4 Days from Saigon: The Day Trip Itinerary
Four days keeps the Cu Chi, Cao Dai and Mekong Delta core from the 3-day version, then adds Vung Tau’s beach, a 1.5-2 hour hydrofoil down the Saigon River. Need a different length? The 3-day , 5-day and 7-day versions extend this same base further.
Book these before you go
- A District 1 hotel: check rates on Agoda
- The combined Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai Temple tour: book on GetYourGuide
- The My Tho and Ben Tre Mekong Delta day trip: browse dates on Viator
| Day | Focus | Travel time from HCMC |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrival, District 1 orientation | None, you’re staying put |
| Day 2 | Cu Chi Tunnels, then Tay Ninh’s Cao Dai Temple | 1.5-2h to Cu Chi, on to Tay Ninh, ~90km total |
| Day 3 | Mekong Delta: My Tho and Ben Tre | 1.5-2h each way, 70-90km |
| Day 4 | Vung Tau beach | 1.5-2h each way by hydrofoil, 90-100km |
Day 1: Landing And Getting Your Bearings
- Land at Tan Son Nhat (SGN), 6-8km from District 1, Grab runs roughly 110,000-250,000 VND
- Check into a District 1 hotel, your base for all four days
- Afternoon: get oriented, sort cash and a local SIM
- Evening: early dinner, early night, Cu Chi pickup is before 7:30am tomorrow
Day 2: Cu Chi Tunnels And Tay Ninh’s Cao Dai Temple
- Early pickup, most combined tours leave by 7-7:30am
- Cu Chi Tunnels: 1.5-2 hours out, entry 110,000-125,000 VND, a stretch of the actual tunnel network, enlarged from its wartime 80cm x 80cm dimensions, plus an optional paid shooting range
- On to Tay Ninh, arriving by 11:15-11:30am for the Cao Dai Great Temple’s noon ceremony, free entry
- Return to HCMC by early evening, the full loop runs 8-10 hours door to door
Day 3: The Mekong Delta, My Tho And Ben Tre
- Morning pickup for the 1.5-2 hour drive to My Tho
- Sampan ride through coconut-palm canals, a coconut-candy and honey-tea workshop stop, orchard fruit tasting
- Cross to Ben Tre for more of the unhurried river pace
- Return to HCMC by evening
Day 4: Vung Tau, Saigon’s Beach Escape
- Morning hydrofoil from Bach Dang wharf, 1.5-2 hours, roughly $10-15 (250,000-375,000 VND) one-way, book the sailing ahead if it’s a weekend
- A slow beach day, Front Beach or Back Beach depending on your hotel, plus a genuinely good seafood lunch, Vung Tau’s real strength over its sand
- Late afternoon hydrofoil back, or the bus/car option at 2-3.5 hours if you’d rather watch the coastline
- Evening back in District 1, a lighter night after four fairly full days
Is Vung Tau worth adding to a Ho Chi Minh City itinerary?
Yes, as a change of pace rather than a beach destination in its own right. The sand and water are decent, not spectacular next to Da Nang, Nha Trang or Phu Quoc, but the seafood and the hydrofoil ride down the Saigon River make it a worthwhile Saturday out of the city.
What if you’d rather have a fourth day in Ho Chi Minh City itself instead of Vung Tau?
Swap it out. This itinerary is built around day trips specifically, but the city’s own 4-day itinerary covers Cholon, a skyline deck and a proper street-food crawl if you’d rather spend that day in District 1 and District 3 instead.
Book hydrofoil tickets a day or two ahead for Friday and Saturday sailings specifically, they’re the ones that actually sell out.