Where to Stay in Ho Chi Minh – 4 Best Districts for Tourists

Hello traveler, and welcome to the ultimate virtual tour of Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam’s economic powerhouse! If you’re planning a trip to Vietnam’s largest city, this article has got you covered with the best advice on where to stay in Ho Chi Minh!

I compared ALL the areas of this enormous city and have come up with 4 best ones for tourists. 

District 1 is the best neighborhood to stay in for first-timers, with so much to see and do! 

I’ve cherry-picked top-rated hotels for each of the 4 areas I’ll talk about and have sorted them nicely according to budget, so you can find your perfect stay in seconds!

Now, Ho Chi Minh is a vibrant metropolis receiving 40 million tourists every year, so it’s really important to book your stay in advance!

Quick picks for your stay

Book the best hotels in Ho Chi Minh’s District 1 right away:

This Ho Chi Minh districts map will help you visualize the best areas to stay in the city:

1. District 1 – where to stay in Ho Chi Minh for first-timers

If you’re coming to Ho Chi Minh for the first time, have a short stay, or plan to do the touristy stuff, don’t think twice – stay in District 1!

Known as Quan Mot (or Quan Nhat) in Vietnamese, District 1 is where you’ll find most of the city’s tourist attractions, posh hotel chains, delicious eateries, fun nightlife, and everything else.

I’ve read all the forums and watched all the YouTube travel guides by locals – everyone says this is the place to be for tourists!

The terms Ho Chi Minh Municipality and Ho Chi Minh City both refer to the city and are often used interchangeably. The city is also informally known as Saigon.

Walking around District 1, you’ll see a lot of French, Japanese, and American influences since all these nations (and many others) colonized the city (and country) at some point in history.

TRANSPORT TIP: Take the Vinasun, Vina, or Mai Linh taxis to get to the city from the airport or just get around in general. I found a really nice tip online that said the more modern the taxi looks, the more reliable it is. The old or unlabeled ones will almost always overcharge you.

SAFETY TIP: Drivers, especially motorbikes (which you’ll see plenty of) in Ho Chi Minh, pay little regard to pedestrians, so walking in a crowded place can get pretty hectic. Hide your possessions to avoid being robbed by snatchers on bikes.

Now, District 1 is quite a big area, and it makes a big difference where exactly you stay. For example, if you want to be closer to the largest markets, stay in Ben Thanh. If you’re into luxury accommodation and the vicinity of the main attractions, stay around Dong Khoi Street.

Below, I discuss in detail the 2 distinct parts of District 1 so you can stay in whichever suits you best.

NOTE: After much consideration, I decided not to recommend Bui Vien Walking Street as an area to stay in District 1 (despite it being a popular option for backpackers) since it’s too seedy at night for my taste. It’s where the Red Light District is, it’s too loud, and you’re likely to run into drug dealers and other sketchy individuals. You won’t get the best impression of Vietnam if you stay here.

1.1. Dong Khoi Street – best area to stay in Ho Chi Minh for tourists

Welcome to District 1’s most popular area! You’re unlikely to find a better place to stay than in and around Dong Khoi Street (map). This is an awesome place to walk both during the day and at night, but of course, all the fun begins after the sun sets.

Since the days are really hot in most of Southeast Asia, cities only come to life at night when the temperatures start to cool! So, don’t be surprised to find empty streets in big cities like Ho Chi Minh during the day.

In Dong Khoi, you’ll catch night shows and performances across the area that are very popular among both tourists and locals alike.

I’d say that finding a place anywhere between Nguyen Hue Street (map) and Dong Khoi Street is the jackpot. You’ll find most of the fancy hotel chains here (think Hilton, Sheraton, Reverie), so if you’re looking to splurge on your stay, you’re in for a lot of options!

A really fun thing to check out in Nguyen Hue Street is the Café Apartment (map). This is an old apartment building that was transformed into a huge shopping and coffee place. Every apartment here has turned into a café, a bookstore, or a creative space. I’d definitely start my visit from here, such an authentic place!

Also, if you walk North along Dong Khoi Street, you’ll reach the Notre Dame Cathedral (map) which was built by the French using materials that were specifically imported from France! By the way, Vietnam used to be a French colony for over 6 decades until 1954, so you’ll see plenty of French influence.

NOTE: English isn’t widely spoken in Ho Chi Minh, but people often use Google Translate. The app works great for Vietnamese, so you can use it to communicate if someone doesn’t understand English. Check out this post for more useful free travel apps.

Other accommodation options in Dong Khoi Street

Things to do in Dong Khoi Street

1.2. Ben Thanh District – where to stay for shopping + food tasting

Ben Thanh subdistrict is a great and fun area to explore, especially if you’re a shopaholic! This is where you’ll find the main market in the city, Ben Thanh Market (map)!

Buy any souvenir you have your mind set on, from local teas, beautiful cups, magnets, or a cute piece of clothing. I wouldn’t recommend food tasting here due to the poorer hygienic conditions, but you can definitely try delicious dried fruits.

