This post was written by Bryan Wawzenek
Taking a short walk down Le Loi street into downtown is sort of like seeing the past century of the city’s history all at once. Giant propaganda posters of “Uncle Ho” appear before modern capitalist cathedrals like malls and skyscrapers. Meanwhile, at the end of the street sits the former Saigon Opera House (now the Municipal Theatre), which was built in 1897 and is a beautiful example of French colonial architecture. Another vestige of French rule – the Notre Dame Basilica – stands a few blocks north.
This is a city with so much wildly interesting history and so many of the sites remain. There’s the post office designed by Gustav Eiffel (ever hear of a tower in Paris?), a monument to Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc on the street corner of his 1963 self-immolation in protest of South Vietnam’s anti-Buddhist policies, and the gates of the Reunification Palace, which were stormed by North Vietnamese tanks in 1975 to bring a close to the Vietnam War.
Historical Heartland
Anyone with even a modest interest in Vietnamese, American, or French history will find much to see. What you won’t find, of course, is a balanced view of events. The propaganda isn’t laid on quite as thick as it once was (for instance, the American War Crimes Museum has been renamed the War Remnants Museum), but visitors must remember that most exhibits and markers in Ho Chi Minh City are only giving the official government perspective. By no means should you use that as an excuse to avoid these sites – it’s just something to keep in mind.
A tour of the Reunification Palace (135 Nam Ky Khoi St.) is a must. Many of the rooms appear to have been left almost exactly as they were when the gates were stormed in 1975, providing an interesting time capsule of the era (along with the modernist architecture). Most intriguing, perhaps, is the bunker-like basement, with cold war-era machines and maps, secret telephones and walls thick enough to sustain a sizable explosion. Free 90-minute tours are included with your entrance fee (30,000 VND). Afterwards, wander through the park bordering each side of Le Duan street to check out the Notre Dame Basilica and the Saigon Central Post Office.
A visit to the War Remnants Musesum (28 Vo Van Tan St.; 15,000 VND) is not for the squeamish, but is well worth your time. The courtyard is filled with captured American vehicles while the inside exhibits feature mostly photographs depicting the years of Vietnam’s turbulent civil war. A section on the lasting effects of chemical warfare is a heart-wrenching display, and the portion of the museum dedicated to the work of war journalists gives insight into the folks behind the indelible images of the Vietnam conflict.
Culture Of The Past
Serious history buffs might want to check out the Xa Loi Pagoda (89B Ba Huyen Thanh Quan), which was the major target of the temple raids by the anti-Buddhist South Vietnamese government in 1963. Hundreds of monks were attacked, arrested and even killed. Because of the raids, the U.S. government soon backed a coup which assassinated President Ngo Dinh Diem. Aside from its historical importance, Xa Loi is a beautiful temple with the highest bell tower in Vietnam. Its main hall features an enormous statue of Guatama Buddha, as well as 14 scenes from his life depicted on the walls. A few blocks away is the site of Thich Quang Duc’s self-immolation (intersection of Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Cach Mang Thang Tam streets), which predated the temple raids by a few months. A large monument pays tribute to his protest.
You can find a different type of history at the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre (55B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai; 150,000 VND), where the centuries-old Vietnamese tradition of water puppetry is displayed during multiple performances daily. A small orchestra accompanies the show, which features multiple puppeteers controlling wooden figures that appear to come to life above a pool of water. It’s a bit touristy, but a heck of a lot of fun.
Eating, Partying, Preparing
If you want to venture outside Vietnamese food, why not pay homage to the city’s French past? Step into The Refinery (74/7C Hai Ba Trung St.) and you might feel like you’ve been transported to a Parisian bistro. Items such as clams and goat cheese-stuffed chicken are a bit pricey by Vietnam standards, but would be a steal in almost any other city.
Another winning choice, just steps away from The Refinery and the aforementioned InterContinental Hotel (74A Hai Ba Trung St.), is O’Brien’s Factory, a charming Irish pub that serves up deliciously cheesy, crisp-crust pizzas and cold, cheap beers.
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Also in this area, in Lam Son Square, the back courtyard of a former opium refinery now houses a new Vietnamese fusion restaurant, Hoa Tuc. Open from 11am to 11pm, this is a fine choice for tasty local eats with a modern twist.
As far as nightlife goes, your best bet is the Pham Ngu Lao “backpacker” area in District 1. Ground zero for travellers looking to party into the wee hours is the four-story Go2 bar (187 De Tham St.), which seems to be open around the clock.
If you want to try the online visa processing option, MyVietnamVisa, which I recommend, charges about $20 USD per person. Payment via major credit cards and Paypal is accepted through the website. The process takes two to three business days, which appears to be standard for most of these companies.
Important note: You are not paying for your visa – just the sponsorship service. Via e-mail you’ll get a document in English and Vietnamese that says you are being sponsored to come into the country.
Present it at the airport counter when you check in for your flight (the airline clerk should ask you for it) and upon arrival in Vietnam, where you’ll fill out a form and actually pay for the visa ($45 USD for a one-month tourist visa in 2013). Bring a pair of passport photos, too.
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Source: The Expat March 2013
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