SAIGON -  Big, Young and dynamic  

Official Name: Ho Chi minh city 

Area: 2,095.2 sq. km
Population: 5,730,700 habitants (2004)
Administrative divisions:  

- Districts: District 1, District 2, District 3, District 4, District 5, District 6, District 7, District 8, District 9, District 10, District 11, District 12, Tan Binh, Binh Thanh, Phu Nhuan, Thu Duc, Go Vap, Binh Tan,Tan Phu.  

- Rural districts: Nha Be, Can Gio, Hoc Mon, Cu Chi, Binh Chanh.
Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Hoa, Khmer, Cham...   

Welcome to Hochiminh city ! - one of the most bustling cities of Vietnam where you can find the remains of the times to the best five star in the world. In fact, Hochiminh city is a city of commerce, industry, travel where used to be considered as " The Pearl of Far East Asia ". Although, it is growing to catch up the world's economic speed, there still is the charm of the people and cultures. Visitors feel welcome and secure like at home as they always see Saigonese' smiles presenting their greetings to them at all times. We believe that whether you are on a business trip or at leisure travel, Hochiminh city will be certainly will definitely be one of your major spots.

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.

Business Hours: Offices are usually open from Monday to Friday from 07:30 or 08:00 until 17:00 or 18:00 and often close for lunch between 11:30 and 13:00. Some offices also open Saturday morning. Shops open early and close any time between 18:00 and 22:00. Most shops are open 7 days a week.

Safety: However Viet Nam is one of the safest countries in Asia Pacific, you should take care with your possessions. Secure your valuables, documents and credit card in your hotel’s safe. Beware of pickpockets, purse-snatchers and mobile thieves, especially in Ho Chi Minh City. If you choose to drive a motorbike or ride a bicycle, always put on a helmet.

Dinning & Restaurant

Dining out in Saigon is a pleasure. Vietnamese cuisine is varied and all of its many varieties are easily found in the city. Southern Vietnamese dishes tend to be a little hotter and spicier than elsewhere in the country, and fried foods are more common than the boiled or steamed dishes one finds in northern and central Vietnam. This said, Royal Cuisine from the center and northern staples such as Pho etc. can easily be found in the southern metropolis. 
The lingering colonial influence of the French is still very much apparent in Saigon's dining options - check out the plentiful road-side Banh Mi stalls, where hungry diners can pick up a small baguette with a fried egg & chilli for next to nothing - but as the country has opened up, so myriad foreign cuisines have infiltrated menus at many establishments. Pizza, pasta, hamburgers and sizzling steaks, sushi and tempura, Chinese cuisine and Thai specialities - all are readily available at a wide range of outlets across the city. 
Finally, dining out in Saigon is excellent value for money. From top-end Chinese and Japanese restaurants to the travellers' cafes of Pham Ngu Lao, the range of food available is huge and everyone should be able to find a venue to suit both taste and pocket.
- Vietnamese restaurants addresses       - French Food Restaurants

Travel Tips

Tipping for good service is not expected but is always appreciated in these developing nations. It is customary, though not compulsory, to tip tour guides and drivers at the end of a tour. Hotel and station porters should also be tipped.

How to get there

* Bus: Ho Chi Minh city has a kind of bus which is public to serve every part of the city. There are both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned providing an extremely cheap way of getting around city. Bus are comfortable and cheap, with a fare of 2,000 dong (appx. US$0.15) to most stops within city.
* Taxi: Metered taxis are available in Ho Chi Minh city. Most of taxis are air-conditioned and the fare begins at 10,000-12,000 dong (appx US$ 0.7 )/ per2 km.
* Scooter-taxi: scooter taxi is most popular public transport in Ho Chi Minh City and many big city in Viet Nam and the fare certaintly is around 2.000 dong per kilometre.