World City Guide

Mini Guide of Ho Chi Minh City

City Overview

Ho Chi Minh City is still more commonly referred to as ‘Saigon’ by locals and visitors alike, despite the official change of name in 1975. Located in the south of Vietnam, on a huge bend in the Saigon River, it is now the economic centre of the country. The Communist government, who took control of the whole of Vietnam in 1975, tried to suppress the natural entrepreneurial tendencies of the Saigonese and the city went through the economic doldrums until recovery started in the 1990s. Once again, there is a dynamic feel to the city with the population purposefully going about its business. The people have embraced the opportunities offered to them as a result of the presence of the many multinational companies that have poured in from elsewhere within the region and from Australia and Europe, but the city has still managed to retain its distinctly Asian feel.

Ho Chi Minh City may not have the charm and elegance of Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, but there is something invigorating and intoxicating about the bustling streets and waterside activity. Dramatic high-rise buildings, their windows sparkling in the sunshine, dominate the shabby French colonial ones that are tucked away at their feet, while saffron-robed monks collecting alms walk past glitzy car showrooms and karaoke bars. Street children laugh constantly as they shine the shoes of businessmen shouting into their mobile phones, trying to make themselves heard above the cacophony of the thousands of motorbikes buzzing around the city.

Ho Chi Minh City has enjoyed 25 years of peace following decades of unrest. Saigon became the capital of the French colony of Cochinchina, the southern part of present-day Vietnam, in 1862. The French extended and rebuilt the city with broad boulevards and graceful architecture still in evidence today. When they were finally defeated in battle in 1954 following many years of struggle by the Vietnamese against the colonial yoke –Vietnam was divided into two. Saigon became the capital of the Republic of South Vietnam but almost immediately Communist North Vietnam, under the leadership of its president, Ho Chi Minh, began an attempt to overthrow the South Vietnamese government. The Americans stepped in (bringing the ‘Vietnam War’ global notoriety) in an attempt to prevent a Communist takeover, but the North succeeded in 1975 and the whole of Vietnam came under Communist rule from Hanoi. Massive inflation and poverty followed until 1986 when the government introduced doi moi, the Vietnamese equivalent of perestroika, relaxing its hold on the people and allowing them to run their own businesses.

The skyline of the city reflects this – as it has changed dramatically within the last 10 years from a low-rise cityscape to one whose central area, District 1, is dotted with glittering skyscrapers housing international hotels, apartments and companies. The wide Saigon River meanders through the east of the city and is the all-important link to the sea. This, as well as the range of air routes to the rest of Asia and beyond, has attracted investors in industries such as oil, gas, textiles, agriculture and marine products. Tourism is now a big earner of hard currency for the government. This is helped by the climate, as Ho Chi Minh City is an all year-round destination and even the violent rainfalls of the rainy season (May to October) are over in a couple of hours, when the sun shines again and the city feels refreshed.

Getting There By Air

Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN)
Tel: (08) 845 6654 (arrivals and departures information).
Website: www.saigonairport.com

Tan Son Nhat Airport is located around 7km (4 miles) northwest of the city centre. It is the largest of the three international airports in Vietnam receiving more international flights than the capital, Hanoi. Twenty-two airlines serve 18 cities in Asia and Europe with regular flights going to Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The terminal has been expanded recently and improvements are continually being made to handle larger numbers of passengers. However, compared to most other South East Asian cities, facilities are very limited. A project to build a new international terminal is planned, although it will not be operational for a few years.

Major airlines: Vietnam Airlines (tel: (08) 844 6667 or 832 0320 (ticket sales); website: www.vietnamair.com) is the national airline with a monopoly on most domestic routes. Pacific Airlines (tel: (08) 932 5979 or 823 1285; website: www.pacificairlines.com.vn) operates flights to Hanoi and Danang, as well as a handful of international routes. Other major airlines include Air France, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, Malaysian Airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways.

Approximate flight times to Ho Chi Minh City: From London is 15 hours 15 minutes; from New York is 20 hours 20 minutes; from Los Angeles is 18 hours 40 minutes; from Toronto is 21 hours 50 minutes and from Sydney is 9 hours 5 minutes.

Airport facilities: These include bureaux de change, duty free, a snack bar and shops, as well as lockers and a visitors information centre. There are no car hire providers at the airport.

Business facilities: There is a business and first class lounge at the airport but no business facilities as such.

Transport to the city: There is no bus or train service into the city from the airport itself but metered taxis wait outside arrivals to transport passengers to the city centre (journey time –20-30 minutes). The taxi fare costs around US$5-6 to the city centre. A limousine service is also available.

