Top ho chi minh city day trips
Make the most of your time in southern Vietnam with this các mục of the best day trips from Ho chi Minh City!
With a population of over 8 million, Ho chi Minh thành phố is a hectic and busy city.
There are heaps of things to vày within the over-touristed District 1 alone.
But it’s when you take time to lớn escape the city center that you truly start to lớn experience Vietnam.
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READ MORE: Plan your trip with our comprehensive guide to spending 3 days in Ho đưa ra Minh City.
Table of Contents
The Best Day Trips from Ho đưa ra Minh City1) Mekong Delta2) Cai Be Floating Market3) Cu chi Tunnels4) Can Gio Biosphere Reserve5) Vung Tau6) Cao dai Temple7) Ben Tre8) cha Den Mountain (Black Virgin Mountain)The Best Day Trips from Ho chi Minh City
From untouched natural beauty to lớn cultural experiences và solemn, historical sites, we’ll run you through our list of the đứng đầu day trips from Ho chi Minh City.
You won’t want to lớn miss these, so keep reading!
BONUS – Booking ahead of time ensures you won’t miss out on the tour, and get the best price too! and just for trade-union.com.vn readers, if you use the Klook discount code “NOMADS10” on the trang web when checking out, you’ll get $10 off your first booking!
1) Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is among the most popular day trips from Ho chi Minh City.
When you visit Ho bỏ ra Minh City, a day (or two) in the Mekong Delta should definitely be on your itinerary.
Within a short, 4-hour bus ride you can escape the city, reaching local villages, homes, and floating markets.
Book your tour for this here, & use the code “NOMADS10” to lớn get $10 off.
The Mekong River itself runs through 7 countries, including China, Myanmar, Tibet, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, và Cambodia.
The Mekong Delta is the mouth of the river, where it splits into hundreds of smaller channels that connect with the ocean.
This area is colloquially called the ‘rice bowl’ of the country, thanks mainly to lớn its incredibly fertile soils.
You will get the opportunity to observe & participate in the local way of life here as you float along the interconnecting rivers & walk through the forest.
You can take a boat ride through the rivers where you’ll get to purchase locally-made products, fresh fruit, và souvenirs.
Stopping khổng lồ make coconut candy at the factory in Ben Tre is a fun way lớn immerse yourself in the local culture.
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How khổng lồ Get khổng lồ the Mekong Delta
The easiest way by far is to book a tour. A good tour is great as it will include the bus ride khổng lồ the Mekong Delta, as well as take you khổng lồ the sites along the way.
If you’re confident on a motorbike, then renting a scooter is another convenient option – just be conscious that you may want khổng lồ take a boat ride along the rivers.
Obviously, this would mean leaving your xe đạp behind.
The cheapest way is to lớn take a public bus for about 120,000 VND. If you’re a brave, budget-conscious backpacker, then this would be the right choice for you.
Bear in mind, I’ve heard from other travellers that these buses can be terrifying so it’s not for the faint of heart.
2) Cai Be Floating Market
Cai Rang in Can Tho is the most popular floating market.
However, if time doesn’t allow you the opportunity to lớn visit Cai Rang, Cai Be in Tien Giang province is another equally impressive floating market in Southern Vietnam.
Although smaller, you can still take a boat along the canals to explore the floating markets of Cai Be.
Visit stalls selling local wares, souvenirs, and food, such as fresh fruit and typical South Vietnamese cuisine.
It can also be enjoyable to people watch as our boat floats on by, watching the locals operate their floating shops và sell their products.
Aside from the floating markets, consider exploring the village, either by kayak, boat, or bicycle.
This is also a great place to lớn take a cooking class & taste the local dishes.
How lớn Get khổng lồ Cai Be Floating MarketFor budget-travellers, you can take a 2.5-hour bus ride khổng lồ Cai Be from Ho đưa ra Minh đô thị center.Once there, it is easy enough lớn find your own way around.
Alternatively, a tour is another great option (use the code “NOMAD10” to lớn get $10 off) and a good way khổng lồ see all the sights in just one day.
As with the Mekong Delta (and any other tours in Vietnam), vị your research và choose the right tour for your day trip.
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3) Cu chi Tunnels
Another of the popular day trips from Ho chi Minh thành phố is to lớn visit the Cu bỏ ra Tunnels.
