saigon vietnam
Saigon (Vietnam) - this name of the city remained in the colloquial speech of the population. Officially, it has been called Ho Chi Minh City since 1976.
General information about Saigon
Saigon is located in the south of Vietnam and is its economic capital, as more than three hundred thousand enterprises are located here. This city is suitable for tourists who prefer active holidays to beach ones. Here you can wander through numerous shopping centers, plunge into the seething flow of people, take a walk in parks and squares, spend time in cafes and restaurants. Architecture lovers will be able to see ancient architectural monuments and other historical sights. And the exotic is everywhere: colorful markets, sidewalk cafes, beer bars serving a foamy drink with peanuts and huge portions of Pho soup.
Since the city is located in the south, it is always very hot here. The climate is tropical. The rainy season lasts from May to November, but from December to April it is dry. The average air temperature is 28 degrees Celsius.
Saigon is a kind of transit point for tourists, because from here you can go to any Vietnamese city, and you can buy an excursion, for example, to Thailand or Cambodia, for just a few dollars.
Getting around Saigon is no problem at all. Public transport is very well developed. The city network is served by more than thirty companies on 115 routes. You can get them anywhere in the city, including the airport. Each bus has air conditioning and a TV, a traffic plan. If there is a map of the city, then the trip can be completely organized using public transport.
Take a look and decide exactly where you want to go.
Vietnam, including Saigon, provides the cheapest taxi in the world. But this mode of transportation has a bad reputation - there are too many rogue drivers. Therefore, you always need to be on the alert and keep an eye on your luggage, bargain even before departure, if there is no counter. By the way, you also need to look at the counter, because it can be too “fast”.
There are a lot of taxi drivers, just turn in the direction of the car and the driver will immediately give it. As a rule, drivers do not speak English, so the address must be written in Vietnamese and shown to the taxi driver.
You can use a motorcycle taxi - the adrenaline from the trip is guaranteed. For motorcycles in Saigon, a special lane is allocated, so they never stand in traffic jams and rush at breakneck speed.
The cheapest hotels are located in the Ben Tan market area. The cost in a hostel for one bed can be about five dollars, a room in a five-star hotel is only one hundred dollars. Mandatory booking is not required. When looking for a hotel, it is better not to seek help from taxi drivers and locals, who usually show hotels with overpriced prices, since they receive a certain amount for the referred client.
Available for search and booking through a convenient form at the top of the page.
For shopping, the Ben Tan market area and its surroundings are also ideal. Products are best bought in large supermarkets. You can get to this area by city bus number 152.
There are a lot of different sights and picturesque places in the Chinese area. To the tourist area (Ben Tan market) - a few minutes on foot.
The Japanese area is distinguished by high-level hotels at an appropriate cost. Located near the center, but unattractive for tourists.
Identification documents are handed over at the reception and stored until the departure of the guests. The calculation is also made upon check-out. If desired, you can pay for the accommodation immediately. In more expensive hotels, there is a ban on visiting guests by local residents.
Sights of Saigon
Notre Dame de Saigon is located on Paris Square in the center of Saigon. The temple is active. Entrance is free, but you can’t take photos and you have to take off your hat at the entrance. To get from Ben Tan here without the help of transport in five to seven minutes. The temple is closed on weekends.
The Reunification Palace is located near Notre Dame de Saigon. Known for being destroyed twice by Vietnamese aircraft. After restoration, it is open to tourists who can watch expositions, videos about the history of the palace. There are many unique plants and several pieces of military equipment in the park located around. Entrance fee, opening hours: every day from 07:30 to 11:30, from 13:00 to 16:00.
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The military museum contains evidence of crimes that were committed by the Americans against the Vietnamese. It is better for impressionable tourists to bypass this place, because the fetuses of people with various deformities that were obtained due to exposure to chemicals are collected here, photo of a punitive expedition in the village of Song My. The entrance to the museum is paid, it is open every day from 07:30 to 11:45, from 13:30 to 17:30.
The House of Culture is not interesting except for night lighting. Favorite place for tourists to take pictures.
The Museum of Vietnamese History is famous for its richest exhibition of exhibits belonging to the period of three hundred thousand years ago and up to 1930. From time to time, a puppet theater on the water holds performances here. Entrance fee, opening hours: Tuesday-Saturday from 08:00 to 11:00 and from 13:30 to 16:30.
All about Saigon, video:
The Cu Chi Tunnels are located thirty kilometers from Saigon. The 250-kilometer network of tunnels contains secret entrances, living quarters, warehouses, food stations, hospitals, and control centers. A group sightseeing tour here will cost almost ten times cheaper than an independent taxi ride.