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| Ho Chi Minh City | ||
| province | independently | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 10.380.000 (2016) | |
| height | 19 m, 7 m | |
| Tourist info web | sodulich.hochiminhcity.gov.vn | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Ho Chi Minh City(Vietnamese: Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh) is a city in Southeast Vietnam. She often will too Saigon called, where Saigon nowadays actually District 1, the city center of Ho Chi Minh City. Next to Saigon is only Cholon, the Chinese Quarter of Ho Chi Minh City is a tourist attraction.
background
Ho Chi Minh City was under its then name until the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 Saigon Capital of the Republic of Vietnam ("South Vietnam"). The city played a central role in the Vietnam War as its conquest by North Vietnamese forces marked the end of the war and ultimately the loss of the Republic of Vietnam. In 1976 the city was renamed in honor of Hồ Chí Minh, President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam ("North Vietnam") at the time of his death.
getting there
By plane
On the Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) Ho Chi Minh City is served daily by various international airlines (e.g. Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific, flown to. Vietnam Airlines offers direct flights from Germany (from Frankfurt am Main).
By train
The Ho Chi Minh City train station was relocated to District 3 at some point, from where the city center can be easily reached by taxi. The only railway line goes north to Hanoi, the next major station is Nha Trang and about 7 hours from Ho Chi Minh City. There are six trains a day in both directions between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, which take between 29 and 42 hours for the 1700 km route.
- Train travel in Vietnam (in English)
By bus
| Distances | |
| Hanoi | 1,730 km |
|---|---|
| Đà Lạt | 308 km |
| Nha Trang | 450 km |
The open tour buses run daily to and from Phan Thiet/Mũi Ne and on to Nha Trang and to and from Dalat. Other buses go to practically all cities in southern Vietnam. There is also a permanent bus connection with Phnom Penh in Cambodia. It is no longer necessary to change the bus at the border. The following companies operate the route:
- Phnom Penh Sorya Transport - Fare: $ 12 US (Departures: 8:00 am, 11:00 am and 1:00 pm)
- Capitol Tours - Fare: US $ 10
- Mekong Express limousine bus, 21A Mac Thiên Tích P.11.Q5. Tel.: (0)900-6300074, (0)90-6300076 (both Khmer / English), (0)90-6314206, (0)90-6300075 (both Vietnamese / English).- including drinks and snacks, bus with toilet; Fare: $ 12 US
In the street
The traffic conditions in Vietnam are chaotic, and most Vietnamese are on two wheels (and not exactly careful and considerate). Anyone in possession of a valid international driver's license issued in Germany may also drive the vehicle class permitted in accordance with the driver's license in Vietnam. In this case, the foreign driver's license cannot be converted into a Vietnamese driver's license necessary. This is not recommended, in the event of an accident - whether caused or not - there are high risks. You can rent a car and a driver (the drivers usually charge around $ 120 for a trip to Nha Trang).
By boat
There is a speedboat service between Ho Chi Minh City and Vũng Tau. The hydrofoils go at Bach Dang Quai at the Duong Ton Duc Thang. Prices: 80,000 VND (for locals) / 150,000 VND (for foreigners). Cruise ships also dock in Phu My harbor.
mobility
taxi
There are countless taxis from different providers in Ho Chi Minh City, all of which are equipped with sealed taximeters. The prices are in the same range for all: A basic tax of 5,000 to 15,000 (mostly 12,000) VND incl. 2 km and from there a price of 1200 VND per 200 m. The prices are always shown on a sticker in the passenger compartment. It is essential to have small notes with you, as the drivers usually cannot issue large notes.
Especially when arriving at the airport, many drivers try to negotiate a fixed price that is too high. You shouldn't have to pay more than 180,000 VND for the trip to the center. It is best to insist on the taximeter. There are a number of providers at the airport who offer a ride at a fixed price of US $ 8-10. The transport then takes place in the provider's own car - a little more expensive, but stress-free.
We recommend using taxi apps, e.g. B. "Grave". After setting up (credit card as a payment method, verification via Facebook must be done first when paying in cash), the app can be operated with an internet connection and you get unbeatably cheap and effective mobility. You can also book a driver for several hours as long as the start and finish is in the city. Another advantage: drivers don't expect a tip!
Xe ôm (motorcycle taxi)
A quick and comfortable, but sometimes a bit adventurous, method of covering short distances in the city is with the motorcycle taxis. The price has to be negotiated and should normally be a little below the taxi price. You can hire the drivers for a whole day for longer trips.
