The 10 Best Day Trips from Ho Chi Minh City You Can’t Miss

💰 Click here to see Vietnam Budget Breakdown

💰 Prices updated: August, 2026. Budget figures are estimates — always verify before travel.

Exchange Rate: $1 USD = ₫26,296.00

Daily Budget (per person)

Shoestring: ₫394,440 – ₫1,314,800 ($15.00 – $50.00)

Mid-range: ₫1,051,840 – ₫3,944,400 ($40.00 – $150.00)

Comfortable: ₫2,629,600 – ₫13,148,000 ($100.00 – $500.00)

Accommodation (per night)

Hostel/guesthouse: ₫78,888 – ₫394,440 ($3.00 – $15.00)

Mid-range hotel: ₫315,552 – ₫2,366,640 ($12.00 – $90.00)

Food (per meal)

Budget meal: ₫40,000.00 ($1.52)

Mid-range meal: ₫200,000.00 ($7.61)

Upscale meal: ₫750,000.00 ($28.52)

Transport

Single metro/bus trip: ₫7,000.00 ($0.27)

Monthly transport pass: ₫258,333.00 ($9.82)

Planning Day Trips from Ho Chi Minh City in 2026

With Ho Chi Minh City’s population pushing past 10 million and weekend traffic on the major highways getting heavier every year, picking the wrong destination — or the wrong departure time — can turn a day trip into an exhausting slog. The good news: several new expressway segments opened between 2024 and 2026, cutting travel times to destinations like Vung Tau, Can Tho, and Mui Ne considerably. This guide cuts through the noise and gives you ten genuine options, with honest logistics for each one.

The Mekong Delta — Beyond the Standard My Tho Day Tour

Every budget tour operator in Pham Ngu Lao sells a My Tho day trip. You get on a bus, cross to a small island, eat coconut candy, and come back. It’s fine, but it barely scratches the delta.

A better approach in 2026 is to head to Ben Tre province, which sits just across the Rach Mieu Bridge from My Tho. The waterways here are narrower, the coconut groves denser, and the tourist density far lower. Hire a sampan through a local homestay operator rather than a packaged boat tour — you’ll spend actual time drifting through canals where the only sound is the paddle and the occasional rooster.

If you want the floating market experience without committing to a two-day Can Tho trip, the Cai Be floating market in Tien Giang province is roughly 110 kilometres from District 1. It’s quieter than Cai Rang and accessible by early morning departure. Leave Ho Chi Minh City by 5:30 AM and you’ll see traders at their peak before the sun gets brutal.

Cu Chi Tunnels — What Most Visitors Get Wrong

There are two Cu Chi tunnel sites: Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc. Almost every packaged day tour goes to Ben Dinh because it’s closer to the city. Ben Duoc, about 15 kilometres further northwest, is larger, far less crowded, and contains a more complete tunnel network. The difference on a Saturday morning is stark — Ben Dinh can feel like a theme park queue, while Ben Duoc lets you actually absorb what you’re standing on.

Go on a weekday if at all possible. The crawl through the tunnels — even the enlarged tourist sections — is genuinely claustrophobic. The air smells of damp earth and old wood, and crouching through a 100-metre stretch in that darkness gives you a physical sense of what the conditions were like that no museum panel can replicate.

Admission in 2026 is 110,000 VND (around USD 4.50) for foreigners at both sites. A private car from District 1 costs roughly 600,000–800,000 VND (USD 24–32) return. A public bus (Route 13) gets you there for under 20,000 VND but takes around two hours each way.

Mui Ne — Dunes, Wind, and a Proper Beach Escape

Mui Ne sits about 200 kilometres northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. Until recently, the journey on Highway 1 and the coastal road was a genuine grind — up to four hours one-way on a bad day. The Dau Giay–Phan Thiet Expressway, which fully opened in late 2023 and has been operating smoothly through 2026, cuts the drive to around two hours from the city’s eastern edge.

Mui Ne works as a day trip if you leave by 6 AM and travel by private car or shuttle. You get time at the red and white sand dunes, a walk through the Fairy Stream, and a seafood lunch before heading back in the late afternoon. The wind at the dunes in the morning is reliably strong — bring a light layer if you’re there between November and February.

