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Ho Chi Minh City

General Information

Multi-storey buildings hovering over ragged French style colonial mansions and begging monks in saffron robes wandering near karaoke bars… This is the Ho Chi Minh City of the 21st century.

Although officially known as Ho Chi Minh, the city is still being mentioned as Saigon, reminiscent of the past. One of the most touching symbols of the city is the Reunification Palace where the last days of the Vietnam War was lived at.

Ho Chi Minh, today, is an enchanting gate to Vietnam where the traditional influences abide together with the modern. Imagine the combination of its pagodas full of incense subject to a continuous flow of worshippers, its streets pulsating with the noises from countless motorcycles, its pavements infested with peddlers, its barbers and dentists operating on roadsides and its cafés where still steaming bowls of noodle soup is offered.

Shopping centres, skyscrapers, cafeterias and bars glimmering in the middle of this exhilarated background typical of Asia, would easily compete with its Western counterparts. Ho Chi Minh is the new façade of Vietnam.

Where to See?

Buu Dien Truong Tam (Post Office)

The gigantic Post Office building situated diagonally across the Notre Dame Cathedral was built in European style, towards the end of the 19th century. The interior of the elegant, high ceilinged building dominated by a gigantic portrait of Ho Chi Minh, was almost untouched since built. The dwellers of the building that appears to be forever crowded, consist of visitors rather than clients. Colourful and very interesting postal stamp collections can be purchased here.

Chua Ngoc Hoang (Jade Emperor Pagoda)

The Jade Emperor Pagoda, one of the most attractive pagodas of the city, was built in 1909 by the Cantonese community. A fusion of Taoist and Buddhist styles and dedicated to various Chinese-Vietnam theologies, this pagoda hosts numerous statues and elegant carvings embellished by intricate china on its roof. The interior is fuming with the odours of the incense holders hung on the walls and the shrines are richly decorated. In the building there is also a nice yard in the middle of which there is a pond full of terrapins. 73 Mai Thi Luu, District 3.

Dinh Thong Nhat (Reunification Palace)

Reunification Palace, designed with the help of Soviet architects, exists as glamour in a 1960’s style monstrosity. The photograph of a North Vietnamese tank that stormed through its doors and symbolising Saigon’s fall on April 30th, 1975, is well remembered. That tank still adorns the front lawn of the building. Some of the rooms where important meetings were held during the war and which were also the headquarters of the president and his family, are kept open to the public and they remain as they were in 1975. The most interesting places are the underground tunnels which were used as the telecommunications centre.

Giac Lam Pagoda

At a distance of 2 miles (3 km.) from Cholon, the history of which goes back to 1774, the Giac Lam Pagoda is believed to be the oldest pagoda in the city and a serene place to visit. The pagoda is enclosed in a peaceful garden surrounded by walls and here exists a seven-storied stupa that conserves Buddha’s sacred relics. Families of old and sick people visit the place regularly and beg from and plead to the big bronze bell; as it is believed that when the bell chimes their prayers will be sent to the heavens up in the sky.

Ho Chi Minh City Museum

The Ho Chi Minh City Museum (formerly known as the Independence Museum) was established in the old Cochinchina Governor’s Palace and stores relics like weapons, uniforms, medals and old pictures that date from the communistic war against the French and the Americans. Unfortunately the exhibitions are labelled only in the Vietnamese language; only some of the relics being clearly obvious. In the Museum’s open area, a collection of military equipment, including a tank and a helicopter, is exhibited. The museum building that was built in a classical style towards the end of 1880’s, was previously used as the palace of Cochinchina’s governor and later the Supreme Court, and is uniquely worth to visit.

The Notre Dame Cathedral
Red bricked and appearing as twin towers, the Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the best known symbols of the Ho Chi Minh City since the 1880’s. There is a beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary in the small front garden of the cathedral. The interior, differing than most French cathedrals, is not decorated with stained glass and displays a simpler appearance. However it offers a refreshing environment away from heat of the outside. Further, it is like an oasis that takes one away from the continuous traffic around the cathedral. A substantial Christian community lives at southern Vietnam and the level of participation in church services is rather high. Thao Cam Vien (Zoo and Botanical Garden)

Constructed by the French in 1864, the Botanical Garden became one of the best known botanical gardens of Asia as soon as it was built. Nevertheless today, this area is considered to be just a cute place to visit with its tropical plants and trees. The zoo is not up to the western standards but the animals and the birds are kept in better shelters and the zoo has its proper protection programme. In order to be able to watch the animals feeding, we suggest you visit the zoo in the afternoon.

