Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Guide

Everything you Need to Know about Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City is the business and financial hub of Vietnam, with a prominent history going back hundreds of years. The Khmers originally settled the region, with the Vietnamese taking over in the 17th century.

The French conquered Saigon, as it was then known, in 1859, and made it the capital of Cochin China in 1862. They extended and embellished the city with broad boulevards and elegant architecture. At the peak of the Vietnam War in 1969 the city had 4.5 million inhabitants. They were all evacuated when Saigon and the rest of the South fell to North Vietnam in 1975.

The city has recovered in the 30 years since then; the current population is over 7 million. It was renamed Ho Chi Minh City, after the spiritual leader of Vietnamese Communism, but the inhabitants were so reluctant to adopt the new name that the authorities compromised; the official name is Ho Chi Minh City but the city centre is still called Saigon. The Vietnamese government may be Communist, but it understands well the importance of the tourism industry to the economy, and has promoted the country vigorously.

For example, for months in 2008, Vietnam paid CNN to run a daily 30-minute movie called “Vietnam – The Hidden Charm”, promoting the country’s attractions. Vietnam has a reputation as one of the safest places in Asia.

That reputation and the drive to attract tourists – half of whom visit Ho Chi Minh City – has seen the arrival of major hotel chains. The city now boasts a Sheraton, a Continental, a Park Hyatt and a Renaissance. Guests at the top hotels are routinely picked up from the airport in imported top-of-the-range S-Class Mercedes-Benz limousines. Vietnam’s luxury hospitality is now international-standard.

Where to Stay in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chin Minh’s bustling city centre is where you’ll find museums and buildings from the French colonial era, elegant places redolent with history. The US Embassy, the War Remnants Museum, the Opera House, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Fine Art Museum are in this area. It’s also the location of the Continental Hotel – information central for journalists, informers and spies during the Vietnam War. Ben Thanh Central Market (Cho Ben Thanh) is a great place to find inexpensive clothes and souvenirs. Read More...

Ho Chi Minh City Tours & Excursions

The list of things to do and places to see in Ho Chi Minh City is long. If your schedule does not allow you to spend many days in this great city, you should at least take a day tour or a half-day tour. A good way to start the day is to join the local people in Vietnamese-style morning exercise, followed perhaps by a visit to one of the local markets, a lesson in cooking traditional Vietnamese food or a session tasting homemade honey-tea. (Read More)

Ho Chi Minh City Attractions

One factor that makes Ho Chi Minh City exceptional is the contrast between the old and the new. This is the country’s business center, and there are many areas under development, but there are also many places and buildings from earlier eras that are well preserved. Here are some musts for a sight-seeing tour of the city.
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Ho Chi Minh City Activities

Many repeat visitors to Vietnam are astonished by the expanding choice of activities found in Ho Chi Minh City. If you’re a golfer, you are well catered for. If you are not, you can have a relaxing massage or perhaps take a trip to a water park – the kids will love you for it. (Read More)

Ho Chi Minh City Restaurants

As the center of Vietnam’s business world, Ho Chi Minh City is also home to the largest community of expatriates living and working in Vietnam. This fact, augmented by booming tourism, has resulted in rapid changes to old Saigon. It is now a city where people can enjoy dining (Read More)

Ho Chi Minh City Nightlife

Ho Chi Minh City’s entertainment industry is growing fast, though it’s still not a city for round-the-clock entertainment – most places close soon after midnight. But what’s available is quality fun. There is a wide variety of pubs and bars, especially in the city center, and the number of discos and clubs with regular live music is booming. (Read More)

Ho Chi Minh City Shopping

Ho Chi Minh City is a fun place to shop for bargains. Some goods can be unique and fascinating – old propaganda posters, for example; we found one that exhorted people to plant garlic for export. Clothing includes silks and hand-woven fabrics with a reputation for high quality. Vietnam is also famous for handicrafts including bamboo ware, ceramics and lacquer. (Read More)

Ho Chi Minh Map

Our interactive map (and satellite views) displays all available hotels with photos, facilities and guest comments as well as attractions, landmarks and other items of interest with links to relevant information pages. The perfect way to find your way around and see where everything actually is. (Read More)

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