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Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City: Phu My Port and the Long Road to Saigon's Streets

Vietnam's most populous city, Ho Chi Minh City has more than 14 million people, and its geography is shaped by rivers and canals, the largest being the Saigon River. Thieves on motorbikes often snatch bags, so carry yours in front of you or on the side away from the traffic.

Port traffic
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What to Expect

Cruise ships berth at Phú Mỹ, in the Cái Mép–Thị Vải deep-water port area on the Thị Vải River, a stretch of container terminals and industrial zones. Central Ho Chi Minh City is a long road transfer away, so decide before you arrive how you will make the trip.

  • Since July 1, 2025, the former Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu province has been part of Ho Chi Minh City, so Phú Mỹ now lies within the city's boundaries, far from its center.
  • The port area is sheltered by the Vũng Tàu peninsula, and the beach city of Vũng Tàu is about 40 km from Phú Mỹ.
  • Your cruise line will tell you how long the drive into the city takes and whether it runs a shuttle.

Ho Chi Minh City on Your Own

Visiting Ho Chi Minh City independently from Phú Mỹ means a long road transfer each way. If you go on your own, book a car in advance or use an official ride-hailing app, and keep the plan to a few sights close together in the center.

  • Getting there: Use pre-arranged transport or an official ride-hailing app such as Grab or XanhSM, and book the whole journey in the app. Scammers sometimes pose as drivers for these companies.
  • A compact center: The Independence Palace and the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City are close together, and the Central Post Office stands next to the Notre-Dame Cathedral.
  • The War Remnants Museum: At 28 Võ Văn Tần Street, it covers the First Indochina War and the Vietnam War, with aircraft, a helicopter and a tank in its walled yard and graphic photographs inside.
  • A nearer option: Vũng Tàu, on the peninsula that shelters the port, has two main beaches and a 32-meter statue of Christ on its smaller hill.
  • Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own, and with the long drive back to Phú Mỹ, leave the city with plenty of time to spare.
  • Watch the clock: All-aboard is given in ship's time, which may not match the local clocks or your phone. Vietnam keeps Indochina Time, seven hours ahead of UTC, all year.
  • Carry ID: You must carry photo ID; a printed copy of your passport's photo page and your visa is accepted. Keep the passport itself somewhere secure.

Getting Around

In the city, ride-hailing apps are the usual way to get around, and the first metro line now links Bến Thành Market with the northeast of the city. Traffic is heavy for most of the day, especially in the morning and evening rush hours.

  • Grab and Xanh SM are ride-hailing apps, and booking the whole journey in one of them helps guard against fare scams.
  • Metro Line 1, opened in December 2024, runs from Bến Thành to Suối Tiên. All stations have escalators and elevators, with signs and announcements in Vietnamese and English.
  • Motorbike accidents are common in Vietnam and have killed and injured visitors, so think twice before taking a motorbike taxi or hiring a motorbike.
  • To cross a busy street, follow the lead of a local who is crossing.

What to Eat

Three dishes make a good start in Ho Chi Minh City: phở, bánh mì and cơm tấm. The southern, Saigon style of phở differs from the northern one in its noodles, its broth and its herbs.

  • Bánh mì, the Vietnamese baguette sandwich, took its distinct Saigon style in the 1950s, filled with Vietnamese sausage, pickled vegetables, coriander and French-style pâté.
  • Cơm tấm is broken rice served with ribs, cucumber and pickled carrots, often with a sweet and sour fish sauce.
  • Phở is a soup of broth, rice noodles, herbs and meat, usually beef.

Tipping in Vietnam

Vietnamese people do not usually tip, and visitors are generally not expected to, although a tip will not be refused. Some places that cater mainly to Western tourists do expect one.

  • Vietnam's currency is the dong (VND). Prices are sometimes shown in US dollars, but payment is almost always expected in dong, especially outside the main tourist areas.

Culture & Local Life

Ho Chi Minh City's center still shows its French colonial past, in the cathedral, the post office and the opera house, alongside landmarks of the South Vietnamese state and of reunification. Its Chinese quarter, Chợ Lớn, is considered the world's largest Chinatown by area.

