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Geography
In
the core of the Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City,
formerly known as Saigon, is second the most
important in Vietnam after Hanoi. It is not only
a commercial center but also a scientific,
technological, industrial and tourist center.
The city is bathed by many rivers, arroyos and
canals, the biggest river being the Saigon
River. The Port of Saigon, established in 1862,
is accessible to ships weighing up to 30,000
tons, a rare advantage for an inland river port.
Climate:The climate is generally hot and humid.
There are two distinctive seasons: the rainy
season, from May to November, and the dry
season, from December to April. The annual
average temperature is 27ºC. The hottest month
is April and the lowest is December. It is warm
all year.
History
Many
centuries ago, Saigon was already a busy
commercial center. Merchants from China, Japan
and many European countries would sail upstream
the Saigon River to reach the islet of Pho, a
trading center. In the year of 1874, Cho Lon
merged with Saigon, forming the largest city in
the Indochina. It had been many times celebrated
as the Pearl of the Far East. After the
reunification of the country, the 6th National
Assembly in its meeting of the 2nd of July,
1976, has officially rebaptized Saigon, Ho Chi
Minh City. The history of city relates closely
with the struggle for the independence and
freedom of Vietnam.
Tourism
Today, Ho Chi Minh City is the big tourism
center in Vietnam, attracting a large of
visitors to Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City has
various attractions as Ho Chi Minh Museum,
formerly known as Dragon House Wharf, Cu Chi
Tunnels, system of museums, theatres, cultural
houses... Recently, many tourist areas are
invested such as Thanh Da, Binh Quoi Village,
Dam Sen Park, Saigon Water Park, Suoi Tien, Ky
Hoa..., which draw numerous tourists.
Despite its quite recent past, Ho Chi Minh City
nevertheless possesses various beautiful
buildings, displaying a characteristic
combination of Vietnamese, Chinese and European
cultures. These include Nha Rong (Dragon House
Wharf), Quoc To Temple (National Ancestors
Temple), Xa Tay (Municipal Office), Ho Chi Minh
Municipal Theatre as well as many pagodas and
churches (Vinh Nghiem, Giac Vien, Giac Lam,
Phung Son pagodas...). After more than 300 years
of development, Ho Chi Minh City presents many
ancient architectural constructions, famous
vestiges and renowned sights. It is remarkable
for its harmonious blending of traditional
national values with northern and western
cultural features.
Transportation
Ho
Chi Minh City is the main junction for trains,
roads, water, and air transportation systems for
domestic trips and for foreign destination.
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Roads: Ho Chi Minh City is 1,730km from Hanoi,
99km from Tay Ninh, 30km from Bien Hoa (Dong
Nai), 70km from My Tho, 125km from Vung Tau,
168km from Can Tho, 308km from Dalat, and 375km
from Buon Ma Thuot. The City has National
Highway 13 which connects Vietnam with the rest
of Indochina.
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Train: Thong Nhat express train connects Ho Chi
Minh City and Hanoi, vie many provinces in
Vietnam.
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Air: Tan Son Nhat International Airport, 7km
from center of city, is the biggest airport with
many domestic and international routes. There
are flights from Hanoi and Danang to Ho Chi Minh
City and between ?the City to many regions as
well a lot of countries on over the world.
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