Ho Chi Minh City Museum

Ho Chi Minh City Museum is formerly known as the Revolutionary Museum, located right in the center of Ho Chi Minh City. This central building attracts more newlyweds posing for photos on the front steps than anything. Originally built in 1890 by the French as a commercial museum, the building then became the residence of Japanese Governor Minoda. It once was also the office of the Nam Bo Provisional Administrative Committee in 1945 and of the Republic of France High Commissioner. The building was later reconverted into the residence of the Governor of Nam Ky. And until August 1978, the building was finally turned into the Ho Chi Minh City Revolutionary Museum. 

The exhibits in this museum in Ho Chi Minh City cover a broad range, from archaeology to ethnic survey, early photos of the city, and documents from its founding in the 1600s. The second floor is a collection of items related to Vietnam's ongoing revolution, with displays of weaponry and memorabilia from the period of struggle against imperialism and many flags, placards, and dispatches from the rise of Communism, beginning with the August Revolution of 1945 all the way to the victory in Saigon, bringing the independence to the whole country. The bias is heavy, of course, and it is an important rendering of Vietnam's protracted struggle and ideologies. The grounds are very picturesque, and there is an interesting collection of captured U.S. fighter planes, tanks, and artillery in the main courtyard. Underneath the building is a series of tunnels leading to the Reunification Palace, once used by former President Ngo Dinh Diem as a hide-out before his execution in 1962. A worth visit in Ho Chi Minh City.

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War Remnants Museum in Saigon

The War Remnants Museum is one of the most impressive and popular monuments in Ho Chi Minh City (old Saigon). The museum is attractive not only for Vietnamese but also for foreigners. The War Remnants Museum posesses a comprehensive collection of the machinery, weapons, photos, and documentation of Vietnam's wars with the both the French and Americans. It was once called the War Crimes Museum, which should give you an idea of whose side of the story is being told here.

Short of being outright recrimination, this museum is a call for peace and a hope that history is not repeated. Visiting this museum in Ho Chi Minh City, visitors are even asked to sign a petition against the kind of aerial carpet-bombing that so devastated the people of  Vietnam. The exhibit begins to the right of the entrance with a room listing war facts such as troop numbers, bomb tonnage, statistics on international involvement in the conflict, and numbers of casualties on both sides. Next is a room dedicated to the journalists lost during the war. The exhibits are constantly evolving, and the museum is currently expanding and modernizing, improving its presentation and explanations throughout, enabling the visitors to understand more clearly about the wars in Vietnam.

One room is devoted to biological warfare, another to weaponry, and another to worldwide demonstrations for peace. The explanations, which include English translations, are very thorough. In the museum, there is also a large collection of bombs, planes, tanks, and war machinery in the main courtyard. Kids will surely love it, but you might want to think twice before taking them inside to see things like wall-size photos of the My Lai massacre and the bottled deformed fetus supposedly damaged by Agent Orange. You should think whether it is good for them or not when you take them to see by themselves these photos. There is also a model of the French colonial prisons, called the Tiger Cages, on the grounds.

It can be said that your Ho Chi Minh City tour cannot be perfect if you don’t spend little of your time visiting this War Remnants Museum.

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Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral

Considered the economic and cutural center of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City attracts a large number of visitors annually. Coming to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), the visitors not only have the chance to enjoy the active pace of life here, but also have the chance to explore the peaceful spaces in this city. Situated right in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral is one of the most famous landmarks as well as the core Cathedral of this bustling city. Notre-Dame Cathedral, or Notre-Dame Basilica to be exact, is a famous age-long cathedral in Southern of Vietnam. The cathedral is a magnificent building located right at the Paris Square in Ho Chi Minh City downtown, attracting not only Catholics but also most tourists for its neo-Romanesque style architecture and a sacred atmosphere.

Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral was constructed at the end of the 19th century by the French, reaching a height of up to 60 meters. Its design, apart from the intention to create a religious looking, aims at showing the influence of the French civilization and Christianity over Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). At the time the cathedral was built, the Notre-Dame was the most beautiful cathedral of this kind among all French colonies. All of the materials used in this building were imported from France. 

For example, the red bricks used to construct the outside walls are from Marseille. They still retain their bright and lively red color until today, making the cathedral one of the most attractive places in Ho Chi Minh City. Contrary to many people’s belief, the two bell towers that we see today have only been added in 1895. Each with the height of 60.5 meters and 6 bronze bells, the two towers remind us of the Notre-dame de Paris, the most well-known cathedral in the world. In front of the cathedral stands a Virgin Mary statue, which is said to have been shed tears in 2005, causing thousands of people to stop around the Basilica.

