Ho Chi Minh City (previously Siagon) is the
heart and soul of Vietnam. It's a bustling,
dynamic and industrious centre, the largest
city, the economic capital and the cultural
trendsetter. The streets, where much of the
city's life takes place, is a myriad of shops,
stalls, stands-on-wheels and vendors selling
wares spread out on sidewalks.
Central Ho Chi Minh City is the
place to be on a Sunday and holiday nights. The
streets are jam-packed with young locals
cruising the town on bicycles and motorbikes,
out to see and be seen.
The Municipal Theatre
area is the hub for young hipsters.
Entertainment ranges from disco and karaoke in
the larger hotels, loud Western music in bars
such as the Hard Rock Cafe, dancing at
the Rex Hotel or experiencing traditional
Vietnamese music at the Conservatory of Music.
Most forms of entertainment can be found in
downtown Ho Chi Minh City along Mac Thi Buoi
Street.
Within the teeming metropolis
are the timeless traditions and beauty of an
ancient culture. Sights include the Giac Lam
Pagoda, the neo-Romanesque Notre Dame
Cathedral, Reunification Hall,
Cholon market and the former US embassy,
scene of such havoc during the 1975 evacuations.
Other places of interest are as follows:
Central Market
The Ben Thanh Market, formerly the main railway
terminal, is the largest of the markets
scattered throughout the city.
Cholon
This is Ho Chi Minh City's Chinatown. Sights
include the An Quang Pagoda and the
scenic Thien Hau Temple.
Cu Chi Tunnels
This extensive network of nearly 500 km of Viet
Cong tunnels used in the French Indochina and
American wars. The tunnels have complete
facilities, from kitchens to printing presses
and even street signs, all of which were used to
aid the NLF (National Liberation Front)
military. Tours involve a description of the
tunnels, after which tourists are allowed to
crawl about the maze. Located in Tay Ninh a
suburb it is 39km northwest of central Ho Chi
Minh City.
Presidential Palace
Now called the Reunification Hall, the centre
was built as a modern administration centre in
Ho Chi Minh City and is where the war and the
American involvement in Vietnam ended in April
1975. Guided tours take visitors through the
various rooms within the complex.
Vinh Nghiem Pagoda
This modern Japanese-style Buddhist temple in Ho
Chi Minh City is easily one of the largest and
most impressive to be found anywhere in Vietnam.
From the 16th to 18th centuries, Hoi An was a
thriving international commercial port for
Chinese, Dutch, French, Japanese, Portuguese and
Arab traders. These people came to trade
primarily for the high-grade silk, which is
still produced in the area, and ceramics. The
area is now one of four world heritage listed
sites in Vietnam.
Today, Hoi An is a quaint
riverside town popular among tourists for its
eclectic architecture, souvenir and tailor
shops, and cafes. Some of the buildings in the
narrow streets are over one hundred years old
and meandering along them is a very pleasant way
to spend an afternoon or two. See the Ancient
Quarter where you can see Chua Ong Pagoda,
Assembly Hall, the 200-year-old Tam Ky
house, and Japanese Bridge. Or take a
short boat trip to a nearby island to
visit a handicraft ceramic village and
the boat building yards.
There is a ticket for about
VND 50'000 that includes admission to "1 of 3
museums, 1 of 3 Assembly Halls, 1 of 4 Old
Houses and either the Japanese Bridge or Quan
Cong's Temple". Note: The Japanese Bridge
included on the list is accessible for free.
Especially recommended is the
Tran Family Temple, at the junction of Le
Loi and Phan Chu Trinh. The family is very
welcoming and very knowledgeable about the
function and history of the temple.
Outside of Hoi An, there are
many Japanese tombs as well as many
impressive dikes around Hoi An.
A
worthwhile way to see the area is on a bicycle
and one worthwhile trip is cycling through
the rice paddies down to the beach.
Hue is located on the central coast of Vietnam
to the north of Danang and midway between Hanoi
and Ho Chi Minh City. In the 19th century it was
the cultural and intellectual centre and home to
the emperors of Vietnam.
There is much for the tourist
and traveller to discover in Hue and the
surrounding countryside. The remains of the
huge, moated Citadel, constructed by the
Emperor Gia Long from 1804, contain many
interesting sights, such as the Nine Holy
Cannons, the Imperial Enclosure, the
Palace of Supreme Harmony and the
Halls of the Mandarins. Sadly, the
intriguing Purple Forbidden City was
largely destroyed during the Vietnam War. About
15km south of Hu? are the Royal Tombs.
Hue has many other places of religious and
dynastic importance, and some good museums.
If you want to get out of the
city for a swim, head 13km (8mi) north-east to
Thuan An Beach, where there's a lagoon, a
hotel and the possibility of sampan trips up the
Perfume River. Visits to imperial tombs
shouldn't be missed if you are in the area:
Khai Dinh Tomb
This is the final monument of the Nguyen
Dynasty. The complex features ceiling murals,
frescoes and a dragon staircase. Located on the
slopes of the Chau E Mountain, 10km south of the
town.
Minh Mang Tomb
The most impressive of the tombs and pagodas at
Hue. Located at the tributaries of the Perfume
River, 11km south of Hue, this complex has
beautiful architecture, intricate decor and
military statues.
Tu Duc Tomb
Lakes, pine-tree-covered hills and pavilions
make this area an ideal place to relax. Located
about 8 km southwest of Hue
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