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 index

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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 /5

based on 8 experiences from female travelers

Things to do

3.1/5

Safety

3.4/5

Food

4/5

Budget-friendly

3.7/5
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

3.4 /5

Based on 4 local experiences

Crime index

1.9 /5

Based on 4 local experiences

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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Van

Van

The only thing you need to care walking or going on the street in HCMC is paying more attention to your bags. The city is almost busy so less dangerous than other quite places. However we don’t encourage you to go to the empty area after midnight.

Posted: April 19, 2024
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Is Ho Chi Minh City safe right now?

Before your visit to Ho Chi Minh City, it's essential to check travel advisories for Vietnam, including your home country's official travel advisory. These advisories can provide up-to-date information on safety, health, and any specific considerations for travelers.
🇺🇸

United States Travel AdvisoryTake normal security precautions

The United States government advises to exercise normal precautions in Vietnam. Check the full travel advisory.
Last updated: July 24, 2023
🇨🇦

Canada's Travel AdvisoryExercise a high degree of caution

The Canadian government advises exercising a high degree of caution in Vietnam due to the high rate of petty crime. Check the full travel advisory.
Last updated: October 1, 2024
🇦🇺

Australia's Travel AdvisoryTake normal security precautions

The Australian government advises exercising normal safety precautions in Vietnam. Check the full travel advisory.
Last updated: September 18, 2024

Meet locals in Ho Chi Minh City

Mal

Mal

About Me

Im a travel lover. Also, a foodie. Been to 63 provinces in Vietnam and 16 countries. Hope i can be of your help!

Speaking

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Fumi

Fumi

About Me

I am Fumi from Japan! I am a digital nomad and working online as a Japanese teacher.

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 16 countries. Hope i can be of your help!

Speaking

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Kim

Kim

Ho Chi Minh City

Can host for:

5 days

About me

Hello! I am Kim. I am a Vietnamese American now living in Saigon and am happy to host you there though I live 30-40 min from the main city center. (Note: I may not be able to show you around the city completely but I can give some tips as I’m still learning about the city itself. I’m also quite introverted especially when coming back from work so I may talk little.) I enjoy rock climbing and baking. Recently, I’ve taken up crocheting! Sometimes I will drink but no smoking. I love animals though I am allergic, and the landlord doesn’t allow pets. Anyways, I’d be happy to meet up even if you end up staying with someone else :)

Speaking

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Safety in Vietnam