Saigon / Ho Chi Minh City

What shall we call you HCMC?

The Light Bringer, Ho Chi Minh, used this, one of his many, pseudonyms to rename Saigon after him. Why he had so many pseudonyms is an interesting question for another day. However, many locals still call Vietnam’s most populous city Saigon. Indeed, it rolls off the tongue more easily than Ho Chi Minh City or HCMC.

How we got to Saigon?

From our hotel Dusit Princess in Phu Quoc, it was only a short 10 minute drive to the airport. 

Vietnam Airlines, for the second time we used them, were delayed. However, luckily we found that out the night before while checking in, so an hour lazing was taken up.

Phu Quoc Airport 

The immigration/ security lines were long and a fight almost broke out as a group of local lads tried to push to the front. 

When we finally arrived at Phu Quoc immigration the sour faced officer refused to let us through, all because our complete full names ( middle names) were not on our boarding pass. Well, there’s a first time for everything! We had to bite our tongues, as he told us we had to go and get it changed! Thankfully, the airline check in desk changed it quickly for us. We did need to prompt the staff member to let us use the empty business class line rather than queue up with those checking in bags.  

The flight was delayed more though when we were at the airport. Even though the journey was only 45min-1 hour, we didn’t arrive into Saigon until after 2pm, a few hours later. It did work okay with getting into the hotel. 

Where we stayed

Fusion Suites caught our eye when browsing potential hotels online.

We liked the quirky design of the corner suite room and thought it would be a stylish place to end the trip on. It is difficult to guage location etc for a city that we’ve never been to. 

The room looked as it did online. However, there were a few issues like a fridge not cool, meaning cold stuff warmed up unless an ice bucket was put into it and the a/c not cold enough. Thankfully, after we contacted reception, they managed to sort the A/C. The fridge, or cooler as they called it, was a lost cause. As noted above, they had to provide an ice bucket to do the job. 

The staff weren’t the most helpful, arguing over the most simple requests, like getting some green teabags! It felt like a chore to get anything done. Additionally, the front of house were more concerned with things, rather than how the guest was and the experience they were having. Small things like chasing us for an umbrella back when we walked into the hotel rather than asking how was our day, highlighted the attitude. This was a tad disappointing.

On our arrival though, a couple of staff were sweet and brought me (Miko) some birthday cake. Unfortunately, the expected experience went down hill after this. Another example of the expected quality and the lacking of a certain je ne sais quoi, was the fact the room came with a large bath in this Spa Hotel, yet the team hadn’t kitted out the bathroom with any bath salts or essential oils so that one could relax in it. On top of this, the attitude of front of house was, “go buy some yourself”. 

The breakfast was the okay but the least available of all our stays for a hotel that was one of the most expensive. The team serving the breakfast were excellent and helped to accommodate our vegetarian needs. 

Getting a feeling for the place 

Saigon definitely has a different feeling than Hanoi. In all honesty, we found Hanoi more friendly and down to earth. If we thought Hanoi traffic was bad, well Saigon just surpassed it. Totally crazy. They just don’t drive on the roads, mopeds mounted the pavements to drive on the footpaths in an attempt to beat the traffic.Certainly, Saigon is not a great walking city for this fact. 

We used the hotels rather pointy umbrella as a jousting stick when crossing the road, to ward off vehicles about to run us over.

The weather didn’t help matters. An oppressive grey sky with bouts of rain hung over us the whole time. However, we made the most of it and got stuck right in!

What to do in Saigon 

In a city of nearly 10 million, there is always going to be plenty to see and do. We got out and about to meet it’s inhabitants and see its sights. 

Post office 

Saigon Central Post Office, which lies in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City and is next to the Notre Dame Cathedral.

It was built around 1886 – 1891, it still functions as a post office, as well as being a big tourist attraction.

• Location: 2 Cong Xa Paris Road, District 1
• Entrance: Free
• Hours: 6AM – 10PM

Notre dame cathedral

The cathedral was built in the 19th century. Unfortunately, Notre-Dame Cathedral of Saigon has been under restoration since 2017. It is expected to be finished by 2027. 

Though the interior of the cathedral is open, work on the exterior and the areas surrounding the cathedral will continue into 2027, making it difficult to see due to scaffolding.

Ba Thien Hau Temple

Thien Hau pagoda was built by a group of Chinese immigrants around 1760 and was restored many times. The pagoda is located in the central area of ​​the first Chinese center which is the area of Cho Lon today.

The architecture is typical Chinese style. The temple is dedicated to Lam Mac Nuong, who was born on March 23rd, 1044. It’s said she got a gift from god at the age of 13.