Notre Dame Cathedral today is not only a religious place but also ideal destination for local people and tourists alike to hang out. It also happens to be a wonderful background for Vietnamese movie stars, singers, models, and couples to take photographs or record movies. If you need to attend masses during your visit in Saigon, you can absolutely do so by visiting the basilica as no admission fee is required.

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Saigon Central Post Office

Next to Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral sits the Saigon Central Post Office. Like the cathedral, located right in the heart of the city, the Central Post Office has long become a prominent feature of the Ho Chi Minh City (old Saigon), always included in a city tour around Ho Chi Minh City. This grand old edifice was constructed between at the end of 19th century by the famous architect Gustave Eiffel in harmony with the surrounding area. Its architectural design represents the French colonial style.

It is no doubt the biggest post office in Vietnam and is an important commercial center of Ho Chi Minh City. Due to limited Internet access in business enterprises and hotels in Saigon, the Central Post Office also serves as a major communication center of the city where natives and tourists get in touch with the rest of the world.

Visiting the Post Office building, you will easily find that its architect is very the same as the European railway stations. The modern skylight of this grand old structure resembles the famous European buildings like Paris' Les Halles or Milan's Galleria of the late nineteenth century. The central pavilion, with a huge clock and symmetrical extensions on both sides, add to its beauty.

This fascinating building with alcoves and logical fenestration is an outstanding display of French design influenced by Renaissance architecture. The arched windows of the Saigon Central Post Office are adorned with decorative capstones. The fames of the windows are creatively designed with engaged piers, crowned with imaginative human-headed capitals. The green window shutters resemble any other French colonial architecture.  The main entrance of the Central Post Office is decorated with intricate ironwork, creating a strange architectural style drawing curiosity of visitors. Once you are in the Saigon Central Post Office, you cannot afford to miss the huge maps of Vietnam on both sides of the building’s main entrance. The elegant interior is considered to be the most interesting feature of the Central Post Office in Ho Chi Minh City. The vaulted and shining interior with its glass canopy, huge ceilings and a giant portrait of Ho Chi Minh, has enough to charm you.

This busiest post office of Vietnam not only providing the usual mail services but also offers phones and fax machines for public use. Within the post office, there are also the counters sell stamps and souvenirs. The specialty stamps counter of the General Post Office offers some interesting collector sets for sale.

To make your trip to Vietnam ever memorable, spend some time to visit the famous Central Post Office in Ho Chi Minh City.

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Ben Thanh Market

Ben Thanh Market is an indispensable part in a Saigon City tour. The clock tower over the main entrance to what was formerly known as Les Halles Centrale is the symbol of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City nowadays), and the market might as well be, too. Ben Thanh market has long been one of Saigon’s famous landmarks. Opened first in 1914, the market is very crowded, a boon for pickpockets with its narrow, one-way aisles, and loaded with people clamoring to sell you cheap goods and postcards. There are so many people calling out to you that you will feel like the belle of the ball or a wallet with legs. Watch for pickpockets.

Out front, near the main entrance, find lots of knockoff brand-name clothes, and farther in is a number of small souvenir stands. Toward the back are a few small cafes. This food section of the market is far more interesting. The section offers a wide range of products including pickled vegetables, ducks, crab, scorpion wine, Calvin Klein knockoffs, rice, flip-flops, coffee and tea. The wet market at the far back, with its 

Even if you are not in a mood to shop, getting around the market is also a great experience. The market has cleaned itself up for the tourists over the years, which is a shame because the added hygiene comes at the cost of the market's old charm and raw authenticity. In open-air stalls surrounding the market are some nice little eateries that open just as the market itself starts closing down, and this is, in fact, one of the best places to try authentic local cuisine. The adventurous can sample good local specialties like rice dishes, noodle soup, bun dishes of vermicelli noodles, or ice cream and dessert for next to nothing.

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Reunification Palace in Saigon

Designed as the home of former President Ngo Dinh Diem, the U.S.-backed leader of Vietnam until his assassination in 1962, Reunification Palace is most notable for its symbolic role in the fall of Saigon in April 1975, when its gates were breached by North Vietnamese tanks and the victor's flag hung on the balcony; the very tanks that crashed through the gates are enshrined in the entryway, and photos and accounts of their drivers are on display.

