Ho Chi Minh (city) - Ho Chi Minh (città)

Ho Chi Minh City is the largest urban center of Southern Vietnam.

To know

Of the 4.3 million tourists who went to Vietnam in 2007, 70% (about 3 million) visited Ho Chi Minh. According to more recent statistics, Ho Chi Minh welcomed 6 million tourists in 2017.

Geographical notes

Ho Chi Minh is located in the southeastern region of Vietnam, 1,760 km south of Hanoi. The average altitude is 19 m above sea level. The city covers an area of ​​2,095 km² (0.63% of the surface of the Vietnam) and extends from a distance of 19 km from the border with the Cambodia until it reaches the coast of the Eastern Sea in the locality of Cần Giờ.

The distance from the northernmost point (Phú Mỹ Hưng Municipality, Củ Chi District) to the southernmost point (Long Hòa Municipality, Cần Giờ District) is 102 km and from the easternmost point (Long Bình Ward, Nine District) ) to the westernmost one (Municipality of Bình Chánh) is 47 km.

The city is washed by the Saigon River which originates in the south-east of Cambodia.

When to go

Ho Chi Minh has a tropical climate characterized by the alternation of two seasons, one wet and another dry.

The dry season runs from December to May and coincides with the best time for a visit. In particular, the months of December, January and February have lower temperatures and humidity levels than the rest of the year.

March and April are already hot months, with temperatures that can reach 40 ° C. and less suitable for a visit.

The rainy season is long, usually starting in May and ending in October.

During the wet season, a combination of high tide, heavy rain, high volume of the Saigon and Dong Nai rivers results in regular flooding and land subsidence in different parts of the city.

Background

On the site of today's Ho Chi Minh there was a village called Baigaur in the 11th century AD. When the Cham empire was invaded by the Khmer people, Baigaur was renamed Prey Nokor, which means "City of the forest". An alternative name was Preah Reach Nokor which, according to a Khmer chronicle, means "Royal City".

Starting in the early 17th century, the progressive colonization of the area by Vietnamese settlers isolated the Khmer of the Mekong delta from their relatives who lived in the territories of modern Cambodia. Under the Vietnamese Prey Nokor became known as Saigon. In 1698, Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh, a Vietnamese noble, was sent by sea by the Nguyễn rulers of Huế to establish Vietnamese administrative structures in the area. The Gia Định fortress was built by Victor Olivier de Puymanel, one of Nguyễn Ánh's French mercenaries. The citadel was later destroyed by the French following the battle of Kỳ Hòa.

Colonized by the French in 1859, the city was ceded to France by the Treaty of Saigon of 1862. In the following years Saigon covered a large number of palaces and villas in the eclectic style prevailing in Europe in the second half of the 19th century. By 1929 Saigon had reached 123,890 inhabitants. Of these 12,100 were French.

In 1931 the new conurbation of Saïgon-Cholon was formed but the two centers continued to have separate administrations, each with its own mayor and municipal councilors. Only after the proclamation of the independence of South Vietnam in 1955, the two centers merged into a single city.

In 1949, Emperor Bo Đại made Saigon the capital of the state of Vietnam and proclaimed himself head of state. The Geneva Agreement of 1954 divided Vietnam in half and the border between the two states ran along the 17th parallel (Bến Hải River).

South Vietnam was a capitalist state that fought with the assistance of the United States and other countries against the Communist government of the North. Nonetheless, on April 30, 1975, Saigon fell into the hands of the Communists.

This event is commonly referred to as the "Fall of Saigon", while the Socialist Republic of Vietnam calls it the "Liberation of Saigon". The following year, the Unified Communist Socialist Republic of Vietnam was proclaimed and Saigon (including Cholon), was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in honor of the late Communist leader. However, the former name Saigon is still widely used by the Vietnamese in informal contexts.

How to orient yourself

One of the main streets in the center is Đồng Khởi, just under 1 km long. The street starts from Place de la Commune-de-Paris in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral, crosses Lam Son Square, Chi Lang Park and ends at the intersection with Ton Duc Thang Street, on the bank of the Saigon River.

