Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly named Saigon, is the largest city in Vietnam. Under the name Saigon, it was the capital of the French colony of Cochinchina. Ho Chi Min City has a current population of 7.396 million (2010). Anyone that has not visited Ho Chi Minh City will be surprised by the size and space of its new airport. Tan Son Nhat International Airport operates from two terminal buildings, Domestic Terminal 1 and International Terminal 2. The new international terminal opened in September 2007 with the capacity of 8 to 10 million passengers per year, giving the airport a total capacity of 15 to 17 million passengers per annum. Visas can be obtained on arrival for most nationalities but it is recommended that you arrange your visa before departure as you may have to queue for a considerable time to get your visa endorsed.

Ho Chi Minh City is famous for pho a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup and pork rolls. Often the best places to get these dishes is from local stores or family run restaurants. Fresh produce can be brought at markets and street stores and if you want a more western experience Ho Chi Min City offers a wide range of international flavours ranging from French, Japanese, Thai and Chinese. If you are interested pampering yourself whilst on holiday why not try a manicure or pedicure. Beauty shops are open late into the night and you can have a basic treatment at less than half of what it would cost you back home.

Exploring the streets from the back seat of a motorcycle can be an exhilarating way to see the city with has nearly 5 million motorbikes. To get your orientation fast, you could jump on an organised tour and you could spend a morning viewing the city and getting a feel for the street systems. A guide can help you discover the many places of interests. Once you get your motorcycle be careful may tourists each year have suffered injuries and just crossing the road in Ho Chi Min City can be a hair raising experience. The War Remnants Museum documents the brutality of the Vietnam War and should only be visited by the strong willed or those interested in the history of the war. Retired military vehicles, attack bombers and tanks dominate the front lawn while, inside, a selection of text and photographic exhibits tell the wars terrible story. A dinner cruise is a unique Vietnamese experience and allows you to watch the city lights at sunset while sipping a local beer from the deck of a traditional dragon boat. You can take in a show and enjoy a buffet meal in style. Pre-book your dinner during peek tourist periods.

The Central Post Office and Notre-Dame cathedral were designed and built by French architect Gustave Eiffel, the same architect who designed the French Eiffel Tower, the Gothic-styled Saigon Central Post Office opened in 1886 and remains one of the country's most celebrated structures. Inside, beneath a long, domed roof, walls decorated with French colonial maps flank a portrait of Ho Chi Minh, while the elaborate tiled floors complete the refined look. You can still buy stamps over a old oak counter top and check out the international public telephone booths still in operation. on the opposite side of the square is the neo-Romanesque Notre-Dame cathedral, built between 1863 and 1880 by French colonists. An equally impressive structure. Reunification Palace was the home of the president of South Vietnam during the "American War", as locals prefer to call the Vietnam War, this is the site where the first communist North Vietnamese tanks crashed through the gates on the morning of April 30, 1975, resulting in Saigon's official surrender and shown on television worldwide. It is preserved almost exactly as it was in 1966, and you can look around at your leisure or take one of the free guided tours that depart every 15 minutes.

There isn't much you can't buy from a market in this city, and although haggling is an art form requiring practice, it's still easy enough to pick up a bargain. District 1's Ben Thanh Market is certainly the most famous. There are more than 3,000 stalls but be warned prices can often be inflated for tourists. For a lesser known alternative, District 1's Tan Dinh specialises in silks and clothing material, while Ben Thanh night market is popular for those who prefer bargain hunting free from the noon heat.

After sampling so much great Vietnamese food, the chances are you'll want to replicate it when you get home, so why not take a cooking class whist visiting this city. Many of the major hotels offer generic cooking lessons, a smaller-size class is a far better option. The best classes will team you with a chef to source ingredients at a nearby market before you learn how to cook classic dishes such as summer rice rolls, rice noodle soups and many more. Visit the vast network of interconnecting underground tunnels, 30 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City. Used as operational headquarters by Vietcong guerrillas during the Tet Offensive of 1968, they were instrumental in numerous military campaigns during the war and played a decisive role in defeating American forces. Not far from the Ben Thanh Market, housed in a Chinese-influenced yellow and white colonial-era mansion, the Fine Arts Museum offers an extensive insight into Vietnamese aesthetics ranging from the country's earliest civilisations to the present day. Exhibits include anything from sculpture and paintings to pottery, abstract art and even weaponry. Markets aside, there are plenty of options for high-end shopping options. The major department stores are found at the central business district's in Diamond Plaza or Saigon Centre, though prices won't differ that much from back at home the shopping experience can be please and rewarding. While locals tend to favour Trai Street, straddling districts 1 and 5 for cheaper goods. Le Cong Kieu is famous for antiques, and the relatively new Vincom Centre opposite the Hotel Continental is a good bet for pricier, high-quality and boutique wares. Cheng's travel can offer you a wide range of hotel and tour opinions for this exciting Asian travel destination. Why not call us today on +61 (3) 9014 1147 to discuss your travel needs. Phone: (03) 9014 1197 Email cheng_travel@yahoo.com.au Website http://www.ctglobaljet.com.au