Saigon Travel guide

More than 1500 kilometers to the South of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City - or Saigon as it was known before the Vietnam war - is a rapidly developing and dynamic city with more than 7,000,000 citizens. People sell everything from fruit to DVDs on the sidewalk and street corners. The city remains the economic capital of the country and is booming, with new hotels and businesses opening daily. Chic western bars and clubs are filled with ambitious young expatriates seeking their fortunes, whilst all around them locals are doing what they have done for countless generations. 

Many of the landmarks from the colonial days remain, and they give an otherwise sprawling metropolis some much needed character.  Furthermore, Saigon has some exceptionally good markets, a number of which are open 24 hours a day. The War Remnants Museum provides an an alternative perspective on the Vietnam war from the viewpoint of the victors which is a jarring counterpoint to that of official western history and Hollywood.

Ho Chi Minh City is an ideal starting point for any tour of Vietnam. Highly recommended is a daytrip to Cu Chi and Tay Ninh.