That said, Mui Ne genuinely rewards an overnight stay. If you’re going just for the day, focus on the dunes and the fishing village rather than trying to pack in everything. The tourist trap of renting plastic sleds on the dunes is entirely skippable.

Vung Tau — The City’s Favourite Weekend Coast

Vung Tau is Ho Chi Minh City’s default beach, and on a Saturday it shows. The Petro Express ferry from Bach Dang Wharf (District 1) takes about 70 minutes on the water and costs around 270,000 VND (USD 11) one-way in 2026. It’s the most comfortable way to go and entirely avoids Highway 51’s weekend traffic.

The beach scene at Vung Tau is more about eating well and watching the South China Sea than pristine swimming conditions — the water is not particularly clear. Front Beach is lively and built up; Back Beach is better for actual swimming. What makes Vung Tau worth the trip is the food: bánh khọt (crispy rice flour cups with shrimp) from the dedicated bánh khọt strip on Nguyen Truong To Street is a legitimate reason to make the journey. The smell of coconut milk and shrimp paste sizzling in those small cast-iron moulds is something you won’t find replicated in the city.

Tay Ninh — The Cao Dai Temple and the Mountain Few People Climb

Tay Ninh province, about 100 kilometres northwest of Ho Chi Minh City, holds two very different attractions that combine well into a full day. The Cao Dai Holy See in Tay Ninh town is one of the most visually striking religious buildings in Southeast Asia — a pastel explosion of dragons, eyes, and towers that looks like it was designed by a committee of Gaudí fans on a sugar rush. The midday ceremony at noon is open to respectful visitors.

The second draw is Ba Den Mountain (Black Virgin Mountain), which rises dramatically from an otherwise flat landscape to about 986 metres. A cable car system — expanded and upgraded in 2024 — now gets you to near the summit quickly. The views over the Cambodian border plains on a clear morning are genuinely arresting. Combine both sites and leave the city by 6:30 AM to make the noon ceremony comfortably.

Can Tho — The Mekong’s Biggest City Done Right

Can Tho is 170 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City and takes between 2.5 and 3.5 hours depending on traffic and route. It’s technically doable as a day trip after the Lo Te–Rach Soi Expressway improvements, but an overnight stay lets you catch the Cai Rang floating market at its best — between 5:30 and 7:30 AM — before the day-trippers from the city arrive by mid-morning.

If you insist on a day trip, charter a speedboat rather than taking the standard slow boat tour. Cai Rang’s wholesale energy — boats piled with watermelons, pomelos, and dragon fruit, vendors holding up produce on long poles to signal what they sell — disappears by 9 AM. Get there early or don’t go at all.

Long Hai — The Quiet Beach Most Tourists Skip

Long Hai is about 30 kilometres north of Vung Tau in Ba Ria province, and it rarely appears on packaged day trip lists. That’s the point. The beach is longer, less developed, and the seafood restaurants along the waterfront serve freshly caught fish and crab at prices that haven’t caught up with the tourist premium yet.

The drive from Ho Chi Minh City is around 110 kilometres and takes about two hours on a clear run. Long Hai suits travellers who’ve already done Vung Tau and want a quieter version of the same general idea. There’s a temple on a small headland at the southern end of the beach worth walking to in the early morning, when the light on the South China Sea is clean and golden.

Dalat — The Highland Escape Worth the Extra Hours

At 300 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City, Dalat is on the long end of a day trip — roughly 4.5 to 5 hours by car via the Dau Giay–Lien Khuong route. Most people do it as a two-day escape, but if you’re determined to do it in a day, the reward is real: at 1,500 metres elevation, the air is cool (average 17–22°C year-round), the strawberry farms along the edges of the city sell fruit by the punnet at the roadside, and the pine forests surrounding Datanla Waterfall feel nothing like the tropical south.

In 2026, a new expressway section connecting Bao Loc to Da Lat has reduced the mountain switchback time considerably. Check current road conditions before you go — landslides during heavy rain between May and October can still add time.

