Ho Chi Minh Square, Saigon/HoChiMinh City (must see)
Located right at the heart of bustling, traffic-filled Ho Chi Minh, the historic Ho Chi Minh Square is an oasis of tranquility and elegance of French Colonial architecture, perfectly manicured hedges and fragrant blooms of hibiscus and poinsettia. A snapshot of 19th- and 20th-century South Vietnamese heritage, today it is dominated by the statue of communist revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh standing in front of the Ho Chi Minh City Hall, built by the French in 1908, and coexisting peacefully with western consumerism of today emerging in the form of high-end boutiques and big brand stores dotting the surrounding streets.
Siding the square on the east is the Rex Hotel, also built by the French, in 1927. During the Vietnam War, its rooftop bar was a popular haunt for military officials, diplomats, and war correspondents. Other nearby attractions include Saigon Opera House, Central Post Office, and several large hotels.
Tip:
Perhaps early morning, late afternoon, or evening would be a more appropriate time to visit and 'go the distance'.
Siding the square on the east is the Rex Hotel, also built by the French, in 1927. During the Vietnam War, its rooftop bar was a popular haunt for military officials, diplomats, and war correspondents. Other nearby attractions include Saigon Opera House, Central Post Office, and several large hotels.
Tip:
Perhaps early morning, late afternoon, or evening would be a more appropriate time to visit and 'go the distance'.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Saigon/HoChiMinh City. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Ho Chi Minh Square on Map
Sight Name: Ho Chi Minh Square
Sight Location: Saigon/HoChiMinh City, Vietnam (See walking tours in Saigon/HoChiMinh City)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Saigon/HoChiMinh City, Vietnam (See walking tours in Saigon/HoChiMinh City)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Saigon/HoChiMinh City, Vietnam
Create Your Own Walk in Saigon/HoChiMinh City
Creating your own self-guided walk in Saigon/HoChiMinh City is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Chinatown Walking Tour
The relationship between Vietnam and China traces back over 2,000 years. Over this time, Vietnamese culture, customs, administrative system, and even the language have been heavily influenced by the great northern neighbor. So much so, in fact, that although Vietnam had its own spoken language, until the late 1800s its official written language was Chinese.
Chinatown in Ho Chi Minh City,... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Chinatown in Ho Chi Minh City,... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Shopping Tour
Among other accolades, Ho Chi Minh City is known as a great shopping destination. Attesting to its reputation are a plethora of street markets scattered throughout the city, selling all sorts of fresh local produce, including coffee beans, and other delights, not to mention street food and souvenirs – all at extremely competitive prices. There are also designated markets specialized in niche... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Saigon/HoChiMinh City Introduction Walking Tour
While many still refer to the city as Saigon, it was renamed Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) in 1976 after the reunification of North and South Vietnam. The name honors the first leader of communist North Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh. But many still call the inner business district Saigon, while the larger metropolitan area is known as HCMC.
For most of its early history, this was a scarcely populated area... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.9 Km or 3 Miles
For most of its early history, this was a scarcely populated area... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.9 Km or 3 Miles
Historical Religious Sites
For centuries, Vietnamese people have practiced Confucianism and Buddhism brought over from neighboring China. Added to these Eastern teachings, in the 16th century, was Christianity – introduced to Vietnam by Western missionaries. The result of this variety of faiths has become a mixture of gorgeous Confucian and Buddhist temples and Catholic churches in Ho Chi Minh City. Some of these... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.9 Km or 3.7 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.9 Km or 3.7 Miles