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| Ho Chi
Minh Sightseeing |
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Overview
To walk and to ride in a cyclo are great ways to take in the sights
and sounds of this lively city, since most tourist attractions are dotted
in the central District 1. Walking along the banks of the river
is a suitable way to
experience
the continuous activity on the Saigon River,
since small and large boats ply to and from the opposite bank.
As an alternative,
the rooftop bar of the Majestic Hotel
has spectacular bird’s eye views of the river.
Dong Khoi Street, once again the major
shopping area, is full of tailors, gift shops, restaurants
and jewellers. Visitors will also find Notre Dame Cathedral and the huge central Post Office, with its huge portrait of the former President, Ho Chi Minh at one end of the street. The Saigon Central Mosque, an oasis of calm is located near to this bustling shopping centre on Dong Du. These lively streets
and river can be tiring but a fast-paced cyclo ride to the Botanical
Gardens is well worth it. The small pagodas in
Cholon are symbols of tranquility in an area frenzied with
commercial activity.
All places of interest in District 1 can easily be accessible on foot; other attractions
outside the district are reached by taxi or cyclo.
Tourist Information
Saigontourist
49 Le Thanh Ton, District 1
Tel: (08) 829-8914.
E-mail: sgtvn@hcmc.netnam.vn
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 11.30 am and 1.00 pm to 5.00 pm. For booking
coach tours open daily 7.30 am to 11.30 am and 1.00 pm to 6.30 pm.
This is not a tourist office in the usual sense,
no such office exists.
Nevertheless, Saigontourist is run by government and does have some information,
even though most literature is related to the tours it operates and
the hotels it owns.
Passes
Tourist passes in Ho Chi Minh City don't exist.
Key Attractions
Dinh Thong Nhat (Reunification Palace)
Dinh Thong Nhat or the Reunification Palace is charming in its ugliness, a 1960s monstrosity
designed by Soviet architects. Most people will recall the image
of a North Vietnamese tank crashing the gates on 30 April 1975 signifying
the fall of Saigon. Today the tank still graces the front lawn.
Rooms open to the public are exactly the same as they were in 1975,
showing where important meetings were held during the war, including the living quarters of the president and his family. Most compelling
are a sequence of underground tunnels housing a telecommunications
centre.
Nam Ky Khoi Ngia, District 1
Tel: (08) 822-3652.
Opening hours: 7.30 am to 11.00 am and 1.00 am to 4.00 pm daily.
Admission: VND20,000
(including brochure).
Nha Trung
Bay Toi Ac Chien Tranh Xam Luoc (War Remnants
Museum)
Previously known as the Museum of American War Crimes, its name
has been changed as not to offend its US travellers. It's now the
War Remnants Museum. This is not a museum for the delicate as it
contains torture instruments and a range of photos of atrocities
committed during the 20th century and, in particular, the Vietnam
War. Visitors cannot help being moved as the exhibits provide a
look inside a period of history many only know from old newsreels
and Hollywood movies. Just in front of the museum is a small selection
of military equipment and, most attractively, the mobile guillotine
the French colonists used throughout the country before World War
II.
28 Vo Van Tan, District 3
Tel: (08) 930-5587.
Opening hours: 7.30 am to 11.45 am and 1.30 pm to 5.15 pm daily.
Admission: VND10,000.
Notre Dame Cathedral
It has been a familiar landmark in Ho Chi Minh
City since the 1880s. There's a delicate statue of the Virgin Mary
in a small garden in front of the cathedral. The cathedral's interior
is quite simple, unlike most French cathedrals, with no
stained glass windows. But it is a cool place to get away from the
heat.
Dong Khoi, District 1
Opening hours: No formal opening times.
Admission: Free; donations accepted and appreciated.
Buu
Dien Truong Tam (Post Office)
The European style monumental Post Office constructed in the late 19th century is located across from the Notre Dame Cathedral. The interior
has barely been touched since it was constructed. A huge portrait of Ho
Chi Minh dominates the building. The post office frequently seems to be busy
but most people are just visitors not customers.
