Ho Chi Minh City: Best Time to Visit, Dec–Mar | Trailwind

City guideHo Chi Minh CityVietnamBest time to visit Ho Chi Minh City: Dec–Mar. Saigon's motorbike roar and rocket-fuel coffee. Weather and timing on Trailwind.

Best time: Dec–Mar

Country: 🇻🇳 Vietnam

Region: Southeast

Population: 9.0M metro

Currency: VND

Language: Vietnamese

Timezone: UTC+07:00

Nearest airport: Tan Son Nhat International (SGN)

The lay of the landHo Chi Minh City, still Saigon to most, is Vietnam with the throttle open: a million motorbikes, French-era landmarks, sobering war museums, and market stalls that never quite close. It is the launchpad for the Mekong Delta and the Cu Chi tunnels.When to goThe sweet spot is Dec–Mar. Plan around it and you will catch Ho Chi Minh City close to its best.Getting thereFly into Tan Son Nhat International (SGN). From there Ho Chi Minh City is an easy hop to the center.Know before you go

Try ca phe sua da, the fierce iced coffee, to keep up.

Visit the War Remnants Museum and Cu Chi tunnels for context.

Ben Thanh Market is touristy, but the street food nearby is better.

What to see

Thong Nhat Stadium, Thống Nhất Stadium, formerly Cộng Hoà Stadium (lit. 'Republic Stadium' is a multi-purpose stadium in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It is located at 138 Đào Duy Từ Street, Ward 6, District 10. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium for Ho Chi Minh City FC of the V.League 1. The stadium has a capacity of 14,400.

War Remnants Museum, The War Remnants Museum is a war museum at 28 Võ Văn Tần Street, Xuân Hòa, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It contains exhibits relating to the First Indochina War and the Vietnam War.

Independence Palace, The Independence Palace, also publicly and officially known as the Reunification Convention Hall or simply Reunification Hall, is a historic landmark and government-owned public hall in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It was designed by architect Ngô Viết Thụ and was the presidential palace, home and workplace of the president of the Republic of Vietnam. It was also the site of the Fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975 that ended the Vietnam War, when a Liberation Army of South Vietnam tank crashed through its gates.

Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, officially the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is a cathedral located in the Saigon ward of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The cathedral, established by French administrators who originally named it the Church of Saigon, was constructed between 1877 and 1880. The name Notre-Dame Cathedral has been used since 1959, when the statue of Our Lady of Peace was installed in its forecourt. It has two bell towers, reaching a height of 58 meters (190 feet).

Ho Chi Minh City Opera House, Saigon Opera House is a municipal opera house in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Like other French-built opera houses during French colonial period, including Hanoi Opera House and Haiphong Opera House, it is an example of French Colonial architecture in Vietnam.

Bitexco Financial Tower, Bitexco Financial Tower is a skyscraper in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. At its completion in 2010, it became the tallest building in Vietnam and kept this status until January 2011, when it was surpassed by Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower. With 68 floors above ground and three basements, the building has a height of 262.5 metres (861 ft), making it the second tallest building in the city, fourth tallest in Vietnam, and the 412th tallest in the world, as of May 2022.

Where to eat

Ben Thanh Market, Saigon's landmark market. The food stalls at the back are the reason to come, and the night market spills into the streets outside.

Pairs well with

War Remnants Museum, 5 mi away

Thong Nhat Stadium, 5 mi away

Independence Palace, 5 mi away

Bitexco Financial Tower, 6 mi away

Frequently asked questionsWhen is the best time to visit Ho Chi Minh City?The best time to visit Ho Chi Minh City is Dec–Mar, in Vietnam.Where is Ho Chi Minh City?Ho Chi Minh City is in Vietnam. The nearest major airport is Tan Son Nhat International (SGN).What is Ho Chi Minh City known for?Saigon's motorbike roar and rocket-fuel coffee.Keep exploring

Browse every city guide, national park and collection

Trailwind — Adventure, personalizedTrailwind finds the moment a trip is unusually possible: the right season, a cheap fare, your open dates, and rare skies. Browse by calendar:

Cosmic calendar — meteor showers, eclipses and aurora, and the best time to see each

Nature's calendar — wildlife migrations, blooms and seasonal wonders, and when to go

World culture calendar — festivals, celebrations and rituals, and when they happen (Holi, Diwali, Day of the Dead and more)

Browse all city guides, national parks and collections