Getting There By Water

Getting There By Road

The road network throughout Vietnam is reasonable but the standard of the roads varies dramatically from good to appalling. In theory, traffic drives on the right but in practice drivers take the most direct path avoiding the many thousands of bicycles, motorbikes and animals in the road. As self-driven car hire is non-existent, visitors to the country have to hire a car with a driver. Most will agree that this is the only way until the country introduces and enforces a system of road rules. There are basic rules, such as you must stop at a red light and headlights must be used at night but that tends to be as far as it goes. Long-term foreign residents are allowed to drive a car but few are brave enough to do so, preferring to employ a Vietnamese chauffeur. It is safe to assume that if a foreigner is driving a car involved in an accident, they will automatically be assumed to be at fault.

Emergency breakdown service: None.

Routes to the city: The national highways are all designated by numbers. Highway 1 travels the length of the country from the very south, through Ho Chi Minh City and northwards to Hanoi and beyond to the Chinese border. Major towns in the south of Vietnam on Highway 1 are My Tho, Can Tho, Phan Thiet and Nha Trang. Dalat is reached by Highway 20, Vung Tau by Highway 51 and the Cambodian border (Moc Bai) by Highway 22.

Driving times to Ho Chi Minh City: From My Tho – 1 hour 30 minutes; Vung Tau – 2 hours; Cambodian border – 2 hours 30 minutes; Phan Thiet – 3 hours 30 minutes; Can Tho – 4 hours 30 minutes; Dalat – 7 hours; Nha Trang – 12 hours.

Coach services: There are several bus stations around the city that each serve different destinations. Facilities are very basic and are unlikely to have more than food stands serving local snacks. The buses throughout Vietnam range from fairly good to ramshackle. Some express services to Phnom Penh (Cambodia) and Hanoi are in relatively modern air-conditioned buses but videos can play constantly throughout the journey. Services on short journeys depart when they are full and those travelling longer distances generally depart early in the morning. It is not possible to book tickets over the telephone and visitors should go to the relevant bus station the day before to check the schedule for the following day and purchase their ticket. In addition, a very useful telephone number is 1080 where English-speaking operators can give information on timetables.

The bus to Cambodia (better known in Vietnam as Kampuchea), operated by Cong Ty Xe Khach Saigon (tel: (08) 920 3623), departs from 309 Pham Ngu Lao Street, District 1, twice daily for the nine-hour journey to Phnom Penh. The Cambodian visa should be arranged in advance but can be obtained at the border crossing point. Buses to Dalat, Buon Ma Thuot, Nha Trang, Danang, Hue and Hanoi depart from Mien Dong Bus Station (Ben Xe Mien Dong) (tel: (08) 898 4893), on Xo Viet Nghe Tinh in Binh Tan District. Other bus stations include Ben Xe Mien Tay, Kinh Duong Vuong Street, An Lac, Binh Tan District (tel: (08) 875 2953), which has a special booking service located a little nearer to the city centre at 765 Le Hong Phong, District 10 (tel: (08) 752 0364); Ben Xe Cholon, 86,Trang Tu, District 5 (tel: (08) 854 8832), and Ben Xe Tay Ninh on Truong Chinh Street, Tan Phu Disctrict, for buses for Tay Ninh Province, has renamed and relocated the passenger pick up area to Ben Xe An Suong, Quoc Lo 22, Xa Ba Diem, Hoc Mon District (tel: (08) 883 2513).

Ben Xe Mien Tay and Ben Xe Cholon should soon merge into one big station on Kinh Duong Vuong Street, Binh Tan District.

Credit cards are still not common in Vietnam and Vietnamese are not in the habit of booking buses in advance (although they do like to book trains by a prior visit to the station). Bus station telephone information is likely to be restricted as to whether or not there are seats available and appearing in person to obtain a ticket for that day with cash will still be necessary. The exception is private bus services operating solely for foreign tourists, often with a booking office located in a tourist cafe such as at De Tham Street (off Pham Ngu Lao), which are much better organized. There are also rogue bus (van) services to tourist resorts from Ho Chi Minh City which can be hailed and boarded en route, but these are packed and with very little legroom available, very uncomfortable.

Getting There By Rail

The Vietnamese railway company, Duong Sat Vietnam (tel: (08) 843 6528 (ticket prices) or 931 8952 (train information); website: www.vr.com.vn), operates one major route in Vietnam from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi with minor routes linking Hanoi with northern towns. The route north from Ho Chi Minh City is picturesque but is the slowest form of transport with express services not living up to their name. Although in theory the Duong Sat Vietnam telephone numbers are for train information and ticket prices, being a state-owned company staff tend to be rather unhelpful. It is better to go to the station, located at 1 Nguyen Thong, District 3 (tel: (08) 846 8704), in person, or to a local travel agent for help. Alternatively, a very useful telephone number is 1080 where English-speaking operators can also give information on timetables. The railway station has very limited facilities other than the ticket desks and a small snack bar. As yet there are no rail passes available and it is advisable to book tickets as far in advance as possible, since seats and berths in soft class are limited. Soft class has seats with padding and four-berth cabins with thin mattresses, as opposed to hard class, which has wooden slatted seats and six-berth wooden berths.

