Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's largest metropolis, named after the leader of the Communist Party, who led the fight against the United States and France. The city retains millennial traditions, a special Asian charm and originality. People traveling in Vietnam must see the sights of Ho Chi Minh City, the spiritual center of the whole country.
Reunification Palace
You can begin your acquaintance with the metropolis from the Reunification Palace (or the Palace of Independence), which was built by the French in 1868. At first, his function was to stay in the palace of the Governor-General of Indochina, then - King Norodom. When the French left Vietnam, South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem settled here. The people hated the president so much that the palace was bombed and rebuilt only in 1966.
The Independence Palace received a new name in 1975, when the old regime was defeated, and the Communists came to power. The tank of the North Vietnamese army broke through the gates, announcing the end of the war. Since then, the palace is considered one of the main attractions of Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City.
Notre Dame Cathedral
Not far from the Reunification Palace is the pearl of the architecture of the metropolis - Notre Dame Cathedral. He is almost a double of the great Parisian masterpiece. The cathedral was built in the XIX century by the French colonialists, who considered their capital Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). The colonialists strove to build a cathedral that would eclipse Buddhist temples and bring new faith to the hearts of the Vietnamese.
All materials for the construction of Notre Dame in Ho Chi Minh City were brought from France. Ho Chi Minh City Landmark is an example of a neo-romantic style interspersed with Gothic.
The interior of the temple is impressive. The interior is decorated with stained-glass windows through which the sun's rays play fabulously. Numerous arches, a white marble altar with the figures of angels carved on it are worth seeing with your own eyes. The Cathedral is a magnificent monument of architecture and a great place to walk around the square on which it is located. By the way, nearby is also a picturesque park.
Ho Chi Minh City Sad Landmark: War Victims Museum
The exposition of the Museum of War Victims attracts more than half a million visitors a year, and this is easy to explain. The war here is shown through the eyes of the injured civilians who have experienced all the horrors and troubles of the clash of their homeland with the strongest power in the world. In addition, few museums in the world show so openly all the cruelty and meaninglessness of wars.
The museum exposition is exhibited in several buildings and in the open. Here you can see military equipment: a helicopter, an airplane, a fighter, a tank and ammunition.
Archival documents, shocking photographs (including a photo of Nick Utah, who received the Pulitzer Prize), instruments of torture and executions, evidence of cruelty of soldiers of the American army are exhibited in the buildings. Particularly terrible are the photographs demonstrating the consequences of using chemical weapons: orange, napalm and phosphorus.
A memory of a terrible war: Ku-Chi tunnels
Another terrible sight of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is the partisan tunnels Ku-Chi. The fact is that during the war in South Vietnam there was a powerful underground center of resistance. It is said that it was these underground labyrinths, stretching to the borders with Cambodia, that played a decisive role in the victory of the Vietnamese (of course, not counting the enormous help of the USSR).
The Vietnamese have been digging rescue tunnels for 15 years, almost under the noses of an unsuspecting American army. And they used mostly improvised means for this.
Today, some tunnels have been specially expanded so that Western tourists can fit there. The museum complex is equipped for them, and in the local shooting gallery you can even shoot with real weapons. Unique Vietnamese tunnels give tourists the opportunity to experience the hard life of partisans.
Vietnam's largest pagoda: Vinh Ngyem
If you plan to explore the sights of Ho Chi Minh City in one day, then be sure to go to the most popular Vinh Nyyem pagoda. It was erected towards the end of the 20th century in Japanese traditions. The building is considered a magnificent example of modern Asian architecture.
All buildings are located on a large territory, fenced by a wall. The chapel, a tower 40 meters high, a tower for urns with ashes and other buildings are made of concrete.
When the pagoda was built, the interests of the Buddhists were taken into account, therefore, there are many residential and utility rooms for pilgrims on the territory. Services and ceremonies are regularly held in shrines and towers of the pagoda, which tourists can take a look at. True, we must not forget about the dress code: knees and shoulders should be covered in both women and men. In addition, the female should have a head covered.
When exploring the sights of Ho Chi Minh City on your own, you must definitely pay attention to the Vinh Nyyem Pagoda, because it perfectly conveys the spirit of all of Vietnam and allows you to enjoy the brightness of the local flavor.
Ho Chi Minh City's tallest building: Bitexco Tower
The financial tower of Biteksko consists of 68 floors, and its height is 262 meters. It is the tallest metropolis building and the second tallest in all of Vietnam. During the construction of the skyscraper, the architect was inspired by the national flower, and now everyone can check whether the building resembles a lotus in its shape.