Built on the site of the French governor general's home, called the Norodom Palace, the current modern building, designed when modern meant "sterile," was completed in 1966 -- it looks something like an old elementary school to my eye now, but modern-design fans love it. Like the Bao Dai Palace in Dalat, the Reunification Palace is a series of rather empty rooms that are nevertheless interesting because they specialize in period kitsch and haven't been gussied up too much. Tour private quarters, dining rooms, entertainment lounges, and the president's office that feel like everybody just up and left one day (they did) -- a tour is almost eerie, really. Most interesting is the war command room, with its huge maps and old communications equipment, as well as the basement labyrinth. There is an ongoing screening in a series of rooms in the basement -- mercifully cool and a good rest while touring -- of mostly propaganda about the war years (plays in French, English, Japanese, and Chinese in separate screening rooms).

The Conference Hall in the main room is still used for important national events. The carpeting you'll see on your visit is a shabby piece of cheap cloth used for display and protection purposes only. For special events, like the recent APEC summit and the signing of the WTO accord, the display rug is whisked away and the "for guests only" carpet, a plush, bright red piece with gold accents, is unveiled.

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Cu Chi Tunnels

Cu Chi Tunnel is located only 70 km from Ho Chi Minh City Center in the Northwest. It is miniature battle versatile of Cu Chi’s military and people during the 30-year struggle longtime and fierce to fight invading enemy to gain independence, freedom for their motherland. It also is the special architecture lying deeply underground with many stratums, nooks and crannies as complex as a cobweb, having spares for living, meeting and fighting with total lengths over 200 km. today, Cu Chi Tunnels has become one of the prime tourist attractions in Ho Chi Minh City. Real legends coming from the Tunnel are over human imaginativeness. Creeping down into the tunnel, only some yards, you can find out the reason why Vietnam – a tiny country could defeat its enemy, the large and richest country in the world. 

Why Cu Chi, a barren and poor land could face strongly for 21 years to the army many times crowded compared with its force, warlike and equipped modern war weapons and means. In the fight, Cu Chi people won illustriously. Thanks to the systems of tunnels, fortifications, combat trenches, soldiers and people of Cu Chi fought very bravely creating glorious feat of arms. The American invaders at first time stepped into Cu Chi land, they had to face so fierce resistances from tunnels from important and very difficult bases that they cried out, “Underground villages”, “Dangerous secret zone”, etc. With its war pasture, Cu Chi Tunnels become a historical war hero of Vietnamese People like a 20th century legend and famous land in the world.

Cu Chi Tunnels are divided into two places which are Ben Duoc Tunnels and Ben Dinh Tunnels. Ben Duoc Tunnels is Zone Party Committee Base & Saigon – Gia Dinh Military Zone, which is protected in Phu Hiep Hamlet, Phu My Hung Village, Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City. Ben Dinh Tunnels is Cu Chi District Party Committee, which is protected in Ben Dinh Hamlet, Nhuan Duc Village, Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City. Coming to Ho Chi Minh City, you should not miss the chance to join a tour visiting Cu Chi Tunnels - the historical monument to understand what the protracted and arduous struggle is. You will evidence clearly and directly an exploit of loving peace, independence and happiness at the present.

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Ho Chi Minh City overview

Originally established as a Khmer trading post, more than 300 years ago, Ho Chi Minh City was destined for greater things. By the 18th century, the city, then named Saigon, had become the provincial capital of the Nguyen Dynasty. However, in the second half of the 19th century, control over the city passed to the French, and Saigon became the capital of French Cochinchina. This was a period of much infrastructural and architectural development, during which Saigon earned the epithet, “Paris of the Orient.” Many buildings of this era are in good condition even today. In 1954, the city was proclaimed the capital of South Vietnam. The ensuing war with the US lasted until 1975, when North Vietnam took over Saigon and renamed it Ho Chi Minh City.

Today, under growing economic and cultural liberalization, the city has entered a period of modernization and is constantly evolving and reinventing itself. Populated by an estimated 8 million people, the city is rapidly becoming the hub of manufacturing, entertainment, and cuisine in Vietnam. Upscale restaurants and cafe  offering a range of international delicacies are opening every day, while bars, clubs, and discos are at the center of a thriving nightlife. The best place to catch the action is Dong Khoi. Attracting many tourists, the area is home to historical buildings and museums, sophisticated shops, and roadside cafes, as well as people of all ages zipping around noisily on motorbikes that often cause gridlock on the streets.

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