Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam. It is a bustling, dynamic and industrious centre and has been referred to as the “Pearl of the Far East”. The name itself reflects variety of sights and sounds. The streets, where much of the city’s life takes place, is a myriad of shops, stalls and vendors selling wares spread out on the sidewalks. Visitors can also discover many interesting sights, including the ancient pagodas, mosques, cathedrals, museums etc.

Thong Nhat Palace or Reunification Hall is situated at 106 Nguyen Du Street. It was built in 1865 and originally called Norodom Palace and the Palace of the Indochina Governor General. Until 1954, the south Vietnam’s president Ngo Dinh Diem and his family stayed in Norodom Palace. In 1963 bombs destroyed the palace, and the new one named Independence Palace was built by President Diem. 

The palace consists of 95rooms, each decorated according to its function. The palace also features two exhibition rooms, a 33-room guesthouse, and numerous entertainment services. April 1975, the tanks of the liberation army crashed through the gate to the palace, and the President of South Vietnam, General Duong Van Minh and his entire cabinet surrendered without condition. The palace has been preserved as it was found in 1975 and attracts many visitors.

Ho Chi Minh Fine Art Museum displays works from between the 7th and early 20th centuries, including Champa and Oc Eo art work, Vietnamese antiques, handicrafts of the Vietnamese ethnic groups and western art.
Ho Chi Minh Museum, originally called Dragon House Wharf contains mostly through the pictures and the odd piece of memorabilia relating to President Ho Chi Minh’s life. It was a French shipping company built in 1862.

Revolutionary Museum was built in 1885 under design of a French architect. The museum used to be the residence of the governor of Nam Ky (former name of the south Vietnam), then the residence of Japanese Governor Minoda. It was also the office of the South Provisional Administrative Committee and of the Republic of France High Commissioner. Finally, the building turned into the Revolutionary Museum in 1978. The museum displays items, photographs related to some periods of the Vietnamese revolution. The museum is located at 65 Ly Tu Trong Street, District 1

Historical Museum was built in 1929 and was called ‘Musee Blanchard de la Bosse’ until 1956. The museum displays a wide range of artefacts from the ancient times (approximately 300,000 years ago) up to the 1930, when Vietnamese Communist Party was born. 

The museum presents pieces through the various Vietnamese dynasties and specific characteristics of the southern Vietnam such as Oc Eo cultural, the ancient cultural of the Mekong delta, Cham art etc.

War Remnants Museum contains countless artifacts, photographs, and pictures documenting American war crimes. In the courtyard are tanks, bombs and helicopters. The display covers the Som My massacre on 16 March 1968, the effects of napalm and phosphorous, and the after-effects of Agent Orange defoliation etc. There are also some rooms displaying cultural products of Vietnam just outside the museum.

Vinh Nghiem Pagoda was built between 1964 and 1971 and is one of the largest in Vietnam. Built in Japanese style, it displays a 7-storey pagoda in the classic style and a large, airy, sanctuary. Inside is a large Japanese-style Buddha in attitude of meditation, flanked by two goddesses. The pagoda was built with the assistance of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association.

Giac Vien Pagoda was a pavilion, built in 1789 by a monk for his daily prayers, called Kwan Yin Pavilion. Under the King Tu Duc reign (1850), the pavilion was rebuilt and named Giac vien pagoda. Giac Vien Pagoda has typical characteristics of the southern Vietnam. The main shrine is used to worship Buddha. The pagoda contains 152 statutes, made of jack wood. 

The most attractive items are 60 plates, which are made with gold, and are engraved with various kinds of animal, fruits etc. Located about 10km from downtown, near Dam Sen Park, Giac Vien Pagoda is one of the best-preserved temples in Vietnam.

Notre-Dame Cathedral was built between 1877 and 1880, in western architectural style, but is has a uniquely eastern aspect. The church is composed of two main central bays with two sidereal corridors, Inside the cathedral, one can see a line of Chinese characters eulogising the Jesu’ mother, the innocent and unblemished Virgin Mother, and stained-glass portraits of Vietnamese believers amid Asiatic plants. Facing onto the glassed square is the General Post Office built in the 1880s.

Cu Chi Tunnels are about 30km north-west of Ho Chi Minh City. They were used as the base from which the Vietnamese mounted their operations of the Tet Offensive in 1968. The Cu Chi tunnels consist of more than 200km of underground tunnels. This main axis system has many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and entrances to other tunnels, The tunnels are between 0.5 to 1m wide, just enough for a person to crawl along. 

The upper soil layer is between 3 to 4m thick and can support the weight of a 50-ton tank and the damage of light cannons and bombs. The underground network included sleeping quarters, meeting rooms, hospitals, and others. Near by is Cu Chi war Memorial, called Ben Duoc, where the hidden war was memorised.