Compare Cheap Flights from Cairns to Ho Chi Minh City
Don’t spend a fortune on flights to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Webjet compares cheap airfares to Ho Chi Minh City and finds you the best deals on many of the region’s top airlines. That way, you can spend less time and money booking flights, and more on planning your holiday in Vietnam.
Flight Guide from Cairns to Ho Chi Minh City
Compare Cheap Flights to Ho Chi Minh City
Located in tropical Southeast Asia, Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam. The city and surrounding area are full of history and culture, with an energy that’s unique from other cities around Vietnam and Southeast Asia. The city is quickly transforming, making it a unique blend of traditional and modern. Ho Chi Minh City also has more than 10 million motorbikes—more than any other city in the world. It’s organised chaos at its finest. In addition to being exciting, Ho Chi Minh City is extremely affordable. With the low cost of food, entertainment, and accommodation, as well as plenty of cheap flights to Ho Chi Minh City from New Zealand, it’s the perfect destination for budget travellers.
Many of the region’s major airlines offer cheap airfares to Ho Chi Minh City from New Zealand, including AirAsia, Air New Zealand, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, and Virgin Australia. While there are no direct flights to Ho Chi Minh City from New Zealand, you can catch a flight from one of the country’s major airports with just one stopover. Whichever airport you’re flying from in New Zealand, you’ll get to Vietnam in no time. Flights to Ho Chi Minh City from Auckland and Christchurch arrive in less than 14 hours. Flights from Wellington arrive in about 14 hours 30 minutes, and flights to Ho Chi Minh City from Queenstown arrive in 15 hours. Hundreds of cheap airfares to Ho Chi Minh City are available each day. 195-205 flights to Ho Chi Minh City depart from Auckland each day, 100-120 from both Wellington and Christchurch, and 35-45 from Queenstown.
Are you excited to experience the energy and history of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam? Webjet compares cheap airfares to Ho Chi Minh City to find the best deals. Book your cheap flights to Ho Chi Minh City with Webjet to spend less time and money booking flights and more on planning your holiday. Once you’ve booked your cheap airfares to Ho Chi Minh City, use Webjet’s guide to start planning your exciting holiday in Vietnam.
When should you book cheap airfares to Ho Chi Minh City?
Due to its location in the tropics, Vietnam has two seasons—wet and dry. The wet season lasts from May to November. During this season, the weather is very humid, and it rains almost every day. The best time to book cheap flights to Ho Chi Minh City is during the dry season between December and April. If you travel to Vietnam at this time, you’ll experience hot weather, but with moderate humidity and little rain.
Be aware that the Lunar New Year takes place from late January to mid-February. Ho Chi Minh City is full of celebrations during Lunar New Year, so it can be an exciting Vietnamese holiday to experience. However, many shops are closed during the holiday and the city is packed, so booking cheap airfares to Ho Chi Minh City during the Lunar New Year may not be for everyone.
Arriving in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh Airport is located 6 km north of the city centre and is the main airport for travellers visiting Vietnam. Flights to Ho Chi Minh Airport from New Zealand arrive in Terminal 2, which is the International Terminal. Ho Chi Minh City is broken up into different districts. District 1 makes up the city centre and is where most of the city’s hotels and attractions are located. There are several quick, easy, and inexpensive ways to get from Ho Chi Minh Airport into District 1 of the city.
Getting to the city centre from Tansonnhat Airport (SGN)
The cheapest way to get from Ho Chi Minh Airport to District 1 of the city is to take a shuttle bus. Outside of the terminal, look for a yellow bus with the number 109 or 49 on it. Both buses travel from the Ho Chi Minh Airport into the city centre. Buses come every 20-30 minutes and run from 5:30AM-1AM. The difference between these two buses is that the 109 bus has designated stops in District 1 and the 49 bus takes you directly to your hotel. Popular stops on the 109 bus include Pham Hong Thai, Ben Thanh Bus Station, and 23/9 Park. Tickets for the 109 shuttle bus cost 20,000 VND (about $1.15). Since the 49 bus takes you directly to your hotel, the ticket price is a little more, but is still an affordable 40,000 VND.
