A trip to Ho Chi Minh City isn’t complete without a trip out to see the Mekong Delta. There are of course many companies offering day trips from the former capital but Water Buffalo are particularly family-friendly, with enough on their tours to keep the kids entertained as well as the adults. This one is a private tour so no waiting or straining to listen to your guide – just a comfortable, safe and enjoyable day out on the Mekong Delta.

You can’t go far wrong in the kids’ eyes with a good water park, and Dam Sen Water Park in Ho Chi Minh City is a particular hit with families. It has a variety of water slides and rides for a whole range of age groups, plus plenty of events and food options to keep everybody happy.

Seeing a water puppet show while in Ho Chi Minh City is a must, and if you’ve got kids with you it’s a great opportunity to take in a bit of Vietnamese culture while keeping the little ones entertained. Water puppet shows in Vietnam date back to the 11th century and are symbolic of the link that water has with every aspect of life. The shows are performed on water and in Vietnamese, with bamboo rods used to control the puppets.

While perhaps an unlikely contender for a family-friendly activity, a visit to the War Remnants Museum is an important and educational stop on your Ho Chi Minh City itinerary. Interesting and informative for the adults and older children, the youngsters will no doubt be fascinated with the aircrafts and tanks located outside.

The Suoi Tien Theme Park is a unique attraction. It’s a Buddhist cultural theme park featuring a number of themed areas with Buddhist statues throughout. There are plenty of rides for both small children as well as the teens and adults, and it features a botanical garden, a zoo, a water park and a huge food court, among other attractions.

You and the kids will love the thrill of reaching the top of the Bitexco Financial Tower and peering down at the far-reaching views of Ho Chi Minh City from the Saigon Skydeck. From this vantage point you’ll be able to see the entire city in all its glory. This is a great attraction for the whole family – as long as nobody’s afraid of heights!

If you want to visit an authentic and incredibly atmospheric temple during your time in Ho Chi Minh City, head for the much revered Jade Emperor Pagoda on Mai Thi Luu Street. Filled with fascinating figurines and sculptures, this temple might be old and worn down, but it has an undeniably charm about it.

The Snap Cafe is a the ideal place for a dose of western style food for when the kids (or adults!) need some home comforts. It’s incredibly child-friendly with a safe and shaded outside play area that the kids will go mad for. Once they’re settled there, the adults are free to sit back and enjoy some great simple food in a relaxed and carefree atmosphere.

To some it's simply a shopping mall, but to families visiting Ho Chi Minh City, the Diamond Plaza is an air-conditioned activity hive for children! They’ve got bowling alleys and a games arcade next door, so you and the kids can while away long hot afternoons having fun. Best of all, it’s gloriously air-conditioned!

Ensure the whole family gets a history lesson about the city you’re visiting by taking a trip to the Reunification Palace, home to the presidents of South Vietnam before the fall of Saigon in 1975. Inside the palace it’s as if time has stood still since then, and this makes for an interesting visit, particularly for older children who are able to understand the history behind it.