Saigon – the hustle and bustle city

Saigon, the largest and busiest city in Vietnam, is surely one of the most evocative place names in Asia. The most Western in atmosphere of Vietnam’s cities, now known as Ho Chi Minh City.

Before becoming the largest city of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City was a part of the Khmer Empire, then captured by French and finally was named Ho Chi Minh city. Conquered by France and Spain in 1859, the city was influenced by the French during their colonial occupation of Vietnam, and a number of classical Western-style buildings and French villas in the city reflect this. You can study the history of this city by visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels, War Remnants Museum, Reunification Palace and explore French architectures with Notre Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh Central Post Office and so on.

Saigon is a city of amazing contrasts: the finest hotels, exclusive restaurants and trendy bars side-by-side with roadside noodle stalls, street children and cyclo drivers. Golf courses, bowling alleys and shopping malls vie for space with the scrum of the markets, along with pagodas. Bustling, booming, crowded, noisy – all words that barely scratch the surface of the addictive and often mesmerizing chaos that is Saigon.

You can find many delicious foods from throughout Vietnam in Saigon, but with a different taste. Some with a little taste of France, some with a little taste of China. There’s even a little taste of Korea! Banh mi, pho, bun thit nuong, banh xeo, bun rieu and many more are not to be missed.

Visiting Sai Gon, you will experience a different Vietnam.