Southeast Travel Guide
The Ho Chi Minh City skyline at sunrise, with the Bitexco Financial Tower. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
The Southeast is Vietnam's economic engine: Ho Chi Minh City, the country's largest metropolis, pulsing with motorbikes, markets and rooftop bars. It is also the region where the war's history is most present.
District 1 packs the essentials: Ben Thanh Market, the War Remnants Museum, the Reunification Palace and the Bitexco Tower's skydeck. The Cu Chi tunnels, an hour northwest, preserve the Viet Cong's underground network. Offshore, the Con Dao archipelago offers the country's clearest water and darkest history, the old prison islands now a marine national park.
Destinations in Southeast
Ho Chi Minh CitySaigon: Ben Thanh Market, the Reunification Palace and District 1's energy.
Cu Chi tunnelsThe 250 km underground network, an hour northwest of the city.
Con Dao islandsPristine reefs and the old prison: the country's most remote archipelago.
War Remnants MuseumThe essential, sobering museum of the American war, in District 3.
Reunification PalaceThe 1960s time capsule where the war ended on 30 April 1975.
Bitexco Financial TowerThe 262-metre tower with the Saigon Skydeck on the 49th floor.
Vung TauThe weekend beach escape, 90 minutes by hydrofoil from the city.
Hover a region to explore it. Click a city pin to open its guide.
Top Cities & towns in Southeast
Regional food
- Com tam (broken rice with grilled pork, Saigon's working lunch)
- Banh mi (the Saigon cart is the national icon)
- Hu tieu (pork and seafood noodle soup, the Cholon bowl)
Getting there
Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) is Vietnam's busiest, 8 km from District 1. Cu Chi is an hour by bus or private car. Con Dao is reached by short flight from Ho Chi Minh City or ferry from Vung Tau and Soc Trang.