20+ Awesome Free Things To Do in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

This famous church on Hai Bà Trưng is a striking sight, set apart from the boutique shops and bland cement buildings around it. The church was completed in 1876 and is still a popular spot for both parishioners and tourists alike. The area also has a cool vibe, so be sure to walk around after you’ve taken all your selfies.

Lake is a bit of a stretch for this landmark – pond would be more appropriate. At night, hundreds of people hang out on the strange cement structure, which is meant to be a fabled sword jabbing into the back of a turtle. This is a great spot for people-watching and street food.

Turtle Lake, Ward 6, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Even if lewd businesses and rowdy backpackers aren’t your scene, Bùi Viện provides some of the weirdest sights you’ll find in this city. The people running this street won’t be happy if you try to sit anywhere for free, but the sidewalk is always available. Be careful with your belongings, though. This area is petty crime central.

Bùi Viện, Phạm Ngũ Lão Ward, District 1, Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam

The park itself isn’t all that big, but you’ll usually find it packed with young people taking a break from their studies at one of the nearby universities. Rumor has it that certain professors give assignments to their students to find foreigners and chat with them to practice their English. This is a nice way to get insights into the lives of young people living in the city.

Getting into the compound isn’t free, but you can still take some nice pictures through the front gate. For history buffs, this is the exact gate that came crashing down when a tank rumbled through it during the Fall of Saigon.

Independence Palace, 135 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa, District 1, Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam +84 90 991 34 81

View from the front gate | © Kars Alfrink/Flickr

If you’re at all bothered by aggressive shopkeepers, then you should probably avoid this one. It’s interesting, but make no doubt about it, there will be women grabbing your arms and shouting at you in shrills voices to come into their shop. If you do find something you like, barter – and barter hard. A 30% markup for foreigners is pretty well expected.

While it is worth a visit, the Bến Thành Market is basically a tourist trap these days. To see a local market, stray over to District 5 and visit the An Đông Market. It’s hectic, stuffy, warm and about a 45 minute walk from Bùi Viện, so be prepared for a sweaty excursion.

In the small park on Phạm Ngũ Lão, where all the coach buses drop off tourists, there are usually groups of young people playing đá cầu – also known as foot badminton. The birdie has feathers and a weight, but it doesn’t hurt your foot at all. The point is to keep the birdie in the air with creative kicks. It’s a bit difficult at first, but it sure feels good when you land a solid hit.

Phạm Ngũ Lão, District 1, Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam

Playing some foot badminton | © Yun Hoang Yong/Flickr

We see this all the time: Tourists who are looking to get away from Bùi Viện Street will turn down Đề Thám and try to find the real Ho Chi Minh City. Then they come to the corner with Trần Hưng Đạo and just stop. After a few seconds of weighing their options, they turn around and head back to Bùi Viện. Don’t stop, though. Keep walking. It doesn’t look like much at first, but you will come to neat area that really isn’t touristy at all.

Đề Thám Street, District 1, Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam

At night, Nguyễn Huệ Walking Street is alive with crowds out enjoying the cool evening air. There’s intriguing architecture, street artists and enough people-watching to keep you happy for hours. Don’t bother in the middle of the day, though. It’s too hot and nobody’s there.

Nguyễn Huệ Walking Street, District 1, Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam

Nguyen Hue looking toward the river | © shankar s./Flickr

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to shop for zippo lighters that were used by American soldiers in the Vietnam War, then the Dân Sinh Market is the place to go. You can find patches, uniforms, equipment and all kinds of tools. The shopkeepers aren’t as pushy as they are at the Bến Thành Market, so it’s less stressful.

To see what a real Saigon backstreet looks like, we recommend you make your way to Võ Duy Ninh Street in Bình Thạnh District. The street is narrow, crowded and lined with shops selling food and all kinds of weird things. It’s a good walk from the touristy areas in District 1, though, so you might want to consider taking a taxi.

Võ Duy Ninh, Bình Thạnh Ward, Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam

Lady on Vo Duy Ninh | © Sam Roth

After you’ve had your fill of Võ Duy Ninh Street, make the short hike over to the Thủ Thiêm Bridge to see one of the best views of the downtown skyline. We recommend you do this in the early evening because the buildings light up with spectacular colors. This is a very popular spot for locals as well.

Little Tokyo is loaded with seedy massage places and little backalley haunts. This neighborhood has a distinct vibe, and if you’re a night owl type, then there’s plenty to keep you entertained. You might get a sense of criminality, but it’s actually safe.

Little Tokyo, Lê Thánh Tôn Street, District 1, Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam

Hiding in the shadow of the Bitexco Tower, Tôn Thất Đạm Street is a lively little market that seems like a holdout from a different Saigon, lined with stalls selling every kind of Vietnamese fruit and vegetable. This street is as dingy as it is colorful, and we love it.

Tôn Thất Đạm Street, District 1, Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam

Veggies for sale | © takeaway/WikiCommons

We recommend you start at the Trần Hưng Đạo statue near the Bach Dang Pier and make your way south. To be honest, the river and the far bank are nothing special, but the cool breeze and the buildings of downtown Saigon sure are. There’s the Majestic, which was featured in Graham Greene’s The Quiet American (1955), as well as the Colonial City Hall down at the end of Nguyễn Huệ Walking Street. The flagpole is the same one the French used to signal ships on the river well over a hundred years ago.

Flagpole, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

A bit farther down Võ Văn Kiệt Street and you’ll find a bridge designed by Gustave Eiffel. The bridge is a popular photo spot for young couples and provides for nice views of the downtown.