How to Get Around — Transport Options Compared for 2026

• Private car hire: Most flexible, most comfortable. Expect 1,200,000–2,500,000 VND (USD 48–100) for a full day depending on distance. Book through reputable apps like Xanh SM or established guesthouses rather than street approaches.
• Open bus / shuttle: Companies like Phuong Trang (Futa) and The Sinh Tourist run routes to most destinations on this list. Cost-effective at 100,000–250,000 VND (USD 4–10) one-way but locks you into fixed departure times.
• Ferry (Vung Tau only): Petro Express and Greenlines DP both operate from Bach Dang Wharf. Book online at least a day ahead on weekends — seats sell out fast in 2026.
• Motorbike rental: Works well for shorter routes (Cu Chi, Tay Ninh) if you’re a confident rider. Rentals run 150,000–300,000 VND (USD 6–12) per day from shops in District 1 and District 3.
• Organised tours: Convenient but often rushes you through sites. Best reserved for complex itineraries like Cu Chi combined with Ben Duoc or multi-stop Mekong tours.

2026 Budget Reality — What a Day Trip Actually Costs

Prices below reflect 2026 conditions, including post-2024 fuel and accommodation adjustments across southern Vietnam.

Budget Tier (travelling light, using public transport or shared shuttles)

• Transport: 100,000–250,000 VND (USD 4–10) one-way
• Entry fees (where applicable): 50,000–110,000 VND (USD 2–4.50)
• Lunch at local restaurant: 80,000–150,000 VND (USD 3.20–6)



• Estimated total: 400,000–700,000 VND (USD 16–28) per person

Mid-Range Tier (private car hire, sit-down seafood meals, cable cars)

• Car hire shared between 2–4 people: 400,000–700,000 VND per person (USD 16–28)
• Meals + entry fees: 300,000–500,000 VND (USD 12–20)
• Estimated total: 700,000–1,200,000 VND (USD 28–48) per person

Comfortable Tier (private car, resort lunch, guided experiences)

• All-in day including quality transport, meals, and activities: 1,500,000–3,000,000 VND (USD 60–120) per person

Note: Dalat and Mui Ne sit at the higher end of these ranges purely due to distance. Vung Tau and Cu Chi are the most budget-friendly options on the list.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the closest day trip from Ho Chi Minh City?

Cu Chi Tunnels is the closest major attraction at around 70 kilometres from District 1. Ben Dinh site takes roughly 1.5 hours by car. Vung Tau via ferry is also quick at 70 minutes on the water, making both solid half-day options if your time is limited.

Is it safe to rent a motorbike for day trips from Ho Chi Minh City?

For shorter routes like Cu Chi or Tay Ninh, motorbike rental is manageable for experienced riders. Vietnamese traffic is dense and fast outside the city. International driving permits are technically required in 2026 — carry yours and wear a proper helmet, not just the rental shell.

Which day trip from Ho Chi Minh City is best for families with young children?

Vung Tau via ferry is ideal for families — the boat ride itself entertains kids, Back Beach has calm water for paddling, and food options are wide. Ben Tre Mekong tours with sampan rides also work well. Avoid Cu Chi Tunnels with very young children; the dark and confined spaces can be distressing.

Do I need to book day trips in advance in 2026?

For ferries to Vung Tau and Can Tho overnight packages, yes — book at least 24–48 hours ahead, especially for weekends between December and April. Cu Chi and Tay Ninh can generally be done spontaneously. Dalat in peak season (December–January) benefits from pre-arranged transport.

What is the best time of year to do day trips from Ho Chi Minh City?

November through April is the dry season and by far the most reliable window. Roads are clear, boat trips are smooth, and beach destinations are at their best. May to October brings monsoon rains that can flood delta routes, reduce coastal visibility, and occasionally close mountain roads to Dalat.

Explore more
Best Day Trips from Ho Chi Minh City: Cu Chi Tunnels, Mekong Delta & More
Where to Stay in Ho Chi Minh City: The Best Neighborhoods & Areas
The Ultimate Ho Chi Minh City Food Guide: Where to Eat Now

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📷 Featured image by Adam Young on Unsplash.