Saigon (HCMC) City Guide, Vietnam, Saigon/HoChiMinh City, Vietnam

The beautiful French architecture around the city makes up for the lack of old town. The Notre-Dame of Saigon, made entirely of materials imported from France, will transport you to Europe for a minute or two, while the wonderful neoclassical Saigon Central Post Office will bring you back to the most prosperous city in Vietnam.

Also if you haven’t yet, watch the film ‘Good morning Vietnam’ starring Robin Williams. It will help you understand the role Saigon played during the Vietnam war.

While exploring the city, also take a good look at the sheer amount of old buildings meeting the new. The District 1 will greet you with its skyscrapers soaring up to the sky next to derelict buildings full of fashion pop ups and vintage cafes. It’s quite a fascinating contrast of new and old.

By Air: Saigon is easily reachable by air. Tan Son Nhat airport, the largest in Vietnam, is conveniently located about 8 km from the city centre.

The bus No. 152 will take you to the east end of the Pham Ngu Lao area. An additional charge of around 5000 VND ($0.23 USD) applies for your luggage. Make sure you have the exact change ready. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).