Ho Chi Minh City

Introduction

Red market

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The wide avenues, a smattering of decaying French influenced architecture, sidewalk cafes and baguettes, seems to be the only evidence left that the place was occupied by the French. But it's enough to give it a very different feel from any other Asian City.

Ho Chi Minh is still the economic heart of Vietnam and the streets bustle with activity, not to mention what seems like an endless stream of motorbikes. Vendors, markets, shops, stands and cafés crowd the busy streets and sidewalks adding to the vibe. Booming economically, chic bars and clubs have popped up around the city to be crowded by affluent Vietnamese and expatriates.

Districts

The main district that tourists visit in Ho Chi Minh is district one. This is the old town that the French have build and has most of the sights and older buildings. Pham Ngu Lao and the parallel street of Bui Vien in district one are where all the backpacker action is.

Sights and Activities

Ho Chi Minh City Royal Palace

© All Rights Reserved Grant-Alan

Visit the Tourist Information Centre (4G 4H Le Loi St, District 1. Tel (84-8) 822 6033) in the city centre to get ideas of what to see and do and to pick up a free map.

• Independence (Royal) Palace - Distinctly 1970s architecture and fine grounds make this at least worth a walk by. The iconic Vietnam war picture of a tank crushing its way through the iron gates of the palace on liberation day was taken here. Across from the entrance to the palace on Huyen Tran Cong chua is a local swimming pool. For a dollar go take a dip.
• Museum of History houses, amongst others, the mummy of Ms Tran Thi Hieu, who died in 1869. Admission is under one dollar.
• War Remnants Museum - This moving if one sided view of the "American war" is well worth visiting.
• Daytrip to Cu Chi Tunnels - These amazing tunnels cover an area of 150 square kilometres. They were a major thorn in the side of the US during the war, considering they were so close to Saigon. Even with heavy B52 bombing the tunnels remained a major Viet Cong defensive system. All travel agents can sell you a half day trip for $5, entrance not included which is 75,000 Dong. But a far better trip can be had by taking the local bus #13 from Ben Thanh market station, which costs 5,000 dong. The bus takes you to Cu Chi town bus station in about 1.30 hours. Change to bus #79 (5,000 Dong) which takes you right to the tunnels (13 kilometres). You are not allowed to enter the tunnels unaccompanied. Guides included in your entrance fee will show you around the park.
• Daytrip to Tay Ninh
• Pho Binh cafe - 7 Lo Ching Thang, at the intersection of Hai Ba trung. It's not really a cafe. It's a Pho (noodle) shop. Seems like this place is a bit of an unofficial tourist place now. The owner will take you up to 3rd floor to show you relics and pictures from Viet Cong meeting place. An interesting bit of trivia is that this was a major meeting place for Viet Cong officials, but at ground level oblivious American GIs were enjoying the noodles. Slip your man 10,000 dong and he is happy.
• Chinatown.

Shopping

• Ben Thanh Market (Le Lai Street), one of the city's most famous landmarks. Bustling with activity at night with vendors selling everything from snacks to souvenirs and cheap clothing.
• Saigon Trade Tax Centre (39 Le Loi), the ideal place to find gold jewelry and gems.
• T&T Tailor (112 Bui Vien, Tel +84 8 836 7108), let Mr Thinh sew clothes to your specifications without breaking the bank.
• There is a little tailor's shop on the cross-section of streets where the Go Go bar is on Bui Vien Street. The tailor's shop is located right next to a little italian cafe. The shop makes custom-specific ao dai and silk trousers overnight. Very cheap at USD 30 per ao dai set and good as a souvenir. The quality of silk though is not as good as the silk available at the tailor shops on Dong Khoi street.
• Also on Bui Vien street and next to the Beautiful Saigon hotel (62, Bui Vien street) is a small backacker shop selling backpacks and little souvenirs as well as books (great for travel reading) around 50,000 dong, CDs, DVDs at very cheap prices. A DVD collection of 21 Bernardo Bertolucci movies costs about USD 11.
• Khai Silk (Dong Khoi street) is a lovely shop for purchasing good quality silk shawls - both the Kashmiri pashmina shawls as well as the Vietnamese raw silk (Anh silk) shawls. There is a tailor's shop close by Khai silk shop that makes custom-specific ao dai as well as lovely evening wear. The Dong Khoi street shops are a tad expensive than shops elsewhere in Ho Chi Minh city but the quality is much better.

Events and Festivals

• Tet Festival (late January/early February) is Vietnamese New Year, which is the same time as Chinese New Year. It is also known for its famous offensive during the Vietnam War, when the North Vietnam army actually got into Ho Chi Minh City.
• Independence Day. September 2nd is Independence Day, which is a national holiday but most tourist things are still open.
• Reunification Day is on April 30th and May 1st. It's a national holiday, but most tourist things are still open.

Weather

Weatherwise, the best time to visit Ho Chi Minh is in the dry season which runs from December to April. In the dry season the humidity is at a level which is easier to handle. As this is common knowledge it also means the crowds are bigger this time of year, so to avoid the crowds you'll need to tolerate the extra humidity. Temperatures average 31 °C during the day year round, and drops to just a little below 25 °C at night. Most of the rain falls from June to September.