Once, she left her body, as her father and 2 brothers were on a boat.  A big storm came, so she went to save her father and brothers.

She used her teeth to hold her father’s shirt, while her hands held her brothers. At that moment her mother called her and forced her to answer, so she had to open her lips to answer, which made the waves sweep away her father, and she could only save the two brothers.

Since then, every time when the boat is in distress at sea, people call to her for help. 

Independence Palace

The palace was designed by architect Ngô Viết Thụ and was the home and workplace of the president of the Republic of Vietnam. It was where a NVA tank crashed through the gates in April 1975 that signalled the fall of Saigon and the end of the American war in Vietnam. 

Visitors can enter the palace now to look at the many luxurious rooms. 

The entrance fee is 40.000 VND/adult, 20.000 VND/student, and 10.000 VND/child. Tourists will have to enter through the eastern gate.

Opera House

Built in 1897, in typical French style, the opera house is home to the Ho Chi Minh City Ballet and Symphony Orchestra, but is best known for evening cultural shows, such as AO and Teh Dar.

Tan Dinh church

Tân Định church is a Roman Catholic church in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Its formal name is the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The church is over a 150 years old and the pink adds a pop of colour to the grey, smoggy city.

Tao Dan Park

Tao Dan park was a good escape from the maniacs on the roads and footpaths.

Although we had to watch out for deep puddles as the 30 degrees warm rain lashed upon us.

There are some interesting sculptures in the park as well as the temple.

 

Landmark 81 skyscraper

Landmark 81 is Saigon’s main skyscraper. Inside, there are residential APTS, a shopping center, a hotel, and an observation deck, where you can take panoramic views over the city.

It opened in July 2018 and has 81 floors. Tall but nowhere near Dubai levels!

Location: 720A Điện Biên Phủ, Vinhomes Tân Cảng, Bình Thạnh, Hồ Chí Minh 72300, Vietnam

Thich Quang Duc memorial

Located in district 3, the memorial is dedicated to the monk who set himself on fire to protest the persecution of Buddhists in Vietnam. 

Even though surrounded by a congested roads, there is a peacefulness at the memorial, with fragnant flowers and incense aroma in the air.

The memorial was inaugurated in 2010, displaying Thich Quang Duc ablaze before a bas-relief.

Bui Vien Street

Also known as western street or backpacker street as it’s a tourist hangout. It was lashing, so we made a run for it in one of the closest retsuarant/ bars available. 

There is an array of restaurants, bars, spas, massage establishments, shops and accommodation.

The bars are extremely expensive for a ‘backpacker’ area and then taxes get slammed on at the end. In fact I’d like to rename it Muggings street, because you’d have to be a mug to spend time here. Last I heard, backpackers were short of money!

We went in the day time as we heard at night it can get pretty tacky, and it’s also Saigon’s red light district. Not our scene. However, if you like a party place and empty pockets, then this is for you!

22 gia long street 

We scanned roof tops eager to find the correct landing spot for the helicopters which landed for evacuations in 1975. The famous photo of one of the last evacuations was taken of the rooftop. 

We finally spotted it after comparing some photos online. The building is now an aging apt block. Some visitors if lucky enough,can take the lift to the 9th floor to get a closer look.

Hotel continental 

Hotel Continental Saigon was built 1880, and for a time was owned and operated by a Corsican gangster until the end of the war in 1975.

During the Vietnam war, the hotel was renamed the Continental Palace and became popular with journalists who nicknamed the ground-floor bar the Continental Shelf.

The hotel was also nicknamed “Radio Catinat”  because it was a meeting place for news correspondents, top military brass and undercover spies.

Secret bunkers

Nearly three tons of weapons from the Vietnam War still remain in this small, hidden museum.

Previously they used to hide more than 2 tons of weapons: 350kg of TNT, C4 explosives, 15 AK guns and 3.000 bullets, pistols, B40 guns and grenades.

War Remnants Museum

Two sides have differences in opinions. Who is right? I (Knox) grew up watching movies such as Platoon and Apocalypse Now, as America came to terms with the effects of the Vietnam war. It left a mark on my mind and I wanted to visit Vietnam since, to see and feel the place for myself. The museum is heavy for the heart and soul. 

Military might

What right did the French have in denial of independence to the Vietnam people? Already the local people had been oppressed. The actions created an overwhelming uprising of the people. Defeated, the French departed. 