Vien Bao Tang Lich Su (National Museum of Vietnamese History)

Just at the entrance of the Zoo and the Botanical Garden, the Museum of History exhibits artefacts demonstrating the 2000 year Vietnamese history, including relics from the ancient Dong Son, Oc Eo and Cham cultures and remains from lifestyles up to approximately 1945. There is also an additional section reserved for ethnic minorities and collections of ceramics, weapons and Cham statues. The museum building was built in 1929 and the collections therein were gathered by École Française d'Extrême Orient.

War Remnants Museum

Exhibiting the cruelty committed and the tools of torment used throughout the 20th century, especially the Vietnam War, this museum is not fit for the sensitive. It is impossible for visitors not to be moved by the collections of a historical period, familiar to most through old documentaries and Hollywood movies. A smaller collection of military equipment is placed at the front door of the museum. The most interesting piece here is a mobile guillotine that was brought before the 2nd World War by the French colonists, for the purpose of dispensing justice to the country.

What to do?

Golf

In general, golf is a large sector in Asia. The closest golf course to Ho Chi Minh City is the Vietnam Golf Club located at Long Thanh My Ward, at a distance of 20 kilometres to the city centre. One of the 18-hole greens was designed by the American golf star Lee Trevino. Visitors can exercise at course and can play both in the weekdays and the weekends.

Swimming

When Ho Chi Minh becomes excessively warm, you can go to the Dam Sen Water Park at Hoa Binh Street of the District 11. In addition to popular attractions, you can enjoy the gigantic water slides, the river tour and the tide pool. For those who care less for adventure, a roaming river and a massage pool is available. The water park is mostly visited during the weekends and holidays.

Where to Shop?

Shopping at Ho Chi Minh City is a real source of happiness for insatiable souvenir hunters and shopping addicts. Clothing made of silk, varnished embroideries, colourful hand-woven bags, dyed silks, greeting cards and hand embroidered tablecloths, all high quality and at realistic prices are being sold. Tailor made clothing should be a preferred choice for all smart pretentious people.

Most of the shops can be visited along Dong Khoi; Hai Ba Trung, Le Thanh Ton and Le Loi, in the vicinity are also worth to see. For silk clothing and accessories, visit Khoi Silk, 81 Dong Khoi.

Marketplaces:
The crowded Ben Thanh marketplace at Le Loi is full of cheap but quality clothing and souvenirs. The Binh Tay market at Cholon is a night market where people flood from early morning to 11:00 pm; its gloomy and narrow pavements are crammed with goods and exotic food.

Shopping centres:
Diamond Plaza on Le Duan and Parkson Saigontourist Plaza on Le Thanh Ton, are two of the highly elegant shopping centres.

Where to Stay?

Park Hyatt Saigon, 02 Lam Son Square, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam
Renaissance Riverside Hotel, 8-15 Ton Duc Thang street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam
Sheraton Saigon Hotel and Towers, 88 Dong Khoi, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City , Vietnam
Windsor Plaza Hotel Saigon, 18 An Duong Vuong, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Intercontinental Asiana Saigon, Corner Hai Ba Trung Street and Le Duan Boulevard District 1, HCMC, Vietnam
Kim Do Royal City Hotel Saigon, 133 Nguyen Hue, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam
Grand Hotel Saigon, 08 Dong Khoi, District 1, (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam
Moevenpick Hotel Saigon, 253 Nguyen Van Troi street, Phu Nhuan District, Vietnam
Majestic Hotel, 01 Dong Khoi, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam

Where to Wine and Dine?

Hoi An, 11 Le Thanh Ton, District 1,Hho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Le Bordeaux, 72 d2 Street, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Lemon Grass, 4 Nguyen Thiep street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Qucina, 7 Cong Truong Lam Son, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Sushı Bar, 2 Le Thanh Ton, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Temple Club, 29–31 Ton That Thiep, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
XU, 71 Hai Ba Trung, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam