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Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành pho>' Ho>! Chí Minh pronunciation help·info) is the largest city in Vietnam and is located near the Mekong River delta. Under the name Prey Nokor (Khmer: ), it was a hamlet of Cambodia, before being annexed by the Vietnamese in the 16th century. Known as Saigon (Sài Gòn) (pronunciation help·info) until the end of the Vietnam War, it was the capital of the French colony of Cochinchina, and later of the former state of South Vietnam from 1954 to 1975. In 1975, Saigon was merged with the surrounding province of Gia Ði-.nh and renamed Ho Chi Minh City (although Saigon is still frequently used). The city center is situated on the banks of the Saigon River, 60 km from the South China Sea . The metropolitan area which consists of Ho Chi Minh city metro area, Bien Hoa, Thu Dau Mot and surrounding towns has more than 9 million people, making it the largest metropolitan area in Vietnam and Indochina.

• Reunification Palace, Enter at 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, ☎ 9693272. Open daily 7:30-11:00am, 1:00-4:00pm. Also known as Independence Palace. This is a restored five-floor time warp to the Sixties left largely untouched from the day before Saigon fell to the North. Formerly South Vietnam's Presidential Palace, the war ended on April 30, 1975 when tank #843 — now parked on the lawn outside — crashed through the gate. Be sure to check out the impressively kitschy recreation room, featuring a circular sofa, and the eerie basement, full of vintage 1960s phones, radios, and office equipment, supposedly left exactly as it was found when the North took over. There is also a photo gallery and a propaganda film recounting how the South Vietnamese lackeys and American imperialists succumbed to Ho Chi Minh's indomitable revolutionary forces, upon which point the lackeys were forgiven and everyone lived happily ever after. Tours are available, but not necessary. There is a nice outdoor café on the grounds outside the palace. Entry 15,000 dong.

• War Remnants Museum, 28 Vo Van Tan Street, ☎ 9302112, 9306325, 9305587 (warrmhcm@gmail.com). Open daily 7:30am-12:00pm, 1:30-5:00pm, last admission 4:30pm. Formerly known under the perhaps-too-subtle moniker of Exhibition House of American War Crimes, the museum was opened in a hurry, less than five months after the fall of the South. It's currently housed in a rather confused assemblage of seven warehouses, with new purpose-built premises partially open for temporary and permanent exhibits. This disturbing display of man's cruelty during the Vietnam (American) War includes halls full of gruesome photographs, a simulated "tiger cage" prison and jars of deformed fetuses blamed on Agent Orange. (The comic relief provided by a display on the evils of American rock music has sadly disappeared.) There are, of course, no records of any unpleasant deeds ever having been committed by the North Vietnamese Army. Outside, there are helicopters, jets, tanks, and other bits of armament. It's only a block from the Reunification Palace — see the museum pamphlet for a map. Entry 15,000 dong.

• On Le Quy Don, just south of the museum, is a 2000 dong/cone soft ice cream vendor, a happy treat in a hot and hectic city.

• City Hall, end of Nguyen Hue Street. Originally called the Hôtel de Ville and now formally re-branded the People's Committee Hall, it's a striking cream and yellow French colonial building beautifully floodlit at night. No entry, but the statue of Uncle Ho in front is a very popular place for photos.

• Museum of Vietnamese History, at the intersection of Le Duan Street and Nguyen Binh Khiem (just inside the zoo gates). The museum has a fine collection of Vietnamese antiquities, but unfortunately they are accompanied by signage which is both in poor English and full of risible Marxist distortions. Read up on Vietnamese history first or you'll have no idea what you're looking at. Outside, the Botanical Gardens are very nice and a good place for a cheap lunch away from the crowds. If you care about animal welfare, avoid the zoo.

Religious sites

• Notre Dame Cathedral, Han Thuyen Street, facing down Dong Khoi (next to the Post Office). Closes for lunch and on weekends. A French-built Catholic cathedral in the city center. Free entry.

There are several Chinese temples in Cholon, the Chinatown district of old Saigon. Only a few are listed here.

• Thien Hau Pagoda, 710 Nguyen Trai Street, Cholon. Dedicated to Lady Thien Hau, the sea goddess, who left two giant turtles to keep an eye on things in her absence. A festival is held in her honor on the 23rd day of the March lunar month. Don't miss the gorgeous sculptures in the walls of the courtyard outside the temple. Entry free.

• Quan Am Pagoda, 12 Lao Tu, Cholon (Just off Hung Vuong, close to Thien Hau Pagoda). Open 8:00am-4:30pm. The oldest pagoda in town, home of a lot of incense and a cheerful puppy. Entry free.

• Phung Son Tu Pagoda, 408 3 Thang 2 Blvd (On the outskirts of Cholon). Dedicated to the god of happiness and virtue. The pagoda itself is dusty and dwarfed by high-rises under construction nearby, but the small, sculpted grounds are a good place for a rest from the hectic city.

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