Is Ho Chi Minh City Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Ho Chi Minh City is generally a safe destination for solo female travelers. Local people are friendly, helpful, and respectful towards tourists. Violent crimes are rare although petty crimes like pickpocketing and bag snatching can occur mainly in crowded places. As with any destination, it's important to stay vigilant, avoid empty streets at late hours, keep your valuables secure, and trust your instincts. Local laws and customs are quite strict, so respect them to avoid any problem.

Safety rating

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How safe is Ho Chi Minh City?

Safety at night:

Safety at night:Moderate

Ho Chi Minh City is moderately safe for lone female travelers at night. It is advisable to be aware of your surroundings as petty crimes like pick-pocketing and bag-snatching are common, especially in tourist areas. Most areas are well-lit and bustling with activities till late hours. However, safety could vary from district to district with more central areas generally being safer. Avoid dark, isolated areas and take reputable taxis or ride-share services if you're unsure. As always, trust your instinct and if a situation or area makes you uncomfortable, remove yourself from it ASAP.
Public transportation:

Public transportation:Safe

Public transportation in Ho Chi Minh City, is generally safe and is used daily by locals and tourists alike. Key modes of public transport include buses, taxis, and the popular Grab application akin to Uber. It is recommended to keep an eye on your belongings, as petty theft can sometimes occur. Night travels are not recommended as some forms of transportation may no longer be available or as safe as they are in the daytime. Overall, use common travel safety precautions and you should have a pleasant and secure experience.
Street harassment:

Street harassment:Low

Ho Chi Minh City, within Vietnam, tends to be safe and respectful towards female travelers. Street harassment is considerably low in frequency, and women rarely report instances of catcalling or inappropriate comments. As is the case with any large city, it is always important to remain vigilant, especially during the late hours. Ladies should also be aware of petty thefts and pickpockets operating in crowded areas, but this is also relevant to male travelers.
Petty crimes:

Petty crimes:Moderate

Ho Chi Minh City is generally safe for travelers, but like any large city, petty crimes such as pickpocketing, bag snatching and scams occur, particularly in crowded areas and tourist hotspots. It's advisable to stay alert, secure your belongings, and avoid displaying valuable items in public to reduce potential risks.

Is Ho Chi Minh City worth visiting?

Overall rating

4.1 /5

based on 11 experiences from female travelers

Things to do

3.4/5

Safety

3.4/5

Food

3.7/5

Budget-friendly

3.4/5
iola

iola

United Kingdom

Solo travel

I stayed with Mai Mai and her parents from Travel Ladies which was a truly amazing experience, I felt incredibly welcomed and learned a lot from them. It’s a massive city so more expensive than much of vietnam but still massively competitively cheap coming from the UK. I got around almost entirely on motorbikes; using Grab and getting rides from my host. It is a walkable city but to go to big distances a motarbike is useful. I loved seeing the war museum and enjoyed local temples that my hosts showed me far more than the popular tourist ones. I reccomend walking around and exploring if you have the time too, as I found a few hidden gems of pop-up markets and things.

Posted: June 10, 2025
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Couple travel

At first I felt like the city has very dirty, and the fact there are rats all over the place is a bit scary, but somehow it is a charming city, a big dance community over there, and overall you have great things to do

Posted: February 2, 2025Experienced: December, 2024
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Theresa

Theresa

Germany

Solo travel

Ho Chi Minh City was my first solo trip. From the moment I left the plane I felt safe. The people are amazing and always willing to help you out. I stayed at the city backpackers hostel and met the best people there. The receptionist was amazing and really helpful whenever I needed help with planing something. In the city you can walk to most of the attractions. But be careful with walking because they drive like they have unlimited lifes. There are so many good places to eat but the best one was definitely Bánh Mì Xanh in district one. They had the best vegan báhn mì ( try the spicy tofu one). I went there everyday🫣. Next to the city hall there’s a market and there are so many great food spots and you can buy nice clothes there:) I had an amazing time in HCM. I will definitely go there again and always recommend it to other people.

Posted: January 15, 2025
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Natalie

Natalie

Vietnam

Solo travel

HCMC is a surprise. Not only safe for women but full of chaotic experiences. The food is mouthwatering good, the transport or Grab bike is cheap and easy and the Vietnamese are peaceful. Its a vibe!

Posted: August 8, 2024
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Solo travel

I don't really feel safe maybe because of language barrier, most of the local here couldn't speak English so it's better to learn basic language and need to be extra careful because pickpocket always happened around city. Ho Chi Minh is a crowded place so it's better to rent motorcycle to go everywhere easily. For Muslim, its quiet difficult to get halal food unless at Malaysian street but Vietnamese coffee is exceptional one, you will get addicted for it because its very tasty😋

Posted: May 17, 2024Experienced: September, 2023
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Heather

Heather

Australia

Solo travel

Highly recommend the night food tour on Vespas! Great experience, and I felt very safe. All drivers were women, which added to the feeling of safety. Food at the markets/street stalls was cheap and delicious.

Posted: May 5, 2024
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Is Ho Chi Minh City safe for women?

Safety index

3.9 /5

Based on 9 local experiences

Crime index

1.7 /5

Based on 9 local experiences

Natalie

Natalie

I’ve lived in HCMC my whole life and honestly it feels like one of the safest places in the world. The traffic in Vietnam is notoriously chaotic but can got used to after a few times of careful navigation. The harassment scene is not terrible, men/ older natives would stare, sometimes with an inappropriate/ judgmental look (especially if we show skin or if you’re a foreigner, not our faults!) but they don’t actively act on it. Catcalling is rare for me also. I was never mugged/ robbed in daylight, even in super crowded places or on public transports, still, always lock the doors at your accommodation and keep valuables close to be safe. Generally, people are kind, friendly, and easy to ask for directions or any other kind of questions as they often try their best to help even if they can’t fluently speak English. Being a young woman myself, I have utter faith in young people here and very comfortable around them, even strangers.

Posted: June 20, 2025
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Kieu

Kieu

I’ve been living in Ho Chi Minh City for more than 2 years and haven’t experienced anything negative when it comes to walking around on the streets, physical abuse, or robbery. Still, as women we should all be cautious of the situation, then it will be alright!

Posted: June 20, 2025
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Safety in Vietnam