Fear of economic loss, and the political strength of communism in the region, drove the Americans to meddle in affairs that they had no business doing. Installing a puppet regime in the south only stoked the fire. There is no doubt that America, and it’s western allies, became the aggressor. 

Destruction

The north Vietnamese government had seen off the French. They weren’t going to lie down to the new foreign invaders. Were the local people right to defend what they had fought for? What would Americans do if outsiders invaded their homeland with hundreds of thousands of troops? We think we all know the answer to that question. 

Where is the truth in it all? Atrocities were committed all round. Death and destruction prevailed. Millions of tonnes of bombs were dropped and ravaged the land. Chemical warfare had a long lasting and diabolical effect on the land, local people, foreign soldiers and future generations. Millions of Vietnamese, and many thousands of foreign invaders, lost their lives. And for what? The grunts couldn’t understand as it seemed to make no sense.

The cost of war

How much did one bomb cost? What was the cost of the weapons and military hardware for both sides? How much did the chemicals cost? You can be sure plenty made a lot of money out of this, as they do with all wars. None of them spilt their own blood on the battlefields. None of them had their villages torched and crops destroyed. Yet they all have the blood of the innocents on their hands. We believe they enjoyed sitting back and watching the killing they were making.

It was interesting to see the old American hardware. It was devastatingly emotional to read, and see, the stories of the casualties of war. 

Cu Chi Tunnels – NW of Saigon

 

Around 44 km NW from central Saigon lies Ben Dinh. The closer, by about 12 KM, of 2 areas for the Cu Chi Tunnel experience. It is a preserved area to show and highlight one of the big factors that led to Victory for the North Vietnamese Goverenment. The network of tunnels proved impossible for the Americans to conquer. While only 44 km away, due to Saigon’s traffic, it takes around 2 hours to get there. Get there early for the best experience. The place opens from 7 am and cost 125,000 VND, approx £4/$5. A grab taxi cost 480,000 VND one way. You can negotiate a return with the same driver. Buses are cheaper but a bit more hassle. 

Hearts and minds of the people

In a camp ground type area, one is directed to watch an old black and white propaganda video first. We lasted a few minutes, took a couple of pictures, and left.

Lam was the local guide allocated to take us through the young jungle. A local guide is included in the price. After us, he would have a large group as the tour buses flock in. Luckily, we had Lam all to ourselves. It led to a better understanding.  He taught himself English and loves to work in the fresh air. “I’ve been doing it (Local Guide) for a short 20 years.” he quipped.

At 43 he was born after the war. However, his grandfather (100) and father (70) fought in, and survived, the war.

Fighting back

Firstly, as we strolled along the easy pathways, Lam showed the improvised traps that they built. Very nasty and harmful but it was their only weapon at times.

They didn’t have billions of dollars and a military might backing them up. The bamboo pit was originally, pre war times, devised to catch animals for food.

We talked about who makes money for the war. It’s the soldiers, on the ground, and civilians who pay the price. The narrow, hidden, entrances and sometimes tiny crawl space tunnels has been the stuff of nightmares for many. 

When he was 14, Lam was out in the fields with his father, and he stepped on a landmine. It was one with a delay timer on it. Luckily the father was able to toss it towards the river before it exploded. He grew up a lot that day. 

Destruction

The forest was destroyed by the millions of tons of bombs that exploded in the area. The tunnels were built deep so they survived the onslaught. Nature was laid waste. Slowly, It has built back to some extent. However, very few animals are around, only birds and snakes. Before there were buffalo, monkeys etc.

Toughness of the human spirit

Tunnels started in the 1940s, during the Indochina war with the French, and took 20 years to complete. Built by the locals, the Vietnam Cong required help from the locals of Cu Chi to use the extensive network. As guides, the locals wore different uniform/dress, black as apposed to military khaki, to set them apart.

A lot of improvisation was needed. For instance, sandals were made from old tyres etc and nicknamed  backwards shoes. The name is derived from how the person would go one way, but due to the mud, the footprint would show as going a different direction. Much of what they used was recycled material found on the battlefield etc. for instance, weapons would have been made from unexploded bombs. Guns and ammo would have been picked up from the dead and injured.

As food was scarce, the soldiers and locals would have eaten what they could get. A staple of their diet would have been cassava. It was a hard life in the tunnels, with many diseases and cramped conditions. However, It was the only way to level the playing field and take the fight to the enemy.

The guerilla warfare allowed the locals and Viet Cong to hit and run. Always hiding and taking opportunities to engage on their terms.

