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Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh) is the largest city in Vietnam and is located near the Mekong Delta. It was the main port of Cambodia before being annexed by the Vietnamese in the 17th century. Under the name Saigon it was the capital of the French colony of Cochinchina, and later of the independent state of South Vietnam from 1954 to 1975. In 1975, Saigon was merged with the surrounding province of Gia Định and renamed Hồ Chí Minh City (although the name Saigon is still frequently used, particularly by its citizens.)
The city center is situated on the banks of the Saigon River, 37 mi from the South China Sea and 1,094 mi south of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.
The metropolitan area, which consists of Hồ Chí Minh City metro area, Thủ Dầu Một, Di An, Bien Hoa and surrounding towns, has more than 9 million people, making it the largest metropolitan area in Vietnam and Indochina.
Today, the city's core is still adorned with wide elegant boulevards and historic French colonial buildings. The most prominent structures in the city center are Reunification Hall (Dinh Thống Nhất), City Hall (Uy ban Nhan dan Thanh pho), City Theater (Nha hat Thanh pho), City Post Office (Buu dien Thanh pho), State Bank Office (Ngan hang Nha nuoc), City People's Court (Toa an Nhan dan Thanh pho) and Notre-Dame Cathedral (Nhà thờ Đức Bà). One of the oldest hotels dating from the French colonial era is the Hotel Majestic.
The city has a tropical climate, with an average humidity of 75%. A year is divided into two distinct seasons. The rainy season usually begins in May and ends in late November. The average temperature is 82° F, the highest temperature sometimes reaches 102° F) around noon in late April, while the lowest may fall below 61° F in the early mornings of late December.
Things to See
* Reunification Palace, Enter at 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street. Open daily 7:30-11:00am, 1:00-4:00pm. Also known as Independence Palace (this is the old name). This is a restored five-floor time warp to the Sixties left largely untouched from the day before Saigon fell to the North (construction started in 1962 and finished in 1966). Formerly South Vietnam's Presidential Palace, the war ended on April 30, 1975 when tank #843 — a replica of which is now parked on the lawn outside — crashed through the gate. Be sure to check out the impressively kitschy recreation room, featuring a circular sofa, and the eerie basement, full of vintage 1960s phones, radios, and office equipment, supposedly left exactly as it was found when the North took over. There is also a photo gallery and a propaganda film recounting how the South Vietnamese supporters and American "imperialists" succumbed to Ho Chi Minh's indomitable revolutionary forces, upon which point the South Vietnamese supporters were forgiven and everyone lived happily ever after. Tours are available and are free, but not necessary. There is a nice outdoor café on the grounds outside the palace. Entry 15,000 dong.
* War Remnants Museum, 28 Vo Van Tan Street. Open daily 7:30am-12:00pm, 1:30-5:00pm, last admission 4:30pm. Formerly known as the of Exhibition House of American War Crimes, the museum was opened in a hurry, less than five months after the fall of the South. It's currently housed in a rather confused assemblage of seven warehouses, with new purpose-built premises partially open for temporary and permanent exhibits. This disturbing display of man's cruelty during the Vietnam (American) War includes halls full of gruesome photographs, a simulated "tiger cage" prison and jars of deformed fetuses blamed on Agent Orange. There is bias as surprise, surprise there are no records of any unpleasant deeds having been committed by the North Vietnamese Army. Outside, there are helicopters, jets, tanks, and other bits of armament. However watch out for the amputees who will try and sell you their wares. It's only a block from the Reunification Palace — see the museum pamphlet for a map. Entry 15,000 dong.
* City Hall, end of Nguyen Hue Street. Originally called the Hôtel de Ville and now formally re-branded the People's Committee Hall, it's a striking cream and yellow French colonial building beautifully floodlit at night. No entry, but the statue of Uncle Ho in front is a very popular place for photos.
* Museum of Vietnamese History, at the intersection of Le Duan Street and Nguyen Binh Khiem (just inside the zoo gates). The museum has a fine collection of Vietnamese antiquities, but unfortunately they are accompanied by signage which is both in poor English and full of risible Marxist distortions. Read up on Vietnamese history first or you'll have no idea what you're looking at. Outside, the Botanical Gardens are very nice and a good place for a cheap lunch away from the crowds. If you care about animal welfare, avoid the zoo.
* Ho-Chi-Minh Museum, Duong Nguyen Tat Thanh, Dist. 4. Open daily 7:30am-12:00pm, 1:30-5:00pm, last admission 4:30pm, 10,000 dong entry. The museum (in a French colonial era building) near the dock of Saigon shows the life story of the modern day father of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh (the guy on the money). There's also a Ho Chi Minh book shop as well.
Things to Do
If the heat starts to get you down, there are several water parks where you can splash around to cool off.
* Dam Sen Water Park, 03 Hoa Binh, Ward 3, District 11. Mon-Sat 8:30am-6:00pm, Sundays and Holidays 8:00am-7:00pm. Close to the city center. Opened in 1999, with new water slides added each year — this water park offers some truely unique water slide experiences (including the amazing "Space Bowl")! You'd be a fool to resist. Restaurant, health services, and animatronic dinosaurs are on the premises. Do be careful though as the slides here tend to be much faster than many others - basically follow the signs on the slides. Admission is height-based; under 0.8m free, others 35-70,000 dong.
* Saigon Water Park, just north of the city in the Thu Duc District, has been demolished to make place for urban development, but there's also Water World in District 9, Ocean Water Park in District 7, and Dai The Gioi Water Park in District 5.
Visiting hair salons is also a must do for tourists, as Vietnamese are famous for it. Hair wash, manicure and pedicure cost no more than US$10.
If you're in Saigon on a Sunday night, then beg, borrow, or rent a two-wheeled vehicle and join the throngs for di choi. It's basically a party on wheels, where everyone just rides through the downtown streets until the wee hours.