2 Cong Xa Paris, District 1
Tel: (08) 829 9615.
Opening hours: 6.30 am to 9.30 pm daily.
Admission: Free.
Ho
Chi Minh City Museum
Previously known as the Revolutionary Museum, it is located in the former building of the Government of Cochinchina,
and features artifacts, such as uniforms, weapons, old photos, and
medals, from the period of Communist's conflict against the French
and the Americans. The exhibits are only
described
in Vietnamese
but some are self-explanatory. A selection of military hardware
which include a tank and a helicopter sit outside the museum.
65 Ly Tu Trong, District 1
Tel: (08) 829-9743 or 829-9741.
Opening hours: 8.00 am to 4.00 pm daily.
Admission: VND10,000.
Vien Bao Tang Lich Su (Historical Museum)
The Historical
Museum, just inside the entrance to the Botanical Gardens and Zoo, contains an impressive range of artifacts dating from
the last 2,000 years of Vietnamese history. Included are items that belong
to ancient cultures such as Cham, Dong Son, and Oc Eo. The museum
was erected in 1929 and the collection was assembled by the Ecole
Francaise d’Extreme Orient.
Nguyen Binh Khiem, District 1
Tel: (08) 829-8146.
Opening hours: 8.00 am to 11.20 am and 1.30 pm to 4.20 pm daily.
Admission: VND10,000.
Cholon (Chinatown)
Situated in District 5, Cholon or Chinatown is a maze of narrow streets and alleys
swarming with people. Most of Vietnam’s ethnic Chinese, the largest ethnic minority group in Vietnam, live
here. Merchants
came to settle in Cholon in the 1770s and numerous ethnic Chinese
fled the country in 1975.
A must-sees sight in Cholon
is the Thien Hau Pagoda which is dedicated
to the goddess Thien Hau, protector of the sea. Photographers have
endless choices with the ornate decoration inside the pagoda and
the statues of Thien Hau. It's famous among worshippers (the air
is usually pungent with the smell of burning incense). Regular festivals
are held during the lunar calendar.
Binh Tay Market is teeming with people from early morning. The gloomy,
narrow walkways are full of consumer products and exotic food.
The sound of bargaining, often in Chinese rather than Vietnamese,
and the sounds of shouting vendors constantly fill the air. This
is definitely one of the best spots to observe the locals going
about their daily lives.
Further
Distractions
Chua Ngoc Hoang
(Jade Emperor Pagoda)
One of the most beautiful pagodas in
the city, the Jade Emperor Pagoda is dedicated to various Chinese-Vietnamese divinities, in
a mix of Taoist and Buddhist styles. It is home to many of statues
and exquisite woodcarvings with elaborate tiles on the roof.
Mai Thi Luu, District 3
Opening
hours: No formal opening times.
Admission: Free; donations accepted and appreciated.
Giac
Lam Pagoda
The Giac Lam Pagoda is 3 kilometres or 2 miles from Cholon. It is thought to be the oldest pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City and is a peaceful place
to visit. Families of the sick and old visit regularly to pin supplications
on the large bronze bell, believing that when it's rung the messages
will be sent to the heavens above.
Lac Long Quan, District 11
Opening hours: No formal open times.
Admission: Free; donations
accepted and appreciated.
Thao Cam
Vien (Zoo and Botanical Gardens)
Created by the French in 1864 the Botanical Gardens were once known as some of the best in Asia. At present, however, it is just a pleasant spot for an easy walk in the
city centre of Ho Chi Minh, among tropical plants and trees. The Zoo isn't up to Western
standards, and has poor enclosures.
Nguyen Binh Khiem, District 1
Tel: (08) 829-3728.
Opening hours: 7.00 am to 8.00 pm daily.
Admission: VND8000. |
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