Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Made Easy
Ho Chi Minh City(Saigon) is the most in-your-face, abrasive and noisy city I have ever been to. I wanted to leave fairly shortly after my arrival. But that was six months ago and I am still here. Perhaps it's the huge salary I can earn here in Ho Chi Minh City as compared to any other city in Asia. Or maybe it's the battle of daily life that keeps me on my toes and my senses 'alive'. My senses had been dulled from years of living in Canada and France and England. And the complexities of the people back home had me confounded. I felt so bored with my comfortable life and sought out mishaps and complexities just to stay awake.
Not so anymore. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is perhaps the only city in the world where the police try to stop you from taking a picture of the sidewalk! But then again it was near the American Embassy... Ho Chi Minh City is a very hot and noisy place. The air is filled with the constant noise of honking horns from motorbikes and cars. The air and noise pollution rains down on your lungs and ears at every turn. Sounds good, doesn't it? Some people call Ho Chi Minh City harrowing and others heaven, a complete quench of their thirst for action. Whatever your disposition, be prepared to have your senses accosted if you plan on traveling to Ho Chi Minh City. But if you are planning a Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam trek then it is worth the trip if only for a few days. Arriving Vietnam Overland
If you head to Vietnam from Laos and you go by road via Savannakhet and Sepon, then you'll be entering Vietnam through the Lao Bao (Vietnam) border crossing. This crossing links Laos to central Vietnam (Danang and Dong Ha). But if you're starting in Vientiane (Capital of Laos) then you'll exit Laos at the Lak Sao crossing and enter Vietnam via their Cau Treo border crossing, in Ha Tinh Province (Vietnam). Nam Can border crossing connects Nghe An Province (Vietnam) and Xieng Khuang Province (Laos).
Trains run from Beijing to Hanoi, passing Nanning and Pinxiang in China before entering Vietnam at Dong Dang (north of Lang Son). There is also a road crossing known as Huu Nghi in Lang Son province. Trains coming from Kunming cross the border at Lao Cai, in north-west Vietnam. From Guangzhou, you will cross the border at Mong Cai, a few hours drive from Halong and its spectacular Bay. (Halong Bay)
If you leave for Ho Chi Minh City by speedboat then your point of entry into Vietnam is at Chau Doc, in the Mekong Delta area. Click here for tips on getting from Chau Doc in Vietnam to Phnom Penh by boat. If you arrive from Cambodia by road into Ho Chi Minh City, you will enter Vietnam at the Moc Bai border crossing, which connects Vietnam`s Tay Ninh Province with Cambodia`s Svay Rieng Province. I video taped most of the ride by bus into Vietnam from Cambodia. You can check out the video by clicking here. Arriving in Saigon by AirplaneAirport (The code for Tan Son Nhat International Airport is SGN) The airport staff take their jobs very seriously but are often ill-informed or just can't communicate well. Getting through immigration was fine but they stared at me and then back at the picture in my passport six times before letting me through. And I have been told that everyone coming through gets the same cold reception. Once you exit the airport you'll find metered cabs in abundance. A metered cab from the airport should get you downtown (Pham Ngu Lao budget area) for under $5US. Another option is the air-conditioned city bus that departs from outside Tan Son Nhat International Airport terminal. At just 2,000VND (14 cents US) it's the cheapest way to go. If you are flying out of Vietnam, keep in mind the airport departure fees. They are often included in the final price of your air ticket if purchased in Vietnam but if not, be prepared for them anyway.
How ever you arrive, Ho Chi Minh City is in the Southeastern region of Vietnam, 1,760 km (1,094 miles) South of Hanoi. Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam. It was the Capital City of South Vietnam before 1975 but once Communist Backed Ho Chi Minh got his hands on it, it was named after him and Hanoi became the capital of Vietnam. Where to Stay in Sai GonMost Visitors to Saigon stay in the Pham Ngu Lao area of Ho Chi Minh city. I have stayed in many different areas of the city but I keep coming back to Pham Ngu Lao. It has the amenities that you won't find in other areas of the city. Sure, it is filled with tourists but for this city that is a good thing. It is actually the safest place for foreigners to stay and the accommodation is good and abundant. Get more information on where to stay here. Things to See and Do
135 Nguyen Hue St, District 1. You should visit the Duty-Free shopping Center in downtown Ho Chi Minh City within 5 working days of your arrival in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). After five days they will no longer sell anything to you at Duty-Free prices. I don't know the reasons but just keep it in mind. If you are coming overland from Cambodia then it is cheaper at the Duty-Free shop at the Moc Bai border crossing. Barring that, get to the Tax-Free shopping center (address above)within five days of your arrival. You'll need your passport in hand to confirm your arrival date.
