Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City 

commonly known as Saigon and by the abbreviations HCMC or HCM, is the largest city in Vietnam .

Following the fall of Saigon in 1975, Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City. However the old Saigon name is still used by both Vietnamese and foreigners, especially when referring to the most central part of the city to which most tourists flock.


Getting There:

By plane

Tan Son Nhat (Tân Sơn Nhất) (IATA: SGN | ICAO: VVTS) is Vietnam's largest international airport.


Getting to the city centre

1. Bus

The No. 152 non-air-conditioned airport bus is the cheapest and safest way for backpackers heading to Pham Ngu Lao Street from the airport. (Ignore taxi drivers who tell you that there are no more airport buses.) For 4,000 dong per person (as at January 2012) plus a 4,000 dong fee for bags, the bus will drop you off at the east end of the Pham Ngu Lao area (at the bus terminal on the southwest side of the Ben Thanh Market roundabout). Upon exiting the international airport terminal, turn right and you should see the bus waiting on the road opposite Burger King. There is no sign indicating where the bus stop is, but if you ask a uniformed taxi warden he or she will point it out to you. If not, walk down to the domestic terminal, which is about a three-minute walk away. Try to have exact change or you will be given coins in return. These are legal tender in Vietnam, but many places do not accept them.
Note that the bus is only available until 6:00 pm.

2.  Taxi

At the airport, Mai Linh taxi wardens wear green shirts with green ties, and Vinasun wardens dark green shirts with maroon ties. These wardens can help to radio taxis for you.Taxi rates are very reasonable in Ho Chi Minh City as long as you use a reputable company and the meter is used.

 

1. Mai Linh (mostly white with green lettering, though sometimes green or silver) ☎ +84.8.38.38.38.38 (or 08.38.38.38.38 if dialling from a local telephone)

2. Vinasun (white with green and red lettering) ☎ +84.8.38.27.27.27 have the largest fleets in the city and are generally honest and reliable, with meters that start automatically after the taxis have moved about five metres.

Taxis are the most comfortable way of getting around, and very modest in price compared to other major cities in the world, honest Ho Chi Minh City taxis were charging in the range of 12,000 to 13,000 dong per kilometre. Taxis are numerous and it's usually not hard to flag one down anywhere in the city centre from early morning until about 1:00 am, though finding one in the rain or during workday rush hours can be difficult.



3. Motorbike taxis (xe ôm, literally hug-vehicle)

 are plentiful (get used to hearing "you want moto!?" everywhere), cheap, and are generally quite safe. Absolutely agree on a price before you set off; short hops around town shouldn't be more than 20,000 dong, if you go between districts this increases and all the way to the airport around 70,000 dong. A rule of thumb for the price is to round up of half the cost of taxi ride for the same travel. Drivers are generally quite friendly and will go slower upon request. They're also not adverse to a bear hug if you're really struggling to hold on to the motorbike. Many of the moto drivers, especially in District 1, speak some English and like many Vietnamese will repay you in a flood of smiles (and probably point out all the sights) if you make a little effort to get to know them.

Famous Landmark and attractions:

City Hall, end of Nguyen Hue Street. Originally called the Hôtel de Ville and now formally re-branded the People's Committee Hall, it's a striking cream and yellow French colonial building beautifully floodlit at night.

Cu chi Tunnel (Vietnam- US War Zone)

The tunnels of Củ Chi are an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located in the Củ Chi district of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, and are part of a much larger network of tunnels that underlie much of the country. The Củ Chi tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War, and were the Viet Cong's base of operations for the Tết Offensive in 1968.
The tunnels were used by Viet Cong guerrillas as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches and living quarters for numerous guerrilla fighters. The tunnel systems were of great importance to the Viet Cong in their resistance to American forces, and helped achieve ultimate military success.

Pamphlet Guide of Cu chi tunnel

The 75-mile (121 km)-long complex of tunnels at Củ Chi has been preserved by the government of Vietnam,^[2] and turned into a war memorial park. The tunnels are a popular tourist attraction, and visitors are invited to crawl around in the safer parts of the tunnel system. Some tunnels have been made larger to accommodate the larger size of Western tourists, while low-power lights have been installed in several of them to make traveling through them easier and booby traps have been clearly marked. Underground conference rooms where campaigns such as the Tết Offensive were planned in 1968 have been restored, and visitors may enjoy a simple meal of food that Viet Cong fighters would have eaten.
Above-ground attractions include caged monkeys, vendors selling souvenirs, and a shooting range where visitors can fire a number of assault rifles, such as the M16 rifle or AK-47, as well as a light machine gun like the M60.

Entrance Fee:   VND 90,000   ( Usd $ 5.00 )

Saigon SKY DECK

 Saigon Sky Deck:

Saigon Sky Deck Observatory:

The tallest building in Ho Chi Minh City, Bitexco Financial Tower
Address: Ho Tung Mau,  District 1, HCMC .

 

War Remnants Ho Chi Minh City

Hi guys, this is my first time posting blogs and  I hope you like it .
I have been here in Vietnam for more than 3 years ..I want to share some of you guys the places whom I guess you would like to see and visit while you are in Vietnam..

 First is in Ho Chi Minh City:

Museum are mostly visited place in HCM or Saigon formerly known.. Here is the most visited and famous museum called:   


THE WAR REMNANTS MUSEUM

The War Remnants Museum (Vietnamese: Bảo tàng chứng tích chiến tranh) is a war museum at       28 Vo Van Tan, in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.