Cyclo (cycle rickshaw)
Increasingly ousted by the Hondas, the cyclo is one of the most convenient means of transport in the city and is particularly suitable for an extensive city tour. Many cyclo-drivers are former fighters of the South Vietnamese Army and know historical facts about the city and often speak very well Englishso that such a tour can become an interesting history lesson.
The drivers who specialize in tourists often have a little booklet with them in which the satisfied customers write down their impressions. It's worth taking a look before you set off. You should also have the planned route described and, if necessary, state your own wishes beforehand.
The price of each trip should be negotiated in advance and possibly even in writing.
By bus
When, where and where the local buses go, tourists can hardly find out. But it is definitely the cheapest means of transport in the city.
With the metro
Line 1 of the Ho Chi Minh City Metro (Dự án đường sắt đô thị Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh) is currently under construction and will connect Bến Thành and Suối Tiên Park upon completion.
Tourist Attractions
Pagodas and churches
- Nghia An Hoi Quan Pagoda, 678 Duong Nguyen Trai.
The Nghia An Hoi Quan Pagoda, is in the Cholon district of China. A carved wooden boat hangs over the entrance. The interior is richly decorated with partially gilded carvings and large coils of incense hang on the ceiling on which the names of those for whom the spirals were hung are noted on red paper.
- 1 Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, Duong Nguyen Van Troi, Dist. 3.
With her seven roofs is the Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, one of the larger pagodas in the city. It opened in 1971. There is a Buddha statue on each of the eight floors.
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- 2 Viet Nam Quoc Tu Pagoda, 16B Duong 3 Thang 2, Dist 10.This pagoda, built in 1963, also has seven roofs.
- 3 Notre Dame, Duong Dong Khoi.The Cathedral Notre Dame, was completed in 1883 and stands in the middle of Saigon about two blocks behind the park of the Reunification Palace. With its two 40 meter high brick towers, it is a landmark of the city that can be seen from far and wide.
Palaces
- 4 Reunification Palace (Dinh Độc Lập), 135 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh 700000.
The Reunification Palace (Entrance: 106 Duong Nguyen Du, Dist. 1) is the former government building of the South Vietnamese government. There are guided tours through the whole building including the underground bunkers.
Buildings
- town hall. The one built in the most opulent French colonial style town hall (at the upper end of Nguyen Hue) is probably one of the most popular photo subjects in the whole city. Since the new lighting was installed, it looks even more impressive at night. Today the house is the seat of the city's people's committee.
- City Theatre. The City Theatre (Dai Lo Le Loi) is also a fine example of the many well-preserved French colonial buildings.
- 1 Main post office.That too Main post office has been carefully renovated and impresses with its huge counter hall with the oversized portrait of Ho Chi Minh.
Monuments
Museums
- historical Museum, 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem, District 1. The Historical museum is located on the premises of the zoo. It deals primarily with the older history of Vietnam and the various cultural groups from prehistoric times (including Cham and Khmer). Unfortunately, the English descriptions are rather poor, which is why it is advisable to do a little research beforehand. The traditional water puppet theater can be seen in the same building. Price for foreigners per person 32,000 VND. A sparkling pleasure for young and old. Must see!Open: Tue - Sun 8 a.m. - 11 a.m. 1.30 p.m. - 4.30 p.m., closed on Mondays.Price: Admission: for foreigners 15,000 VND.
- Ho Chi Minh Museum, Duong Nguyen Tat Thanh, Dist. 4th. The Ho Chi Minh Museum looks at Uncle Ho and shows some of the famous items he owned.
- 5 War Remnants Museum (Bảo tàng Chứng tích chiến tranh), Corner of Duong Vo Van Tan / Duong Le Qui Don.The War Remnants Museum was formerly called the Museum of War Crimes and accordingly documents the atrocities of the various wars. Faint-hearted souls should be prepared for very authentic depictions and shocking images. Nothing is glossed over in this exhibition. The museum consists of several houses, each of which deals with part of the history of the Vietnam War. Among other things, a true-to-original replica of a prison can be seen as well as heavy military equipment.
Streets and squares
Saigon has some splendid streets and avenues, spacious squares and interesting intersections. The view from the balcony of the Reunification Palace on the Duong Bui Thi Xuan reminds a little of the Champs d'Elysée. The Dai Lo Le Loi and the Nguyen Hue impress with their width and the countless magnificent buildings that line them.
