Is traveling to Vietnam with kids possible? We wanted to check it by ourselves and booked a trip for 10 nights with our 16-month-old son. We were and are still based in Thailand and were looking for a holiday with a short flight. Getting to Ho Chi Minh City from Bangkok took us only approximately one and a half hours. Check out what we managed to see and what was our experience!
Vietnam With Kids: Our Ho Chi Minh City Trip at a Glance
2 adults, one toddler and 10 nights in Ho Chi Minh City. We planned a family trip to one of the biggest cities in Vietnam and flew there from Bangkok. A short flight is a great advantage when flying with kids, especially small ones as they may not even have time to get bored. Our little explorer usually handles short-haul flights well and it was like this time too. We got to see six popular attractions of Ho Chi Minh City — everything we planned — and explored the city on foot a bit as well.
WHERE WE STAYED: GARDEN VIEW HOTEL REVIEW
For our stay we chose Garden View Hotel mainly for the following reason: since we started traveling with a baby, we always try to book a hotel where there is a separate room for when our kid is already fast asleep. This way we can feel at home and comfortable, do something together, relax without worrying that we will wake our son up. We can truly recommend this hotel: it felt as if we had booked an apartment. It had a separate kitchen well equipped with kitchenware, a dining table, a living room and even a washing machine and dryer. We must admit that this solution is just perfect when traveling with kids, especially if you plan to stay in one place for longer. I could cook for our little one and do the laundry when needed.
Another plus was the location. The hotel is within walking distance of one of the main city attractions: Independence Palace as well as Ben Thanh Market. The hotel staff were wonderful — very friendly and always helpful, showing big interest in our little son and a great sense of humour when he started calling the reception a couple of times and we didn’t notice :) The only little downside was the breakfast. For a long stay it was a bit repetitive and lacked variety, but it was still tasty and, most importantly, didn’t give us food poisoning.
IS HO CHI MINH CITY SAFE FOR TODDLERS?
Back when we were traveling only as a couple, I must admit that I had more peace of mind, and now with the baby on board I always search the Internet for potential health risks. What was the result of my research before going there? Mainly two things: the quality of running water — very poor — so we always used bottled water for anything involving mouth contact, like brushing teeth, and we paid much more attention to making sure our son didn’t accidentally drink any water when bathing. Thankfully nothing happened.
Another result of my research was that very recently (prior to our trip in May 2025) there had been a measles epidemy in some parts of Vietnam. That’s why we decided it was high time for our son to get his delayed MMR vaccination one month before the trip, so that we could feel a bit safer.
When it comes to child safety in Asian countries like Vietnam, there is always the issue of mosquitoes and stray dogs. I recommend reading our recent post on Toddler Essentials for Travel: What to Pack with a Toddler, if you want to learn more about the mosquito protection we use.
Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City With Kids
LANDMARK 81
We went to the Vincom Center and headed for tickets (B1 level) but there was a problem at that time (maybe the policy hasn’t changed, so better check before you go): we had only cash, but they didn’t accept cash payments. You can only pay by card there. So we ended up waiting for some other tourists to come and asked a polite man to buy tickets for us in exchange for cash. We were super lucky and didn’t have to go back to the hotel for a card or wait long for someone to agree.
Landmark 81 is the tallest observation deck in Vietnam. The building looks modern and impressive from the outside and has a beautiful view of Ho Chi Minh City from the top. It was not crowded at the time of our visit, and when it comes to visiting Ho Chi Minh City with kids — I cannot think of any easier spot to explore with a baby than this. It’s not hot inside — the room is air-conditioned, not much walking (just keep in mind that if you take the stroller with you, you need to leave it downstairs, but it wasn’t a problem for us), just enjoy the beautiful view and take photos. We can definitely recommend it for everyone.
Upon leaving you of course have to go through the huge souvenir shop first — we bought some things there as we liked the variety of products and reasonable prices.
BEN THANH MARKET
Ben Thanh Market is the oldest and most popular market in Ho Chi Minh City. There is a clock tower located on the south gate of the market that is a famous symbol of the city. We visited the market a couple of times as it was within walking distance from our hotel. We had so much fun walking around and bought plenty of souvenirs there — you can of course bargain the price with local sellers.
