While Ton Duc Thang Avenue and its gardens provide perfect views of the Saigon river and its constant activity, the charms of the old colonial quarter to the west are equally numerous. Here you can admire the main buildings which bear witness to the ..

A journey back in time, from the Palaeolithic era to the 20C, awaits visitors to this museum, where an impressive collection of items from the country’s different civilisations are displayed. Admire, in particular, the collection of bronze drums de..

This pagoda is said to have been visited by the emperor Gia Long himself. Today, monks still occupy this sanctuary which is imbued with a remarkable calm. Attractive statues are dotted around the site, including a golden Buddha and the goddess Chu..

Standing in the middle of a verdant garden, the Giac Lam pagoda rises majestically above the skyline of Ho Chi Minh City. Within the confines of the temple, visitors can view a cemetery, a 7-storey tower and two impressive statues. Inside the pagoda ..

Bordering the former colonial quarter to the east, the Saigon river gives Ho Chi Minh City the feel of a city facing out towards the Mekong Delta and opening out to the wider world. From the landscaped gardens along Ton Duc Thang Avenue, it’s impossi..

The former presidential palace of South Vietnam, the Reunification Palace has been used for a different purpose since the end of the war. Nowadays converted into a museum, it provides an opportunity to view the interior of the country’s former seat o..

It was in honour of Ngoc Hoang, the Jade Emperor of the Taoist religion, that this pagoda was built at the very start of the 20C. Its myriad decorative features combine to create a remarkable building, the main highlights of which are the statues r..

This 19C temple was built in Cholon by Chinese from Canton to worship the goddess of the sea, who provides help to ships in peril. It attracts a large number of worshippers and visitors, who come here to admire the small statues adorning the first in..

Built in the early 20C on the site of a communal house, this temple is one of the most attractively decorated in Cholon. In a subtle play of light, the rays of the sun are slowly extinguished in a space full of swirling incense. The wood panels that ..

Cholon is the city’s commercial district par excellence, and it is in Binh Tay market that this is seen in its best light. Just be prepared for large crowds and lots of tradespeople offering to sell you their wares! One of the area’s must-see attract..

The long Nguyen Hue Avenue (formerly Boulevard Charner), created in the 19C above a filled-in canal, is now a showcase for urban development. It links the river with the old town hall, now the HQ of the People’s Committee, and the subject of much deb..

This temple, built between 1875 and 1880, offers an insight into the Indian presence in Vietnam. Only 300 Indian families live in the country, descendants of shopkeepers who settled here several centuries ago. Green and white tiling predominates, alt..

Dong Khoi passes through the old colonial quarter to link the Saigon river with Notre-Dame cathedral. A focus of activity over the centuries, the avenue had an elegant feel under French rule, and a more down-to-earth appearance during the Vietnam War..

Occupying the corner of Le Loi and Dong Khoi, the municipal theatre (1899) is built in a refined style as ostentatious as that of the town hall. Seat of the Assembly of South Vietnam until 1975, the building has since reverted to its original vocatio..

Located at the end of Dong Khoi, the red brick silhouette of Notre Dame cathedral (1877-80) stands on Cong Xa Paris (Square of the Paris Commune). Its two slender spires endow the church with a graceful appearance, and provide a popular backdrop for ..

The building’s interior provides an evocative reminder of colonial times with its fans and wooden counters. Admire also its remarkable metal architecture , designed by Gustave Eiffel, which would not seem out of place in the main hall of a railway s..

Located at the northern end of the Le Duan Boulevard, these gardens provide an oasis of greenery and tranquillity compared with the hustle and bustle of the city. In the zoo, the conditions in which some of the animals are kept will detract somewhat ..

This municipal cultural park is a pleasant place for a quiet stroll in the shade. It is also home to a large outdoor swimming pool and tennis courts, which are remnants from the colonial sporting complex here. This large expanse of greenery is locate..

The War Remnants Museum could equally be called the Museum of the Horrors of War. The exhibits of equipment and weaponry leave little doubt as to the effects they have had on their victims or the massacres that have resulted from their use.

Housed in a vast building crowned by a clock tower, Ben Thanh market is without doubt one of the most interesting and lively in the city, where you can buy a huge range of items or enjoy a traditional soup at one of its many stalls, which are particu..