It was originally called Rue Catinat, from the name of a warship that in the nineteenth century took part in the war operations that guaranteed France the new colony of Indochina.

Đồng Khởi is surrounded by notable colonial-era buildings, now used as luxury hotels (Continental, Majestic, Grand Hotel and Caravelle). The Teatro dell'Opera Lirica also overlooks the street.

Districts

The city is divided into 22 districts ("Quận") but five of these, located on the far outskirts, are only rural areas. The remaining 17 are indicated with numbers, except for five of them which bear the names of Tan Binh, Binh Thanh, Phu Nhuan, Thu Duc and Go Vap. The districts of major tourist interest are:

District No. 1 - Corresponds to the center of Ho Chi Minh City, bounded to the east by the Saigon River and to the south by the Ben Nghe canal. 'further east, where the building of the People's Committee stands (city ​​Hall) with the Ho Chi Minh monument in front.

District 5 - This district corresponds to the old Chinese quarter known as Cholon whose name means Great Market. The Chinese settled there towards the end of the 18th century but many of them were forced to abandon it following the government campaign launched against this minority around 1979, the year of the Sino-Vietnamese conflict, a skirmish that lasted only 17 days. At the time of the Vietnam War that ended 5 years earlier, American soldiers and deserters were maintaining a thriving black market where the object of negotiations was mainly made up of weapons. Today the district attracts many tourists due to its numerous pagodas and several Chinese looking for business have settled there again after the relaxation of relations between Vietnam and China.

How to get

By plane

• 10.818889106.6519441 Tan Son Nhat International Airport. A second brand new terminal for international flights was recently completed while the existing one is now reserved for domestic flights only. Customs checks are strict and meticulous especially with regard to travel documents so queues are the norm.

The transfer from / to the airport takes place by bus nº 152 which ends in the Pham Ngu Lao area, stops in Duong le lai, Ben Thanh market, and in DE Tham, it takes 45 minutes (Duog le Lai, and DE Tham in district 1, are the areas where there are many hotels). Although the price of the ticket has been raised to 5,000 dong, we Westerners also ask 5,000 dong for the suitcase, the bus is still the cheapest solution for transfers to / from the airport.

A taxi takes about half an hour to reach the center and the cost of the ride should be around US $ 10-12. but care must be taken that the taximeter has been put into operation. Otherwise, for 10-12 US $ corresponding to 200,000-240,000 dong, you can buy a coupon at the counter near the exit of the terminal, thus protecting yourself from misunderstandings and discussions.

At the airport there is the possibility to change into local currency but the commissions are high, amounting to a good 3% so those who want to save would do well to change once in the center.

Here, as in Hanoi, the taxi driver will insist on taking you to a hotel he knows and you will have to be firm in refusing. It must also be said that when you leave the driver will most likely try to extort a few dollars more from you by invoking a fee for access to the airport area that is not your responsibility.

You must be very careful to check that the boarding / disembarkation fee is included in the ticket price otherwise you will have a nasty surprise at the checkout counter where you will be peremptorily asked to drop another 240,000 dong.  

On boat

Ho Chi Minh is a bustling river port, including passengers; in addition to accommodating a steady flow of merchant ships, passenger ships regularly operate on routes to various destinations in the Southern Vietnam and in Cambodia; among these Vũng Tàu, Cần Thơ, the Mekong delta and Phnom Penh. HCMC Ferrybus is the company used for public river transport.

On the train

• 10.782503106.6773062 Railway station (Ga Sài Gòn). The main train station is located in the Cach Mang Thang Tam area northwest of the center.

The Reunification Express (tàu Thống Nhất) from Hanoi. Railways absorb only 0.6% of passenger traffic.  

How to get around

Streets and sidewalks are available to mopeds and not to pedestrians, although protests from those who walk are getting stronger and perhaps soon the authorities will take some restrictive measures. Traffic isn't as crazy as a Bangkok but it still remains disturbing for the average tourist. Running like crazy on the city streets are almost exclusively swarms of mopeds and often a whole family is seen aboard a motorcycle: mum, dad and two or three children in the middle. Whoever drives a moped is overbearing and doesn't give a damn about pedestrians and rare traffic lights. All this makes crossing the street problematic and the trick is to accompany yourself to the locals and never try your luck alone.

