Ho Chi Minh City Things to Do Tips by shrimp56

What was the former South Vietnamese Presidential Palace is now called the Reunification Palace. This is where the North Vietnamese took over in April 1975. You can see the gates where the tanks broke through as well as various pieces of military hardware on the palace grounds.

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Phone: +84 8 829 0629
Address: 106 Nguyen Du District 1

The building is actually a very strikming example of modernist architect that was designed by French-trained Vietnamese architect, Ngo Viet Thu.

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Phone: +84 8 829 0629
Address: 106 Nguyen Du District 1
Directions: Hours: 7.30am-11am; 1pm-4pm daily

This museum has had several names -- the latest being one that reflects our new economic connections with Vietnam. The earlier name was "War Crimes Museum".
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It contains various exhibitions detailing the activities during what the Vietnamese call "The American War". Please see the travelogue for some idea of the exhibits.
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This picture is of two of the paintings done by Vietnamese children against war -- they are very moving.

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Phone: +84 8 829 5587
Address: 28 Vo Van Tan District 3

The Rex Hotel was a center of activity during the Vietnam War as it was the favorite hotel of the military brass, which meant the journalists weren't far behind. It is very elegant and a great place for a nostalgic drink on the rooftop terrace.
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You can see the lights of the traffic down below --read my tip on negotiating the Saigon streets!

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Phone: 8-829-2185
Address: 141 Nguyen hue Blvd, District 1
Directions: Only a short walk from the Central Market
Website: http://www.rexhotelvietnam.com/

You will find this statue of the 15th-century warrior Tran Nguyen Han in the middle of the roundabout directly in front of The Central Market. GeneraL Tran Nguyen Han served under Le Loi. The link is to more information about Le Loi and the insurrection against the Chinese occupiers that he led.

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Directions: In the middle of the roundabout directly in front of The Central Market
Website: http://www.nhandan.org.vn/english/people/20000826.html

The post office was built by the French and designed by Gustav Eiffel of tower fame. It looks more like a train station than a post office. One of the highlights is the old map of Indochina. It is right opposite the Notre Dame Cathedral.

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Address: 2 Cong Xa Paris, District 1

For security reasons the cathedral is only open on Sunday morning during services from 9:30-11:00am.
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The cathedral is a reminder that, despite the communism and buddhism of Vietnam, it is still a partially Catholic country.

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Address: Dong Khoi, District 1
Directions: City center

This beautiful building is an other legacy of the French occupation of Indochina. It was built in the early 1900s and renewed in the 1940s. Not many performances are given here now, but it's often used as a landmark for finding the Sheraton Hotel!

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Saigon's Chinatown is in District 5. The heart of this bustling area is the Binh Tay Market. Although it is primarily wholesale, it is well worth a visit for the activity and the shrine in the middle -- where the vendors pay their respects before the work begins.
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Please visit my Cholon travelogue for more on Cholon.

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There are a number of pagodas in Cholon. [The Vietnamese use the term "pagoda for any temple] The Thien Hau Pagoda was the one we visited. It reveres both Buddha and the goddess of the sea.
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The spiral incense cones burn for a month -- inside is a tag that lists the prayer request.

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Address: District 5