Rail services: The only route to Ho Chi Minh City is from Hanoi and the journey can take between 32 and 42 hours, depending on the number of stops. Trains can be seriously affected by flooding in the rainy season particularly in the centre of the country.

Transport to the city: There is no bus that goes to the railway station so any journey should be made by taxi.

Getting Around

Public Transport
Public transport within the city is very undeveloped, as most people either have their own transport in the form of a bicycle or motorbike or rely on cyclos (see Cyclos below) and taxis. There is one private bus company operating routes within the city, Saigon Star Bus Company (tel: (08) 864 2762). There are four bus routes. Buses to Binh Tay Market or Mien Tay Bus Station start from Me Linh and pass through Ben Thanh Market. The buses to An Nhon/Thanh Loc or An Suong leave from Ben Thanh Market, right at the heart of the city. The Binh Tay bus operates every 6-10 minutes 0500-1920; the Mien Tay bus every 13 minutes 0430-1940; the An Nhon/Thanh Loc bus every 7-10 minutes 0430-2000; and the An Suong bus every 8-10 minutes 0500-1930. Fares cost the same on all routes and tickets are purchased on the bus.

Taxis
There are several taxi companies operating within the city and they are usually metered. Restaurants, bars and hotels are quite happy to summon a taxi, otherwise vehicles can be hailed on the street. Visitors are advised to check that the meter is turned on. There are some taxis that are unmetered, where the fare must be agreed upon before departure. However, the price of these is no cheaper. Tipping is not necessarily expected but always welcome. Reputable taxi companies are Ben Thanh Taxi (tel: (08) 842 2422); Mai Linh Taxi (tel: (08) 822 6666); Saigon Taxi (tel: (08) 842 4242) and Vinataxi (tel: (08) 811 1111).

Cyclos
These are a fun way to travel around the city, although rather nerve-wracking. The cyclo is like a rickshaw but the driver sits behind the passenger instead of in front. This means that you are pedalled rather dramatically into the oncoming traffic, which consists of fairly lawless cars, buses, motorbikes, bicycles and other cyclos constantly careering across your path. The authorities are slowly banning cyclos from the city and now many central streets are out of bounds to them. However, they generally hang around outside hotels or cruise along the street soliciting business from pedestrians. A rate should always be negotiated before setting off and a short journey should not cost more than US$1. Visitors should also keep a tight hold of bags and cameras and hide necklaces, as opportunist thieves have been known to snatch them as they pass by on a motorbike.

Driving in the City
Most visitors to Ho Chi Minh City are quite traumatised when they encounter the traffic for the first time. The streets are crammed with bicycles and motorbikes, which dart between the vastly outnumbered cars. Bikes regularly travel the wrong way along a one-way street and appear out of side roads without even a cursory glance in the direction of the oncoming traffic. Motorbike riders remove their wing mirrors allowing them to squeeze through the smallest gaps. Happily, visitors are only allowed to hire cars with drivers. Long-term residents are allowed to drive, however, although very few do. Those that do drive their own car will find little provision for secure parking but will always find somebody willing to keep an eye on their car for a tip. Visitors should be aware that police are likely to target foreign drivers for ‘on-the-spot’ fines so steady and defensive driving is advised.

Car Hire
It is not possible to hire a car without a driver but cars with English-speaking drivers can be arranged through travel companies. The following companies can arrange a car with a driver for the day: Exotissimo (tel: (08) 825 1723; website: www.exotissimo.com); Saigontourist Car Rental (tel: (08) 829 8914; website: www.saigontourist.net) and Vidotour (tel: (08) 933 0457; website: www.vidotourtravel.com). Rates cost US$26-30 per day for travel within the city, with additional charges for evening use.

Bicycle & Motorbike Hire
A popular place for this is the area around Pham Ngu Lao, which is the backpacker hangout. Every other building advertises bicycles and motorbikes for hire and daily charges can be expected of around US$1 for bicycles and US$5-15 for motorbikes, depending on the size of the bike. Clients have to leave their passport as a deposit. Checks should be made to ensure that the motorbike is roadworthy. An International Driving Permit endorsed for motorbikes is required for vehicles over 50cc. Bicycles and motorbikes should always be parked in the areas set aside for them (gui xe), otherwise they are likely to disappear and visitors will be liable for buying a replacement. It is always worth taking a padlock for additional security.

Business

Business Etiquette
Most senior businesspeople in large and international companies will speak English but it is not common in smaller companies. It is essential to make appointments for business meetings and to exchange business cards. Business cards should be offered and received with both hands. Vietnamese hosts are quite likely to present their guests with gifts, such as lacquerware, so visitors should take along a gift typical to their own area of residence in order to reciprocate. Vietnamese businesspeople are generally quite formal so protracted niceties are inevitable before getting down to business. Also, it is important to realise that the Vietnamese never like to say no to any request, so arrangements and contracts should be checked and rechecked. As a socialist country, women in a business context are treated as equals and great respect is shown to an older person, which is even reflected in the language.

