Ho Chi Minh City is a good base for day trips, with history, rivers, forest and a very different religion within a few hours of the centre. Most trips include hotel pickup in District 1, a guide and lunch, so they are easy to arrange, but they are long days and it is worth choosing carefully. Here is how the main options compare and who each suits.
Cu Chi Tunnels
The most popular choice, around two hours from the centre by road. During the war the people of the Cu Chi district dug a network of tunnels that served as hiding places, hospitals and command posts. On the tour you walk through the forest with a guide, see camouflaged entrances, trap displays and a model of life underground, and can crawl through a short section of tunnel that has been widened for visitors. It is hot, a little cramped and thought-provoking, and it pairs naturally with the War Remnants Museum and the Independence Palace. A typical tour takes about seven hours with the drive. It suits history lovers and older children, but not anyone who is claustrophobic or has trouble with narrow spaces, though the crawl is optional.
The Mekong Delta
The Mekong is the opposite of Cu Chi: green, watery and slow. A standard day tour drives to a delta town, then takes small boats along canals, stops at a workshop making coconut candy or honey products, and serves a lunch of local fish and fruit. It is a long day, with about four hours on the road in total, but a gentle one. It suits families, couples and anyone who wants a break from the city. If you want to see the floating markets, a morning start is essential, and the best of them are around Can Tho, which is too far for a comfortable day trip.
Overnight in Can Tho
For the floating market and a calmer view of delta life, a two-day tour with a night in Can Tho is the better choice. You travel deeper into the delta, spend the evening in a river town, and visit a floating market early the next morning, when the boats are busiest. It costs more and takes more time, but it is a much better look at the delta than a single day and suits travellers with four days or more.
Can Gio Mangrove Forest and Monkey Island
South-east of the city, the Can Gio biosphere reserve is a large mangrove forest that was replanted after the war. Boat trips take you through the channels, and the monkeys on the island are a draw for families, though you should keep food and bags well out of reach. It is the least visited of the main trips, which is part of its appeal, and the conditions suit the green season. It is a good choice if you have already seen the other trips or want a quieter day out.
Cao Dai Holy See and Ba Den Mountain
Tay Ninh province, to the north-west, is home to the Cao Dai religion, which blends elements of Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Christianity. The Holy See is a colourful temple where visitors can watch the midday ceremony from a gallery, with white-robed worshippers and music. Ba Den Mountain, the highest peak in southern Vietnam, rises from the plain nearby and is topped by temples, with a cable car on offer. It is the longest day, at around eleven to twelve hours, and best for travellers who like religion, architecture and views.
VinWonders Grand Park
If you are travelling with children, a day at the theme park and water park in the east of the city is an alternative to a tour. It is within the city limits, so it is easy to reach by car or ride-hailing app, but allow time for the cross-town drive.
How to choose
With one day, choose Cu Chi if you want history or the Mekong if you want a gentler day. With two, do both. With three or more, add Cao Dai and Ba Den or the overnight in Can Tho. Book early for the dry season, wear comfortable shoes, carry water, sunscreen and a hat, and take small notes for tips and snacks. Tours usually have a minimum group size and cancellation terms, so check these when you book.
Where to base yourself
Pickups are normally offered from central District 1, so a hotel there saves a long ride to a meeting point. The Park Hyatt, the Majestic and the Nikko are all well placed, and the Common Room Project in Bui Vien is a budget base that is close to many tour pickup points.