LOCAL’S TIP: Remember the entrance number from which you entered the market. The place is really big and you can easily get lost, but knowing which exit to look for will certainly make things easier!

Also, I must warn you right away: be ready to haggle for your goods! Or, if you’re not good at it (or at ignoring vendors jumping into your face), just skip the market altogether. You can get a more local market experience in Chinatown of District 5 (map), some 4 km (2.4 miles) West of Ben Thanh. This is where most vendors in Ho Chi Minh buy produce wholesale, and it’s a cute district to walk around to immerse in Chinese culture.

For the best local food experience, I recommend the Banh Mi Me In restaurant (map) just around the corner from the Ben Thanh market. Everyone raves about their chicken banh mi, which is a legendary Vietnamese sandwich.

Ben Thanh is also known for affordable accommodation, and I really recommend it as a place to stay if you want to be in the very center of District 1, just a short walk from Dong Khoi, Bui Vien, Nguyen Hue, and most other popular streets of the area!

Now, it’s coffee time: Vietnamese people LOVE their coffee! You’ll find them enjoying their favorite drink during the day’s heat inside the many coffee places in the city. So feel free to explore the local coffee culture. This won’t be hard to do as cafés will be (literally) everywhere you look! Popular types include coconut coffee, egg coffee, and the super milky Bac Siu coffee.

NOTE: Don’t mix up Ben Thanh District with Binh Thanh! The latter is a giant area to the East of the city, and it’s best known for its Ward 19 (in Vietnamese, wards are smaller areas in a district). Here, you’ll find Vietnam’s tallest building, Vinpearl Landmark 81 (map). I don’t recommend basing yourself in this area as it’s too far from the City Center, and gosh, the traffic there is super hectic! But it’s still a nice place to visit for a few hours.

Other accommodation options in Ben Thanh

Things to do in Ben Thanh

2. District 3 – best place to stay in Ho Chi Minh City away from the city noise

The 2nd most popular district for tourists is District 3. This area is located just to the North of District 1, and chances are, you won’t even notice the difference as you walk from one to another. They have an invisible boundary, with both being alive at night and having easy access to delicious eateries.

So what makes District 3 different, then?

Well, it’s more quiet, has less traffic, more greenery, and is great for exploring the local coffee culture. Honestly, if I was staying in Saigon, I’d consider this option. It’s so inviting with its lush and peaceful streets.

Best of all, you’ll be within walking distance of District 1’s attractions, including Dong Khoi Street and Ben Thanh Market!

District 3 is also home to some attractions. You can visit the War Remnants Museum to learn more about the Chinese and American wars fought in the country and then have a relaxing walk around the Turtle Lake (map) roundabout.

Talking about attractions, most of them are completely free (churches, pagodas, markets), while museum tickets are usually really affordable in Saigon. The War Remnants Museum fee was 40,000 VND (US$1.50) at the time of writing this guide, and this is the largest sum you can expect to pay (per person, adult) for any museum.

NOTE: Turtle Lake, much like other markets in the city, becomes alive only after 6 pm! This is when you’ll find some great spots for local Vietnamese street food! Most of it is really affordable too, it costs just around US$1 per piece!

By the way, Hotel des Arts, one of the best luxury hotels in the area, is located just around the corner from Turtle Lake.

My personal highlight of the area is the Tan Dinh Church (map) with its unique pink color! I recommend you either just pass by to take photos and admire the building or do an organized tour of the church (like this one). I read so many online reviews saying that guards don’t let individual tourists enter the property, so rather take a tour to avoid any unpleasant situations.

So basically, choose District 1 if you want to stay in the heart of the action and District 3 if you want more peaceful surroundings but still be close to the main tourist area.

Other accommodation options in District 3

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BONUS: La Vela Saigon Hotel is one of the most famous luxury hotels in Saigon, and it’s also located in District 3! It offers surreal sunset views from the rooftop infinity pool, presidential suites, club benefits, and even an on-site casino.

Things to do in District 3

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3. District 2 (Thao Dien) – the trendiest area to stay in Ho Chi Minh with kids

District 2 is a huge area separated from District 1 by Binh Thanh District (remember, the one with the tallest building in Vietnam?). The best sub-area to stay here is Thao Dien, which is the most touristy as well.

Overall, this is predominantly a residential area with tons of apartment rentals. It’s especially popular among expats since it’s where you’ll not only find many international schools but also restaurants and cafés serving local and international fare.

People who live here say this is a self-contained area, but it’s also a 20-minute ride away on a taxi or motorbike from the attractions of District 1.

Due to being an expat area, District 2 benefited drastically from COVID. Many restaurants and businesses from District 1 moved here to be closer to the expat community, so this is now the fastest developing and trendiest area to stay in Saigon.

You’ll also find cute amusement parks around and will feel really safe here, which is one of the reasons why I recommend this as the best area to stay for families with kids!