Long lunch breaks are a legacy from the French so visitors should not schedule appointments between 1130 and 1400, unless invited to lunch. Alcohol is rarely served at a business lunch as Asian people do not drink very much as a general rule. Offices tend to open early between 0730 and 0800 and close around 1700 or 1800. Many offices are also open on Saturdays but this has changed to a certain extent with the introduction of a five-day week. Vietnamese businesspeople are gradually becoming more formal in their dress, as contact with international business increases. However, because of the extreme heat, it is quite acceptable, and practical, to dispense with the wearing of a suit jacket. There is a lot of after-work socialising but this tends to be only among the ex-pat community.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
Walking (or riding around in a cyclo) is the best way to absorb the sights and sounds of this dynamic city, as most places of interest are located in the central District 1. A walk along the riverfront is an ideal way to enjoy the constant activity on the Saigon River, as small and large boats ply to and from the opposite bank. Alternatively, the rooftop bar of the Majestic Hotel gives the best bird’s eye view of the river. Dong Khoi Street, once again the main shopping street in the city, is crammed with gift shops, tailors, jewellers and restaurants. At one end of this street are Notre Dame Cathedral and the huge central Post Office, with its enormous portrait of the former President, Ho Chi Minh. Just off this busy shopping area on Dong Du is the Saigon Central Mosque, an oasis of calm. The busy streets and river can be exhausting but a fast-paced cyclo ride to the Botanical Gardens is worth it, while the small pagodas in Cholon are symbols of tranquillity in an area frantic with commercial activity.

All attractions in District 1 are best reached on foot; other attractions further out should be visited by taxi or cyclo.

Tourist Information
Saigontourist
49 Le Thanh Ton, District 1
Tel: (08) 829 8914.
E-mail: sgtvn@hcmc.netnam.vn
Website: www.saigontourist.net

This is not a tourist office in the normal sense, as no such organisation exists. However, Saigontourist is government run and does have some information, although most literature relates to the tours it runs and the hotels it owns.

Passes
There are no tourist passes in Ho Chi Minh City.

Key Attractions

Dinh Thong Nhat (Reunification Palace)
The Reunification Palace is beautiful in its ugliness, a 1960s monstrosity designed with the help of Soviet architects. Most people will remember the image of a North Vietnamese tank crashing through the gates on 30 April 1975 signifying the fall of Saigon. The tank still graces the front lawn. Rooms open to the public remain exactly as they were in 1975, showing where important meetings were held during the war, as well as some of the private quarters of the president and his family. Most fascinating are a series of underground tunnels housing a telecommunications centre.

Nam Ky Khoi Ngia, District 1
Tel: (08) 822 3652.
Opening hours: Daily 0730-1100 and 1300-1600.
Admission charge.

Nha Trung Bay Toi Ac Chien Tranh Xam Luoc (War Remnants Museum)
Formerly known as the Museum of American War Crimes, the name has been toned down so as not to offend its US visitors and is now the War Remnants Museum. This is not a museum for the sensitive as it houses instruments of torture and hundreds of photographs of atrocities committed during the 20th century and, in particular, the Vietnam War. Visitors cannot fail to be moved as the exhibits provide a context for a period of history many only know from old newsreels and Hollywood movies. At the front of the museum is a small collection of military hardware and, most interestingly, the mobile guillotine used by the French colonists to dispense justice throughout the country before World War II.

28 Vo Van Tan, District 3
Tel: (08) 930 5587.
Opening hours: Daily 0730-1145 and 1330-1715.
Admission charge.

Notre Dame Cathedral
The twin towers of Notre Dame Cathedral have been a familiar landmark in Ho Chi Minh City since the 1880s. In front of the cathedral in a small garden is a delicate statue of the Virgin Mary. The interior of the cathedral is rather plain, unlike most French cathedrals, with no stained glass, but it is a cool escape from the heat outside.

Dong Khoi, District 1
Opening hours: No formal times.
Free admission; donations appreciated.

Buu Dien Truong Tam (Post Office)
Across from the Notre Dame Cathedral, the vast Post Office was also built in the late 19th century in European style. The interior has hardly been touched since it was built and is dominated by a huge portrait of Ho Chi Minh. The building always seems busy but most people are just visitors rather than customers.

2 Cong Xa Paris, District 1
Tel: (08) 829 9615.
Opening hours: Daily 0630-2130.
Free admission.

Ho Chi Minh City Museum
Housed in the former building of the Government of Cochinchina, the Ho Chi Minh City Museum (formerly the Revolutionary Museum) contains artefacts, such as weapons, uniforms, medals and old photos, from the period of Communist struggle against the French and the Americans. Unfortunately, the exhibits are only labelled in Vietnamese but some are self-explanatory. Outside the museum is a collection of military hardware including a tank and a helicopter.

