Destination Guide

Ho Chi Minh City 3 Days Itinerary: Cu Chi Tunnels, Old Saigon and Food

Kaushik RK

Co-founder, Trripah · 21 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

Ho Chi Minh City 3 Days Itinerary: Cu Chi Tunnels, Old Saigon and Food

Three days in Ho Chi Minh City: the Cu Chi Tunnels half-day, Old Saigon landmarks, markets and food, with distance and entry fee details.

Quick answer: Spend one day on central Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) landmarks and markets, a half-day on the Cu Chi Tunnels, and the rest on food and a day trip or a flight on to Da Nang or Phu Quoc. Stay in District 1, so you can walk to most sights.

Where are the Cu Chi Tunnels and how far are they?

The tunnels are about 70 km north-west of central Ho Chi Minh City, in Cu Chi district. The drive is commonly about 1.5 hours each way, so plan a half-day. Opening hours are commonly given as roughly 7 or 8 am to 5 pm.

How much is the Cu Chi Tunnels entry fee?

Sources conflict. Several list Ben Dinh at about 110,000 VND (around ₹410) and Ben Duoc at about 90,000 VND, plus around 20,000 VND for a guide if you are not on a tour. Another lists Ben Dinh at 125,000 VND. If you book a tour, the fee is usually included, so ask.

Day 1: Central Saigon

Walk District 1: the old post office, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the city's markets and the Nguyen Hue walking street. Plan the evening around street food.

Day 2: Cu Chi Tunnels

Go in the morning, when it is cooler, and return for the afternoon. The tunnels are narrow and hot, so skip the crawl if you are claustrophobic; most visitors walk the open sections.

Day 3: Food, markets and a flight onward

Ho Chi Minh City has Vietnam's widest range of vegetarian food, which is useful if you eat vegetarian. See vegetarian food in Vietnam for Indians. Then fly on: Da Nang and Hoi An or Phu Quoc are short flights.