Although the market was close to our hotel, the way there was a nightmare: bumpy sidewalks under construction everywhere, definitely not recommended with a stroller. We took one when going there for the first time and it was a real challenge. We keep our fingers crossed that maybe something improved since our visit in May 2025 :)
INDEPENDENCE PALACE
Independence Palace was near our hotel but we decided to take a Grab car as we thought that there would be too much walking inside already. We took a stroller with us and it was a good idea. It is better to start visiting in the morning as later it can get warm (the Palace relies mostly on open-air breeze) and when leaving, we also noticed that it gets much more crowded later, especially with all the organised tours.
Visiting Independence Palace helps with understanding the history of Vietnam: we saw the original furniture, old-school phones and communist-era decor. The most interesting of all, however, was the secret underground bunker. Going there was like discovering a labyrinth with narrow corridors and maps pinned to the walls — a place that makes you feel transported back in time. There are stairs but also elevators to switch between levels, but they were so small that we had to leave our stroller on the main floor.
WAR REMNANTS MUSEUM
War Remnants Museum was not the easiest place to visit with a baby, but not impossible. When it comes to practical things, it was unpleasant to go from one room to another as it was cold in the rooms with fans and then stepping back into the main corridor where it was extremely hot. Another difficulty was that the rooms are filled with powerful pictures with detailed information, but it was hard to read them with an energetic toddler who wanted to move a lot. Since the information presented next to the pictures is interesting and explains a lot about the history of Vietnam, it is a good idea for parents to take turns watching the child so that one person can peacefully explore and the other can head to the room designed for kids — filled with teddy bears and toys, especially useful for those visiting with little ones.
The Museum is a must-see. It is dedicated to showing the brutality of the Vietnam War and its long-lasting effects. Seeing the powerful photographs can be deeply moving, but it presents the history as it was and is the best history lesson for those interested in getting to know more about the country.
HO CHI MINH MONUMENT AND SQUARE
The square is beautiful and worth visiting, but only in the morning or late afternoon/evening. We visited this place three times and it is unbearable to be there around noon as it is an open space and simply too hot during the peak sun hours. Going there in the late afternoon is different though — it is the best time for a walk and the square is bustling at that time, which makes for a pleasant atmosphere.
TAO DAN PARK
Visiting Tao Dan Park was a nice experience. There were many locals playing different sports, which reminded us immidiately of our trip to China, where we saw elderly and active locals on the streets. In this park it was the same: many elderly people playing sports that we sometimes had no idea how to identify. There was also a playground for little ones, so it is a great place for those visiting Vietnam with kids.
The only downside was that we saw a couple of rats running, which was a bit disturbing and scary. So be aware and keep your eyes open — it seems to be a real issue in this place.
WALKING THE STREETS OF SAIGON
We were walking a lot to explore Saigon, usually with the stroller at first being too hard to use, and can definitely say that as of 2025 the streets were not stroller-friendly. We usually used a hip-seat carrier instead as that was the only one our son accepted, and it is way easier to walk with than carrying the baby in your arms.
The streets of Ho Chi Minh City are unique as there are many signs of communism: typical communist posters and murals. The flags of Vietnam are also seen frequently, which made us feel like we were stepping into another reality.
Getting Around Ho Chi Minh City With a Toddler
It is super easy to book a Grab car via the Grab app; we never had to wait long, and something I have to mention: the shops are extremely well stocked. There is a huge variety of products and if you order groceries in Ho Chi Minh City via the Grab app, they come faster than anywhere else we’ve been. You can buy everything you need for the baby (baby porridge, diapers, fruit pouches and puffs) and we even found some good-quality products from abroad — even from Poland (children’s pasta in different shapes and colors).
We didn’t see an option to book a car with a baby car seat, however. But the good thing is that we never really got stuck in any traffic jams while going somewhere.