65 Ly Tu Trong, District 1
Tel: (08) 829 9743 or 829 9741.
Opening hours: Daily 0800-1600.
Admission charge.

Vien Bao Tang Lich Su (Historical Museum)
Located just inside the entrance to the Botanical Gardens and Zoo, the Historical Museum houses a collection of artefacts covering the last 2,000 years of Vietnamese history including items belonging to ancient cultures such as Dong Son, Oc Eo and Cham. The museum was built in 1929 and the collection assembled by the Ecole Francaise d’Extreme Orient.

Nguyen Binh Khiem, District 1
Tel: (08) 829 8146.
Opening hours: Daily 0800-1120 and 1330-1620.
Admission charge.

Cholon (Chinatown)
Cholon is in District 5 and is a maze of narrow streets, bustling with people. Most of Vietnam’s ethnic Chinese live here and they are the largest single ethnic minority group in the country. Merchants began to settle in Cholon in the 1770s, although many ethnic Chinese fled the country in 1975.

The Thien Hau Pagoda is one of Cholon’s must-sees. It is dedicated to the goddess Thien Hau, protector of the sea. Photographers are spoilt for choice with the ornate decoration inside the pagoda and the statues of Thien Hau. It is popular with worshippers (the air is always heavy with the smell of incense) and there are regular festivals during the lunar calendar.

Binh Tay Market throngs with people from early morning and the gloomy, narrow walkways are crammed with consumer items and exotic foodstuffs. The sound of bargaining, quite often in Chinese rather than Vietnamese, and the calls of the vendors constantly fill the air. This is one of the best places to see the locals going about their daily lives.

Further Distractions

Chua Ngoc Hoang (Jade Emperor Pagoda)
The Jade Emperor Pagoda is one of the most attractive pagodas in the city. Dedicated to various Chinese-Vietnamese divinities, in a mixture of Taoist and Buddhist styles, the pagoda houses numerous statues and delicate woodcarvings with intricate tiles on the roof.

Mai Thi Luu, District 3
Opening hours: No formal times.
Free admission; donations appreciated.

Giac Lam Pagoda
Located 3km (2 miles) from Cholon, the Giac Lam Pagoda is believed to be the oldest pagoda in the city and is a calm place to visit. Families of the old and sick regularly go to the pagoda to pin supplications to the large bronze bell, in the belief that when it is rung, the messages will be sent to the heavens above.

Lac Long Quan, District 11
Opening hours: No formal times.
Free admission; donations appreciated.

Thao Cam Vien (Zoo and Botanical Gardens)
The Botanical Gardens were established by the French in 1864 and once had the reputation of being some of the finest in Asia. Now, however, the area is just a pleasant one for a stroll in the heart of the city, among tropical plants and trees. The zoo is not up to Western standards, with poor enclosures.

Nguyen Binh Khiem, District 1
Tel: (08) 829 3728.
Opening hours: Daily 0700-2000.
Admission charge.

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
There are no regular walking tours or signposted self-guided tours but these can be arranged privately with one of the travel agencies based in the city. One possible route is around the Town Hall, Notre Dame Cathedral, Post Office, Reunification Palace and War Remnants Museum (time permitting) and another through the shopping areas of Dong Khoi and Le Loi to Ben Thanh Market. The walking is not particularly strenuous but the heat and humidity can make it difficult. Exotissimo (tel: (08) 825 1723; website: www.exotissimo.com) and Vidotour (tel: (08) 933 0457; website: www.vidotourtravel.com) can arrange personalised guided tours on request.

Bus Tours
Saigontourist (tel: (08) 829 8914; website: www.saigontourist.net) offers half-day city tours (0800-1200) on a daily basis, with free hotel pick-up from Districts 1 and 3. They include Cholon (Thien Hau Pagoda and Binh Tay Market), the Historical Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Post Office and the lacquerware factory. Private tours of the city can be arranged through travel companies, such as Exotissimo (tel: (08) 825 1723; website: www.exotissimo.com) and Vidotour (tel: (08) 933 0457; website: www.vidotourtravel.com), with hotel pick-up included. The half-day tours last four hours; they include Notre Dame Cathedral, Post Office, the Reunification Palace and the Historical Museum. The eight-hour full-day tour also includes Cholon (Thien Hau Pagoda and Binh Tay Market) and the lacquerware factory. Tours require a minimum of two people.

Boat Tours
Boat trips no longer operate as the river is quite polluted due to heavy commercial activity, although work is being carried out to clean it up. However, Saigontourist (tel: (08) 829 8914; website: www.saigontourist.net) still operates evening cruises on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, which cost US$20, last one hour and finish at Binh Quoi Tourist Village for dinner and a show.