Tourism

Of course, conflict tourism is massive the world over. Some are further back in history and doesn’t affect the current generation. The end of American war in Vietnam is only 50 years ago. The Cu Chi tunnels are important to remembering. However, parts can be a bit tacky such as the shooting range. We went to have a look rather than firing any of the aging weaponry. 

There is also a gift shop. Beware though, bullets, even when fashioned into a tank, will be taken off you at airports. 

Recovery and the future

While on a different level, we explained an understanding of conflict from our upbringing in Belfast. We asked Lam how his family have recovered from the physical and psychological effects of the war. He said they are good because of the strength of family.

That led on to chat about the same war mongers, who make all the money from the death and destruction, also want to undermine and weaken the family. They sell an ideology/dream for the people to accept and adopt but the outcome is the same. The rich war mongers use and switch the methods in order to control. However, family is a strength that they find difficult to break.

In modern times, we both noted how the big American, and indeed world, corporations now in Vietnam, and globally, have their different battlefield to control people.  Coke, Pepsi, Google, Apple, Samsung and many more fight for the minds and souls of people. It’s a different war.

As far as the tunnels, it was a worthwhile visit cause we came early. As we left, hoards of tourist buses had arrived and we know we would have got a different experience with a later arrival. Anything after a 9/9.30 am arrival and one will feel more cramped.  

Starlight bridge 

Located in the commercial and financial district of Phu My Hung, the starlight bridge is only lit at weekends.

Built-in 2009, the bridge spans 170 meters with a width of 8.3 meters. It is named “Starlight Bridge” because, at night, the bridge transforms into a sparkling strip of light across Crescent Moon Lake

Nguyen Hue Street

Nygen street also known as walking street, which is ironic as traffic still use it.

Before the developers got to it, it used to be more traditional with little local stores, houses etc.

However around 2016 a lot of places were demolished.you can still find some little traditional trading if you venture off the main street to the alleyways, which was much more charming.

‘Walking’ street itself is ultra modern with bright lights and brashness. A gig setting up at the time we were there, and you could hear the loudspeaker everywhere. Most establishments were closed in the afternoon, and don’t open till dark.

We were glad though we found Belgo bar just before we were making a getaway.

(see below in eating and drinking)

Book street

The iconic Book Street stretches about a 100 meters and has around 20 book stores as well as quaint cafes.

No cars or even mopeds are allowed down the street, making it a great respite from the crazy traffic. 

As well as Vietnamese, you can also get books in English.

You will also come across gallery’s showcasing some talented paintings. 

And, if you’re up for it, you can get your portrait done on the spot!

Eating / drinking 

Baba’s Kitchen

An authentic Indian serving delicious 100% vegetarian options. Friendly and helpful staff. It was so good we tried it twice. After busy days sightseeing we opted for takeout deliveries and had our own private little restaurant in our suite.

Wagon wheel American comfort food 

Tasty vegetarian burgers, fries and comforting mash potato. Us Irish love a spud! Staff friendly and helpful.

Belgo Belgium craft beer brewery

Absolutely amazing! Belgium owned serving the most delicious craft beers.

The atmosphere was so relaxed, with Christmas oldies playing and a beautifully decorated bar. It brought out the magic of the season.

The cherry beer was almost like a dessert. Light and creamy. And the Full Moon stout, was rich, chocolaty, and damn strong!

There was some interesting snack we had complimentary, made from hops, with a touch of cinnamon and spice for a festive feel.

We decided to have dinner here. Certainly, we made a good choice.

You could call it posh pub grub! Presented lovely!

The onion rings were the best we have ever had and the Belgium Waffles were devine!

Italiani’s Pizza

Fantastic, friendly staff,  who rushed our delivery pizzas to to us, so we could take them on our flight. 

Pizza was very tasty and authentic!

Hugely better than the vomit like sandwiches on a Virgin Atlantic flight!

Exiting 

The lines in for immigration and security was a bore fest and badly organized. In fact no staff were there to organise it. It’s the worst we’ve ever experienced. It took over an hour in a hot airport, to get through it. You could see all locals and tourists were both suffering with frustration.

On entry to Vietnam you can use the fast track system, at a price. Unfortunately on exiting this isn’t available.

Would we recommend Saigon?

It was fantastic to have the opportunity to visit Saigon. We saw all that was on our itinerary. Would we be back. Probably not. Big cities arent usually our top picks, especially when you’re almost getting run over every second, lol. But never say never. 

Still, go see it for yourself and make your own mind up.

So long, Saigon. 

If you liked reading, you may be interested to read other parts of this Vietnam trip!

Hanoi

Cat Ba

Phu Quoc