Ho Chi Minh City

Currency

Gold and jewellery shops give the best rates, better than banks — those on Le Thanh Ton and around Ben Thanh are the established ones. Count the zeros carefully: the 500,000 and 20,000 notes are similar colours and mix-ups are the classic tourist mistake.

ATMs & cards

Use Vietcombank, BIDV or Techcombank. Most machines charge 20,000-50,000 VND and cap withdrawals at 2-3 million, so TPBank is worth seeking out for its higher limit. Always decline the conversion offer.

Most machines charge 20,000-50,000 VND and cap low. TPBank usually allows the largest single withdrawal, which matters when every transaction carries a fee.

Wherever you are: if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is set by the ATM's operator, not your bank.

Safety

Very safe by the standards of any large city — violent crime against visitors is rare and the streets stay busy and comfortable late. The risks are practical: heavy scooter traffic, and opportunistic bag or phone snatching in the busiest districts. Carry bags away from the road and do not stand at the kerb using your phone.

Our own assessment, not a sourced index.

Entry & visa

Health & emergencies

Required to enter

No vaccinations are required for entry from Europe or North America.

Worth having

• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid
• Tetanus up to date
• Rabies for longer stays
• Japanese encephalitis for long rural stays

Getting treated

International hospitals and clinics in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City are good, English-speaking and inexpensive compared with Europe. Public hospitals are cheap, crowded and rarely English-speaking. On Phu Quoc the facilities are basic and serious cases go to the mainland.

Dengue is common in the rainy season. Malaria is not a risk in the cities or the usual tourist areas. Traffic injuries are by far the most common reason visitors need a hospital.

Orientation, not medical advice. Entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history and where you have been — check with a travel clinic or your national health service four to six weeks before you go.

Food tip

Southern food is sweeter than the north. Banh mi from a street cart, com tam (broken rice) for lunch, and iced ca phe sua da everywhere. District 4 is the local street-food district rather than the tourist one.

Getting around

• Grab — the ride-hailing app for cars and motorbikes, cheap and removes all haggling
• Metro line 1 — the city’s first line, running from Ben Thanh out to the east
• Walking — District 1 is walkable, though crossing roads takes commitment
• Motorbike taxi — fastest through traffic, always book through the app rather than the street
• Airport: Tan Son Nhat is 30-45 minutes from District 1 depending on traffic

Must-see

Things to do

• Visit the War Remnants Museum
• Crawl the street food of District 4
• Take a day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels
• Watch the city from a rooftop bar
• Explore the Mekong Delta
• Browse Ben Thanh and Binh Tay markets

Nearby day trips

Say a few words

Vietnamese

• HelloXin chàosin CHOW
• PleaseLàm ơnlam URN
• Thank youCảm ơngam URN
• Yes / NoVâng / Khôngvung / khom
• Excuse meXin lỗisin LOY
• How much is it?Bao nhiêu tiền?bao nyew TYEN
• The bill, pleaseTính tiềnting TYEN
• Cheers!Một hai ba, dô!mot hai ba, yo

Tonal, so the same syllable said flat means something else entirely. Nobody expects you to get it right and the attempt lands well regardless.

Religion

Folk religion and Buddhist, officially atheist state

Most Vietnamese practise ancestor veneration at home regardless of what they call it. Remove shoes and hats at temples, and do not photograph people at prayer.

Do's and don'ts

Do

• Cross roads slowly and steadily without stopping — the scooters flow around you, and hesitating is what causes accidents
• Remove shoes entering homes and temples
• Use both hands to give and receive
• Haggle in markets, cheerfully, and accept that a small foreigner premium is normal

Don't

• Do not touch anyone’s head, and do not point your feet at people or altars
• Do not show public affection beyond a hand on an arm
• Do not photograph military sites or personnel
• Do not leave chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice