Ho Chi Minh City

Photo: (public licese) Genghiskhanviet / commons.wikimedia.org

Ho Chi Minh City and cruise ports

Ho Chi Minh City lies in southern Vietnam on the Saigon River. For ocean cruises in Southeast Asia, the city name refers to the destination; the berth may be in the Nha Rong–Khanh Hoi area of Saigon Port or in the Cai Mep–Thi Vai port area near Phu My. Your travel documents specify the port assigned to your particular call.

One dated ocean-cruise call was made by the World Odyssey, which Saigon Port recorded at berth K1-2 in the Nha Rong–Khanh Hoi zone on January 12, 2025. If you arrive in Phu My, the port is outside the city center, so ground transportation should be included in your plans for a visit to Ho Chi Minh City. Flight and excursion offers may list the city as the destination even when embarkation or disembarkation takes place elsewhere.

Mekong River cruises are different. Operators list Ho Chi Minh City as a pre-cruise stay before boarding a river vessel and name My Tho as a separate embarkation point. If you are planning a combined trip, treat the hotel, transfer, and ship as separate parts of the itinerary. Information on the embarkation process can help you prepare for the relevant terminal procedures.

Getting to the city and finding your way around

In the city center, Nguyễn Huệ business street and the waterfront area at Bach Dang Wharf are useful landmarks on the Saigon River. Ben Thanh is in the central urban area. For a shore visit, the confirmed berth and its distance from your city destination matter: a longer transfer may be needed between a stay in the center and the ship if the port plan names Phu My or embarkation in My Tho.

The city's transport hubs include Tan Son Nhat Airport, Ga Sai Gon railway station, and the Mien Tay intercity bus station to the west and Mien Dong to the northeast. They are in different parts of the city. When choosing a connection, the direction and departure point depend on whether your trip begins at the ocean port near Phu My, in the Saigon Port area, or in My Tho.

The starting point differs depending on whether you are taking a city-center excursion, continuing by train, or transferring to My Tho. Your travel documents and the operator's information specify the relevant arrival or embarkation point, which you can use to plan the connection from your hotel or the airport.

Returning to the correct berth

For a transit visit, getting back to your particular ship is part of the shore excursion. Nha Rong–Khanh Hoi, Phu My, and My Tho are separate places: an urban cruise berth, an ocean port outside the city center, and a possible embarkation point for a Mekong River cruise. When planning your return, take both the confirmed arrival location and the operator's stated return time into account.