Things to see in Ho Chi Minh City

The Jade Emperor Pagoda is one of the most attractive pagodas in the city and was built in 1909 by the Cantonese community. Dedicated to various Chinese-Vietnamese divinities, in a mixture of Taoist and Buddhist styles, the pagoda houses numerous statues and delicate woodcarvings with intricate tiles on the roof. A statue of the Jade Emperor himself dominates the proceedings from his position on the pagoda’s main altar. The interior is full of the smells from incense spirals hanging down from the ceiling and the altars are richly decorated. There is a pleasant courtyard with a pond full of tortoises.

Daily 0700-1800.

No

Located 3km (2 miles) from Cholon, the Giac Lam Pagoda is a place of calm in this often hectic metropolis. Built in 1744 by Lý Thụy Long, it is believed to be the oldest pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City. The pagoda is surrounded by a tranquil walled garden and there is a seven-storey stupa storing relics of the Buddha. Families of the old and sick regularly go to the pagoda to pin supplications to the large bronze bell, in the belief that when it is rung, the messages will be sent to the heavens above. Time your visit right and you may find yourself witnessing the monks chanting. Remember to always dress respectfully with shoulders covered.

Daily 0600-1145 and 1315-1900.

No

There’s a certain beauty in the simplicity of The Reunification Palace - a building designed in the 1960s with the help of Soviet architects. Most people will remember the image of a North Vietnamese tank crashing through the gates on 30 April 1975, signifying the fall of Saigon. Rooms open to the public remain exactly as they were in 1975, showing where important meetings were held during the war, as well as some of the private quarters of the president and his family. Most fascinating are a series of underground tunnels housing a telecommunications centre as well as a video about the history of the palace.

Daily 0730-1100 and 1300-1600.

Yes

This is not a museum for the sensitive as it houses instruments of torture and hundreds of photographs of atrocities committed during the 20th century and, in particular, the Vietnam War. Visitors cannot fail to be moved as the exhibits provide a context for a period of history many only know from old newsreels and Hollywood movies, including the My Lai massacre. At the front of the museum is a small collection of military hardware including tanks and aircrafts and, most interestingly, the mobile guillotine used by the French colonists to dispense justice throughout the country before WWII.

Daily 0730-1800.

Yes.

The twin towers of the stunning, red-brick Notre Dame Cathedral have been a familiar landmark in Ho Chi Minh City since the 1880s. In a small garden in front of the cathedral lies a delicate statue of the Virgin Mary. Unlike most French cathedrals, the interior of the cathedral is rather plain, with no stained glass, but it offers a cool respite from the heat outside. It is also an oasis of calm from the incessant traffic that circles the cathedral. There is still a significant Christian community in the south of Vietnam and church services are well attended.

Daily 0530-1700.

No

Across from the Notre Dame Cathedral, the vast Post Office was built in the late 19th century in a European style. Designed by Gustave Eiffel, it is often likened to a railway station in appearance, but the elegant, high-ceilinged interior has hardly been touched since it was erected and is dominated by a huge portrait of Ho Chi Minh. Even its original phone booths still remain in place. Also of interest are two maps on the walls dating from 1892, one depicting Saigon and the surrounding areas. The building always seems busy but most people are visitors rather than customers. Fascinating collections of colourful stamps can be purchased here too.

Mon-Fri 0700-1900; Sat 0700-1800; Sun 0800-1800.

No

Housed in the former building of the Government of Cochinchina, the Ho Chi Minh City Museum (formerly the Revolutionary Museum) contains artefacts such as weapons, uniforms, medals and old photos, from the period of Communist struggle against the French and the Americans. Unfortunately, the exhibits are only labelled in Vietnamese but some are self-explanatory. Outside the museum is a collection of military hardware including a tank and a helicopter. Built in a classical style in the late 1880s, the museum building itself is of interest as it was formerly the palace of the governor of Cochinchina and the Supreme Court.

Daily 0730-1800.

Yes.

Located just inside the entrance to the Botanical Gardens and Zoo, the Historical Museum houses a collection of artefacts covering the last 2,000 years of Vietnamese history, including items belonging to ancient cultures such as Dong Son, Oc Eo and Cham. Collections run right up until 1945 and include ceramics, weapons and Cham sculptures as well as a wing devoted to ethnic minorities. The museum was originally an archaeological research institution by the École Française d'Extrême Orient of 1910. It is worth hiring a guide with you around the museum as the labelling is poor and it can be a little difficult to understand the significance of the exhibits.

Tue-Sun 0800-1130 and 1330-1700.

Yes