  • The city's official name is Ho Chi Minh City, given in 1976, but Saigon is still widely used.
  • The Saigon Opera House, completed in 1900, seats 500 and served as the South Vietnamese National Assembly before becoming a theater again in 1976.
  • Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard, once a canal and now a pedestrian street, runs from City Hall to the Saigon River.
  • Chinese refugees from the Qing dynasty were allowed to settle in the area in 1679, and Chợ Lớn has long been home to the city's Chinese community.
  • Do not take photographs near military bases, where travel is restricted.

Saigon, War, and Reunification

The site of Ho Chi Minh City was a Cham and then a Khmer settlement before Vietnamese settlers arrived in the 17th century. It became the capital of French Cochinchina and later of South Vietnam, and the war ended here in 1975.

  • 11th century: The Cham founded a settlement called Baigaur on the site.
  • Around 1145: After the Khmer conquest it was renamed Prey Nokor, and Vietnamese settlers arriving in the early 17th century adapted the name as Sài Gòn.
  • 1698: Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh set up a Vietnamese administration, detaching the area from Cambodia, and it was named Gia Định.
  • 1859 to 1862: French forces took the Citadel of Saigon in 1859, and from 1862 the city was the capital of French Cochinchina.
  • 1877 to 1891: The French built the Notre-Dame Cathedral, finished in 1880, the Central Post Office, from 1886 to 1891, and the palace that now houses the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City.
  • 1954 to 1975: After the partition of Vietnam, Saigon was the capital of South Vietnam, and the Independence Palace was completed in 1966.
  • April 30, 1975: At 10:45 a.m., a North Vietnamese tank broke through the palace's main gate, ending the Vietnam War.
  • 1976: After reunification, the city was renamed Ho Chi Minh City.
  • 2024 and 2025: The first metro line opened in December 2024, and on July 1, 2025, the city absorbed Bình Dương and Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu provinces.
  • Where to learn more: The Museum of Ho Chi Minh City, in the former Gia Long Palace at the corner of Lý Tự Trọng and Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa streets, tells the city's story.

Traveling with Family

With children, the long transfer from Phú Mỹ is the main thing to plan around, so choose one or two stops rather than a full city tour. Vũng Tàu, on the peninsula that shelters the port, is the beach alternative.

  • Younger children: The Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Vietnam's oldest zoo, opened to the public in 1869 and keeps more than a hundred species of mammals, birds and reptiles.
  • School age: At the Independence Palace, children can see where the tank came through the gate in 1975, and Tao Đàn Park, behind the palace, is a 10-hectare green space.
  • Teenagers: The War Remnants Museum has aircraft and a tank in its walled yard, but its photographs of war injuries are graphic, so judge whether they suit your teenagers.
  • On the street: Hold children's hands in traffic and follow a local across busy streets.

Accessibility

The long road transfer from Phú Mỹ is the main thing to plan around if you have limited mobility. Ask your ship before arrival about access at the berth and on any shuttle.

  • All stations on Metro Line 1 have escalators and elevators.
  • City traffic is heavy and crossing streets can be difficult, so plan door-to-door transport where you can.
  • Ride-hailing apps let you book a car to a specific door rather than finding a taxi on the street.

Shopping near Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My)

Bến Thành Market, one of the oldest surviving structures in the city, is the classic place to shop, with nearly 1,500 stalls selling everything from food to luxury goods. It opens around 6 a.m., and after 6 p.m. a night market takes over until 10 p.m.

  • Pay in dong, the currency nearly every seller expects.
  • Buying, selling or collecting protected wild animals or plants is illegal, and offenders face fines or long prison sentences, so avoid wildlife souvenirs.
  • Market hours can change, so check before you go.

Beaches

There is no beach at the port, but Vũng Tàu, about 40 km from Phú Mỹ at the tip of its peninsula, is the beach option for a port day. Its two main beaches are very different in character.

  • Front Beach is a small beach with calm water, in a bay at the southern tip of the peninsula.
  • Back Beach, on the city's eastern side, has long stretches of sand and rougher water that is still safe for swimming.
  • The smaller beaches around Vũng Tàu are dangerous for swimming, and drownings are frequent.
  • A 32-meter statue of Christ the King, built between 1974 and 1994, stands on Vũng Tàu's smaller hill.

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