Visit Hồ Chí Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam

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Formerly known as Saigon (and still is to many inhabitants), a name reflective of when it was the capital of the French colony of Cochin-china, Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam with the most populous metropolitan area in the country. The population of the fast growing area is currently in excess of 9 Million and on track to exceed 20 Million within 10 years. Originally a small fishing village, Ho Chi Minh City was brought into the Khmer Empire in 17thcentury, subsequently absorbed into the Nguyen Dynasty, served as the capital of the Republic of Vietnam to then come under control of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam after the Vietnam war when it was renamed in honor of the Chinese Communist leader, Ho Chi Minh. The city is the economic engine that drives Vietnam with significant production from mining, seafood processing, agriculture, construction, tourism, finance and international trade. Fine restaurants, First-class hotels, plush bars and clubs, shops selling imported luxury goods are found throughout the city amid a checkerboard of once-grand French architecture, venerable pagodas and temples alongside austere housing blocks. A number of attractions are frequently found on many lists of the best things to experience in Ho Chi Minh City. Ben Thanh Market with its narrow alleys replete with vendors eager to bargain is almost always among the favorite places to visit. Reunification Palace where communists’ tanks blasted through the gates in a symbolic end to the Vietnam War is another popular site along with the War Remnants Museum. The iconic Rex Hotel, the location of daily press briefings during the war is frequently included on tourist itineraries with its rooftop bar affording one of the best views of the city. The most popular trip out of the city is to the Cu Chi Tunnels. Villagers dug themselves out of the range of American shelling spending weeks at a time in the narrow passageways that total nearly 500 kilometers in combined length. In the same area as the Cu Chi Tunnels is found the Great Temple of the indigenous Cao Dai religion at Tay Ninh which also commands an examination. Tours of the Mekong Delta at My Tho or a swim in the South China Sea at Mui Ne are also popular with visitors. Sporting events draw enthusiastic crowds, primarily for football and basketball games. Army Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City was the site of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup finals for footballers. The city is served by Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the largest airport in Vietnam accounting for more than half of Vietnam's air passenger traffic. The primary means of transport within the city are motorbikes, buses, taxis, and bicycles. Motorbikes remain the most common way to move around but taxis are plentiful; motorcycle taxis are also common with the passenger sitting at the rear. Many visitors to Ho Chi Minh City arrive on river cruise vessels as cruises on the Mekong River from points north have become quite popular. Your dream of visiting the most populous city in Vietnam can be fulfilled when you add Visit Ho Chi Minh City to your list and execute your plan. This trip of a lifetime to a rejuvenated major economic center will create long lasting memories that you will want to share with your friends and family.

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