Where do you want to visit in Ho Chi Minh City

Independence Palace

Independence Palace (Dinh Độc Lập), also known as Reunification Palace (Vietnamese: Dinh Thống Nhất), built on the site of the former Norodom Palace, is a landmark in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It was designed by architect Ngô Viết Thụ and was the home and workplace of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It was the site of the end of the Vietnam War during the Fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975, when a North Vietnamese Army tank crashed through its gates.

Chợ Bến Thành

Bến Thành Market (Vietnamese: Chợ Bến Thành) is a large marketplace in central Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam in District 1. The market is one of the earliest surviving structures in Saigon and an important symbol of Hồ Chí Minh City, popular with tourists seeking local handicrafts, textiles, áo dài and souvenirs, as well as local cuisine.

Hồ Chí Minh City Hall

Ho Chi Minh City Hall or Saigon City Hall or Hôtel de Ville de Saïgon (Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Head office - Trụ sở Ủy ban Nhân dân Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh) was built in 1902-1908 in a French colonial style for the then city of Saigon. It was renamed after 1975 as Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee. Although this elegant colonial building is not open to the public, Saigon City Hall is popular for its great photo opportunities. Tourists can take photographs outside and many people choose to do this at night when the building and its grounds are lit up. Other buildings nearby: Municipal Theatre, Ho Chi Minh City HSBC Building, Ho Chi Minh City Rex Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City

City Opera House

The Municipal Theatre of Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon Municipal Opera House (Vietnamese: Nhà hát Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh; French: Opėra Municipal de Saigon), is an opera house in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It is an example of French Colonial architecture in Vietnam. Built in 1897 by French architect Eugène Ferret as the Opėra de Saigon, the 800 seat building was used as the home of the Lower House assembly of South Vietnam after 1956. It was not until 1975 that it was again used as a theatre, and restored in 1995.

Saigon Zoo And Botanical Garden

The Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens, established in 1865, is Vietnam's largest zoo and botanical garden. Located on Nguyen Binh Khiem Street in District 1, T.P. in Ho Chi Minh City, it is home to over a hundred species of mammals, reptiles and birds, as well as many rare orchids and ornamental plants. Also within the grounds is the Museum of Vietnamese History, housing some 25,000 artifacts of history, culture and ethnography of South Vietnam. The grounds also include a temple to the Hung Kings (formerly a monument to Indochinese soldiers who died for France during World War I). Other parts of the zoo are divided into animal and plant conservation areas, an orchid garden, and an amusement park.

Bitexco Financial Tower

Bitexco Financial Tower (Vietnamese: Tháp Tài chính Bitexco) is a skyscraper in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. At its completion in 2010, it became the tallest building in Vietnam and kept this status until January 2011, when it was surpassed by Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower. With 68 floors above ground and three basements, the building has a height of 262.5 metres (861 ft), making it the second tallest building in the city, fifth tallest in Vietnam, and the 263rd tallest in the world, as of the beginning of 2018.The tower is owned by Bitexco Group, a Vietnamese multi-industry corporation, with a focus on real estate development. The building also houses the Ho Chi Minh City office of Bitexco Group, while its headquarters are in Hanoi.The tower was designed by Carlos Zapata, Design Principal and Founder of Carlos Zapata Studio, with French company AREP as architect of record. Designer Zapata, who was born in Venezuela but is based in New York City, drew inspiration for this skyscraper's unique shape from Vietnam's national flower, the Lotus.The tower was officially inaugurated on 31 October 2010. In 2013, CNN.com named the Bitexco Financial Tower one of the 25 Great Skyscraper Icons of Construction. And in 2015, Thrillist.com named the Bitexco Financial Tower the #2 Coolest Skyscraper in the World.

Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon (Vietnamese: Vương cung thánh đường Chính tòa Đức Bà Sài Gòn or Nhà thờ Đức Bà Sài Gòn; French: Basilique-Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Saigon), officially Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception (Vietnamese: Vương cung thánh đường Chính tòa Đức Mẹ Vô nhiễm Nguyên tội; French: Basilique-Cathédrale Notre-Dame de l'Immaculée Conception) is a cathedral located in the downtown of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Established by French colonists who initially named it Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Saïgon, the cathedral was constructed between 1863 and 1880. It has two bell towers, reaching a height of 58 meters (190 feet).

Saigon Central Post Office

The Ho Chi Minh City Post Office, or the Saigon Central Post Office (Vietnamese: Bưu điện Trung tâm Sài Gòn, French: Poste centrale de Saïgon) is a post office in the downtown Ho Chi Minh City, near Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, the city's cathedral. The building was constructed when Vietnam was part of French Indochina in the late 19th century. It counts with Gothic, Renaissance and French influences. It was constructed between 1886-1891 and is now a tourist attraction. It was designed by Alfred Foulhoux, but is often erroneously credited as being the work of Gustave Eiffel or a collaboration between Foulhoux and Hanoi-based Auguste Henri Vildieu. As translated by the historian Tim Doling, the journal Architecte constructeur: Revue du monde architectural et artistique of 15 September 1891 commented: “The inauguration the new Saigon Post Office, which was held on July 14, had been postponed until the return of the Governor General. This monument, adorned with a most artistic façade, is particularly well laid out and well equipped for the different services to which it is intended; it does the greatest honour to the skill and talent of the distinguished Chief Architect of the Colony, M. Foulhoux.”Inside the Saigon Central Post office of special note are two painted maps that were created just after the post office was built, the first one located on the left side of the building is a map of Southern Vietnam and Cambodia titled Lignes telegraphiques du Sud Vietnam et Cambodge 1892 which translates to "Telegraphic lines of Southern Vietnam and Cambodia 1892". The second map of greater Saigon is titled Saigon et ses environs 1892 that translates as "Saigon and its surroundings 1892".

Vinh Trang Pagoda

Vĩnh Tràng Chùa is a Buddhist temple near Mỹ Tho in the Mekong Delta region of southern Vietnam. It is one of the best-known temples in the region.The temple stands on a 2 hectares (5 acres) block filled with fruit trees in the village of Mỹ Hóa in the town of Mỹ Phong, on the banks of the Bảo Định canal. In the middle of the 19th century, the temple came into being through the endeavours of the district chief Bùi Công Đạt, who organised its erection. He recruited the monk Thích Từ Lâm from Bửu Lâm Temple to preside over Vĩnh Tràng. Following the death of Bùi Công Đạt, Thích Huệ Đăng presided over the remainder of the construction phase and the temple was completed in 1850.Between 1859 and 1862, French colonial forces battled the army of the Nguyễn Dynasty of Emperor Tự Đức. The French army prevailed and Tự Đức ceded three southern provinces to become the colony of Cochinchina. In the fighting, Vĩnh Tràng was seriously damaged. The successor of Thích Huệ Đăng was Thích Thiện Đề, and he oversaw the reconstruction efforts. After his death, the temple fell into disuse.In 1890, Thích Trà Chánh was recruited from Sắc tứ Linh Thứu Temple to become the abbot of the temple. The new abbot hailed from Mỹ Tho and was a disciple of Thích Minh Phước. In 1895, Thích Chánh Hậu organised a complete renovation of the temple. In 1904, the temple was ravaged in a large tropical storm, requiring a major rebuilding in 1907. Thích Chánh Hậu presided as the abbot for 33 years until his death in 1923. His successor Thích Minh Đàn, organised further renovations including the main triple gate, main ceremonial hall and the patriarch hall.The main triple gate was built in 1933 through the labour of craftsmen recruited from the imperial capital in Huế, central Vietnam. The central gate is made from steel, while the two side gates are made from concrete and styled akin to a historical fortress. The triple gate has an upper level with another large gate on top. On the right is the statue of Thích Chánh Hậu and on the left is a statue of Thích Minh Đàn. Both sculptures were made of statue and were made by Nguyễn Phi Hoanh. The front of the temple is designed in a style that mixes European and Asian architecture.In the main hall of the temple, there are multiple statues of various Buddhas including Amitabha Buddha, Gautama Buddha, various arahants and bodhisattvas. There are also statues of Thích Chánh Hậu and Thích Minh Đàn. The three oldest statues in the temple are those of Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara and Đại Thế Chí bodhisattva, which are made of bronze. However, the statue of Avalokiteshvara has been lost for a long time, so a wooden replacement was made. There is also a statue of the Jade Emperor, roughly the size of a real human.The statues of 18 arahants are carved from wood and were made in 1907 by a group of southern craftsmen. Each statue is approximately 80 centimetres (31 in) tall and 58 centimetres (23 in) in width.The garden of the temple is decorated with many pot plants and are tended to on a regular basis. Under the shade of one tree is the stupa of Thích Chánh Hậu, in which his ashes are interred.The temple is currently the office of the board of the provincial Buddhist Association of Tiền Giang Province. It is a major provincial destination for tourists and pilgrims.

