciality coffee or packaged food you intend to give as gifts, a coffee shop or supermarket with clear pricing is the safer bet.

After lunch, collect your luggage from the hotel.
For international flights, build in a buffer for traffic — the run from District 1 to Tan Son Nhat Airport can take much longer at peak times;
and if your flight time is fixed, you are a group, or you have large suitcases, a pre-booked transfer is more reliable than hailing a car on the spot.