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The best thing to do in Ho Chi Minh city – A vibrant city in Vietnam

Reunification Palace – The first thing to do in Ho Chi Minh city

Visit temples and pagodas – Learn about our belief

The War Remnants Museum –The truth War of Vietnamese point views

Ben Thanh Market – May get lost in the market

Walking around colonial section in city – Do not miss

The other things to do in Ho Chi Minh city 

Ho Chi Minh City (former Saigon) is the most commercial and modern city in Vietnam with over 300 years old history. Saigon captured by French in 1859 and quickly become the capital of the Cochinchina in 1862. Saigon has effected by oriental and colonial architecture present to green boulevard and elegant buildings. 

The French war ended in 1954 with a Geneva Accords, Vietnam divided into northern and southern zones, Saigon became the capital of South Vietnam. On April 30th 1975, the North Vietnamese troops captured Saigon, and then the city renamed the Ho Chi Minh.

 Today, the old mixes seamlessly with the new and you can wander through timeless alleys to incense – infused temples before catching up with the present in designer malls beneath sleek skycrapers.

 Let’s get start !

1 Reunification Palace – The first thing to do in Ho Chi Minh City

The Palace reminded Vietnamese people where the Vietnam War ended on April 30th 1975, a famous picture of the VC tank crashed through the iron gates in this Palace and the last President Duong Van Minh surrendered unconditionally inside.

• Do : Should visit the copy of the two tanks in the courtyard
• Do : Take full – time visiting the 4 floors of the Palace and top roof
• Do : Can take photos inside
• Don’t miss: The basement is the most interesting of all such as: network of tunnels, war room and tele – communication equipment.

2 Visit temples and pagodas – Learn about our belief.

The city is busy and full of people in everywhere, local people want to visit temples or pagodas where they can find the peaceful time. For Vietnamese, who worship their ancestors and Buddhist, they will eat Veggie food and pray inside the temples or pagodas on the 1st and 15th lunar day in every month. Travellers surprised when prayers burn incenses, fake money, release birds from cages or fish into the water. This is the way connecting between our world and other world or a simple answer is a part of our culture when visiting   a pagoda.

Please follow Do and Don’t apply not just the worship places in Ho Chi Minh city but also cross Vietnam.

• Do: Turn off the flash light of camera
• Do: Wear a suitable clothing inside the pagoda 
• Do: Take off your hat before entering the worship places. That is the symbol of your respectation to holy place.
• Don’t: Make noise or play music inside the temple or pagoda.

Suggestions: Vinh Nghiem Pagoda ( District Phu Nhuan), Jape Pagoda ( District 1), Thien Hau Temple ( District 5), Xa Loi pagoda ( District 3)….

3 The War Remnants Museum – The Truth War of Vietnamese point views.

War was the lost, missing and spending money in both sides that is a cause of poverty, diseases and non – education. I am praying for a peaceful world without discriminating of gender, skin color …..

This museum exhibits present the relative of one –sidedness, there would be difficult to accept by some viewers, travellers should have discretion.

4 Ben Thanh Market – May get lost in the market.

Ben Thanh market was set up in early 17th – century, It gradually became a big market with diversity goods. Today, Ben Thanh market is the most famous shopping destination for travellers in Ho Chi Minh City.

• Tip: Have diversity goods serving for local people or tourists  
• Tip: Should bargain when you buy some things.
• Tip: Be careful the pickpockets
• Tip: Don’t give money to beggers.
• Bonus tip: Sellers wear the uniforms with Ben Thanh names that is a fixed price store

5 Walking around the colonial section in the city – Do not miss

This section called “The square time of Saigon” which are the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, Post Office, Dong Khoi Street, Opera House, The City Hall, Nguyen Hue Walking street, The Bitexco Tower for Coffee and View……

6 The other things to do in Ho Chi Minh City.

• Tan Dinh church ( Pinky color Church) is one of old Romanian – style church in the city. It was built in 1876. It is a popular destination in recently years.
• Tao Dan park is a big and old trees place in the central city. Travellers should visit this park in the early morning where will join the morning activities and heard the birds’s singing at the Bird club.
• Explore the China town with some several landmarks such as: Thien Hau Temple, Binh Tay market, Giac Lam pagoda, Ho Thi Ky local flower market or walking around narrow alleys in this town/
• Special take note: Don’t forget to drink a cup of Vietnamese coffee when you travel in Ho Chi Minh City to feel the real taste of Vietnamese coffee..

Pay close attention to transportation in the city: if taking a taxi must have a tablet showing the map, price and ignore the cyclo drivers with cheap offers (it’s a tourist trap). Indochinago wants you enjoy a safe journey, whoever you are.

Thanks for reading “The best things to do in Ho Chi Minh city – A Vibrant city in Vietnam”