Ba Thien Hau Temple

The Thien Hau Temple (Vietnamese: Miếu Bà Thiên Hậu), officially the Ba Thien Hau Pagoda (Chùa Bà Thiên Hậu, "Pagoda of the Lady Thien Hau"), is a Chinese-style temple of the Chinese sea goddess Mazu on Nguyễn Trãi Street in the Cho Lon ("Chinatown") of District 5 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Giac Lam Pagoda

Giác Lâm Pagoda (Vietnamese: Chùa Giác Lâm; chữ Hán: 覺林寺, Giác Lâm tự) is a historic Buddhist pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in Vietnam. Built in 1744, it is one of the oldest temples in the city. It was officially listed as a historical site by the Vietnamese Department of Culture on November 16, 1988 under Decision 1288 VH/QD. The pagoda is located at 118 Lạc Long Quân, in the 23rd ward of Tân Bình district, in the Phú Thọ Hòa region of the city. It stands on Cẩm Sơn, and is also known as Cẩm Đệm and Sơn Can.

Bùi Viện

Bình Tây Market

Binh Tay Market (Vietnamese: Chợ Bình Tây or Chợ Lớn or Chợ Lớn Mới) is the Central Market of Cho Lon in District 6, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Local Vietnamese refer to it as Chợ Lớn, while local Vietnamese-Chinese refer it as 堤岸 - 新街市 "The New Market of Chợ Lớn", and the Chinese other than those living in Vietnam known it only as 堤岸 (Dī'àn, or literally, "embankment"). "The Old Market" (Chinese: 舊街市) did exist in Cho Lon; it used to be on Nguyen Trai Street in District 5. It was destroyed in a raging fire (exact time unknown) and soon after, "The New Market" was built. Although it was used extensively before the fire, local people rarely mention about this lost market except the elderly, or ones who has lived nearby long enough to know the history of this old market.

Turtle Lake

Cầu Ánh Sao

Vietnam Quoc Tu Pagoda

The Việt Nam Quốc Tự Pagoda is located on February 3rd Blvd., District 10 of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The pagoda, seven stories tall, is full of colorful, oversized statues of religious figures. On the first and fifteenth of the month, the pagoda opens up its third and seventh floors to the public. On other days, the second floor is accessible; it features a shrine made up of miniature Buddhas floating against a cloudy sky mural. The pagoda was built in 1963.

Cu Chi Tunnels

The tunnels of Củ Chi are an immense network of connecting tunnels located in the Củ Chi District of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, and are part of a much larger network of tunnels that underlie much of the country. The Củ Chi tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War, and were the Viet Cong's base of operations for the Tết Offensive in 1968. The tunnels were used by Viet Cong soldiers as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches and living quarters for numerous North Vietnamese fighters. The tunnel systems were of great importance to the Viet Cong in their resistance to American forces, and helped to counter the growing American military effort.

Đồng Khởi

Cao Dai Temple