Quang Truong Cong Xa Paris, District 1. This Cathedral was built by the French in 1877. It's the best known building in Ho Chi Minh City for its neo-Romanesque architecture and the two towers that stand 57m high. A statue of the Virgin Mary stands right out front as if to welcome you in. Last year red colored tears began to run down its stone cheeks. It went on for weeks and you couldn't even get in to see it for the crowds. People sold hot-dogs and made a killing.
2 Nguyen Binh Khiem St, District 1, HCMC. This is one of the oldest museums in the city. That doesn't mean it didn't bore the heck out of me though. The truth is that unless you are an enthusiast about antiques; the Phu Nam culture, Cham arts and Mekong Delta arts, it's difficult to appreciate. But everyone has a passion and if yours is the fore-mentioned arts, then get down there. And don't be offended when they triple charge you as a foreigner. It's still cheap at about $3USD a person.
1 Nguyen Tat Thanh, District 4 This building was the place where Nguyen Tat Thanh, later known as Uncle Ho (Ho Chi Minh), embarked on the Latouche Treville to go abroad and begin the struggle for Vietnam's independence. The museum is dedicated to displaying materials pertaining to everything about President Ho's purported activities. Of course, it's all about seeing Ho Chi Minh through the eyes of blind, reverent communist Vietnamese. He is their hero and a god-like figure so it's a political statement in the old Communist way. I loved that part of it. It was interesting to see how people react to this account of a man who exterminated nearly two million of his own people and seized their land and assets in the process. But I should leave my opinions out of it.
3 Hoa Binh St, District 11. Dam Sen is THE hangout place for teens and adults alike. It's usually crowded on the weekends but the water-park inside is refreshing and the roller-coaster is cute for kids and stupid for anyone over 10. So, of course I went, my knees stuffed into the dashboard of the tiny car. I won't be including a picture of that. It was ugly.
This is a great place to do some shopping before you leave. Good for fake Rolex watches (Incredible quality), T-shirts; maybe a traditional Vietnamese dress for any cross-dressers or women out there. And the coffee and spices to die for can be found here. Just remember that you can usually shave %50 off of the asking price. I never pay more. The sales person will crumble as you walk away and if not the other 57 stores will surely help you out.
133 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, District 1. This was the site of the former palace of the French Governor of Indochina. Built in 1868, it became the presidential palace of South Vietnam when Ngo Dinh Diem came to power in the 1950s. After being damaged by bombs during a coup attempt in the early 1960s, the palace was rebuilt. On April 30, 1975, tanks of the liberation army crashed through the main gate of the palace, ending the 20-year war for Vietnam's reunification. There are some tanks and jet fighter aircraft parked near the front entrance. There is a also a captured American tank as well but there is little else to see here.
Inside the palace is just sterile and has that old man smell. Boring for me but it's there for any of you who would like to see the map room or other wartime memorabilia. Once the headquarters of the armed forces in Ho Chi Minh City (Then Saigon). Gia Dinh, Cu Chi Tunnel is a system of 200km of tunnels between 2.5m and 12m underground. A ninety-minute drive north of Ho Chi Minh City, the Cu Chi Tunnels were built by Vietnamese resistance fighters during the long years of struggle for independence. Four meters below the ground, the three level tunnel complex is spread over 200 kilometers and was able to withstand the force of repeated bombings and the weight of the heavy armored vehicles rolling above. This subterranean city housed not only conference rooms, guard posts and booby-trapped false tunnels for use by the resistance fighters, but also Kitchens, sleeping quarters, school rooms, field hospitals and a mini-cinema for use by the whole community. Today the tunnels have been widened to allow easier access for the many overseas and local visitors who come to marvel at the ingenuity of the war-time inhabitants of Cu Chi. Learn more about the Cu Chi Tunnels Cu Chi Tunnels.
Tan Phu Street, District 9. For provincial visitors to Ho Chi Minh City, Suoi Tien is a must-see place. It's interesting because of the huge statues of the founders of Vietnam and the kings of the Hung Dynasty.
28 Vo Van Tan Street, District 3. A must-see for foreign tourists visiting Ho Chi Minh City. On display are exhibits concerning the atrocities during the Vietnam war such as My Lai massacre and victims of napalm bombs and Agent Orange. There is also a guillotine brought to Vietnam by the French colonialists. In the late 1950s, this guillotine was moved to several provinces in South Vietnam to execute revolutionists. There is also a souvenir shop that sells items related to the war. Your Ho Chi Minh City Stories and QuestionsShare with us your views on Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Is it better to spend your time in nearby Phnom Penh, Cambodia and avoid Vietnam altogether? What Other Visitors Have SaidClick below to read what ideas other visitors have contributed...
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