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SAIGON - HO CHI MINH CITY TRAVEL GUIDE
Overview
Ho Chi Minh City is
still more commonly referred to as 'Saigon',
despite the official name change in 1975. Located in
southern Vietnam,
on a huge bend in the Saigon River, it is the
economic centre of
the country.
The Communist government,
who took control of Vietnam in 1975, tried to
suppress the
entrepreneurial tendencies of the Saigonese and the
city went through the economic doldrums until
recovery in the 1990s.
Now, high-rise buildings dominate the
shabby French colonial ones
that are tucked away at their feet, while
saffron-robed monks
collecting alms walk past glitzy car showrooms and
karaoke bars.
Ho Chi Minh City has enjoyed over 30 years of peace
following decades of unrest. After the defeat of
French colonialists in 1954,
Vietnam was divided into two. Saigon became
the capital of the Republic of South Vietnam but
almost immediately Communist North Vietnam, under
the leadership of Ho Chi
Minh, began an attempt to unify
the country.
The USA, fearing
the spread of Communism, stepped in, sparking the
bloody Vietnam War
that coloured much of the cultural, social and
political climate of the 1960s. Driven back by
tenacious North Vietnamese defence and jungle
warfare they were ill-equipped to deal with, the
Americans left in 1973
and the whole of Vietnam came under Communist rule.
Massive inflation and poverty followed until
1986 when the
government introduced doi
moi, the Vietnamese equivalent of
perestroika, relaxing its
hold on the people and allowing them to run their
own businesses.
The skyline of the city reflects this - as it has
changed dramatically
from a low-rise cityscape to one whose
central area, District 1, is dotted with glittering
skyscrapers. The Saigon
River meanders through the east of the city
and is the all-important link to the sea.
Ho Chi Minh City is a
year-round destination and even the
rainfalls of the rainy season (May to October) are
over in a couple of hours, giving way to sun, the
city feeling refreshed.
Getting
there by Air:
Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN)
Tel: (++848) 3845 6654.
Tan Son Nhat Airport is located around 7km (4 miles) northwest of the city
centre. It is the largest of the three international airports in Vietnam
receiving more international flights than the capital, Hanoi. It is a fast
expanding airport with regular flights going to Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala
Lumpur and several to Europe. In 2007 a new terminal building was opened for
all international flights and plans for a totally new out-of-town airport
have been approved.
Approximate flight times to Ho Chi Minh City: From London is 15
hours 30 minutes; from New York is 21 hours; from Los Angeles is 19 hours;
from Toronto is 22 hours and from Sydney is 8 hours 45 minutes.
Airport facilities: These include bureaux de change, duty-free,
cafes and shops and a visitor information centre. There are no car hire
providers at the airport.
Business facilities: There are airport lounges at the airport but
no business facilities as such.
Getting there by Rails
The Vietnamese railway
company, Duong Sat Vietnam
(tel: (08) 3843 6528 (ticket prices)
or 3931 8952 (train
information); website: www.vr.com.vn), operates one
major route in Vietnam from Ho Chi Minh City to
Hanoi with minor routes linking Hanoi with northern
towns. The route north from Ho Chi Minh City is
picturesque but is the slowest form of transport
with express services not living up to their name.
Although in theory the Duong Sat
Vietnam telephone numbers are for train
information and ticket prices, being a state-owned
company staff tend to be rather unhelpful. It is
better to go to the station, located at 1 Nguyen
Thong, District 3 (tel: (08) 3846 8704), in person,
or to a local travel agent for help. Alternatively,
a very useful telephone number is 1080 where
English-speaking operators can also give information
on timetables.
The railway station has very limited facilities
other than the ticket desks and a small snack-bar.
As yet there are no rail passes available and it is
advisable to book tickets as far in advance as
possible, since seats and berths in soft class are
limited. Soft class has seats with padding and
four-berth cabins with thin mattresses, as opposed
to hard class, which has wooden slatted seats and
six-berth wooden berths.
Rail services: The
only route to Ho Chi Minh City is from Hanoi and the
journey can take between 32 and 42 hours, depending
on the number of stops. Trains can be seriously
affected by flooding in the rainy season
particularly in the centre of the country. There is
a daily deluxe train service between Ho Chi Minh
City and the beach resort of Nha Trang (tel: (08)
920 6868; website:www.5starexpress.com.vn) with
comfortable sleeping berths, restaurant car and
cinema.
Getting there by roads:
The road network throughout
Vietnam is reasonable but the standard of the roads
varies dramatically from good to appalling. In theory,
traffic drives on the right but in practice drivers take
the most direct path avoiding the many thousands of
bicycles, motorbikes and animals in the road as well as
the increasing number of cars and lorries. As
self-driven car hire is non-existent, visitors to the
country have to hire a car with a driver. Most will
agree that this is the only way until the country
introduces and enforces a system of road rules.