Excursions

For a Half Day

Cu Chi Tunnels: Only 90 minutes from the city are the tunnels that were excavated by hand by the Vietnamese, initially to fight against the French and then the Americans. The tunnels were such a successful hiding place that the Americans continually struggled against the surprise assaults launched from them by the Vietnamese. The network extends for over 200km (124 miles) and there are several layers of tunnels, housing makeshift hospitals, kitchens and living quarters. Many of the tunnels have been enlarged to allow Western visitors to be able to walk or crawl through them to experience how it was to live and fight down there. The tunnels (tel: (08) 794 8820) are open daily 0730-1630 and there is an admission charge. Saigontourist (tel: (08) 829 8914; website: www.saigontourist.net) have daily coach trips lasting five hours. Exotissimo (tel: (08) 825 1723; website: www.exotissimo.com) and Vidotour (tel: (08) 933 0457; website: www.vidotourtravel.com) can arrange private tours (minimum of two people). The tunnels can also be reached by public bus from the Tay Ninh Bus Station (tel: (08) 891 4923).

For a Whole Day

Cu Chi Tunnels and Tay Ninh: The tunnels can be combined with the Cao Dai Temple, at Tay Ninh, to make a full-day excursion. Four hour-long services are held daily at 0600, 1200, 1800 and 2400 in the Disneyesque temple, where Cao Dai followers dressed in brightly coloured robes perform a ceremony containing a fusion of religions, including Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity and Islam. Tay Ninh is around 2 hours 30 minutes from Ho Chi Minh City. Saigontourist (tel: (08) 829 8914; website: www.saigontourist.net) offers Saturday and Sunday coach trips lasting 10 hours. Exotissimo (tel: (08) 825 1723; website: www.exotissimo.com) and Vidotour (tel: (08) 933 0457; website: www.vidotourtravel.com) can arrange private tours (minimum of two people). The tunnels and Tay Ninh can also be reached by public bus from the Tay Ninh Bus Station (tel: (08) 891 4923).

Vinh Long: This is one of the most interesting towns in the Mekong Delta within easy reach of Ho Chi Minh City (approximately three hours away). Life here revolves around the river and the best way to observe this is by taking a boat trip through the maze of canals, passing small boats that are home to whole families. On the banks of the canals and on small islands are tiny villages, where families eke a living from the river and the fertile land on its banks. A highlight of the tour is the floating market at Cai Be which sells mainly fruit and vegetables to customers in their little boats. The boat trips usually include a visit to a bonsai garden and a fruit plantation, where citrus fruits can be sampled straight from the tree. Saigontourist (tel: (08) 829 8914; website: www.saigontourist.net) offers Saturday and Sunday coach trips lasting 10 hours. Exotissimo (tel: (08) 825 1723; website: www.exotissimo.com) and Vidotour (tel: (08) 933 0457; website: www.vidotourtravel.com) can arrange private tours lasting 10 hours (minimum of two people). A tour is advisable as the public bus takes too long for a day trip.

Vung Tau: Only two hours from the city, this seaside resort is popular with city dwellers, although the beaches are not the best the country has to offer. Saigontourist (tel: (08) 829 8914; website: www.saigontourist.net) and Vidotour (tel: (08) 933 0457; website: www.vidotourtravel.com) can arrange private tours (minimum of two people). It is also possible to go to Vung Tau by hydrofoil.

Sport

Shopping

Visitors to Ho Chi Minh City are spoilt for choice for shops and most of them are within easy walking distance of each other. Many shops are found along Dong Khoi, which used to be the trendy Rue Catinat in French colonial times. Close by are Hai Ba Trung and Le Loi, which are also worth a look. Off-the-peg clothing is always a good buy but even better is to have clothes made up by one of the many tailors. There is always a good range of coloured silk to choose from. Hand-embroidered tablecloths and napkins are very popular. Items such as boxes and vases made from lacquerware are extremely good value. The hill tribes of the Central Highlands and the north of the country now sell colourful woven bags and clothing in the city. Good souvenirs are marble figurines and vases and silk paintings and greetings cards. Busy Ben Thanh Market on Le Loi is crammed with items of interest to the visitor, such as clothes and souvenirs, as well as more general household items, food and flowers. It is open from early morning until 1700.

Shops are generally open seven days a week from around 0800 until between 2000 and 2200. All shops tend to be on the small side and so far there are no major department stores represented in the city. VAT is structured on a four-tiered system (at 0%, 5%, 10% and 20%). It is included on most items sold and 10% is the standard, but there is no system for foreign visitors to be able to claim this back at the moment. However, the duty-free shop on the corner of Nguyen Hue and Le Loi in the centre of downtown Saigon (tel: (08) 823 4549) will allow foreigners to make tax-free purchases of their stock (up to the value of US$315). A passport and stamped yellow entry customs form must be shown. During the first five days of your visit, you can take goods away, otherwise they will be delivered to the international airport for you.