Food Safety in Ho Chi Minh City — Our Experience
We were very careful about the food and I think that it is an important point when traveling to Vietnam with kids. We ate breakfast in our hotel restaurant and ordered dinner from many different places and luckily nothing bad happened. However, our baby usually ate dinner that I cooked for him — he was still very small and I thought it would be more healthy for him that way.
In Saigon there is street food everywhere but we didn’t give it a try. It is definitely the cheapest option to eat out, but we felt it could be a bit risky.
There is a restaurant we want to recommend — Hoang’s Kitchen — it has many positive reviews on Google and not without reason. The food was very tasty and of high quality. If you want to go for something local, try their fried spring rolls — they were delicious :)
If you are a coffee lover, Vietnam will be your paradise. Vietnamese coffee is delicious and we also recommend our favourite coffee shop — The Box Coffee Shop — if you are planning to stay in the area. We even tried coffee with egg yolk and it was very tasty, to our surprise :)
As a souvenir, we bought Mr. Viet coffee and a phin — the traditional Vietnamese 4-piece metal coffee filter to drink it like a local:
Is Vietnam Worth Visiting With a Toddler? Our Honest Opinion
Visiting Vietnam with kids is definitely worth a go. We have visited only Ho Chi Minh City so far, but we are already planning to see Hanoi as well, so stay tuned!
Honestly, we wouldn’t do anything differently when it comes to our trip to Saigon. We loved the hotel we picked, the attractions we saw, the people we met (locals were very friendly). The most important thing, however, is that it felt safe to be there with a baby. It’s Asia, so of course if you are planning to go there with kids, you should be more careful about the food, water, stray dogs and cats and mosquitoes. But our experience shows that a safe trip to Vietnam with kids is indeed possible!
FAQ: Ho Chi Minh City With Kids
Is Ho Chi Minh City safe for toddlers?
In our experience — yes, but with some precautions. The biggest risks are water quality (always use bottled water, even for brushing teeth), mosquitoes and stray animals. We also checked for any ongoing health risks before the trip, like the measles epidemic that was happening in Vietnam around the time of our visit. With some preparation and good travel insurance, we felt safe there with our little one.
Is Landmark 81 worth visiting with a toddler?
Absolutely, and honestly it is one of the easiest attractions to visit with a small child in Ho Chi Minh City. Air-conditioned, not much walking, great views. Just remember — card payments only, no cash accepted for tickets (at least as of May 2025).
Is the War Remnants Museum suitable for children?
It depends on the age. For toddlers it is manageable — there is even a dedicated room with toys and teddy bears for little ones. However, the exhibition contains very powerful and graphic photographs, so it is not a place for older, more sensitive children. We recommend parents take turns so both can explore properly.
What is the best age to visit Vietnam with kids?
We went with a 16-month-old and it worked out well. The key is having the right carrier or stroller for getting around, being careful with food and water, and not planning too much in one day. We think any age works as long as you adjust the pace to your child.
How many days do you need in Ho Chi Minh City with kids?
We spent 10 days and it felt just right — we saw everything we planned without feeling rushed. If you want to see the main attractions only, 5-6 days should be enough. But having extra days to just walk around, visit the market a couple of times and not feel pressure of time makes the whole experience much more enjoyable, especially with a toddler.
Is there a playground in Ho Chi Minh City for toddlers?
Tao Dan Park has a playground and it was a hit with our son. Just be aware that we spotted some rats there, so keep an eye on your little one. The park is also great for watching locals play sports — quite an entertaining experience in itself :)
Final Thoughts on Traveling to Vietnam With Kids
We booked our stay for 10 days to peacefully explore the city with a toddler and not to feel the pressure of time. Luckily we managed to see everything we planned and our stay was wonderful. We enjoyed Vietnam a lot and this post is our way of showing you how much fun it can be there. When it finally came time to go back, we wished we could stay a couple of days longer — and that is exactly the feeling we look for when going somewhere. That said, Vietnam not only didn’t disappoint us but also exceeded our expectations. We have never bought so many souvenirs before, I think :) Now we love to look at them as they remind us of our wonderful and 100% successful family trip.
Have you ever traveled to Vietnam with kids? Any tips or questions — drop them below!