This popular Ho Chi Minh City landmark is an attractive observation deck located on the 49th floor. The site is closed and safe. Climbing it, the traveler can at the same time get acquainted with the history of the construction of the tower, learn about its achievements and even see the layout.
The view from the site offers a good, but it is better to choose a clear day. By the way, you can enjoy the view of Ho Chi Minh City using the provided stationary binoculars.
If you go up to the 50th floor, you will find yourself in a cafe where you can have lunch, enjoying a wonderful view.
Ben Tan Market
This attraction of Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) is popular among tourists who like to immerse themselves in the color of the country they travel around and, of course, for those who love interesting shopping.
Mostly people go here for souvenirs and clothes, but you can buy anything you want here. Prices are low if you are good at bargaining. Know - Vietnamese sellers in the market will initially tell you the price that you can bring down twice. Bargain!
Ben Tan Market is divided into external and internal ranks. Inside are private entrepreneurs selling everything you can imagine. The external public sector often has fixed prices. Here you can buy souvenirs, toys, clothes and handicrafts. In the northwestern part of the market, they sell food, fruits, spices and flowers.
When the market closes at 19.00, all trade moves to nearby streets. There are also many cafes and restaurants offering Asian dishes. Ben Tang Market is a popular attraction in Ho Chi Minh City due to its convenient location. Nearby is a tourist area with a large number of budget hotels.
Natural Wonder of Vietnam: Mekong Delta
Staying in Vietnam, one cannot but notice its natural beauties. The Mekong Delta is one such miracle. A river with many tributaries is a residence for millions of people and a powerful magnet for tourists. This is one of the greatest attractions of Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), and excursions here are required for all travelers who have come to an exotic country.
The tour always begins with a walk along the Mekong shore, where you can see the houses of local residents, including floating ones. Then tourists are seated in junks, which run from island to island. The program depends on the duration of the excursions and may include: inspection of the coconut candy factory, a walk in the natural park with exotic plantations, and inspection of the candied fruit factory. Tourists love to walk along the narrowest channels of the Mekong, where there is nothing but wildlife and visits to an authentic Vietnamese village. You can visit the very interesting floating markets of the Mekong Delta.
Kangzo Mangroves
Mangroves are a UNESCO-protected reserve located 40 km from Ho Chi Minh City. The reserve is the main (after the Mekong Delta) natural landmark of Ho Chi Minh City. What to see for a curious tourist who has come here?
Kanso Forests are divided into two zones, entrance to which is paid separately. In the first zone, travelers are immediately met by macaques, then you can walk along the paths, marveling at the interesting structure of local trees. The guide talks about each of the four species of mangroves that grow here. You can see freshwater crocodiles, beavers and boas.
The second zone is more reserved and therefore alluring. The hit of the program is a bird market. Tourists climb the tower over the mangrove crowns and see a huge number of birds living here: storks, marabou, cormorants, herons. In a crocodile nursery you can feed hungry animals with a fishing rod.
Puppet theater on the water
The Vietnamese Puppet Theater is a unique sight that has hardly changed since the distant 20th century. The actions of each performance takes place on the water, the actors are hidden from the audience behind the mats. They skillfully enliven wooden figures on sticks, making the audience scared and laugh. Even without understanding a word from the play (the actors speak only Vietnamese), the tourist will be impressed! After all, each doll is a work of art. Exhibits are constantly making new costumes, new tricks are being invented for them, and actors even know how to launch real fireworks from under the water.
The theater orchestra is also impressive. He also helps national instruments: flutes, drums and bells. Opera performances also take part in some performances. Ordinary stories from the life and life of the Vietnamese, their work turns into a magical and enchanting show in the theater. They like to stage myths, legends and historical events here.
Ho Chi Minh City with children: zoo in the metropolis
Travelers with children will also find something to do in Vietnam's largest city. They need to visit the local zoo, and at least half a day should be laid for the trip.
The territory of the park is huge, there is a place for walking. Around a lot of greenery, which makes the zoo even more picturesque. Almost all animals live in the open. There are a lot of them: elephants, giraffes, tigers, deer, hippos and so on. There are a lot of birds, snakes, turtles, butterflies in the zoo.
In addition to animals in the park, plants can surprise visitors. The botanical garden with beautiful flowers and exotic cacti will appeal to lovers of all that is beautiful.
The list of attractions in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) can be continued for a long time. In addition to the places described in the article above, you can visit the building of the Main Post Office, the Kaodai temple complex, the Museum of Vietnamese history, the museum of traditional medicine, the opera house, acrobatic show, monkey island. The many-faced Ho Chi Minh City will find something to surprise every traveler!