Culture

For a city the size of Ho Chi Minh City, there are surprisingly few major outlets for cultural performances. There are a number of small theatres, where smaller companies or groups visiting from the provinces perform. The Opera House, Lam Son Square (tel: (08) 825 1563), has regular performances and occasional shows by international classical artists. The large Hoa Binh Theatre, next to the Quoc Tu Pagoda in District 10 (tel: (08) 865 3353/5199), has a few small theatres in the complex and may have a number of different shows in one night. The Gia Dinh Theatre, 475 Bach Dang, Binh Thanh District (tel: (08) 841 2045), puts on minority music or dance shows and the Ben Thanh Theatre, 6 Mac Dinh Chi, District 1 (tel: (08) 823 1652), hosts drama from visiting groups. There is no central ticket agency to purchase tickets for performances and this has to be done in person at the relevant venue. Details of some shows can be found in The Guide, published monthly by the Vietnam Economic Times (website: www.vneconomy.com.vn).

Music: Vietnamese music is somewhat discordant to the Western ear but excellent performances are held nightly in some of the restaurants. Vietnam House, 91/3 Dong Khoi (tel: (08) 829 1623), and Blue Ginger, 37 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia (tel: (08) 829 8676), are good examples. Occasional performances are held at the Conservatory of Music, 112 Nguyen Du in District 3 (tel: (08) 822 5841).

Theatre: Vietnam is famous for its water puppets and the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre in Hanoi regularly tour worldwide. Ho Chi Minh City has its own makeshift water puppet theatre, the Ho Chi Minh City Puppet Band, 28 Vo Van Tan, District 3 (tel: (08) 930 3496), with daily performances at 0900 and 1400. The Opera House (tel: (08) 825 1563), on Lam Son Square, District 1, has regular dance, music and acrobatic performances.

Dance: Dance shows are less popular in Vietnam than in Thailand or Cambodia but performances can be seen at some of the restaurants throughout the city as well as at some of the theatres mentioned above. There is a particularly good show during dinner at the Cung Dinh Restaurant (tel: (08) 829 2185) in the Rex Hotel. Binh Quoi Tourist Village (tel: (08) 899 1831), just outside the city on the Saigon River, has nightly dance shows, the highlight of which is a re-enactment of a minority wedding.

Film: Ho Chi Minh City has a few cinemas but only two show English-language films. These are CLB Phim Tu Lieu, 212 Ly Chinh Thang, District 3 (tel: (08) 846 8883), and Diamond Cinema, 4th Floor, Diamond Plaza, 14 Le Duan (tel: (08) 822 7897).

Only a handful of films for the international market have been filmed in Vietnam and one of these was the acclaimed film Cyclo (1995). Directed by the French-educated Tran Anh Hung, it is a brutal portrayal of Ho Chi Minh City’s streets in the early 1980s. By the same director is the well-received film Scent of the Green Papaya (1994), which is filmed in France but is about a pre-war Vietnamese/Chinese family’s decadent lifestyle in Saigon. The first American film to be made in Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City since the war was Three Seasons (1999), directed by Vietnamese-American Tony Bui. The film describes the emergence of Ho Chi Minh City and its people from the post-Vietnam war period and won awards all over the world. Filmed in Ho Chi Minh City in 2001 and released in 2002 is Graham Greene’s The Quiet American, directed by Phillip Noyce and the first Hollywood film to be made in the country.

Literary Notes: Ho Chi Minh City has appeared as the backdrop for a number of books because of its rich French colonial and wartime history. Perhaps the most famous is The Quiet American (1955) by Graham Greene – the story of an American helping to establish a Third Force, while the French fight against the Vietminh. Greene’s novel was written as a result of his years spent in Saigon. Anthony Grey’s 1982 novel, Saigon, relates the story of Joseph Sherman who arrived in the city as a teenager in 1925 and, drawn back again and again, finally left on the last helicopter out in 1975. This epic novel was written despite the author never having visited Vietnam but he captures the city perfectly. ‘The white stone wharf, when it appeared, took him by surprise. It ran beside a broad, shaded boulevard of feathery pepper trees, and the sudden sight of European-style buildings made him reflect that the jungles, fields and villages through which they’d been moving for the past few hours had remained unchanging throughout many centuries. But there without doubt were the elusive twin spires of Saigon’s cathedral that he’d seen from far off, stationary now and clearly visible, standing sentinel over the wide tree-lined avenues.’

