What to see in Ho Chi Minh City in a day: a walking route through District 1 and the metro
One walking day in central Ho Chi Minh City: Ben Thanh Market, Nguyen Hue walking street, the post office, Notre-Dame, Independence Palace, the War Remnants Museum and the Opera. Hours and Metro.
In one day you can cover central Ho Chi Minh City on foot: Ben Thanh Market, Nguyen Hue walking street, the Opera, the post office and Notre-Dame, then Independence Palace and the War Remnants Museum. Notre-Dame Cathedral is under restoration and marked “temporarily closed” on Google Maps, so you can see it from outside but probably not go in; check before you go. All central sights are in the section Ho Chi Minh City attractions. For getting between them, see Taxi apps.
Sights and attractions: addresses and contacts Open in Telegram
Which places are on the route and when are they open?
| Place | Address | Hours | Time needed (our estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Thanh Market | Lê Lợi street, Bến Thành | day market 6:00–18:00, night market 18:00–22:00 (FPT Shop, no date); check on the spot before you go | 1–1.5 hours |
| Nguyen Hue street | from the Saigon River to Lê Lợi, about 670 m | pedestrian street, open all the time | 30–40 minutes |
| City government building (People’s Committee) | far end of Nguyen Hue from the river | view from outside | 10 minutes |
| Saigon Opera House | 7 Công trường Lam Sơn | by performance schedule | 15 minutes from outside |
| Central Post Office | 2 Công xã Paris | we could not confirm the hours, check on the spot | 30 minutes |
| Notre-Dame Cathedral | Công xã Paris square | under restoration, “temporarily closed” (Google Maps, 25.10.2026) | 15 minutes from outside |
| Independence Palace | 135 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa | daily 7:00–18:00 (official site) | 1–1.5 hours |
| War Remnants Museum | 28 Võ Văn Tần | daily 7:30–17:30 (VinWonders, 05.12.2025) | 1.5–2 hours |
Where to start and how to walk it?
Start at Ben Thanh Market early, before it gets hot, and walk along Lê Lợi to Nguyen Hue. The market is on Lê Lợi, and the Rex Hotel sits on the same street at the corner with Nguyen Hue. Nguyen Hue has been closed to vehicles since 2015 and runs about 670 m from the Saigon River to Lê Lợi (Vietnam Tourism, updated 14.10.2026). At the end far from the river stands the city government building, which people photograph from outside. The timing and order are our estimate, not a tourism-board itinerary.
What is there on and around Nguyen Hue?
On Nguyen Hue itself, an old apartment building has cafes on different floors with views over the street (Local Vietnam, 2023). All central coffee spots are in Ho Chi Minh City cafes. The street is busy in the evening, with lights and street performances. For Vietnamese food and seafood, see Seafood and Vietnamese cuisine.
What are the Central Post Office and can you enter Notre-Dame?
The Saigon Central Post Office stands at 2 Công xã Paris; it is a French building and the current structure was built in 1886–1891 (Wikipedia). We could not confirm the post office hours, so check them on the spot. Notre-Dame Cathedral across the square was built in 1877–1880. It is under repair and entry is restricted (MIA, 24.12.2025), and Google Maps shows “temporarily closed” (25.10.2026). Check or call the parish before you go.
How to visit Independence Palace and the War Remnants Museum?
Independence Palace is open every day from 7:00 to 18:00 according to its official site, including holidays except special cases announced separately. It has two gate addresses: 135 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa and 106 Nguyễn Du. The War Remnants Museum, 28 Võ Văn Tần, is open daily 7:30–17:30 (VinWonders, December 2025). It lies in what used to be District 3 and is now written as Xuân Hòa ward in addresses; look it up on the map as “War Remnants Museum”. The exhibition is heavy, with photographs from the war, so pace yourself.
How to get around, and is there a metro?
Yes, Metro Line 1 opened on 22 December 2024 (Wikipedia). It runs from Bến Thành to Bến xe Suối Tiên, 19.7 km, 14 stations, 3 of them underground. The second station is called “Nhà hát Thành phố”, after the Opera House. Under the timetable from 2 January 2026, trains run Monday to Thursday 5:00–22:00 and until 23:00 on Friday and at weekends (VOH, 24.12.2025); check the current timetable with the operator before you go. For short hops across the centre, walking or a taxi is easier: see Taxi apps.
What to bring?
Comfortable shoes, water and a hat: the route is on foot and much of it is along open streets. Keep your phone and documents in a closed bag in crowded markets and on the walking street.
Also on the topic: Cu Chi Tunnels: how to get there on your own from Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City: how to go on your own.
FAQ
What to see in Ho Chi Minh City in one day? Ben Thanh Market, Nguyen Hue, the post office, the Opera and Notre-Dame (from outside), then Independence Palace and the War Remnants Museum.
Is Notre-Dame Cathedral in Ho Chi Minh City open? Google Maps (25.10.2026) marks it “temporarily closed”: MIA (24.12.2025) says it is under repair with restricted entry. Check or call the parish before going.
What time does Independence Palace open? Every day from 7:00 to 18:00 (official site).
What are the War Remnants Museum hours? Daily 7:30–17:30 (VinWonders, 05.12.2025).
When did the Ho Chi Minh City metro open? Metro Line 1 opened on 22 December 2024: Bến Thành to Bến xe Suối Tiên, 14 stations.
What to do at the city government building? View and photograph it from outside, from the end of Nguyen Hue street.
Sources and checks
Independence Palace: official site. War Remnants Museum: VinWonders (05.12.2025). Nguyen Hue: Vietnam Tourism (14.10.2026) and Local Vietnam (22.06.2023); the length is given as 670 m to nearly 800 m, we use 670 m. Ben Thanh Market: FPT Shop (no date). Post office: Wikipedia (address, years built); we could not confirm the hours. Cathedral: Wikipedia (years built), MIA (24.12.2025) and Google Maps (25.10.2026). Opera House: Wikipedia (address, theatre use since 1976). Metro: Wikipedia, Báo Đấu thầu (20.12.2024), Tuổi Trẻ (11.11.2024), VOH (24.12.2025); we did not open the operator’s site, so check the current timetable there. No prices: they change. Visit times and order are our estimate. Text updated 25.10.2026.