Known by the Vietnamese as Ho Chi Minh City, this astonishing city, full of vitality, was the original “Pearl of the Orient”. Nearby are the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels, which were used by the Viet Cong during the war.
Along the old Rue Catinat and in the surrounding boulevards stand the relics of empire and revolution; Notre Dame Cathedral, the Opera House, the Post Office and the Reunification Palace.
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 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, which resulted in numerous elegant architecture and broad boulevards that are still present to this day.
At the peak of the Vietnam War in 1969, the city had 4.5 million inhabitants who 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, with the current population at over 7 million. It was renamed Ho Chi Minh City, after the spiritual leader of Vietnamese Communism, but residents were so reluctant to adopt the new name that authorities kept the official name but the city centre is still called Saigon.
Today, Ho Chi Minh City is a popular tourist destination due to its fascinating culture, classic French architecture, and sleek skyscrapers as well as ornate temples and pagodas. The city is also filled with rooftop bars that overlook Saigon and beyond, while fantastic restaurants offer a combination of French, Chinese, and, of course, local Vietnamese cuisine.
Things to see and do in Saigon
This city is undergoing rapid change with growing numbers of gleaming skyscrapers, lively bars and a booming economy all under the watchful gaze of “Uncle Ho”, whose statue stands proud outside the old Hotel De Ville. There is still plenty of local charm here – soup sellers ring their chimes to signify a freshlymade lunch, fortune-tellers read palms and the temples fill with incense – but the choice of restaurants is outstanding and the city also boasts some classy boutiques selling lacquer ware, silk and modern art. Tucked in the suburbs of the city, Cholon’s Chinatown market is arguably the best example outside China.
Cu Chi Tunnels
Nearby are the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels, a network of over 250 kilometres of secret underground passages used by the Viet Cong during the conflict with America in the 1960s.
You are also able to see first hand the work done by a school supported by Audley, set up in 1986 by a local charity for the disadvantaged and street children of Saigon.