Ho Chi Minh City Tourist Attractions – The Reunification Palace is an important site of political and cultural significance. It was built by the French in 1868 to mark the newly established colony of Indochina.
Also check Ho Chi Minh Nightlife.
Like Long Bien Bridge in Hanoi, Reunification Palace (formerly known as Independence Palace) has stayed in the mind of many generations of not only Vietnamese but also foreigners. It is known as the famous historical witness which passed through the two fierce wars against the French and American colonists.
The Reunification Palace is open all the week from 7.30 AM to 11.30AM and 1.00PM to 5.00 PM. Entrance ticket is VND 20,000 (about $1). Guided tours in English are also available.
How to reach – Situated in the heart of District 1 , a short walk from Ben Thanh market. Then follow Le Loi away from the market circle and turn left onto Nam Ky Khoi Nghia.
The Jade Emperor Pagoda, or Chua Phuoc Hai, was built by the city’s Cantonese community. It was built at the beginning of the twentieth century. The temple, AKA the Tortoise Pagoda, was constructed in 1909 by Saigon’s Chinese population.
A statue of the Jade Emperor lords it over the main hall’s central altar, sporting an impressive mustache. He is surrounded by a retinue of similarly mustached followers. Shrouded in robes and flanked by his guardians, resides in the dramatically named `Chamber of 10 Hell’.
How to reach – Due to its location in the center of Ho Chi Minh City, the Jade Emperor Pagoda can be easily accessed from various parts of the city on foot. Alternatively, it can be reached via taxi or public bus.
The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh Citym, once known as the ‘Museum of American War Crimes’. It first opened to the public in 1975.
Few museums anywhere convey the brutal effects of war on its civilian victims so powerfully. Many of the atrocities documented here were well-publicized. But rarely do Westerners hear the victims of US military action tell their own stories.
The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City documents the costs of the war. It’s aimed squarely at foreign visitors–you won’t find many locals here. The tone isn’t one of victory, but one of victim. The museum amounts to an extensive catalog of the appalling legacy of war.
The main building is a large, three-story colonial-style building. A work of art in itself which contains the permanent exhibits, arranged chronologically from bottom to top.
As you enter, the first room contains some archaeological finds that are up to 10,000 years old. Wood carvings, ceramic statues, and lacquered furniture stand beside silk, oil, and watercolor paintings. The high level of skill is apparent throughout.
Unlike the Temple of Literature, which is almost opposite, this museum is not crowded with tour groups, so it’s possible to wander around and take in the artwork without distractions.
This is one of the most beautifully ornamented temples in town, dating from 1902. Of special interest are the elaborate brass ritual ornaments and weapons. Also to see are woodcarvings on the altars, walls, columns, hanging lanterns and incense coils.
In order to be efficient in time; you might as well visit 3 pagodas at once. All are nearby.
Set in a stunning building in the French era botanic gardens, the museum covers the thousands of years of Vietnamese history. The Museum’s collection covers Vietnam’s history from the Bronze Age and includes artifacts of the Cham and Khmer civilizations. The occupants of this part of Vietnam before annexation by the Viet people 300 years ago.
Museum of Vietnamese History was formerly Museum of Blanchard de la Bross. Which was built in 1927 by the French in the area of Saigon Botanical Gardens. It brings the appearance of Summer Palace in Beijing.
In 1956, Saigon Government renamed the museum into National Museum. Primarily exhibiting fine arts in Vietnam, Champa, Khmer, China, Japan and other ethnic minorities in Vietnam. National Museum was renamed into Ho Chi Minh City History Museum on 26th August 1979.
It was then changed its name into Museum of Vietnamese History – Ho Chi Minh City and has existed so far. Discovering Vietnam History Museum is definitely one of the most impressive things to do in Ho Chi Minh City.
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, officially Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception is a cathedral located in the downtown of Ho Chi Minh City.
Constructed between 1863 and 1880 by the French colonists. It followed their conquest of the city. The building reaches a height of up to 60m. Bishop Lefevre put the first stone for construction of the church on 28 March 1863. Initially, it was called Saigon Church.
The name Notre-Dame Cathedral was given after Bishop Pham Van Thien held a ceremony to install the statue of Peaceful Notre Dame. It was made with granite from Rome in 1959. In 1962, Vatican anointed it as Saigon Chief Cathedral conferred it basilique. Since this time, this cathedral is called Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica.
Central Post Office
Saigon Central Post Office is a post office in the downtown Ho Chi Minh City, near Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, the city’s cathedral. The building was constructed when Vietnam was part of French Indochina in the late 19th century.
The building was designed by Gustave Eiffel – the renowned engineer who also designed the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower – and features arched windows and wooden shutters, just as it would have in its heyday in the late 19th Century.
Binh Tay Market (known in Vietnamese as Chợ Bình Tây) is one of the major markets in Saigon. It’s the dominant business hub and attraction in Cholon, Saigon’s Chinatown. Unlike Chinatown in Bangkok or Manila, or even in other places around the world like Honolulu or London, Chinatown in Saigon isn’t all that praised, or recognized as a real main area of Saigon to visit.
Also known as Cholon Chinatown Market, Binh Tay Market occupies a two-story building along Thap Moui Street. A popular breakfast spot among locals, there are plenty of food stalls selling Vietnamese staples in the market including pho noodles, goi cuon (spring rolls), and com tam (broken rice) as well as Chinese-influenced delicacies such as banh bao, which are steamed buns filled with pork or chicken, onions, eggs, mushrooms, and vegetables.