Parks
There are a number of parks in Saigon, the largest being the one Cong Vien Van Hoa Park in the vicinity of the Reunification Palace. It's also pretty big Botanic Garden, the one on the same area as the zoo in the north of the Dist. 1 lies. The animals in the zoo don't look very happy, but the park is a good way to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a few hours.
Music or other events of some kind often take place in many parks.
various
activities
Amusement parks
There are a number of amusement, theme and water parks in the outskirts and in the vicinity of the city, which offer a welcome change, especially for families with children.
- 1 Dam Sen Cultural Park, 03 Hoa Binh St., Dist. 11.Modern amusement park with monorail, associated sports center and water park.
- 6 Binh Quoi Village 1, 1147 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh St., Ward 28, Binh Thanh Dist.Tourist village in a park not too far from Saigon Waterpark. The main attraction is an all-you-can-eat buffet with traditional South Vietnamese dishes. The buffet is available every Saturday and Sunday from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.Price: VND 75,000 (adults) / VND 45,000 (children).
shop
- At the 7 Dong Khoi There are many boutiques and shops with souvenirs, mostly from the upper price range.
- in the Saigon Square At Hai Ba Trung, directly behind the main post office, you can find cheap branded clothing. Among other things, down jackets, Goretex jackets with fiber fur and other winter clothes are also available at unbeatable prices.
- The Benh Thanh Market is a typical Vietnamese market, which is, however, a bit heavily oriented towards tourists. The shop assistants are often a bit too pushy.
- The Zen Plaza (Duong Ton That Tung) is a western style department store. There is a restaurant on one of the upper floors with a view of the city.
- In the vicinity of the Huynh Thuc Khang there is a street market.
kitchen
Cheap
In food stalls on the sidewalks and in small restaurants frequented by locals with the charm of an indoor pool, you can often eat very well for very little money. If a restaurant has a large number of customers (recognizable by the floor littered with bones, herringbones and napkins), this can be an additional indicator of good food.
Many of these restaurants specialize in a certain type of dish and are easy to identify from the advertising sign. Phở is the typical Vietnamese noodle soup and is often eaten by the locals for breakfast. Phở bò is the variant with beef. Cơm stands for rice, in these restaurants there are rice dishes. The rice is usually eaten with a meat or fish dish. Hủ tiếu nam vang is another very nutritious soup made with pasta, vegetables and meat or prawns.
- Tiệm Cơm Minh Đức, 100 Ton That Tung, Dist. 1. The shop is so popular that the owner has already rented two more bars on the same street.
- Pho nho, 170 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, P6, Q3. Simple noodle bar with tasty soups. A soup costs 30,000 dong.
medium
There are also countless restaurants in the middle price segment. Most of them do not have their own name, but are referred to by the house number. Since this logically leads to overlaps, you should also remember the street to the number.
For three to four people or more, it is worth ordering a few dishes across the menu and eating them together. Apart from the fact that the food is so naturally varied, the fact is that hardly all dishes are ever served at the same time, but often at intervals of 10 minutes or more.
Also in the middle segment you will find some good restaurants with western cuisine.
- Bo Tung Xeo Restaurant, 31 Ly Tu Trong, Dist. 1. The house specialty is a kind of table grill, on which you can roast small pieces of marinated beef yourself. Very good fish dishes are also available here.
- Garden city, 34 Duong Dong Khoi, Dist. 1. The oldest German restaurant in town. Wheat beer and sausages in a cozy environment.
- Bavaria, 4B Duong Ngo Van Nam, Dist. 1. Also a real German restaurant.
- Pomodoro, 79 Hai Ba Trung, Dist. 1. Original Italian pizza and pasta. Friendly and cozy.
- close hang ngon, 160 Pasteur, P. Ben Nghe, Quan 1. E-mail: [email protected]. Housed in an old French villa, you will find selected Vietnamese dishes between 30,000 and 90,000 dong. You should reserve a table here in advance, as it can get crowded in the evening.
Upscale
Probably you can hardly find anywhere in the world such cheap and good first-class restaurants as in Saigon. In addition to the Vietnamese, there are also Japanese, French, Italian, Chinese, Indian and many other cuisines to choose from.