Even the traffic police officers do not care about the violations of the code and their task would seem limited to random checks with the intent of issuing fines and thus feeding the coffers of some administrative body. If you are then unfortunately involved in a car accident, you will be blamed simply because you are a foreigner.

By public transport

The public transport system has been significantly improved. Modern green buses have been put into circulation. Brochures with their routes are available at the state tourism offices. If you go to the bus site, you will find the stylized map of the routes, and also the map of the stops. Many buses pass from Ben Thanh station (market square), Nos. 1 to go to Cholon, Nos. 30,45 and 95 to go to the Jade Emperor Pagoda.

By taxi

Taxis are the most comfortable way to travel from one point of the city to another and can also be stopped on the street. Unfortunately, drivers are often dishonest and tinker with the meter to raise the fare: fares are around 12,000 dong for the first 2km, 17,000 for each additional kilometer. It is important to bring large change with you because the driver almost always claims that he has no change to give. Older taxis don't have air conditioning.

By moped

Motorcycles with a taxi function (xe ôm) are very popular but can sometimes be a dangerous choice. Of course it is necessary to agree on the price in advance and have it written on a piece of paper. The prices are absolutely ridiculous. A ride from one end of the center to the other should cost no more than 10,000 dong while a ride to the airport should cost around 30,000. If you have a stomach ache you should avoid the x and ôm because they run like lightning bolts.

You can also rent your own moped to move freely. The Pham Ngu Lao area, where most of the cheap hotels are located, is also teeming with renters. Prices vary from 3 to 7 US $ for 24 hours depending on the condition of the moped. With a little patience for US $ 4 you should find a 100-110cc moped in good condition. However this is a solution for those who already have some practice with local traffic. Scooter thieves abound like mosquitoes and leaving it unattended means never finding it again.

In cyclo

The characteristic cyclo, that is the old, dear motorized rickshaws, have almost disappeared from the city streets because the local administration judges them to be an obstacle to traffic. There are still some in the central market area. The price is around $ 2. However, agree on the price in advance and even in this case have it written on a piece of paper. As soon as you get on board, the driver will offer you a sightseeing tour of the city, you can bet on it.

What see

• 10.776514106.7010381 People's Committee Building. This colonial-era mansion is located in the exact center of Saigon. The expression Committee of the People indicates the body in charge of the city administration, or the town hall. The palace, with its richly decorated facade, was built by the French between 1900 and 1908. The interior cannot be visited.  

