One Hotel in HCMC, Three Day Trips

Ho Chi Minh City is easy to use as a single base. Cu Chi, the Mekong Delta and Vung Tau all leave from the city as day trips, so a group of friends can unpack once and still see three very different places. The price is early starts, which is why the week below puts a city day between each trip.

Who is this week for?

It suits friends travelling together and first-timers who want a mix of city, history, river and sea. It also works for anyone who dislikes changing hotels. If you want beaches for most of the trip, look at a coastal plan instead. If your group wants a hotel on the Mekong, read Mekong day trip or overnight.

You fly into Tan Son Nhat. Ho Chi Minh City to Kuala Lumpur is listed as served by Malaysia Airlines, VietJet Air, Vietnam Airlines and AirAsia¹. The city proper had 14,002,598 people in 2025², so give transfers more time than the map suggests.

The week at a glance

• Day 1: arrive and rest.
• Day 2: the city centre on foot and by Grab.
• Day 3: Cu Chi tunnels.
• Day 4: a city day: markets, Chinatown and food.
• Day 5: the Mekong Delta.
• Day 6: a late start, then Vung Tau.
• Day 7: a slow morning and your flight.

Day by day

Day 1: arrive and rest

Check in, shower and eat near the hotel. Grab operates in Vietnam and first launched in Ho Chi Minh City in 2014⁷, so a ride app is easy for late arrivals.

Day 2: the centre of the city

Walk the central streets in the morning: the post office, the cathedral and a market. Use Grab between sights when the sun is high. Eat lunch indoors, then rest.

For a Muslim anchor, Saigon Central Mosque was completed in 1935⁶. Confirm prayer times before you go.

Day 3: Cu Chi tunnels

The Cu Chi tunnel complex is described as 121 km long, with the Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc visitor sites⁴. Ben Dinh is closer to the city and has reconstructed tunnels enlarged for visitors⁵.

Go in the morning, listen to the guide and decide in advance whether anyone wants to enter the tunnels. The site records a hard period, so keep the tone respectful. Our Cu Chi guide compares the two sites.

Day 4: a city day, with no alarm

Sleep in. Spend the afternoon in Chinatown, a coffee shop or a museum. After a long road day this is the day that keeps the group happy, so protect it.

Day 5: the Mekong Delta

Choose a day trip with a boat, a fruit stop and lunch by the water. Start early, pack a hat and sun cream, and expect a long drive each way. Ben Tre versus My Tho helps you choose the town. See the Mekong Delta guide for what to expect.

Day 6: Vung Tau by the sea

Leave after breakfast, spend the day on the sea front and eat a seafood lunch. Return in the late afternoon, before the weekend traffic if you can. Vung Tau works well as a relaxed ending.

Day 7: a calm departure

Keep the morning free, pack the night before and allow extra time for the airport.

Where should you stay?

Choose a central area, close to the main road out of the city, rather than near the airport. That makes all three trips shorter in the morning. Compare rates by area, not by hotel name, and see the Ho Chi Minh City guide for the zones.

How does the climate shape the week?

The city has a tropical savanna climate, with a rainy season roughly May to November and a dry season December to April³. Heat is steady, so start trips early and rest at midday. Heat and humidity planning has more practical advice.

What should you book ahead?

• Your flights and the airport transfer.
• Cu Chi and Mekong tours, with the group size confirmed.
• A car or minibus for Vung Tau.
• Halal checks for each meal, with a displayed certificate and an issuer you can name.

What will it cost?

Price the week in lines: flights, six nights, three trips, transfers, meals and extras. Rates change by season, so run current quotes through the trip budget builder. Splitting costs by person is easier when you keep one hotel.