A Long Weekend of Saigon Day Trips
Three days out of HCMC keeps the same Cu Chi and Mekong pair as the 2 day version, then adds a Vung Tau beach day, hydrofoil there and back, with a climb up the inside of the Christ of Vung Tau statue. Still no rental car. Only have a weekend? See the 2 day version . Want a fourth day? The 4 day version adds a Can Tho overnight.
| Day | Day trip | Travel time from HCMC |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cu Chi Tunnels (Ben Duoc) and the Tay Ninh Cao Dai noon ceremony | Combined, 8-10h round trip |
| 2 | Mekong Delta: My Tho and Ben Tre | 1.5-2h each way |
| 3 | Vung Tau beach and the Christ of Vung Tau statue | 1.5-2h each way by hydrofoil |
Book these before you go
- Compare District 1 hotel rates , close to every day-trip pickup point
- Book a combined Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai Temple tour rather than arranging both legs solo
- Book a My Tho and Ben Tre Mekong Delta day tour if going without a private car
Day 1: Ben Duoc’s tunnels, then the Cao Dai noon ceremony
Morning: Ben Duoc, the farther and quieter Cu Chi site, about 70km and roughly 2 hours out, entry 110,000-125,000 VND (~US$4-5) for the introductory film and a stretch of tunnel crawl. Check current visitor details first. Afternoon: on to Tay Ninh, 90km and 2-2.5 hours from HCMC, for the Holy See’s noon Cao Dai ceremony, free entry, watched from the upstairs visitor gallery. Evening: return; the combined day runs 8-10 hours door to door.
Day 2: My Tho and Ben Tre, the honest single-day Mekong trip
My Tho and Ben Tre sit 70-90km and roughly 1.5-2 hours from HCMC, close enough for the day trip to actually deliver: a sampan through coconut-palm canals, a coconut-candy workshop, and orchard fruit tasting inside one unhurried day. Can Tho and Cai Rang, 3-3.5 hours out, need a night to see properly, so they’re left for a longer trip. Vietnam’s official Mekong Delta guide covers that longer version of the region.
Day 3: Vung Tau’s beach, and the statue you climb from the inside
Is a Vung Tau day trip worth it if the beach itself is average? Yes, for the statue. The Greenlines hydrofoil down the Saigon River takes 1.5-2 hours, roughly 250,000-375,000 VND (~US$10-15) one-way; book ahead for a weekend sailing. The beach is serviceable rather than spectacular next to Da Nang or Phu Quoc, but the Christ of Vung Tau statue on Small Mountain, 32 metres tall with an 18.4 metre arm span, is reached by roughly 800 steps up the hill and then another 133 steps inside the statue to a platform in its arms, open 7am-5pm daily. Pair the climb with a seafood lunch back at the waterfront before the return hydrofoil.
Grab covers everything inside the city; fix the fare in the app before you ride. Vietnam’s official tourism site has visa rules by nationality worth checking before you book. Three days is enough to try all three of HCMC’s closest day trips without doubling back on any of them.