• 10.777672106.6954292 Reunification Palace (Dinh Thống Nhất), Entrance from via Nam Ky Khoi Nghia n ° 135, ☎ 84 8 9693272. Admission: 15,000 dong. Every day from 07:30 to 11:00 and in the afternoons from 01:00 to 16:00. Also known as the Independence Palace, it is the building where the historic reunification between South and North Vietnam took place. In fact, at 10:45 am on April 30, 1975, the Vietcong tank No. 843 entered it. The soldiers then occupied the building that had been the seat of Nguyen Van Thieu, president of South Vietnam and who had fled hastily abroad. days before. Waiting for the military was his second successor, General Duong Van Minh who could not help but surrender. It had been in charge for only 48 hours. Tank n ° 843 is now parked in the courtyard of the building. The first stone for the construction of the building was laid in 1868 by Lagrandière, the then French governor of Cochinchina to replace a modest wooden building. The design of the building was entrusted to Hermite, an architect who had built the headquarters of the Hong Kong City Hall. The building was completed in 1873 and took the name of "Norodom" in honor of the then king of Cambodia. Until 1954 it was the seat of the governor of French Indochina except for the brief interlude of the Japanese occupation during World War II. After the French defeat in 1954 it became the seat of the president of South Vietnam and was renamed the Independence Palace. On February 27, 1962, it was destroyed following an attack by the air forces of North Vietnam. Its reconstruction was entrusted to Ngô Viết Thụ, a Vietnamese architect who had distinguished himself internationally by winning the Grand Prix de Rome in 1955. The new presidential palace was inaugurated on October 31, 1966 and the following year President Van took office there. Thieu who remained there until April 21, 1975, the day of his flight abroad. Time seems to have stopped inside the palace and everything has remained as Van Thieu left it.  
• 10.779719106.6991693 Notre Dame Cathedral (Nhà thờ Đức Bà), Han Thuyen Street, on the corner with Dong Khoi Street. It was built by the French towards the end of the 19th century in a neo-Romanesque style.  
• 10.7633106.68384 Thien Hau Pagoda, 710 Nguyen Trai Street.. Free admission. Dedicated to the divinity of the sea Thien Hau in whose honor a festival is held in March. Inside there are statues depicting the goddess.  
• Quan Ama Pagoda, Via Lao Tu n ° 12, Cholon. Free admission. Open from 08:00 to 16:30. The oldest of the Cholon pagodas. Richly decorated both inside and out. 
• 10.756593106.6447315 Phung Son Pagoda, Thang Avenue, Cholon. This small temple was built in the early 19th century and is dedicated to Ong Bon, guardian of Happiness and Virtue. Noteworthy is the entrance door decorated with figures of warriors.  
• 10.776001106.6996696 Ho Chi Minh City Museum, 65 Lý Tự Trọng, Bến Nghé, ☎ 84 28 3829 9741. Mon-Sun 08: 00-17: 00.  
• 10.78807106.7048147 Vietnam History Museum (Bảo tàng Lịch sử Việt Nam), 2 Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm, Bến Nghé, ☎ 84 28 3829 8146. Mon-Sun 08: 00-11: 30 and 13: 30-17: 00.  
• 10.789688106.7061818 Botanical and zoological gardens (Thảo Cầm Viên Sài Gòn), 2 Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm, Bến Nghé, ☎ 84 28 3829 1425. Mon-Sun 07: 00-17: 30.  

• 10.779597106.6921599 War relics museum (Bảo tàng chứng tích chiến tranh). The museum includes a series of themed rooms in different buildings and exhibits period military materials placed within a fenced courtyard. Military equipment includes a UH-1 "Huey" helicopter, an F-5A fighter, a BLU-82 "Daisy Cutter" bomb, an M48 Patton tank, an A-1 Skyraider attack bomber and a bomber. A-37 Dragonfly attack. A number of unexploded devices are stored in a corner of the courtyard, with their charges and / or fuses removed.

One building reproduces the "tiger cages" in which the South Vietnamese government held political prisoners. Other exhibits include photographs accompanied by captions in English, Vietnamese and Japanese, explaining the effects of Agent Orange and other chemical defoliator sprays, the use of napalm and phosphorus bombs, and war atrocities such as the My Lai massacre.

The photo exhibition includes the work of Vietnam War photojournalist Bunyo Ishikawa who donated to the museum in 1998. Curiosities include a guillotine used by the French and South Vietnamese to execute prisoners and three vases in which deformed human fetuses are kept. exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds, contained in the defoliating agent Orange.  

• 10.769799106.69924610 Fine Arts Museum, 97A Phó Đức Chính, Phường Nguyễn Thái Bình, ☎ 84 28 3829 4441. Mon-Sun 08: 00-17: 00.  
• 10.7896106.721911 Landmark 81.  
• 10.771667106.70444412 Bitexco Financial Tower.  

Events and parties

• Lunar new year (Tet Nguyen Dan). 1st full moon day of the first lunar month. Tet, short for Tet Nguyen Dan, is the most important festival in Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnam. It marks the arrival of spring, which falls in the months of January and February. Preparations begin two weeks earlier. The general atmosphere that precedes the Tet is discernible in the hustle and bustle of shopping. Parents buy new clothes for their children so that the children can wear them when Tet arrives.

The red color represents good luck and appears everywhere during the festival. The lanterns are invariably red, watermelon is the fruit that appears most frequently on the tables.

The festival involves a flower show in Tao Dan Park.  

