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 9 experiences from female travelers

Things to do

3.3/5

Safety

3.4/5

Food

3.9/5

Budget-friendly

3.4/5
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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Kannapat

Kannapat

Thailand

Solo travel

I would love to go back at the different time of the year again.Felt safe travel solo.I think 3-4 days is enough time to enjoy the city.I loved the hop on hop off bus .It gave me an overview of the city in 1 .30 hr.

Posted: April 26, 2024
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Margaux

Margaux

Singapore

Solo travel

• Pretty safe, just have to be careful when crossing roads because of the motorbikes! • Great place to take in sights/sounds of Vietnam, lots of cute cafes and interesting local fashion brands! Cool underrated spot and would love to visit again! • Stayed at CityHouse Ariosa, budget-friendly, great service apartment with good service staff+security guard which makes you feel safe. Great location in D3 and beautiful interiors. • I mostly took Grabs and walked since I was in a good location.

Posted: March 28, 2024Experienced: March, 2024
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Nele

Nele

Germany

Couple travel

I really liked the City itself. Bunch of markets. Food is crazy cheap in the south compared to the north. Especially for vegetarians there are bunch of places you can go to. Super cheap, but awesome banh mis, phos or banh xeos! Accomodation was one of the cheapest im the city. Its called vyn da backpackers hostel. Well for the price it was alright (I think we paid about 3.50$ per Person per night). But personnally I prefer rooms with daylight, Windows. They did have other rooms, but since it was Chinese new year the hostel was pretty packed. In the famous Party street ypu gotta watch your stuff.. we heard of people who got their phone stolen. And also the kind of tourism which this busy street attracts can be an uncomfortable experience. We felt like there were a lot of men, acting weird or made us feel a little unsafe and uncomfortable.

Posted: March 8, 2024Experienced: January, 2024
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Lien

Lien

Vietnam

Solo travel

It was relatively safe. Food is amazing. People are friendly. Be careful of phone and bag snatches in the streets. Use ride share apps like Grab, Be, Gojek. Plenty of airBnB and hotel options Explore street life, city center, war sites, Chinatown.

Posted: November 25, 2023Experienced: October, 2023
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Rachel

Rachel

Singapore

Group travel

It’s very affordable to travel here and you will enjoy it if you like the hustle and bustle of the city. One main problem is that people here do not speak English at all, or if they do, it’s very minimal so please have Google Translate with you at all times! The service tends to be over the top since they are vying for tips, but there is no compulsory tipping culture.

Posted: October 12, 2023
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Is Ho Chi Minh City safe for women?

Safety index

3.6 /5

Based on 5 local experiences

Crime index

1.9 /5

Based on 5 local experiences

Uyen

Uyen

Ho Chi Minh City is a big city but still safe for foreign travelers as long as they are not too relying. Crimes can happen everywhere in the world not just in Ho Chi Minh City when people are not prepared and cautious.

Posted: January 9, 2025
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Ho Chi Minh city generally is safe for solo travelers. People are so friendly and hospitable. I dont feel being in danger in public or even in the countryside. But maybe you will be looked a bit because you are foreigners but dont worry, people just curious

Posted: July 9, 2024
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Meet locals in Ho Chi Minh City

Bảo

Bảo

About Me

Hi ladies! My name is Uyen. You can call me Ivy. I currently am a Business Analyst in a tech company. I am into fitness and EDM music (I love raves 🎶😎). I am a local who lives in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. Hopefully, I will have oportunities to meet wonderful women from around the world and to show you this amazing city!

Speaking

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Mal

Mal

About Me

Im a travel lover. Also, a foodie. Been to 63 provinces in Vietnam and 17 countries. Hope i can be of your help!

Speaking

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Stay with locals in Ho Chi Minh City

Mal

Mal

Ho Chi Minh City

Can host for:

2 days

About me

Im a travel lover. Also, a foodie. Been to 63 provinces in Vietnam and 17 countries. Hope i can be of your help!

Speaking

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Thao

Thao

Ho Chi Minh City

Can host for:

3 days

About me

Hi Im Blue 27 years old. A Vietnamese girl hosting a hospitality want to get to know more people

Speaking

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Upcoming visitors to Ho Chi Minh City

Dalesa

Dalesa

About Me

Hi! I'm Dale and I just started my travelling journey in my 20s to overcome my fear of being abroad on my own. Would love to make new friends al laround the world to share stories and experiences!

Speaking

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Dannielle

Dannielle

About Me

Hi! My name is Dannielle and I’m on the search for ladies who have similar interests Im living in Australia and wanting to get out more so am on the look out for some travel buddies I like to call myself a people person as I can interact with people from all walks of life, I like to laugh and have a joke

Speaking

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Safety in Vietnam