Ho Chi Minh City

Currency budget Vietnam

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 all of Vietnam

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 Vietnam visa rules

Health & emergencies all of Vietnam

Required to enter

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

Orientation, not medical advice — entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history. Check with a travel clinic 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.

Nightlife

Plastic stools on the pavement with cheap beer, rooftop bars over the same street, and Bui Vien, which is Vietnam's answer to Khao San.

• Bui Vien Street — the backpacker street, at volume
• District 1 rooftops — the hidden apartment-block bars
• Thao Dien — District 2, and the expat version

Closing: Officially midnight, in practice Bui Vien runs until 02:00 or later.

A beer in a bar: 15,000–60,000 VND

Bia hơi — fresh draught beer sold on the pavement — is often under 15,000 dong a glass and is the best thing about the evening.

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

Internet speedall of Vietnam

Getting online: Airalo or Holafly — a data eSIM for Vietnam, installed before you fly and working the moment you land.

Source: Ookla Speedtest Global Index · measured June 2026

Must-see

Nearby day trips

Say a few words

Vietnamese

• HelloXin chàosin CHOW
• PleaseLàm ơnlam URN
• Thank youCảm ơngam URN
• Yes / NoVâng / Khôngvung / khom

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