Ho Chi Minh City, located in southern Vietnam on the Saigon River, is a bustling metropolis of nearly 13 million people. It’s hot, dense, polluted, and chaotic. This means running in Ho Chi Minh City can be a challenge — you can’t just run out your door anywhere and go for a run. So, for those determined to venture beyond the hotel treadmill, we’ve researched the best places to run in Ho Chi Minh City. To make some sense of it, we’ve organized it by District (of which there are 24).
The best bets for running in Ho Chi Minh City separate into three categories: some small but pleasant parks, an improving series of river and canal paths, and select districts which feature some wider roads with decent sidewalks. Most of the tourist spots and some of the best running is in District 1, which is adorned by wide boulevards, the grounds of Independence Palace, and the iconic Tao Dan Park. There are some good street running options in Districts 2 and 7.
A couple of notes about running in HCMC: Be aware of the traffic, pollution, and the incessant heat and humidity. Go early and hydrate! Also, this is a rapidly changing city, so check back for updates. As for transportation, a new subway system is scheduled to open in 2019, making some of our routes even easier to get to!
