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

Meet new people

Get the Travel Ladies app to meet new people, find travel buddies, share solo travel experiences and stay with locals through couch surfing.
Download from App StoreDownload from Google Play
Get the Travel Ladies App

Safety index

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: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: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: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.

Tap water:Unsafe

In Ho Chi Minh City, the tap water is generally considered not safe for direct consumption. While the city's water treatment facilities have improved significantly over the years, the distribution system infrastructure isn't completely reliable. As a result, water could get contaminated during transmission. To stay safe, you may wish to drink filtered or bottled water.

Is Ho Chi Minh City safe to travel?

3 /5

Based on 4 experiences

Margaux

Margaux (27)

Singapore

Solo travel experience

• 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
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0
Nele

Nele (28)

Germany

Couple travel experience

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
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0
Lien

Lien (35)

Vietnam

Solo travel experience

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
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0

Is Ho Chi Minh City safe for women?

Safety rating

3.3 /5

Based on 3 reviews the women safety index in Ho Chi Minh City is 3.3/5. On average women living in Ho Chi Minh City raises moderate concerns about women's safety.

Crime rates rating

1.8 /5

Based on 3 reviews the crime rate index in Ho Chi Minh City is 1.8/5. On average women living in Ho Chi Minh City raises relatively low concerns about crime and violence against women.

Rating summary

Safety walking alone after dark:

3/5
Moderate

Safety using public transport:

3.7/5
Safe

Worries of being sexually harassed:

2.6/5
Moderate

Worries of being sexually assaulted or raped:

1.7/5
A Bit Worried

Worries of being physically attacked:

2/5
A Bit Worried

Worries of home broken and things stolen:

1.7/5
A Bit Worried

Worries of being mugged or robbed:

1.1/5
Not at all worried

Worries of being kidnapped or murdered:

2/5
A Bit Worried
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
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0

Ho Chi Minh City is a bustling place with friendly people, this is a place many tourists choose to visit. Even late at night, it is still quite busy because there are many entertainment activities, restaurants operating late at night and early in the morning.

Posted: April 10, 2024
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0

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 a high rate of petty crime. Check the full travel advisory.
Last updated: April 18, 2024
🇦🇺

Australia's Travel AdvisoryTake normal security precautions

The Australian Government advises to exercise normal safety precautions in Vietnam. Check the full travel advisory.
Last updated: March 22, 2024

Is Ho Chi Minh City worth visiting?

Overall rating

3.8 /5

based on 4 experiences

Rating summary

Things to do

2.8/5

Safety

3/5

Food

4/5

Budget-friendly

3.5/5
Rachel

Rachel

Singapore

Group travel experience

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
Things to do: 3/5Food: 4/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 3/5
favorite_border 0
mode_comment 0

Meet locals in Ho Chi Minh City

Meet local women in Ho Chi Minh City who are open to meet up for a coffee or a drink, show you around, give local advice or practice a language with.
Van

Van

About Me

Hello everyone, I’m Van Anh from Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. I joined Couchsurfing community from 2010 as a host in my city & then being a guest at many countries with super kind hosts till covid-19. I’d like to connect with local people to understand more about the place I’m visiting. Furthermore, cultural exchanges are always interesting me to enjoy a such community. I’m exciting to share you my lovely city & country. I do hope to meet you in the near future at your countries soon. Warm regards, Ann.

Speaking

mode_comment 0
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

mode_comment 4

Stay with locals in Ho Chi Minh City

Stay with local women in Ho Chi Minh City who offer free accommodation as part of cultural exchange. Couch surfing is a great way to meet new people, learn more about new cultures and experience destinations like a local.
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

mode_comment 4
Phương

Phương

Ho Chi Minh City

Can host for:

3 days

About me

hi I'm pretty sure people travel around the world would know the best what is the true meaning of being, as language sometimes doesn't work, welcome to any exchanges, be open-minded 💓

Speaking

mode_comment 0

Upcoming visitors to Ho Chi Minh City

Connect with upcoming visitors to Ho Chi Minh City who are looking for travel buddies or meet ups.
Cristal

Cristal

About Me

Hello, I'm Cristal and I'm interested in animals, books, cinema, dancing, digital nomad, diving, food & cuisine, games, languages, nature, sightseeing, solo travel, sunbathing, swimming, technology and writing

Speaking

mode_comment 0

Safety in Vietnam