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Ho Chi Minh City

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Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam e January, 2017: street view of Pham Ngu Lao.street, the backpacker district of Saigon.; Shutterstock ID 569235004; Your name (First / Last): Laura Crawford; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: HCMC & Nagasaki page images BiA

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Overview

Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is Vietnam at its most dizzying: a high-octane city of commerce and culture that has driven the country forward with its pulsating energy. A chaotic whirl, the city breathes life and vitality into all who settle here, and visitors cannot help but be hauled along for the ride.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Jade Emperor Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is one of the major tourists sights. 1517614391

    Jade Emperor Pagoda

    Ho Chi Minh City

    Built in 1909 in honour of the supreme Taoist god (the Jade Emperor or King of Heaven, Ngoc Hoang), this is one of the most atmospheric temples in Ho Chiā€¦

  • Fighter planes outside War Remnants Museum.

    War Remnants Museum

    Ho Chi Minh City

    To understand the US invasion of Vietnam, and contextualize its devastating impact on the country's civilians, this remarkable and deeply moving museum isā€¦

  • Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica on blue sky background in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. architecture, asia, asian, brick, building, cathedral, catholic, catholicism, chi, christ, christianity, church, city, colonial, culture, dame, famous, french, historical, history, ho, holy, indochina, landmark, mary, minh, monument, notre, praying, religion, religious, saigon, spirituality, symbol, tower, travel, urban, vietnam, vietnamese, virgin, worship

    Notre Dame Cathedral

    Ho Chi Minh City

    Built between 1877 and 1883, Notre Dame Cathedral enlivens the heart of Ho Chi Minh City's government quarter, facing Ɛ Dong Khoi. A red-brick, neoā€¦

  • July 8, 2015: Reunification Palace (Ngo Viet Thu) was the home and workplace of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. 302965892 archaeological, architecture, asia, asian, attraction, building, capital, city, collection, colonial, country, culture, display, exhibit, exhibition, famous, grass, hanoi, historical, history, home, independence, landmark, major, museum, national, norodom, nutrition, office, palace, period, place, president, reunification, room, s, saigon, sightseeing, south, tourism, tourist, travel, tree, vietnam, vietnamese, war, workplace

    Reunification Palace

    Ho Chi Minh City

    Surrounded by royal palm trees, the dissonant 1960s architecture of this landmark government building and the eerie ambience of its deserted halls make itā€¦

  • Giac Lam Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

    Giac Lam Pagoda

    Ho Chi Minh City

    Believed to be the oldest temple in HCMC (1744), Giac Lam is a fantastically atmospheric place set in peaceful, garden-like grounds. The Chineseā€¦

  • Ho Chi Minh City Museum or Bao Tang Thanh Pho is a historical site and museum in Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon in Vietnam 1138819423 chi, ho, minh, thanh

    HCMC Museum

    Ho Chi Minh City

    A grand neoclassical structure built in 1885 and once known as Gia Long Palace (and later the Revolutionary Museum), HCMCā€™s city museum is a singularlyā€¦

  • Phuoc An Hoi Quan Pagoda

    Phuoc An Hoi Quan Pagoda

    Ho Chi Minh City

    Delightfully fronted by greenery and opening to an interior blaze of red, gold, green and yellow, this is one of the most beautifully ornamented templesā€¦

  • Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - April 15, 2019: the exterior of the central entrance and the tower of Cho Binh Tay market in Cho Lon (Cholon), a Chinatown. 1148759159

    Binh Tay Market

    Ho Chi Minh City

    Cholonā€™s main market has a great clock tower and a central courtyard with gardens. Much of the business here is wholesale but itā€™s popular with tourā€¦

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Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Best Things to Do

Fine food and French architecture set the mood in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's southern metropolis. Here are the 10 best things to do in the former Saigon.

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Best Time to Visit

Plan your trip to Ho Chi Minh City with this seasonal guide.

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Things to Know

Use these tips and tricks to make the most out of your time in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

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Free Things to Do

Ho Chi Minh City is one of Southeast Asiaā€™s top budget destinations. From temples to local sports, here are the best free things to do in Saigon.

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Best Neighborhoods

Explore Ho Chi Minh City one neighborhood at a time with our guide to the best districts.

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Day Trips

Ho Chi Minh City is fast-paced and fabulous, but brilliant day trips await nearby in the Mekong Delta. Here are our top day trips from Ho Chi Minh City.

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Plan with a local

Articles

Latest stories from Ho Chi Minh City

Bustling nightlife in Hanoi versus wide, tree lined boulevards in Ho Chi Minh City Hanoi versus Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam

Tips & Advice

Hanoi vs Ho Chi Minh City: which Vietnamese city has the edge?

Jan 8, 2025 ā€¢ 7 min read

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