As a center of the economy in Vietnam, Saigon welcomes visitors from all over the world for business trips and tours. It is not difficult to explore the city’s culture since there are many kinds of attractions and activities. Touring Saigon on a motorbike is the most convenient option for full exploration, but getting around the town on foot can also be an interesting experience. Read more in our guide for some recommended itineraries for a Saigon walking tour.
What to Expect from a Saigon Walking Tour
You can tailor your walking tour in Saigon with the help of the map and hired transportation booking apps on your mobile. But it will require you to research beforehand and can be tricky if it is your first time in Vietnam. The list below will list some merits and things to note if you want to go on a walking tour in Saigon.
The Good Things about a Saigon Walking Tour
Take your time. If you are not on a tight schedule, you can walk around the streets in Saigon, enjoy the view slowly, and get closer to the locals working and selling things in their vendors along the sidewalks.
Go your way. When you walk, it is also more easy to make stops and spend time in some places. You don’t have to worry about the traffic direction or getting in small alleys and shortcuts if you want to travel off the beaten path in Saigon.
A bonus of this tour is that it is a chance to exercise to get fit.
The Problems with a Saigon Walking Tour
The crowded sidewalks. Saigon is not a walking-friendly city as many motorbikes get on the sidewalks during rush hours, parking in front of shops and vendors on the sidewalks.
The unexpected weather. In the dry season, the weather in Saigon gets hot from 9 AM to 4 PM, while showers often pour down from noon to evening in the rainy season. For a better touring experience, it is recommended that you equip yourself with raincoats, hats, and sunscreen.
The busy streets. Crossing the streets in Saigon also requires getting in sync with the constant traffic, which won’t stop for you. You can find locals and tag along when they cross the streets, but the strict rule is to keep the pace steady. Find out helpful tips in the video below.
The far distance. With a walking tour in Saigon, you cannot go very far from the city center either, because the attractions are further apart in the other districts. It may be impossible to visit all those attractions just on foot.
Recommended Itineraries for the Saigon Walking Tour
Considering the pros and cons of a Saigon walking tour, we compiled a list of itineraries in the city that would provide the best experience.
Itineraries 1: Visit the French Quarter (3 – 3.5 hours)
The French Quarter is also considered the center of Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon. Most of the top attractions, hotels, local restaurants, and cafes are around the area. It will be convenient for you to have it all in one tour, but it can also be crowded and touristy for some.
Detailed French Quarter itineraries
- Saigon Opera House is a magnificent white Cong Truong Lam Son Street building. It is one of the colonial architectures still in use today. Many musical and art performances take place here every night. If your hotel is nearby, you can walk there or take a cab for about VND 12,000 per kilometer.
- Walking down Dong Khoi Street, you can reach the Saigon Central Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral in about 5-10 minutes. These are the yellow building and red-brick cathedral that you may often see on Vietnamese postcards. They could give you great insight into the city’s history during French colonial times.
- About 1 km away, at the crossroad of Le Duan Street and Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, is the Independence Palace, the president’s stay and office under the South Vietnam government reign, a historical place marking the reunification of the North and South Vietnam on April 30th.
- Another nearby attraction for understanding Vietnamese history is the War Remnants Museum on Vo Van Tan Street. Here, documents, articles, and weapons (or replicas of them) from Vietnam Wartime are displayed to demonstrate the damage and cruelty in Vietnam in general.
- Last, a few blocks from the War Remnants Museum, at the corner of Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Cach Mang Thang 8 Street, is a monument for an uproar in the Buddhist Crisis in 1963. Venerable Thich Quang Duc’s statue is placed where he set himself on fire as a demonstration against the South Vietnam government’s discrimination toward Buddhism.
Itineraries 2: Explore the Chinatown (2.5 – 3 hours)
Chinatown in Saigon is a large area that includes four districts: District 5, District 6, District 10, and District 11. District 5 is considered the center of Chinatown, with the largest population of Chinese Vietnamese, many Chinese restaurants, and Chinese temples.
Most attractions, like local markets and religious sites, are open from early morning to late afternoon (around 4 PM). However, to see the busy lantern streets and enjoy Chinese cuisine, you should start the afternoon Saigon walking tour in Chinatown.
Detailed Chinatown itineraries
- Your first location is the Binh Tay Market, one of the oldest markets in Saigon. It was built by one of the richest Chinese men in the city in the early 20th century. It will be best to take a taxi to the market and walk from there.
