Ho Chi Minh City Transport

Coming and Going

Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat International Airport hosts flights from many major international airports, as well as domestic flights from 11 centres. If you can't travel directly to HCMC, the next best route is via Bangkok, Hong Kong or Singapore.

Buses run to the city from Cambodia and Laos, while buses and trains also link Ho Chi Minh City to most major towns in the country.

Getting About

The streets of Ho Chi Minh are not a place for the faint-hearted, so you'd be well-advised to put yourself in the hands of an expert. Metered taxis, cyclos and xe om (motorbike 'taxis') run the route from the airport to town, with official taxi meters in US dollars. Unless you're happy about paying four times the going rate, avoid the airport Taxi Booking Desk. Cyclos are the most popular (and hair-raising) form of transport among travellers. They're cheap, everywhere, and the usually helpful drivers are happy to steer you around all day for a small fee. Taxi rental is also a good deal if you're headed further out of town.

Probably because the routes and timetables are a constant mystery, foreigners rarely make use of the few buses in the city (though an upgrade of public transport is underway, so watch this space). The hard-core adventure traveller usually prefers to rent a moped or bicycle.

If you're more interested in the journey than the destination, Ho Chi Minh is a good city for walking around, with one drawback - the traffic. Learn to cross roads by observing locals: they don't sprint towards the other side for a very, very good reason. Take it slowly, avoiding any sudden movements or panic, and you'll probably survive for at least a day or two. Because Ho Chi Minh stretches along the Saigon River, many people enjoy seeing the sights from a boat. Small boats are easily hired, and many destinations are located along the banks of the river or one of several long canals.