Attractions in Ho Chi Minh City

Not one of the immediate attractions in Ho Chi Minh City to spring to mind. Suoi Tien Theme Park is well outside the city centre in the fast developing area fo District 9. The park opened in 1995 and has several entertainment areas. It is much loved by the local people of Ho Chi Minh […]

The Vinh Nghiem Pagoda is one of the truly great attractions in Ho Chi Minh City. This beautiful temple is the largest Mahayana pagoda in Saigon. It is a working Buddhist temple in every sense being also a centre for Buddhist education and practice. It genuinely is one of the most beautiful of all tourist […]

Opening Times: 8.00am - 11.30am and 1.30pm - 5.00pm daily Closed: Mondays The Museum of Vietnamese History stands inside the grounds of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens in the heart of District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. It makes for an interesting distraction and a welcome respite from what can be searing heat. It is normally […]

Giac Lam Pagoda is one of the many magnificent attractions in Ho Chi Minh City and an historic Buddhist pagoda; Built in 1744, it is certainly one of the oldest temples in the entire city. Listed as an historical site by the Vietnamese Department of Culture in 1988, The Giac Lam Pagoda is also known […]

Opening Hours: 7.00am - 6.00pm every day Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens This is one of Ho Chi Minh City’s busiest attractions was established in 1865. This is the largest zoo in Vietnam, and is home to over a hundred different species of mammals, reptiles and birds. In addition the botanical gardens house many rare […]

The magnificent Hotel Majestic in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City ranks as one of the best attractions in town. This beautiful French colonial building sits on the Riverfront Ton Duc Thang. It is at the corner of Dong Khoi, one of the most prestigious streets in town. It opened its doors to the […]

Standing proud at the top of Nguyen Hue is the Ho Chi Minh People’s Committee Building, sometimes referred to Ho Chi Minh City Hall, it was formally the Hotel De Ville de Saigon. It was erected between 1902 and 1908 but changed use and name at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. It […]

Well the haters had their say and the supporters argued back. But I have to say that I think Nguyen Hué in the centre of D1 is a resounding success. I think the planners have got it so right, and the locals certainly agree; it’s crowded every evening as people come out to wander up […]

The tradition of Water Puppet Theatre or Mua Roi Nuoc in Vietnamese was started in the eleventh century in the villages in and around the Red River Delta in the north of the country. Nowadays it is a unique variation on the theme of ancient Asian puppet traditions. The puppets themselves are made out of […]

This water park is situated on Hoa Binh in Ward 3 of District 11 which is not actually that far out from the main business area of District 1. A short ride through District 3 and 10 and the park looms large in front of you. This is a popular place and can get very […]

Anyone arriving in Saigon by bus from neighbouring countries or even other cities within Vietnam will have a good chance of Pham Ngu Lao being their first Saigon experience. This is where all the tour buses arrive and many other buses as well. For example, all the many different buses from Phnom Penh, the Cambodian […]

Brin Vien is probably the best known street amongst the backpacker crowd. Although the guide books often quote Pham Ngu Lao as the main backpacker Street, Bui Vien which runs parallel to it, is easily the busiest. It is an unbelievable sight late at night on the weekend. Dozens of bars, street food stall, street vendors […]

Head out of Saigon to the east on the road towards the border with Cambodia and you come into the village of Cu Chi. This of course, is famous as the location of the Cu Chi Tunnels, where Vietcong fighters hid from the American forces in the Vietnam War. Just three miles past the entrance […]

This can be found at 41 Hoang Du Khuong in Saigon’s District 10. This museum tells the story of Vietnamese traditional Medicine throughout the ages. More than three thousand exhibits are to be found in this pleasant building in a pleasant area of District 10. The name comes from the FITO Pharmaceutical Company that own […]

This is one of the smartest and most prominent streets in the cite of Saigon’s District 1. It runs from the junction with Nguyen Du by the Notre Dame Basilica right down to the Riverfront by the Majestic Hotel. It is a lovely boulevard with trees lining parts and superb architecture springing up all the […]