We got to our hotel in Ho Chi Minh City at noon on Monday and left for the airport at noon on Tuesday. In between, we saw a lot of the city and had a great time. While one day is a really short amount of time to spend anywhere, I actually feel that I got a pretty good idea of the city in that time.
Ho Chi Minh City, formerly (and still casually) known as Saigon, is a bustling city with a lot of delicious food, interesting sights, and absolutely chaotic traffic. We did a motorbike street food tour that took us around the major sights for photos and three different spots to sample the local cuisine. This is definitely one of the best ways to see a lot in a short period of time, and it was a thrilling cultural experience, too.
Where is Ho Chi Minh City?
Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in the southern part of Vietnam. With almost 9 million residents, it's also the most populous city in the country, even bigger than the capitol of Vietnam, Hanoi, in the north. It's located in the Mekong River Delta and west of the Saigon River.
When did Saigon change its name to Ho Chi Minh City?
Ho Chi Minh City used to be called Saigon, and you can see evidence of this everywhere. Stores and streets still say Saigon, and many people still call their city Saigon. Saigon used to be the capital of South Vietnam, and Hanoi the capital of North Vietnam. When the two were unified, Hanoi became the capital of Vietnam. Saigon's name was changed in 1975 to honor Ho Chi Minh, who led the independence movement freeing Vietnam from being a French colony and was then the first president and Prime Minister of the newly incorporated country. I asked my motorbike guide about it, and he explained that the new name is about respect and honoring their history, while the name Saigon is still used informally.
What are the most important sights in Saigon?
The major tourist sights in Ho Chi Minh City include the Notre Dame, the Opera House, the Post Office, and the War Remnants Museum. We also enjoyed Book Street, the Flower Market, Independence Palace, and Tao Đàn Park.
Notre Dame of Saigon
The Notre Dame, as well as other architectural landmarks, are modeled in a French style. As I said, Vietnam used to be a French colony, and the French built in the style that reminded them of home. What is officially called the Notre Dame Basilica of Saigon is a great example. It's being renovated right now, and renovations are expected to last for almost a decade. France is sending the marble for renovations, so it matches the original. The Opera House and the Post Office, two other popular tourist sights in Ho Chi Minh City, are also clearly influenced by French architecture (see below).
Ho Chi Minh City's Opera House
And by "influenced by French architecture," I really mean that they were designed by French architects for French colonists living in Saigon. The Saigon Opera House was completed in 1900, and it is still used for shows today.
Saigon's Famous Central Post Office
The Central Post Office of Ho Chi Minh City is also famous for its French colonial architecture, and it's a popular place for tourists to go to send a postcard home.
Vietnam's War Remnants Museum
The War Remnants Museum tells the story of the United States' "War of Aggression," and it's a new perspective for an American tourist like me who learned the opposite side of the story in history classes growing up. I ended up separating this into a separate post so this one wouldn't be too long.
Ho Chi Minh City's Book Street
If you know me, you know I love a good public library. A street dedicated to bookstores, therefore, is obviously top of my list of favorite sights in Ho Chi Minh City. Most of the books were in Vietnamese, but there were also plenty of cute souvenirs and things for non-Vietnamese-literate people to enjoy. It's about four blocks long down a skinny alley with a couple of cafes interspersed between mostly bookstores, a couple stationary stores, a couple souvenir shops, and more bookstores. In conclusion, I would like to petition every city in the world to create one of these.
Flower Market
Flower Market was fun to drive through on the motorbike. It was nice to see everything and get a feel for the neighborhood. Our guides explained that Flower Market is open all night. First, flower deliveries come in at all times, and being right next to many street food options, it seemed like a bustling place to be at any hour. Also, it's convenient for husbands staying out late: as our tour guide explained, "If you're getting home to your wife at three a.m., it's best that you bring her flowers." Haha!
Independence Palace
Independence Palace was a quick walkthrough, as there wasn't too much to see or information to read. It was nice to get out of the sun for a little bit, and the nicest part of it is that it's two blocks from Tao Đàn Park.
Tao Đàn Park
Last but certainly not least is Tao Đàn Park. This was actually one of my favorite stops in Ho Chi Minh City. It was vibrant, had a lot of interesting sections of the park, and it was clearly a popular spot. When we walked through, the park was filled with school children in uniform playing badminton in pairs (without nets, obviously). There were also people exercising - actually using the outdoor exercise equipment - and others praying in the temple. It was a large park, located centrally in the city, and clearly a popular spot for locals and tourists alike.
