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A family trip to Ho Chi Minh City has two halves: the District 1 sights that link up on foot, and a day out of town for a theme park or a boat ride on the Mekong Delta.
Below is a five-day plan, plus how to handle the heat, where to stay and which legs to book a car for.
- The city sights sit in District 1 and link up on foot; give the park and the Mekong a full day each.
- Arrange the car for the airport run and the trips out of town, and the whole trip runs more smoothly.
Is Ho Chi Minh City good with children?
Yes, and there is more for families here than you might expect: as well as the parks and the zoo, a good number of cafes in the city have a play area built in, so you can sit with a coffee while the children play beside you.
The city part is straightforward: Independence Palace, the Central Post Office, Ben Thanh Market and the waterbus pier in District 1 are all close together, a walk or a short ride apart, on flat ground you can push a stroller over.
There is somewhere to burn off energy too. The Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens in the centre is shaded and level, and out of town there are large parks such as Suoi Tien and Dam Sen where a whole day disappears.
A little further out, a Mekong Delta day trip puts you on a small boat through the nypa palms, completely different from the city.
Weather is the one thing to watch. The rainy season runs from May to November with a heavy shower most afternoons; December to April is the dry season and better for outdoor plans.
How many days do you need?
Answer one question and you have your answer: how many full-day trips out of town do you want?
A suburban park, the Mekong Delta, a day at the beach in Vung Tau — each takes a full day and a fair drive, and they are the heaviest part of the trip. The city sights are the easy part; you can cover several in half a day.
So the maths is simple: allow two days for the city, then add a day for every full-day trip.
- Two full-day trips: 5 days and 4 nights, the length most families choose, usually a park and the Mekong Delta.
- Just one: 4 days and 3 nights is enough.
- All three: allow 6 days, and leave room either side of the days out for the drive.
Ho Chi Minh City with kids: a 5-day plan
Tan Son Nhat Airport is close to the centre, so you can head out as soon as you have dropped your luggage. Keep it near: photos at the Central Post Office and the Pink Church, dinner, then back to the hotel.
Independence Palace and the Central Post Office in the morning, then a ride on the Saigon River waterbus after lunch, which children usually love. Late in the day, go up Landmark 81 for sunset into night views, all indoors with air conditioning.
Out in the morning to the delta: a small boat through the nypa palms, local fruit, a coconut candy workshop. The whole day is on the water and in the countryside, completely different from the city, so do not add city sights to this day.
If they want big rides, head out to one of the suburban parks and allow for the drive. For an easier day, stay in the city for the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens and go back to the hotel in the afternoon.
Pick up coffee and cashews at Ben Thanh Market or a supermarket before checking out, then head to the airport. Leave some slack on the last day rather than filling it.
The plan goes near, then far: two days in District 1, two days out of town in the middle, and the last day for shopping and the flight.
Add our Lanytrip official LINE and send us your party size, luggage count and what you are after, and our team will suggest a version that fits your family.
Which sights to pick
Start with the ones you can spend longer at, then fill the gaps with the ones you pass anyway.
Worth half a day to a full day
Rides and a water park with Buddhist mythology theming; enough to fill a whole day
A small zoo, an aquarium and a splash area, closer to the centre than Suoi Tien and easier with younger children
The old city-centre zoo, with plenty of shade and level paths for a stroller
A small boat through the nypa palms, fresh fruit and a coconut candy workshop: a day on the water and in the countryside
A ride along the Saigon River with the skyline in view; children usually love it, and it doubles as transport
Short stops on the way
Vietnam’s highest observation deck, all indoors with air conditioning; go late in the day for sunset and night views
Wide lawns out front where children can run before you go in
High ceilings and cool inside; buy a postcard and let the children send one home
A few photos and you are done, easy to slot between other stops
Fruit and snacks; it is busy and the aisles are narrow, so carry toddlers or use a sling
Each sight has its own guide on our site if you want the detail. Opening hours do change, so check again before you go.
Where should families stay?
- District 1 (our pick): Independence Palace, the Central Post Office, Ben Thanh Market and the waterbus pier are a walk or a short ride away, with plenty of places to eat. Map
- District 3: quieter, with cafes down the lanes and the Pink Church nearby, and still close to District 1. Map
- Binh Thanh (around Landmark 81): a newer part of town with more space, the mall and the observation deck next door, good if you want somewhere modern. Map
One hotel for the whole stay is easiest with children. Packing once over five days buys you an extra half day with them.
Getting around with children
Walking is enough inside District 1. The three legs worth arranging in advance are the airport run, the Mekong Delta trip and the drive out to Suoi Tien — the times when you are carrying a stroller, luggage and a sleeping child.
Transfers are private, not shared, and your driver waits at the arrivals exit with a name sign. The evening before, our Chinese-speaking team in Vietnam sends you the driver and vehicle details.
A child seat can be added for an extra fee. Please message our official LINE pre-sales team before you book with your party size and travel date, and they will arrange it.
Count your luggage before you book, too: a stroller usually counts as two pieces under most operators’ rules.
What to pack
Ho Chi Minh City has no four seasons; it is summer twelve months of the year. With children, water and sun protection come first on the list and everything else follows.
- Water: it is hot, children sweat and rarely say they are thirsty, so keep offering. A bottle each, and watch it on the days out of town. You can buy water anywhere, but the queue tends to come at the hottest moment.
- Sun protection: sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat and light long sleeves. Outdoor days are exposed, and reapplying matters more than applying thickly.
- Stay out of the midday sun: plan something indoors between 11am and 3pm, a mall, the observation deck or a cafe. That does more than any piece of kit.
- A rain jacket: from May to November there is usually a heavy shower in the afternoon; a light rain jacket beats an umbrella, and bring a change of clothes for the children.
- Repellent and a medicine kit: mosquitoes are around on the Mekong day and at dusk; pack something for fever, an upset stomach, itching, plus plasters.
- Cash: small eateries and markets are mostly cash only, so change some small notes. See our Vietnam money guide.
- Stroller or carrier: District 1 pavements are fine for a stroller, but a carrier is easier in the markets and the lanes. Motorbikes are often parked across the pavement, so hold hands when you cross.
Sort your visa and entry card before you fly: see our Vietnam e-visa guide and Vietnam entry card guide. For a wet day, see what to do in Ho Chi Minh City when it rains.
How do we plan a family trip?
Lanytrip can arrange it. We are a Taiwan-based travel agency, and we can set up the city and day-trip transport in one go, so you are not finding a car for every leg.
We have Chinese-speaking staff in Taiwan and in Vietnam, so there is someone to reach before and during your trip, which makes travelling with children easier.
Ask our LINE team first if you are unsure how to order the days, whether to add a guide, or which vehicle size you need.
Send the following to our official LINE team when you get in touch, and they will come back to you in order as quickly as they can.
- Date: which day you need the car, and what time you want to set off
- Party size: how many adults and how many children
- Luggage: for example 3 large suitcases and 1 stroller (a large item counts as 2 pieces)
- Planned route: for example Ho Chi Minh City hotel ▸ Independence Palace ▸ Central Post Office ▸ lunch ▸ waterbus ▸ hotel
- Anything else: a child seat, a Chinese-speaking guide
If you are not sure how your luggage counts, tell our official LINE team what you are bringing and they will confirm the right vehicle.