- La Camargue, 16 Cao Ba Quat, Dist. 1. Restaurant located in an old colonial villa with French cuisine and a first-class wine list. Not primarily with the food, but with the unique atmosphere.
nightlife
The bar in Rex Hotel is probably the hottest bar for tourists. The bar is located on the 5th floor of the hotel. From there you have a nice overview of the city. A cocktail costs 140,000 dong.
The hippest disco, especially for foreigners, is the Apocalypse Bar in District 1.
accommodation
Cheap
- MY Art House, 219/8 Pham Ngu Lao, Dist. 1. Tel.: 84 (8)8367937, Mobile: 84 958602638. New hotel with friendly service, roof terrace and quiet location.Price: room with AC $ 10.
medium
- Southern Hotel, 216 De Tham, Dist. 1. Right in the heart of the backpacker area. Clean rooms, breakfast restaurant on the 10th floor with a great view of the city.Price: Double room around $ 20.
Upscale
- Legend Hotel, 2A-4A Ton Duc Thang, Dist. 1: This 5 star hotel is one of the best hotels in Ho Chi Minh City! The service is excellent, the rooms are clean and of course with AC, hair dryer, TV. The restaurant located in the hotel can only be recommended, especially recommended Dim Sum.
There are now several 5-star hotels in the city. Including offshoots of well-known western chains such as:
security
Violent crime against foreigners is low in Ho Chi Minh City. If you use common sense, you will hardly have any problems. The biggest problem are pickpockets who go about their "business", especially in the tourist areas. It can happen that you are distracted by a crowd of begging children, while a small hand from behind picks up your trouser pockets.
Snatch thefts are also relatively common. Especially when crossing the street, you should hold your camera and backpack securely, because the perpetrators often rush up on the motorcycle and grab loosely dangling things as they drive past. Valuable things should therefore not be carried around in a shoulder bag or backpack.
After withdrawing / exchanging money, it is better to store your money in a safe place before leaving the bank, as thieves sometimes lurk in front of the bank.
If you are traveling alone at night, you should prefer a taxi to a motorcycle or even a cyclo. A night walk is also no problem for two or three people.
health
- FV French Vietnamese Hospital, 6 Nguyễn Lương Bằng, Tân Phu, Quận 7, Hồ Chí Minh. Tel.: 84 28 5411 3333. Accredited international hospital with professional handling according to western standards. In addition to Vietnamese, the staff speaks English and / or French. After treatment, you will receive a report that can easily be submitted to the international health insurance company. 24/7 emergency room (on the back of the building, follow "Emergency 24/24". You do not have to leave a deposit. Payment by credit card takes place after treatment and consultation. Medicines are available in the in-house pharmacy.
Practical advice
post
- The Main post is at the end of Dong Khoi, across from Notre Dame. A postcard to Germany costs 10,500 VND.
Consulates
Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ho Chi Minh City, German House Ho Chi Minh City, 33 Le Duan, Ben Nghe, District 1. Tel.: 84-(0)28-38 288 100, Fax: 84-(0)28-38 288 101.
Consulate General of Switzerland in Ho Chi Minh City, Bitexco Financial Tower, 37th Floor, 2 Hai Trieu Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel.: 84 28 6299 1200, Fax: 84 28 6299 1222, Email: [email protected]. (Consulate General of Switzerland).
Cell phone / internet
- It is highly recommended to buy a pure data SIM card, which can still be purchased at the airport and which is activated immediately by the seller. With the largest provider in Vietnam (Viettel) you can get unlimited data volume for 30 days for approx. US $ 12 and even a Vietnamese phone number that you can use to call. In the larger cities you have 4G throughout. In addition to booking hotels and transportation, this is particularly useful for locating and showing addresses on a map.
- Almost every hotel and restaurant offers WLAN, the password is either written directly on the tables, on the wall or is given out on request (even if you are not a guest!). There are also always open networks.
trips
Organized tours
- Mekong Delta. One to five-day tours into the Mekong Delta are offered in the Traveler Cafés in the De Tham offered, sometimes with overnight stays with local families.Price: Day tours from around US $ 7.
- Cu Chi tunnels. There is a half-day and a day tour to the legendary Viet Cong tunnel system at Cu Chi. The day tour usually includes a detour to the Cao Dai Temple made in Tai Ninh. If you don't care about theatrical folklore, you can do without this part.Price: 4-5 US $ plus entrance fee Cu Chi 65,000 VND. Hotels offer the tour for US $ 17.
Web links
- http://www.hochiminhcity.gov.vn/ (vi) - Official website of Ho Chi Minh City
