Must-See Attractions in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon, is the second largest city in Vietnam, also a place where you can feel both the deep history of Vietnam as well as the strong French-style atmosphere, making the streets there full of romantic feeling and tropical scenery. Below are some of the most popular sights you can visit in Ho Chi Minh City.

Reunification Palace - Dinh Doc Lap

The Palace is a sprawling four-story white building covering 120,000 square meters in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. There are 100 richly decorated halls, which can meet the needs of diplomacy, banquets, entertainment, residence, military command and so on. It was built on February 23, 1869, by the General La Garantie of Southern Vietnam. The whole project took three years to complete. The palace is also a symbol of the Vietnamese people's will to fight for independence and unification.

Reunification Palace

War Remnants Museum - Bao Tang Chung Tich Chien Tranh

The War Remnants Museum was opened on September 4, 1975, as a former U.S. intelligence house. The main entrance looks very plain and has no grand architecture, but it records a very heavy page in Vietnam's recent national history.

The museum is dominated by photographs and displays some of the heavy weaponry used in the Vietnam War, such as combat vehicles, aircraft and the remains of artillery and bombs. The annotations of the pictures are mainly in Vietnamese, with English attached below. Meanwhile, the relevant video is presented to the visitors.

Tank in War Remnants Museum

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Vietnam History Museum - Bao Tang Lich Su Viet Nam

It was built by the French in 1929 and contains various cultural relics of the cultural evolution of Vietnam since 3,300 years ago. Among the exhibits are many stone tools, ancient bronze ware, stone tablets, bronze drums, Champa art, pottery and costumes of ethnic minorities, which are very precious. The library on the third floor at the rear of the museum also has a rich collection of French colonial books and research materials.

The Den Hung, directly opposite the museum, is also a shrine to Vietnam's founding monarch and his ancestors. There are occasional water puppet shows here, and as soon as a few tourists gather, the show begins.

Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon - Church of Saigon

It is a splendid cathedral made by the French, with two giant bell towers and eye-catching red marble decoration. Outside the church is a lively square with a holy statue of the Virgin Mary in the middle of a selection of manicured greenery. From time to time, pigeons stop by and if you are lucky you may catch a picture of the Madonna with a flock of pigeons flying in the background.

Inside the church is a beautiful stained-colored glass window where you can read the story of the Virgin Mary, perfect for catching the colorful reflections of the sun on a clear day.

Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon

Saigon Central Post Office

Built-in the late 19th century, this Saigon Central Post Office is arguably one of the most popular attractions in Ho Chi Minh City. Not only is the Gothic façade easily recognizable, but the intricate patterns are still detailed and eye-catching.

The clock above the front door is still ticking. Yes, the Central Post Office is still open for business, which means that in addition to sightseeing, you can also go inside to pick up postcards, stamps, souvenirs, or even send a letter home.

Saigon Central Post Office

Mekong Delta

The Mekong River is the mother river of Vietnam. It is full of Southeast Asian feelings and along the river, you can admire rice paddies, coconut trees and locals working on their farms.

Enjoy floating homes on the Mekong River, travel through the narrow waterways of dense rainforest, visit My Tho's eco-farming gardens and coconut sugar factories, or visit Can Tho's floating market. Take some time to soak up the Mekong's charms.

Mekong Delta Boating

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Cu Chi Tunnels

About 65 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City, this subterranean village is one of the three great monuments of Ho Chi Minh City. Reaching 250 kilometers in length and becoming a fully functioning underground city. The tunnel is divided into three layers, the lowest of which is 8 meters deep. There are wells, granaries, meeting rooms and dormitories in the tunnel, just like a big army camp.

Cu Chi Tunnels

Cao Dai Temple

The Cao Dai Temple is one of the main temples of the third largest religion in Vietnam, which is popular in the south. The temple is a combination of Eastern and Western religious architectural features, with tall Gothic spires, Chinese halls with cornices and brackets, and columns carved with dragons. The greatest feature of the Cao Dai temple is the large number of deities. From 6 a.m. to 18 p.m. every six hours of chanting, all the worshipers dressed in white robes gathered at the temple, the scene was spectacular.

From the romantic open-air café and French dessert room to the classic old building with local design and decoration, there is always something to see in this vibrant city. Take your Vietnam tour with Odynovo and enjoy all the charms of Ho Chi Minh City.