These are an elaborate network of tunnels that interconnects points all over North and South Vietnam.
These tunnels were used by the Communist, Viet Cong soldiers during the Vietnam War.
The tunnels are tiny, designed to lớn barely fit the small-statured Vietnamese soldiers – & not the larger, American ones.
These tunnels were instrumental in the North’s pushback against the US và the South, making them a very important part of the history of the Vietnam War.
The Cu đưa ra Tunnels, in particular, are a small section of the tunnels found throughout the Ho đưa ra Minh thành phố region.
You can easily take a half-day or full-day outing lớn the Cu đưa ra Tunnels.
On your day trip, you will get the opportunity lớn crawl through some of the tunnels – these tunnels have been intentionally widened for tourists khổng lồ actually fit.
You’ll get lớn envision, to a small extent, what it was lượt thích for the Viet Cong soldiers who had to lớn live & fight from within these tunnels.
They have also mix up exhibits displaying some of the lethal traps built by the Vietnamese to lớn maim và kill the American soldiers.
These traps were particularly brutal as they were mostly designed khổng lồ mortally injure – rather than quickly kill – those who were caught. This was part of a fear tactic that also contributed to their victory.
Interestingly, these traps contributed to 11% of all American deaths during the war.
Finally, you will also have the option to shoot some guns, including AK-47s & guns used during the war. We didn’t feel the need to vì this when we were there, but we heard the cost to do so was exorbitant.
How to lớn Get to lớn the Cu chi Tunnels
The cheapest way is by public bus to Ben Duoc. This will take about 3 hours in total but will cost just a few dollars.
Taxi or GRAB are options for those short on time & with funds lớn spend but will cost you about $50-60 USD.
Again, if you have a scooter & are confident riding in Vietnam then you will have no problem driving yourself to the Cu đưa ra Tunnels!
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4) Can Gio Biosphere Reserve
A UNESCO-recognised site, Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve is a large ecological conservation reserve for mangrove forests.
Here you will get lớn see a wide variety of mangroves and animal species.
Sure, it sounds a bit weird, but we can’t recommend spending a day here enough.
Obviously, it’s your chance to check out Vietnam’s nature up close from just outside Ho đưa ra Minh đô thị – but on top of this, there are also a bunch of cool things to vị here.
The nearby Tang Bong Tower is a 25-meter high tower that you can climb to lớn find panoramic views over the entire forest.
Visit Giant Bat Lagoon on a rowboat and feed crocodiles at a crocodile reserve.
Monkey Island (40,000 VND) in Can Gio is also a great place khổng lồ visit, but keep an eye on your belongings as the monkeys here run rampant and they’ll certainly take what they can.
Rung Sac Guerilla Base (35,000 VND + canoe ride) is also located here and is a great spot to lớn visit khổng lồ learn more about Vietnam’s history and their clever war strategies.
How to lớn Get lớn Can Gio Biosphere ReserveYou won’t need to take a tour here. Either book a xe taxi or take a public bus from Ben Thanh Market to lớn Binh Kanh Ferry Station.
Then take the 90 bus khổng lồ Can Thanh and get off at Lam Vien Can Gio.
READ MORE: Enjoy 33 of the best things to vày in Vietnam!
5) Vung Tau
Vung Tau is a fun beach destination with just a 2-hour ferry ride, and thus one of the shorter day trips from Ho bỏ ra Minh City.
It is known amongst locals as one of the popular weekend trips from Ho bỏ ra Minh City. But we’d recommend tourists take the trip on a weekday to lớn avoid some of the local crowds.
If you’re wanting lớn escape the busy city & soak up some of the tropical sun, then Vung Tau is the place for you.
Bãi Sau is the nicest beach here, so consider making your way here khổng lồ avoid some of the crowds và to get away from the buildings.
Aside from relaxing on the beaches, there is a 105-ft statue of Jesus & a lighthouse on top of Núi nhỏ tuổi mountain that is well worth visiting if you’re into photography.
Other impressive landmarks also include the White Palace, Whale Temple, and Buddhist Pagodas.
How khổng lồ Get to lớn Vung TauTake a 2-hour ferry or a 2.5-hour bus ride. The bus is just 80,000 VND making it a very affordable day out.
6) Cao dai Temple
Caodaism is a religion that fuses together beliefs from Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, and Islam.