A moving epic story by Duong Van Mai Elliott is The Sacred Willow (1999), which covers four generations of a Vietnamese family from French colonialism through World War II to the American War. The British Labour MP Chris Mullin, a long-time friend of Vietnam and once a war correspondent there, covers post-liberation Saigon in his 1986 novel The Last Man out of Saigon. It tells of a CIA man, masquerading as a journalist who stays on after the fall of the city to destabilise the new regime. His cover is blown and he spends time being re-educated and working as a rice-farmer. Here he learns that there are two sides to any story and to any war.

Nightlife

During the Vietnam War, Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon as it was known then) was notorious for its nightlife but this changed dramatically after 1975 and venues were forced to close their doors. Now, however, the city is once again awash with clubs and bars, varying from tiny, gloomy establishments to some very upmarket venues. Most of the nightlife is concentrated in District 1, particularly on the streets around Dong Khoi and Hai Ba Trung, although a few good restaurants and bars are found in District 3 and Phu Nhuan District. Bars and clubs should close at midnight but many are open into the early hours of the morning or until the last client leaves. Imported drinks are considerably more expensive than local ones and alcohol sold in the more upmarket places is even more expensive again. There is never any entrance fee to the bars but nightclubs generally charge around US$5. The dress code is generally very relaxed with no restrictions on jeans or trainers. Information on what’s on can be found in The Guide, published monthly by the Vietnam Economic Times (website: www.vneconomy.com.vn).

Bars: Perhaps one of the most famous bars is Apocalypse Now, 2C Thi Sach. Be warned it only gets going around midnight. For a quiet drink with great views over the Saigon River, try the rooftop bar at the Majestic Hotel, 1 Dong Khoi. Continually popular place are the Blue Gecko Bar, 31 Ly Tu Trong, with a pool table and darts board and Underground in the basement of Lucky Plaza at 69 Dong Khoi, a place to hang out after work. The Q Bar, 7 Cong Truong, Lam Son Square, has made a welcome return after several years’ absence and it is still stylish, sophisticated and cool but larger than before.

Casinos: Gambling in Vietnam is illegal for Vietnamese people, however, it is allowed by foreign passport-holders. There is only one casino in the north of the country but now gaming centres with slot machines are making an appearance in Ho Chi Minh City; try Chats Slot Gaming Centre, New World Hotel, Le Lai, Club 21, Omni Hotel, 251 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan District, and OV Club, Equatorial Hotel, 242 Tran Binh Trong, District 5.

Clubs: Clubs were slow in appearing in the city but now there is a choice, although they all play a wide variety of music, including techno, pop and retro. The Catwalk disco and karaoke bar, in the New World Hotel on Le Lai, is well established. Popular with young Saigonese and ex-pats alike are the techno clubs, Hazzards on Hai Ba Trung and Speed on Tran Hung Dao, with its great sound system, and Mua Rung on Ho Huan Nghiep, which is decorated as an Amazonian rainforest. The largest and most hi-tech club in Vietnam, Spaceship on Ham Nghi continues to draw the crowds with its spectacular light shows.

Live Music: The Wild Horse Saloon, 8A1/D1 Thai Van Lung, has regular live music nights from jazz to blues and country. Several of the international hotels stage nightly performances by local and international bands. These include Caravelle Hotel on Lam Son Square (in the stylish Saigon Saigon Bar with stunning views over the rooftops), the New World Hotel, Le Lai, the Equatorial Hotel, Tran Binh Trong, District 5, and Sofitel Plaza Saigon, Le Duan. It is even possible to find gypsy and flamenco music being performed at the Carmen Bar, 8 Ly Tu Trong.

City Statistics

Location: Situated on the Saigon River in southern Vietnam.
Country dialling code: 84.
Time zone: GMT + 7.
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temp: 27°C (81°F).
Average July temp: 29°C (84°F).
Annual rainfall: 1,983mm (78 inches).

Special Events

Tet (New Year), the most important festival of the year, Jan/Feb according to lunar calendar, throughout the city
International Women’s Day, parades and celebration by women, 8 Mar, throughout the city
Liberation Day, celebrations, 30 Apr, throughout the city
International Labour Day, following Liberation Day this gives citizens a two-day holiday, 1 May, throughout the city
Ho Chi Minh’s Birthday, national holiday to celebrate the birthday of the former president, 19 May, throughout the city
National Day, celebrating the Declaration of Independence in 1945 of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (also anniversary of the death of Ho Chi Minh), 2 Sep, throughout the city
Mid-Autumn Festival, general festivities including children’s processions with lanterns, celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, Oct, throughout the city
Christmas Day, celebrated by the small Christian community but increasingly seen as a party period by other, 25 Dec, throughout the city

Cost of Living

Both US Dollars and Vietnamese Dong can be used in Ho Chi Minh City. Prices in this guide are given in the currency that they were quoted to the author and in which payment would be expected.

1,000 Vietnamese Dong (VND1,000) = £0.04; US$0.06; C$0.07; A$0.08; ¬0.05
Currency conversion rates as of October 2005