Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

For many, it will probably always be Saigon, the former capital of South Vietnam before the north and south were reunited in the dramatic events which ended America's military involvement in Southeast Asia.

Saigon was not a very significant city until it was captured by the French in 1859. The French made Saigon the capital of their colony of Cochinchina, and later, all of Indochina. Much of what there is to see in Ho Chi Minh City today dates from the French administration.

Naturally, many of the city's sights are also about the "American war" as it is generally referred to by the Vietnamese. There are no less than five museums dedicated to the struggle for a unified Vietnam.
 

Ho Chi Minh City Map Click on any sight to see more information.

Ho Chi Minh City Sights

Unless you're a war buff there aren't really any "must see" sights in Ho Chi Minh City. That said, the city as a whole is a very interesting place and well worth a few days exploration. Perhaps more so than any other city in Asia, with its wide boulevards joined my traffic circles, Ho Chi Minh has the look of a European city but feels very Asian.

Perhaps the best way to see the city is on foot. You might start at the Museum of Vietnamese History, then walk down Le Duan Street to the Notre Dame Cathedral, then on to the Reunification Palace. The Ho Chi Minh City Museum is just down Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street from the Palace. Continue down Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street to Le Loi Boulevard and then turn left to get to Ben Thanh Market. If you haven't had enough of museums yet, you can navigate your way across the traffic circle in front of the market and head down Duc Chinh Street to the Art Museum. End your trip by heading back up Le Loi Boulevard to the Opera House. By now, you should have quite an appetite, so feel free to try any of the excellent cafes along Dong Khoi Street.

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