Home
About us
Destinations & Country Guides
Travel Guides
Recipes
Featured
Photos As Art
Abstract Prints
Locations
Travel Gear
Travel Resources
Favorites
Photo Framer
Explore Photos
Contact
Attractions & day tripsBy Clever Tourists · Published
The Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta are the two day trips from Ho Chi Minh City worth planning around; Tay Ninh's Cao Dai Holy See is the best third. Cu Chi is 1.5 to 2.5 hours north-west depending on which of its two sites you choose; My Tho and Ben Tre, the nearest parts of the Mekong Delta, are about 2 hours south. We were based in Ho Chi Minh City from 13 to 19 May 2023, at the end of a month traveling north to south, with a day trip to Cu Chi and 2 nights in Can Tho (15 to 17 May) in the middle. That is our main advice: do Cu Chi as a day, and give the delta a night if you can.
• Cu Chi Tunnels: 1.5 hours to Ben Dinh, 2 to 2.5 to Ben Duoc. Half a day to a full day. Our day trip.
• Mekong Delta at My Tho and Ben Tre: about 2 hours. Canal boats and orchards. Full day.
• Can Tho: 3 to 4 hours. The big floating market. Overnight only; we stayed 2 nights.
• Tay Ninh (Cao Dai Holy See and Ba Den Mountain): about 2.5 hours. Full day, often paired with Cu Chi.
• Vung Tau: about 2 hours by road. The nearest beach town. Full day.
Saigon itself needs 2 to 3 days for District 1, the war museums and the food; see how many days in Ho Chi Minh City and our Ho Chi Minh City guide.
The Cu Chi Tunnels are a preserved part of the roughly 250 km network of tunnels used by the Viet Cong north-west of the city. You see trapdoors, booby-trap displays, underground kitchens and command rooms, and you can crawl through a section yourself.
There are two sites, and choosing between them is the main decision. Ben Dinh is closer, about 1.5 hours away, with tunnels widened for visitors, and it is where most group tours go. Ben Duoc is 2 to 2.5 hours away, quieter, with more of the original layout and a memorial temple. Foreign visitor entry is about 135,000 VND (≈ $5.2) at either. Our Cu Chi Tunnels guide compares them, with the bus route and tour prices.
How long: half a day for Ben Dinh, most of a day for Ben Duoc. Suits: anyone interested in the war. Tip: go early. Ben Dinh fills with minibuses from about 10:00, and the tunnels are hot and very confined; anyone claustrophobic can stay above ground and still see most of the site.
My Tho, on the Tien River, is the closest gateway to the Mekong Delta. The standard day trip crosses to the river islands and to Ben Tre, the coconut province, for a sampan ride along narrow palm-lined canals, fruit orchards, a coconut candy workshop and honey tea.
Getting there: about 2 hours by express bus from Mien Tay bus station, or by tour from District 1.
How long: a full day. Suits: first-time visitors with only a day for the delta. Tip: the classic My Tho tour is well worn, with the same stops for every group. If you want the delta as it really is, the next option is better.
Can Tho is the biggest city in the delta and the base for Cai Rang floating market, where wholesalers sell from boats with their produce hung on poles, best around dawn. At 3 to 4 hours each way, a day trip from Saigon reaches the market after it has wound down.
We spent 2 nights in Can Tho (15 to 17 May 2023) between our two Saigon stays, which allows a dawn boat to Cai Rang and the small canals beyond. Our Can Tho guide covers the town, and our 4-week Vietnam itinerary shows how it fit.
Tay Ninh, about 100 km north-west of the city, is the home of Caodaism, a Vietnamese religion founded in the 1920s that blends Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Christianity. Its Holy See is a colorful cathedral-like temple, and services are held four times a day, at 06:00, 12:00, 18:00 and midnight. Visitors can watch the noon service from a balcony, free of charge. Nearby, Ba Den Mountain (Black Lady Mountain) is the highest peak in southern Vietnam, with temples and a cable car to the top.
Getting there: about 2.5 hours by minibus from An Suong bus station, or by car or tour. Tay Ninh is on the same road as Cu Chi, and many tours combine the two in one long day.
How long: a full day. Suits: anyone curious about religion in Vietnam. Tip: arrive before noon, dress modestly, and stay quiet on the balcony during the service. Our temple dress code guide covers what to wear.
Vung Tau is a seaside city on a peninsula south-east of Saigon, popular with city residents at weekends. The sights are the hilltop Christ of Vung Tau statue, with a long stair climb and a view from the arms, the lighthouse, and the beaches of Back Beach and Front Beach.
Getting there: about 2 hours by car on the expressway, or by bus, which runs at least hourly through the day. Fast boats have also run from Bach Dang pier in District 1; check current schedules before you plan around them.
How long: a full day. Suits: anyone who wants a sea break. Tip: go on a weekday. At weekends the road and the beaches fill with day-trippers from the city.
• Tours vs Grab: for Cu Chi and Tay Ninh, a group tour is cheapest, while a private car or Grab lets you choose Ben Duoc and set your own hours. Agree a round trip with waiting time, because return cars from the sites can take a long time to find.
• Heat: Saigon is hot all year. Every one of these trips is best started early, with the hottest hours spent in the car or under shade.
• Tipping: guides and drivers on day tours commonly expect a small tip; our Vietnam tipping guide has amounts.
• Base: District 1 (now the Ben Thanh and Saigon wards) is where tours pick up. From Saigon our route continued to Bali; if you are heading the other way, see day trips from Hanoi and our 2-week Vietnam itinerary.
The Cu Chi Tunnels. Ben Dinh is about 1.5 hours away and takes half a day; Ben Duoc is 2 to 2.5 hours away, quieter and more original. Entry is about 135,000 VND (≈ $5.2).
Yes, at My Tho and Ben Tre, about 2 hours away, with canal boats and orchards. For the Cai Rang floating market at Can Tho, 3 to 4 hours away, stay overnight; we stayed 2 nights.
Yes. Tay Ninh is about 100 km north-west on the same road, and many tours do both in one long day, timed for the noon service at the Cao Dai Holy See.
Ben Dinh is closer and easier, with widened tunnels and most of the tour groups. Ben Duoc is farther and quieter, with more of the original tunnel layout.
Get our new Vietnam guides and practical tips by email: where to stay, what to eat, what things cost and the rules that catch travelers out.
Free. No spam, only new guides and tips.
Search verified local fleets with low security deposits and exact model delivery on Localrent.
Compare Vietnam hotels and get the best deals on Booking.com.