There are basic rules, such as you must stop at a red
light and headlights must be used at night but that
tends to be as far as it goes. Long-term foreign
residents are allowed to drive a car but few are brave
enough to do so, preferring to employ a Vietnamese
chauffeur. It is safe to assume that if a foreigner is
driving a car involved in an accident, they will
automatically be assumed to be at fault.
Emergency breakdown service: None.
Routes to the city: The national
highways are all designated by numbers. Highway 1
travels the length of the country from the very south,
through Ho Chi Minh City and northwards to Hanoi and
beyond to the Chinese border. Major towns in the south
of Vietnam on Highway 1 are My Tho, Can Tho, Phan Thiet
and Nha Trang. Dalat is reached by Highway 20, Vung Tau
by Highway 51 and the Cambodian border (Moc Bai) by
Highway 22.
Driving times to Ho Chi Minh City: From
My Tho - 1 hour 30 minutes; Vung Tau - 2 hours;
Cambodian border - 2 hours 30 minutes; Phan Thiet - 3
hours 30 minutes; Can Tho - 4 hours 30 minutes; Dalat -
7 hours; Nha Trang - 12 hours.
Coach services: There are several bus
stations around the city that each serve different
destinations. Facilities are very basic and are unlikely
to have more than food stands serving local snacks. The
buses throughout Vietnam range from fairly good to
ramshackle. Some express services to Phnom Penh
(Cambodia) and Hanoi are in relatively modern
air-conditioned buses but films can play constantly
throughout the journey. Services on short journeys
depart when they are full and those travelling longer
distances generally depart early in the morning. It is
not possible to book tickets over the telephone and
visitors should go to the relevant bus station the day
before to check the schedule for the following day and
purchase their ticket. In addition, a very useful
telephone number is 1080 where English-speaking
operators can give information on timetables.
Credit cards are still not common in Vietnam and
Vietnamese are not in the habit of booking buses in
advance (although they do like to book trains by a prior
visit to the station). Bus station telephone information
is very restricted as to whether or not there are seats
available and appearing in person to obtain a ticket for
that day with cash will still be necessary. The
exception is private bus services operating solely for
foreign tourists, often with a booking office located in
a tourist cafe such as at De Tham Street (off Pham Ngu
Lao), which are much better organised. There are also
rogue bus (van) services to tourist resorts from Ho Chi
Minh City which can be hailed and boarded en route, but
these are packed and with very little legroom available,
very uncomfortable.
Sightseeing Overview
Walking (or riding
around in a cyclo) is the best way to absorb the
sights and sounds of this dynamic city, as most
places of interest are located in the central
District 1.
A walk along the riverfront is an ideal way to enjoy
the constant activity on the Saigon River,
as small and large boats ply to and from the
opposite bank. Alternatively, the rooftop bar of the
Majestic Hotel gives the best
bird's eye view of the river.
Dong Khoi Street, the main shopping street
in the city, is crammed with gift shops, tailors,
jewellers and restaurants. At one end of this street
are Notre Dame Cathedral and the
huge central Post Office, with its
enormous portrait of the former president, Ho Chi
Minh.
Just off this busy shopping area on Dong Du is the
Saigon Central Mosque, an oasis of
calm. The busy streets and river can be exhausting
but a fast-paced cyclo ride to the Botanical
Gardens is worth it, while the small
pagodas in Cholon are symbols of
tranquillity in an area frantic with commercial
activity.
All attractions in District 1 are best reached on
foot; other attractions further out should be
visited by taxi or cyclo. There are currently no
tourist passes in Ho Chi Minh City.
Tourist Information
Easy Travel
103 Bui Vien Street, District 1
Tel: +84437152658
Website:
www.easyvietnamtravel.com
Sightseeing Overview
Walking (or riding around in
a cyclo) is the best way to
absorb the sights and sounds
of this dynamic city, as
most places of interest are
located in the central
District 1.
A walk along the riverfront
is an ideal way to enjoy the
constant activity on the
Saigon River,
as small and large boats ply
to and from the opposite
bank. Alternatively, the
rooftop bar of the
Majestic Hotel
gives the best bird's eye
view of the river.
Dong Khoi Street,
the main shopping street in
the city, is crammed with
gift shops, tailors,
jewellers and restaurants.
At one end of this street
are Notre Dame
Cathedral and the
huge central Post
Office, with its
enormous portrait of the
former president, Ho Chi
Minh.
Just off this busy shopping
area on Dong Du is the
Saigon Central
Mosque, an oasis of
calm. The busy streets and
river can be exhausting but
a fast-paced cyclo ride to
the Botanical
Gardens is worth
it, while the small pagodas
in Cholon
are symbols of tranquillity
in an area frantic with
commercial activity.
All attractions in
District 1 are best reached
on foot; other attractions
further out should be
visited by taxi or cyclo.
There are currently no
tourist passes in Ho Chi
Minh City.
See
more:
Vietnam
Travel Guide |
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