I recommend visiting Xuan Thuy Street (map) which has a long stretch of restaurants, bars, and cafés for all tastes and budgets! I went ahead and virtually explored all the cool restaurants along Xuan Thuy Street. This American restaurant (map) absolutely blew me away, all the photos showing meal portions look amazing!

LOCAL’S RECOMMENDATION: Try the best pizza in town at 356° Napoli Pizza (map)! They have a 50% discount on Tuesdays!

This area is really walkable, you won’t even have to think about transport! However, if you want to get to the City Center (District 1), I recommend a Grab or Gojet taxis or a moto-taxi. They’re super affordable, and won’t charge you more than US$1 per trip!

Other accommodation options in District 2

Things to do in District 2

• Take a boat ride on the Saigon River
• Check out the fancy restaurants on Xuan Thuy Street
• Go beer tasting at the rooftop Chenh Venh bar (map)
• Get a royal facial treatment at Mayu Japanese Esthetic Spa (map)
• Stock up on new clothes in Vincom Mega Mall (map)

4. District 7 – best district to stay in Ho Chi Minh for an extended stay

District 7 is another large district located to the South of District 1 across the Kenh Te River. But don’t worry, most of the action here takes place in the Phu My Hung (map) sub-area, one of the fastest developing parts of Saigon.

In fact, according to the Saigon South Master Plan created by the Vietnamese government in 1995, this district should become one of Southeast Asia’s most luxurious areas! Today, Phu My Hung is home to a large Korean and Japanese population (among other expats), and is commonly known as Koreatown. If you’re a fan of Korean restaurants and culture, you’ll have a blast here!

Since it’s another self-contained district, Phu My Hung is great for long-term stays. Plus, it has a much slower pace compared to Districts 1 and 2, and it’s filled with shops, convenience stores, parks, and malls. Check out the Crescent Mall (map) here, it’s awesome!

I’d say if you’re a return visitor and want to experience a new side of Saigon, also consider this area! There are many small, charming streets with romantic cafés waiting to be explored, and you definitely don’t want to rush while doing it!

Other accommodation options in District 7

Things to do in District 7

• Visit Crescent Mall, one of Saigon’s largest malls
• Check out the night illuminations at the Crescent Lake (map)
• Enjoy the night view from the Starlight Bridge (map)
• Dine in the area’s international restaurants like Korean BBQ (map)

FAQs about the best places to stay in Ho Chi Minh

🏨 What are the top luxury hotels in Ho Chi Minh City?

❓ Is District 5 in Ho Chi Minh City a good place to stay?

District 5 is a nice place to stay if you want to experience the traditional vibe of a Chinese neighborhood in Ho Chi Minh. But if you’re only in town for a short time, it’s best to stop by for a quick tour rather than basing yourself here.

🏙️ What are the best hostels in Bui Vien and District 1, Ho Chi Minh City?

🚕 How to get from the Ho Chi Minh City Airport to the City?

An official taxi is the best way to get from the airport to the city. It’s affordable (less than US$10) and fast. You can also use the yellow bus #109, which runs every 20 minutes and costs around 80 cents.

❄️ When is the best time to travel to Ho Chi Minh?

December to March is the best time to visit Ho Chi Minh. This is the dry period in the region with pleasant temperatures (up to 32C or 89 F) and chilly nights.

🛵 How to get around Ho Chi Minh?

Taxis and motorbikes are the best way to get around for tourists. You’ll find motorbike rental shops across town, while the best taxi service is Vinasun, Vina, or Mai Linh. Grab is also a good option.

✅ What are the safest areas of Ho Chi Minh City?

The safest area is District 7 since it’s heavily Westernized and luxurious. Still, Ho Chi Minh is generally a safe city with occasional petty crime, especially around major attractions.

2️⃣ How many days in Ho Chi Minh is enough?

2-3 days is more than enough to see Ho Chi Minh’s main districts and attractions. Of course, if you want to be more intimate with the city and get to know it better, you’ll find plenty of things to do over a week.

🚶‍♀️ Is Ho Chi Minh City walkable?

Yes, for the most part. You must be really careful when you cross the street (regardless of the green light) because of reckless motorbike drivers. Otherwise, the city has a good pedestrian-friendly infrastructure.

Final thoughts on the best places to stay in Ho Chi Minh

We’ve come to the end of today’s virtual tour that (hopefully) helped you decide where to stay in Ho Chi Minh! I hope you enjoyed it and found the information useful!

Ho Chi Minh is rapidly developing with so much to offer to visitors, so you’re definitely in for some fun times! Don’t forget to buy nice souvenirs at Ben Thanh Market and enjoy all the international restaurants in Thao Dien!

And if you’re still indecisive about hotels, I’ll share 2 of my favorite ones below:

Remember that Ho Chi Minh is a really popular tourist destination, so it’s best to book your hotel months in advance!

If you have any questions about your upcoming trip to Ho Chi Minh or Vietnam, drop me a comment below! I’m always happy to help!

Safe travels,

Darija

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