Originally Posted by
ginmqi
Going to HCMC in late April for about 1 week to attend friend's wedding. They are taking us on a guided tour to Da Nang so that'll be taken care of. Will have about 2 days on either side of that mid-week trip to explore HCMC / Saigon.
We're likely to stay in District 1. Looking at Google Maps, it looks like there aren't an accessible beach/water secenery near HCMC (seeing as it is a major city...i assume any nearby water will be industrial/not suited for any beach/relaxation). Any good day tours from HCMC or must see sights in HCMC?
Saigon is about people and food more than sights. If you come and take a food tour and venture into some alleys you get to see what the city is about. Hanoi is more of the city with history and monuments and centuries old buildings etc. So start with the food and people, take the obligatory war museum and reunification palace tour, then consider the other common options.
The beach near Saigon is Vung Tau as crazy said. It's very crowded on weekends, and the water is average but the beach can be nice in some places. It's about 2 hours to get there. The Mekong tours are common to go down and see delta life. Day trips are ok, the overnight ones are better. The riverboat version, name escapes me now, is pretty fun and you avoid the traffic. Many people go to Cu Chi to see a version of the tunnels and war jungle fighting. Some like it, some do not. Can Gio, or Monkey Island as most tours call it, is south of the city and a mangrove forest and has some nature that is a bit less touristy if that interests you. There are the monkeys and a croc farm, and an ugly beach with the industrial water you mention.
Note there is a holiday the 15th and the 29th and 30th of April this year.