What to do

If the heat gets unbearable then you should go to one of Saigon's aquatic centers. Several have sprung up in recent years.

• Dam Sen Water Park, 03 Hoa Binh, Ward 3, District 11 (The closest to the city center), ☎ 84 8 8588418, 84 8 8653453, fax: 84 8 8588419, @[email protected]. The price is fixed according to the height; under 80 cm it is free, for the others it varies from 35 to 70,000 dong. Mon-Sat 08: 30-18: 00. Sun and holidays 08: 00-19: 00. Opened in 1999, with slides that are replaced from year to year. - Inside there are restaurants and massage rooms. 
• Saigon Water Park (In the Thu Duc district). 
• Water World (In district 9). 
• Ocean Water Park (In the VII district). 
• From The Gioi Water Park (Nen V district). 

A curiosity: the hairdressers of Saigon seem to be famous for their skill and the prices, with manicure and pedicure treatment are absolutely ridiculous.

• Vu Salon, 210, Tran Quang Khai, District 1.

If you find yourself passing through Saigon on a Sunday and you like motorcycle rides, rent one and join the crowd for the of choi. It is a party that lasts until the small hours where everyone runs wildly through the streets of the center.

Shopping

• 10.772267106.6981991 Ben Thanh Market. Located at the end of the very central Le Loi street, it is the best known market in Saigon. There is everything from classic Ho Chi Minh portrait printed t-shirts to pickled plums and even live birds, especially geese (Beware of bird flu).  
• Market at night (opposite the Ben Thanh market). A grocery market that opens at 5pm, the time Ben Thanh closes. 
• 10.766809106.6985042 American market (Dân Sinh), 127 Ký Con. It is located in Cholon and is famous because there are old camouflage suits worn by the American military at the time of the Vietnam War but their authenticity is questionable. 
• 10.761598106.6950253 Russian Market, 328 Võ Văn Kiệt, Phường Cô Giang. Mon-Sun 19: 00-19: 00. The Russian market has moved there. Very popular with the very young. There are Chinese-made watches, DVDs, T-shirts, jeans, etc. 
• 10.77339106.700984 Saigon Center, 65 Đ. Lê Lợi, Bến Nghé. Mon-Sun 09: 30-21: 30. 

How to have fun

Shows

• 10.776747106.7033021 Municipal Theater.  

Night clubs

• 10.781286106.6897242 Acoustic Bar, 6E1 Hẻm 6 Ngô Thời Nhiệm, Phường 7 (At the bottom of a dead end in District 3), ☎ 84 816 777 773. Mon-Sun 19: 30-23: 00. Tiny but popular venue with live music. Affordable drink prices. 
• 10.768917106.697113 Air Saigon, 136 Lê Thị Hồng Gấm, Phường Nguyễn Thái Bình, Quận 1, ☎ 84 97 458 77 88. Mon-Sun 17: 00-01: 00. 
• 10.777121106.7060294 Apocalypse Now, 2B Thi Sách, Bến Nghé (District 1), ☎ 84 28 3825 6124. 19:00-04:00. 

• 10.782414106.70475 Carmen, 8 Lý Tự Trọng, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, ☎ 84 90 361 85 77. Mon-Sun 19: 00-01: 00. 

• 10.770145106.6937426 Chill Skybar, Tầng 26, 76A Lê Lai, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1 (AB Tower), ☎ 84 93 882 28 38. Mon-Sun 17: 30-02: 00. AB Tower terrace bar renowned for magnificent city views. It also has a reputation for being a very expensive venue. 

• 10.777012106.6979437 Skyloft by Glow, 93 Nguyễn Du, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, ☎ 84 93 887 45 69. Mon-Sun 18: 00-02: 00. 

• 10.767658106.6939158 Thi Bar Saigon, 224 Đề Thám, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, ☎ 84 28 2210 2929. Mon-Sun 17: 00-01: 30. Located on Saigon's Party Street, Thi Bar is a live music venue that claims to be LGBT friendly. 