Getting There

By Plane

Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) serves Ho Chi Minh City and is Vietnam's biggest airport. It has numerous flights both domestically, including flights to Hanoi, as well as many airlines serving the city from neighbouring countries and further beyond. Main destinations include Moscow, Paris, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Taipei, Beijing, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Tokyo, Singapore, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Frankfurt, Melbourne, Siem Reap, Manila, Jakarta and Sydney.
A taxi from the airport to district one is about 120,000-150,000 Dong.

By Train

Trains connect Ho Chi Minh City to cities north in Vietnam, including Hanoi.

By Car

It is best to rent a car with driver, for example with Budget.

By Bus

Open Bus Ticket:
Many different open bus ticket vendors start and end their operations in Ho Chi Minh City. Almost all the travel agencies will sell open bus tickets. Remember to shop around and ask other travellers about the quality of the different ticket vendors. It is best to find people that are heading out of the country in order to hear a review of their entire trip across the country with a certain open bus ticket company. Most of the open-tour companies sell tickets to Mui Ne, Nha Trang and Dalat, and there are night buses to Nha Trang.

By Boat

Getting Around

By Car

Taxis are the easiest way to travel around Ho Chi Minh city. However, one needs to be aware of the better known taxis such as Vinasun and MaiLinh.

By Public Transport

SaigonBus (No. 152) is the cheapest way to get to/from Tan Son Nhat Airport from/to the bus station opposite Ben Thanh Market. The fare is only 3,000 dongs per person (sometimes, the bus driver may request an additional 3,000 dongs for big luggage). It is also possible to take this bus to the city centre (near Notre Dame Cathedral). The last bus departs from both the airport or bus station at 6pm. Note: The bus to the airport may drop its passenger at either the domestic or international airport. Whichever way, the two airports is only about 100 metres apart.

SaigonBus (No. 1) goes to/from Cholon Bus Station. Binh Tay Market is very close to Cholon Bus Station. The fare is only 3,000 dongs.

By Foot

It is very easy to get to places in Ho Chi Minh City on foot. With just a couple of hours, one can walk leisurely from Pham Ngu Lao to Ben Thanh Market, Reunification Palace, War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, City Hall and Dong Khoi Area.

By Bike

Motorcycle rental is very easily arranged, especially in the Pham Ngu Lao area. It will cost 80,000-100,000VND per day and includes up to two helmets. Wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle is required by law for both drivers and passengers (and is generally a good idea anyway). You wil be required to leave your passport with the rental agency.

Eat

• Quan An Ngon, 138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, is a great dining place for Vietnamese cuisine
• Black Cat is a good place for lunch; whether a Black Cat Burger or a Vietnamese banh mi sandwich. 13 Phan Van Dat Q1 ~ Telephone +84 8 829 2055.
• Hoang Yen is known for its caramelized fish in a clay pot and pork stewed in coconut milk served with steamed rice. 7-9 Ngo Duc Ke ~ Telephone +84 8 823 1101.
• 3T Rooftop BBQ lets you choose your own marinated meats, seafood and vegetables to cook on your own tabletop grill. 29-31 Ton That Thiep ~ Telephone +84 8 821 1633.

Drink

• Cepage offers more wine by the glass than anywhere else in Ho Chi Minh City. 22 Le Thanh Ton ~ Telephone +84 8 823 8321.
• Le Pub is a great place for a cocktail or a local or imported beer. It's associated with KOTO hospitality school which helps street kids by training them in guest services. 175/22 Pham Ngu Lao ~ Telephone +84 8 837 7679.
• Velvet Lounge is a popular late night hangout with well-dressed locals enjoying the Hot Kiss, a drink made with tabasco and tequilla. 26 Ho Huan Nghiep ~ Telephone + 84 90 301 2158.

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

• The Palace Hotel is centrally located in the middle of midtown and offers reasonably priced rooms. Art Deco original with a mid-century modern vibe after a recent remodel. 55-56 Nguyen Hue, Telephone: +84 8 829 2860.

Upscale

• The Continental is the grande dame of the city's hotels. 132-134 Dong Khoi, Telephone: +84 8 829 9201.
• The Park Hyatt offers the most expensive and expansive rooms of Ho Chi Minh. It also has two excellent restaurants. 2 Lam Son Square, Telephone: +84 8 824 1234.

Work

Learn

• Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City.

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Vietnam's international dialing code is +84. To call to other countries from Vietnam, start with 00, followed by the international number, usually without the first 0. International and domestic phone calls are available in almost every hotel or internet café. International phone charges are high in Vietnam and hotels often add a mark up fee so it is smart to always check the rates before dialling. Public phones require phone cards, which are available at post offices.

Some common and useful phone codes are:

• 00 - International call prefix
• 110 - Operator
• 113 - Police
• 114 - Fire Department
• 115 - Medical Aid/Ambulance
• 116 - Directory Assistance
• 1080 - Information

Post

Vietnam Post is the government owned national postal service of Vietnam. Services are generally fairly reliable, cheap but not overly fast, except express services. Express Mail Service (EMS) ensures that letters and small parcels are delivered within 24-48 hours domestically. International EMS is associated with over 50 countries worldwide, with a delivery time ranging from 2 to 10 days. Regular services are cheaper but much slower. Most post offices keep much longer hours than most other official businesses, usually starting from 6:30am until 9:30pm and also open on Saturday and even Sunday. You can buy stamps here and they also offer other services like money transfers. You can also try other companies to send parcels, for example with DHL, TNT and UPS.
The Ho Chi Minh General Post Office can be found at 2 Cong Xa Paris Square. It's an impressive building, designed by Gustave Eiffel and sets the standard for the city's colonial architecture.