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If you have a short stopover in Southeast Asia, Bangkok in Thailand and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) in Vietnam are two of the most popular options. I’ve visited both and enjoyed them for different reasons. Here’s my personal comparison to help you decide which one to pick for a quick stay.
Food
Winner: tie
Both cities are food heavens. In Bangkok, you’ll find vibrant street food stalls, night markets, and excellent restaurants with dishes like pad thai, green curry, and mango sticky rice. In Ho Chi Minh, you’ll enjoy equally delicious street food with fresh herbs, pho, banh mi, and a strong coffee culture. If you’re a foodie, you can’t go wrong with either.
With limited time, you may be interested in joining a street food tour (we did this one in Ho Chi Minh City) to cover a lot without worrying about the logistics.
History and culture
Winner: Bangkok
Bangkok impresses with its ornate temples, grand palaces, and rich Buddhist heritage. The architecture is stunning and incredibly photogenic. Ho Chi Minh City also has a lot of history, though in a different way. The War Remnants Museum and the Cu Chi Tunnels offer insight into Vietnam’s more recent past, and you’ll also see French colonial buildings, Chinese pagodas, and churches in the city. It’s not as visually striking as Bangkok’s temples, but it’s still very interesting. For visual sites and photos, I prefer Bangkok.
Atmosphere
Winner: Bangkok
Bangkok is buzzing, colourful, and very photogenic. While it’s more spread out, I found it easier to explore using public transport and walking. Ho Chi Minh City felt less touristy, which has its charm, but it wasn’t always as nice for exploring on foot. Bangkok’s touristy vibe works in its favour for a short stopover.
Things to do
Winner: Bangkok
Bangkok offers a huge variety – from temples and markets to rooftop bars and river cruises. Many attractions are located in the same area and are even visible from a cruise on the river. Yo
Ho Chi Minh City has plenty too, with day trips to the Mekong Delta and Cu Chi Tunnels, but you’ll probably need more time to get the best out of them.
Language
Winner: tie
Both cities are quite easy for English-speaking travellers. In Bangkok, many signs are in English, and tourist areas have English menus and guides. In Ho Chi Minh City, we found our guides spoke very good English, and Vietnamese uses the same alphabet as ours, making it easier to pick up a few words. If you enjoy learning basic phrases when you travel, Vietnamese is simpler than Thai for beginners.
Cost
Winner: Ho Chi Minh City
Both cities are affordable, but on average I found Ho Chi Minh cheaper for accommodation, food, and attractions.
Commute from airport to city centre
Winner: Ho Chi Minh City
Tan Son Nhat Airport is only 6 km from the city centre, so even in traffic you’ll often be at your hotel in 20–30 minutes. Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is farther out, and Don Mueang is prone to heavy traffic. Bangkok’s airport rail link helps, but it’s not as quick as Ho Chi Minh’s short taxi or Grab ride.
Quality of international airport
Winner: Bangkok
Bangkok’s airport is more modern, with better facilities and smoother immigration for most travellers. Ho Chi Minh City’s airport is smaller and often has long queues at immigration. If you choose Ho Chi Minh City and have limited time, I highly recommend using fast-track immigration as it’s not rare that people spend 1.5hrs to clear customs.
Visa requirements
Winner: Bangkok
Many travellers can enter Thailand without a visa for short stays, or get a visa on arrival. Vietnam requires a visa for many nationalities, including short visits, although some are exempt. The e-visa process is straightforward, but still an extra step to plan for.
When to visit Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City
If your stopover is short, weather and local events can make a big difference to your experience. Both Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City have a tropical climate, with a very hot season, a rainy season, and a hot dry season. Air pollution can occasionally be an issue in certain months, and big national celebrations can affect traffic, hotel prices, and crowds – sometimes in a good way, sometimes less so.
