Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City (abbreviated as HCMC, previously Saigon) is one of Vietnam's two most important cities. If Hanoi is known for its ancient and traditional beauty, Ho Chi Minh City is known for its modern and luxurious beauty. When you visit Ho Chi Minh City, you will feel relaxed and at ease. Apart from visiting some notable landscapes such as Cao Dai Temple, Chu Chi Tunnels, Bitexco Tower and Sky Deck, Jade Emperor Pagoda, Reunification Palace, Ho Chi Minh City Zoo, and Notre Dame Cathedral, you will have a vast list of things to do in Ho Chi Minh City. On your excursion, don't forget to sample some unique cuisine as well as delectable street food.

Locals refer to Ho Chi Minh City as Saigon, and it is the commercial capital of Vietnam, a communist country that is swiftly evolving into a 21st-century superpower. The city is still very new, having been founded less than 300 years ago. Yet, over that time, it has served as a Khmer seaport, a French regional capital (the city's tree-lined avenues and parks were designed by the French), the capital of the wartime state of South Vietnam (1954–1966), and a US military base. Each of these positions has left an imprint on Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon, as residents still refer to it) that gives it its own flavor and architectural blend. As a result, Ho Chi Minh City's architecture and way of life reflect unique Vietnamese qualities as well as a contemporary touch of American and French elements. The city is now one of Vietnam's most important cultural, commercial, and educational centers.

Furthermore, Ho Chi Minh City has a cosmopolitan and lively atmosphere, and the people's business-minded mentality is evident, having actively welcomed the new capitalist philosophy. It has managed to retain its Asian charm despite being somewhat modern, with good restaurants, sophisticated hotels, and elegant pubs lining the sidewalks crowded with noodle shops, marketplaces, and shoe-shine boys. The screams of street vendors and the urgent business of stall owners selling grilled dogs, writhing snakes, and tropical fruits blend with the buzzing of motorcycles and scooters. A family of four perched precariously on a scooter, a squealing pig fastened on the back of a bicycle, bent heads topped by pointed lampshade-style hats, and orange-clothed monks are just a few of the city's vivid sights.

Ho Chi Minh City has many old architectural structures, famous remnants, and well-known sites after more than 300 years of growth. To the north, the city is bordered by intriguing historical landmarks, and to the south, the river delta's liquid fingers. The Reunification Palace, where the final days of the Vietnam War were played out, is one of the city's most emotional emblems. The Mekong Delta region is a true Garden of Eden, with fruit trees aplenty, pink bougainvillea adorning the trees, and fishing boats chugging down the brown river's edge. Historical, cultural, religious, and recreational riches abound further in the south, including the Viet Cong Tunnels at Cu Chi, the fanciful Cao Dai Temple at Tay Ninh, and the brilliant white, secluded beaches at Phu Quoc Island.