Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City - An Introductory Visit

Note from the Author: This article was originally written in February 2000 based on my first ever visit to Ho Chi Minh City. Many years have passed since and I am quite sure many of the places mentioned herein have changed. The currency exchange rates mentioned in this article were based on the prevailing rates at the time of my visit. The photographs that accompanied this article were taken by myself using 35mm films and scanned into digital format simply because digital photography in the year 2000 was still in its infancy! Thus, I apologize for the relatively "low quality" of these photos. Time flies and it has been 14 years since that visit. This reminds me to make another visit to this awesome city to see for myself how much things have changed since! - Timothy, Sep 2014     

Saigon was the former capital of South Vietnam prior to the official reunification of the country in 1976. After reunification, Saigon was renamed as Ho Chi Minh City. Today, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) has grown to become one of the most economically important cities in Vietnam.

The weather in HCMC is very much like in Bangkok, warm and humid. In the streets, the main mode of transport is by motorcycles. Because of the large number of motocycles that flowed endlessly, crossing the roads in HCMC can be a daunting prospect to the first-time visitor. The trick to getting across safely is to wait for a brief lull in traffic. Then walking slowing and with confidence, go forward in a straight path. Do not make sudden movements and continue walking forward. Before you know it, you would have crossed the road!

If you are a museum buff, HCMC will appeal to you. As I wandered around the city centre (also known as District 1), I remembered coming across many museums. The more prominent ones that I can remember and which I visited are the so-called War Crimes Museum, the History Museum and the Revolutionary Museum. In many ways, all these museums feature exhibits on almost the same things, the armed conflicts of past against the French and then the Americans. After a while, I arrived at the conclusion that if you see a French-style colonial building with Tanks, Aircrafts or Howitzers on display, there is a fairly good chance that this place is a museum.

History Museum, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2000)

But the History Museum, located just next to the Zoo and Botanical Garden, have something different to offer. Here, you can see exhibits featuring the history of Vietnam from the early days of human stettlement to the present. There is also a 130-year old mummy on display as well as the well-preserved skeletal remains of a baby. You can catch a Water Puppet show here (at designated time intervals) for the price of US$1 per ticket. Locals pay in Vietnamese Dong and at a lower rate. I managed to catch one of these water puppet shows. Although I cannot say that I was totally impressed with it, it was nevertheless quite interesting. I was told that Water Puppet shows in Hanoi are on a much bigger and grander scale and therefore more impressive. Anyway, US$1 for a sneak preview into something that was only on offer in Vietnam and nowhere else in the world (at the time of my visit) seems like a rather good bargain.

Water Puppet Show, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2000)

For me, the zoo was a big let-down. After a brief visit, I cannot but agree with some guide books that the animals here are better off dead. The elephants looked to be starving while the big cats were so skinny and puny that anybody is likely to be able to wrestle them to the ground should there be a one-to-one contest. Outside the elephants' enclosure, there was a small stall selling sticks of sugar canes. At the price of 1000 Dong, you got 2 sticks (locals get 3 for the same price) measuring about 20 cm in length. These were used to feed the elephants. I spent about 4000 Dong (US$0.30) feeding the poor elephants before deciding to move on. Other animals that I saw in the zoo include pig-tailed macqaques, barking deers and a sun-bear. There might be more, but I had decided to cut short my visit and proceeded to the History Museum that is located just next door.

Other notable places that I visited and photographed in HCMC are the General Post Office, the Hotel De Ville and the Municipal Theatre. These are all old French-style colonial buildings. The Hotel De Ville in particular, reminds me of the City Hall in Singapore (built by the British in colonial days Singapore). I also took time out to visit the Catholic Notre Dame Cathedral and spent a couple of quite minutes praying.

Colonial-style sculpture located within the General Post Office, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2000)

In and around the Notre Dame Cathedral and the General Post Office (just next to each other), there were many kids trying to sell used postage stamps and postcards. They can be quite persistant and will continue to follow you around even if you are not buying anything from them. I remembered spending a total of about US$15 buying these stuffs. This was okay for me because I am a stamp collector and I think the postcards were actually quite nice and made good souvenirs for friends back home. But if you really do not want to buy anything, one good tactic was to quickly enter into any high-rise buildings or hotels. Here, you will find safe refuge! And you could also take the opportunity to rest and enjoy the comfort of the air-conditioning.

The Notre Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2000)

In terms of shopping, small models of planes, ships and cyclos made from re-cycled softdrink tin cans were widely available. These were extremely well-made and the few that I bought and brought home were quickly snapped up by friends as prized souvenirs

On the day that I left HCMC for my flight home to Singapore, 8 February 2000, there were already many high-rise skyscrapers under construction. Peace has finally taken hold in this beautiful land and developments are now in full-swing.

Chinatown, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2000)