Where to eat

Where stay

Moderate prices

Most of the low-priced hotels are located in the area of Pham Ngu Lao in district 1, 10-15 minutes walk from Ben Thanh market. In particular, the alleys and streets between Phạm Ngũ Lão and Bui Vien are full of hostels of just 5-10 rooms offered for the price of 6 US $. It is a noisy area and the hostels are always full but heading southwest near Ng Thai Hoc, you will find quieter streets and more friendly hosts.

• 10.769103106.6943691 Prague Hotel Vietnam, 175/10/12 Phạm Ngũ Lão. Prices range from a minimum of 12 US $ for a single without window to 30 US $ for a triple room this time with a window on the street. The rooms are clean and have air conditioning, satellite TV, a refrigerator. The staff is polite and there is also an elevator. 

• 10.767397106.6912392 Nguyen Khang Hotel, 283/25 Pham Ngu Lao, ☎ 84 28 3837 3566. in a small street between Pham Ngu Lao and Do Quang Dau. The price varies from 8 to 20 US $ depending on the room. Breakfast and internet access are included in the price. The rooms have air conditioning and a refrigerator, the atmosphere is nice and the staff is friendly. 

• Rainbow Hotel, 283/5 Pham Ngu Lao; tel: 8360039. Fairly spacious and bright rooms and those on the upper floors also have a nice view. However, they are a bit old. The price is around 10 dollars.

High prices

• 10.773926106.7057013 Grand Saigon hotels, 8 Đồng Khởi, Bến Nghé, m (District 1). 
• 10.774157106.7061554 Liberty Central Saigon Riverside Hotel, 17 Đ. Tôn Đức Thắng, Bến Nghé (District 1). 4 star hotel. 
• 10.772861106.7062945 Majestic Hotel, 1 Đồng Khởi, Bến Nghé. A period hotel, commissioned by the Chinese businessman Hui Bon Hoa and completed in 1925 in the style of the hotels on the Cote d'Azur. Since 1975 the hotel has changed its name several times in an attempt to erase the colonial memory.

After the fall of Saigon, the hotel was used by the state as a reception area for foreign dignitaries. It has recently been renamed again from its original name. The six-story building is now a 5-star hotel overlooking the Saigon River. It is state owned and operated by the Saigontourist company  

• 10.77556106.7011976 REX Hotel, 141 Nguyen Hue Blvd,.  

Safety

How to keep in touch

Around

North

• 11.142813106.4625381 Cu Chi tunnel (47km / 1h 10min by car via the QL22 State Road) -

• 11.303836106.1332332 Tay Ninh (90km in about 2h) - Located just north of the Cui Chi tunnel, Tay Ninh is famous for its religion sanctuary Cao Dai. Other tourist attractions include Núi Bà Đen ("Mountain of the Black Virgin") accessible by cable car and Dầu Tiếng Lake, one of the largest man-made lakes in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

In general, the agencies along the Pham Ngu Lao road that offer half-day excursions to the Cu Chi tunnels also combine the excursion to Tay Ninh with return to Saigon in the day.

East

• 10.374857107.1087963 Vung Tau (96km via the QL51 state road) - A center with many beaches in its surroundings about two hours by bus from Ho Chi Minh City, less if you take a boat that crosses the Saigon River.

• 10.934795108.2901794 Mui Ne (216 km / 4h approx) - A popular seaside resort 4-6 hours by bus from Saigon

South

• Mekong Delta - Saigon tourist agencies offer a huge variety of excursions to the Mekong Delta by both boat and bus. Trips can last a day or more and even end across the border, at capital of the Cambodia. In the latter case, the agency will also take care of the procedure necessary to obtain the visa which should cost 20 - 30 USD. Usually trips up to Phnom Penh include a stop in a very modest hotel in Chau Doc.

West

• 11.571024104.922845 Phnom Penh (230 km in about 5 hours by car via the QL22 state road) -

Itineraries

Ho Chi Minh-Bangkok - Itinerary of about 880 km which allows, among other things, a visit to the temples of Angkor, the most spectacular archaeological site in the Southeast Asia.

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Ho Chi Minh (city)
• Commons contains images or other files on Ho Chi Minh (city)

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