With the Ho Chi Minh Airport located so close to the city centre, a taxi is a quick and affordable way to get to your hotel. A taxi ride from Ho Chi Minh Airport to District 1 takes just over 20 minutes and costs between 125,000 to 160,000 VND.
Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City
Saigon Skydeck
The Saigon Skydeck is located at the top of Ho Chi Minh’s tallest building and has an amazing view over the city. The observation deck has floor to ceiling glass windows, giving you an uninterrupted view of Ho Chi Minh City and the Song Sai Gon River. The Saigon Skydeck is at the top of the Bitexco Financial Building right in the city centre. It’s open from 9:30AM-9:30PM, and tickets cost 200,000 VND (about $11.60). For an especially beautiful view, plan to visit the Saigon Skydeck for sunset.
Learn About the Vietnam War from a Vietnamese Perspective
The Vietnam War was the biggest and most famous event to take place in Vietnam during the 20th century. Throughout Ho Chi Minh City and the surrounding region, there are lots of places where you can learn about the events of the war and get a feel for what life was like in Vietnam during that time. The Cu Chi Tunnels are located outside of the city and make for an interesting day trip. There were many different networks of tunnels built underground in Vietnam during the war, and the Cu Chi Tunnels are some of the most famous. They served as a hiding spot for soldiers as well as a way to transport injured soldiers, food, and supplies. Today, you can crawl through the narrow tunnels and see some of the booby traps and weapons that were used during the war.
To learn about the Vietnam War without leaving the city, visit the War Remnants Museum right in the city centre. At this museum, you can learn all about the war from a Vietnamese perspective and see military equipment that was used in the war, including a helicopter, a fighter jet, a military tank, and various weapons.
Ben Thanh Market
Vietnam is known for its great markets and street food. In Ho Chi Minh City, the best place to experience these is at the Ben Thanh Market. The market is full of hawker-style restaurants and food stalls where you can try some delicious Vietnamese food, such as pho, banh mi, and goi cuon. Ben Thanh Market is also a great place to buy souvenirs and local arts and crafts. The atmosphere of the market is authentically Vietnamese and will keep you coming back several times throughout your visit to Ho Chi Minh City.
Mekong River Delta
The Mekong River Delta is located south of Ho Chi Minh and makes for a great day trip away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Throughout the Delta, you can take boat rides along the river surrounded by lush green trees and plants. The Mekong River Delta is so peaceful and a completely different side to Vietnam than what you experience in the city. While visiting, be sure to check out the Can Tho floating markets. These markets are made up of vendors selling fresh food and local crafts right from their boats. Take a boat ride through the markets for a truly Vietnamese experience.
Experience Ho Chi Minh City’s French Influence
During the 19th century, Vietnam was a colony of France called French Indochina. French missionaries were sent to the region, and French culture heavily influenced Vietnam and Southeast Asia during that time. In 1945, then-President Ho Chi Minh, declared Vietnam’s independence from France. While Vietnam has been independent for more than 70 years, there is still a lot of French influence that you can see throughout Ho Chi Minh City. Saigon Central Post Office and Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral were both built in a French style and are an interesting contrast to the Vietnamese architecture around them. The French influence gives Ho Chi Minh City a unique and European feel.
Reunification Palace
Located right in the city centre, this palace was the home of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It’s known as the place where the Vietnam War officially came to an end in 1975. The leaders of North Vietnam and South Vietnam met here to sign negotiations and reunify Vietnam into one nation. Inside, Reunification Palace has barely changed since that historic date several decades ago. You can explore five levels of the palace where you’ll see war tunnels, a war command room, propaganda materials, and even a casino.
Tao Dan Park
For a quiet escape from busy Ho Chi Minh City, spend some time in Tao Dan Park right in the city centre. The park is full of tropical Vietnamese trees and plants as well as a sculpture garden. The park is a popular spot for locals to visit after work or during their lunch break. Tao Dan Park is the perfect spot for a picnic lunch or a relaxing walk.