I visited Bangkok in February, when there was a bit of fog but nothing too bad, and again in April, just after Songkran, which was quite hot. In early May, I visited Ho Chi Minh City right after the Reunification Day celebrations and enjoyed warm weather, though we were glad to leave before heavy rain hit later in the month. Here’s the info I gathered about these two cities by month:
| Month | Bangkok | Ho Chi Minh City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | Cool, dry, and sunny – ideal sightseeing. Peak tourist season. Possible haze/pollution (see Bangkok smog). | Dry, warm, and sunny – ideal sightseeing. |
| Feb | Cool, dry, great weather. Chinese New Year celebrations in Chinatown (can be March too). Possible haze/pollution. | Dry, warm, great weather. Tết (Vietnamese New Year) often falls late Jan/Feb – festive before, many closures during. |
| Mar | Hot season starts – still dry but more humid. Pollution can linger. | Warm, dry, low humidity – very comfortable. |
| Apr | Very hot, humid. Songkran (Thai New Year) mid-April – fun but chaotic. Pollution can linger. | End of dry season, hotter and more humid. Reunification Day (30 Apr) and Labour Day (1 May) bring big crowds and festivities. |
| May | Hot and humid. Rainy season may start late in month. | Hot, humid, rainy season begins. National holidays early May – busy domestic travel. |
| Jun | Rainy season – short, heavy bursts of rain, hot and humid. | Rainy season – hot and humid with afternoon downpours. |
| Jul | Rainy season continues – still plenty of dry spells. | Rainy season continues. |
| Aug | Rainy season – humid, wet, fewer tourists. | Rainy season – humid, wet, fewer tourists. |
| Sep | Wettest month, possible flooding. | Wettest month, risk of typhoon-related heavy rain. |
| Oct | Rain easing late month, cooler evenings. Vegetarian Festival in Chinatown. | Rain easing late month, still humid. |
| Nov | Dry season begins – cooler and less humid. Loy Krathong lantern festival (Nov full moon). | Dry season starts – warm, sunny, pleasant. |
| Dec | Coolest, driest month – best time to visit. | Dry, warm, sunny – great time to visit. Vietnam National Day (2 Dec) with parades and festivities. |
Travel tips for your stopover
- Plan around traffic – Allow extra time to get back to the airport, especially in Ho Chi Minh City during rush hour.
- Use Grab – Southeast Asia’s ride-hailing app works in both cities and is usually cheaper and more transparent than taxis.
- Pack light – If you’re doing a quick visit to the city, leave your main luggage at the airport.
- Get an eSIM – Buy one online before you arrive or at the airport so you can use maps, translation apps, and Grab right away.
New to the concept of eSIM? Prepare to be amazed. We find that when travelling abroad, nothing beats the ease of setting up and topping up an eSIM. It’s not just convenient, it’s also more affordable than traditional SIM cards. Plus, you can say goodbye to the anxiety of risking your precious home SIM card. While eSIMs sometimes only cater to data usage, you can still make calls using WhatsApp if your interlocutor uses it. For reliable eSIMs, we recommend Airalo. Find out if your phone is compatible here!
Overall winner
For me, the winner is Bangkok, without hesitation. It’s more photogenic, easier to get around, and delivers that thrilling sense of being transported into another world. Ho Chi Minh City is also exciting, energetic, and cheaper – and definitely different from my everyday life – but Bangkok offers more variety for cultural visits and a visual wow-factor that puts it among the most interesting cities in the world.
Where to stay
In Ho Chi Minh City, we stayed at GK Central Hotel, right in District 1. It was comfortable, well-priced, and within walking distance of the main sights – perfect for a short stay.
In Bangkok, I loved the Siam District for its mix of authentic local spots and modern shopping malls, all within 10 minutes. I stayed at Ibis Siam, just steps from a Skytrain (BTS) station and close to the canal boats, making it easy to get around. Plus, I had a room with city views, which is always a nice bonus when it’s not in the smog!
Have you visited Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City? Which one did you prefer? Share your experience in the comments below!
Thank you !!! This is a fantastic analysis of both cities from different important perspectives and has helped me finalize my decision to travel to Bangkok for a short 4-day stay. The advice on staying in Siam was also great because I was debating between that area versus the Sukhumvit area.