It is a monotheistic religion founded in South Vietnam in 1926, making it relatively young.
The Cao dai Temple was built in 1955 và incorporates both French và Chinese-influenced architecture.
The layout is based on a Christian cathedral with aisles và altars.
However, statues of Mohammad, Julius Caesar, Jesus Christ, và Buddha can all be found at Cao dẻo Temple.
The allure of this temple is, particularly, its uniqueness.
Although spectacular in its own way, you won’t find a temple like this anywhere else in the world, which is why you should definitely make a trip to Cao dẻo Temple!
How lớn Get to Cao dai TempleTake the 702 bus from Ho bỏ ra Minh city to Tây Ninh.This will take just 1.5-hours.
Alternatively, there are tours lớn the Cu chi Tunnels which include this temple or consider taking a GRAB.
7) Ben Tre
Ben Tre, located in the Mekong Delta, is famous for its coconuts.
As a result, the locals here mostly work in the coconut industry, creating coconut products including coconut candy.
In fact, many of the local women work in small factories where they boil và stir cauldrons of sticky coconut candy, before pouring it out & slicing it into delicious treats.
You will definitely want lớn make a visit to lớn one of these factories when in Ben Tre.
You have two options when visiting Ben Tre.
Firstly, if you have time & you are visiting the Mekong Delta on one of many day trips from Ho chi Minh City, consider adding a stop in Ben Tre lớn experience the local culture, picturesque village, & try the coconut candy.
Otherwise, Ben Tre makes a great destination for a day trip from Ho bỏ ra Minh City.
It is a great spot khổng lồ book boat rides through the Mekong Delta and to stroll around.
This village hasn’t quite been hit with tourism lượt thích the other My Tho và Tra Vinh.
How khổng lồ Get to lớn Ben TreBuses run frequently from Ho chi Minh đô thị to Ben Tre. The bus takes roughly 2 hours each way, making it quite a convenient day trip.
If you don’t wish to bus, you could take a taxi (which would be pretty expensive), hire a motorbike, or book a tour.
8) bố Den Mountain (Black Virgin Mountain)
Ba Den, or the black Virgin Mountain is a volcano located in Tay Ninh province, a 3-hour drive from Ho chi Minh City.
Ba Den Mountain, famous for its beautiful scenery và mythological tales, is the tallest peak in Southern Vietnam.
Despite its title, it isn’t actually that tall – just shy of 1,000m.
This is good news for day-hikers, as you can summit the top & return within a day – or about 5-hours khổng lồ be precise.
If you’re an experienced hiker, you’ll be able lớn complete the entire black Virgin Mountain trek in a day.
Bear in mind, it involves climbing through lush forests, with often steep and rocky sections.
Less experienced hikers can opt khổng lồ take the gondola up to bố Den Temple about a third of the way up.
The views at both the temple and the đứng top are well worth the effort. Thanks to lớn its difficulty, you are unlikely to lớn encounter many tourists here, so if you’re tired of bumping into tourists then this could be your respite.
How to Get to bố Den MountainDriving or riding a scooter is the best way to get to bố Den Mountain. You’ll get to lớn ride through farmer’s fields and pass friendly locals in small towns.
Getting there via public transport will be a bit more difficult. You’ll need lớn get a bus from Ben Thanh to An Suong bus station, then catch a minibus to Tay Ninh station.
From here, you’ll need to lớn find a taxi lớn take you to tía Den Mountain. With few tourists venturing here, finding one may be difficult.
Some tour companies in Ho đưa ra Minh thành phố offer tours to cha Den, this would be your most reliable option aside from riding a scooter.
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Those are our 8 favorite day trip from Ho đưa ra Minh City, Vietnam!
Of course, there are other awesome day trips you can take if you have the time.
Cat Tien National Park is another popular one. It is about 150km north of the city. Here at the vast nature reserve of cát Tien National Park, you can explore the tropical lowland forest, visit botanical gardens, và see ancient trees.
Another popular day trip is rã Lap Floating Village. This eco-tourism site is located in a dense forest that you can explore by foot or by boat.
Tan Lap Floating Village is about 2.5 hours from Ho đưa ra Minh City, so it’s not as easily accessible as the other floating markets we mentioned earlier.
But either way, there are so many awesome things lớn see in this area of Vietnam and we hope this article inspired you to lớn see them all!
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