- Walk along Thap Muoi and turn left at the corner with Hoc Lac Street. You should find Cha Tam Church on your left. The cathedral is a remarkable Catholic building in Vietnam, mixing Chinese and Western designs.
- A few meters down Tran Hung Dao Street is Soai Kinh Lam Market. You will be charmed by the most extensive fabric wholesale market in Saigon. Everything you need, from luxury items such as chiffon to buckram to simple cotton, can be found in this market.
- You can find Pho Long Den or Lantern Streets, which are straight to Luong Nhu Hoc Street. It would be best if you visited this place during the Mid-autumn festival days as many colorful paper and electronic lanterns of different shapes and sizes are selling around the block of Luong Nhu Hoc, Nguyen Trai, Nguyen An, and Tran Hung Dao Streets.
- Move to Nguyen Trai Street, and you will find the famous Thien Hau Temple. This is a typical Chinese temple with signature architectural features. It is a temple to worship Mazu, the goddess who is closest to the heart of many Chinese immigrants.
- Chinese cuisine eateries are everywhere in Chinatown and on the blocks of Tran Hung Dao, Nguyen Trai, Trieu Quang Phuc, and Phu Dong Thien Vuong Streets.
Itineraries 3: Go shopping in Saigon’s malls and boutiques (3-3.5 hours)
As one of the most developed cities in Vietnam, Saigon is never short of attractions and activities for a luxury tour. Many department stores are gathered in the streets in District 1, housing glamorous brand names, movie theatres, and eatery chains.
Most malls and eateries are open from 9 AM to 9 PM. After dawn (6 PM) and on weekends, these places are packed with people hanging out, window shopping, and shopping.
- You should start from Parkson Le Thanh Ton or Vincom Center as they are across one another on Le Thanh Ton Street. Like the French Quarter, you can walk here from hotels you stay at, like New World, Intercontinental, and REX, or hail a cab here. While Parkson is the symbol of a typical shopping center, Vincom Center is a complex building of shopping malls, offices, and resident stay, in which 5 floors are dedicated to restaurants and shopping.
- Walking down Nguyen Hue Street, you can find Union Square, or what the locals used to call Vincom A. This building stands out with its beautiful Baroque architecture.
- If you want to do some indie shopping, take a little detour to Apartment 42 on Nguyen Hue Street. This apartment is very popular among the youth of Saigon, and it has hidden cafes and fashion boutiques.
- The next destination is about 5 minutes away: the glamorous Takashimaya, newly established in 2016. Because of its brand name, it caused a huge sensation and became a phenomenon among shopping lovers, especially the youth.
- Opposite Takashimaya, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, is the local favorite place to shop for fashionable clothes at a low price. Saigon Square has been open for almost 20 years. It is located in a busy street, blending among the fancy department stores, bringing new options for shoppers.
- The last stop is a bit more local, but you can still feel the excitement of shopping. Ben Thanh Market is about 10-15 minutes from Saigon Square. It is one of the biggest local markets in Saigon but also a colonial architecture from the French government’s time. Clothing, souvenirs, and food are lined up, waiting for you.
Itineraries 4: Find your favorite Vietnamese foods (2.5 – 3 hours)
Vietnamese street food is a wonder that you need to explore. While there are many eateries around the city, on a Saigon walking tour, you can try these places we suggest.
From late afternoon to evening, you can try many foods, from Vietnamese cuisine to that of all over the world.
- On Thu Khoa Huan Street, the newly opened Ben Thanh Street Foods Market is the place to go if you don’t know food from which country to try: Vietnam, Japan, Thailand, Italy, and many other countries.
- Following Thu Khoa Huan Street, you will reach the North entrance of Ben Thanh Market on Le Thanh Ton Street. The market’s eating area is full of Vietnamese foods, from main meals like broken rice and banh beo to desserts and drinks like sugarcane juice.
- About a 15-minute walk from Ben Thanh Market, get to Bui Vien Walking Street, the backpackers or red-light district. Here, you can find many bars and clubs where you can enjoy beer and exotic seafood.
Check out more fun things to do in Saigon:
Klook.comWhere to Go on a Saigon Walking Tour?
The French Quarter and Chinatown are ideal places for a Saigon walking tour because many attractions and restaurants are located nearby. The streets in these areas are also more walking-friendly for first-time travelers to Vietnam.