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ReunificationPalace The Unification Hall, laid out on wind-water geomancyprinciples, is the most beautiful building of Vietnamese architecture of the1960’s. The building is preserved almost as it was (presidential palace) underthe old Saigon regime with the interior sophisticatedly decorated with fineVietnamese art and crafts. Among its 100 rooms and chambers are president'sreception room, credentials presentation room and banquet room.
Address: 106 Nguyen Du Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Open daily: from 8am to 11am and 1pm to 4pm.
Entry: VND15,000 Notre Dame Cathedral Inaugurated in 1880, Notre Dame Cathedral is one of theoldest and biggest Catholic churches in Vietnam. This neo-Romanesquearchitecture, built with bricks and tiles imported from France, reminds of thecathedrals in Paris, Chartres or Reim. Visitors can attend mass held three timeson weekdays and six times on Sundays.
Address: Cong xa Paris Square, Dong Khoi & Han Thuyen Streets, District 1,HCMC
Open: Daily, Sunday Mass 9:30am Ben Thanh Market Built in 1914 on an area of one square kilometer, the BenThanh Market is one of the busiest spots in Ho Chi Minh City. Everything fordaily use, from living fish and fresh fruit to souvenirs and electronicappliances, can be found here. The market is so closely tied to the city's lifethat the clock tower at its main gate has long been considered a symbol of thecity.
Address: Quach Thi Trang Square, Le Loi & Ham Nghi Streets, District 1, HCMC
Open: Daily Central Post Office - Started to be built in 1886 and completed in 1891under architect Villedieu's design, this magnificent building was located on ahigh hillock by the sie of the municipal cathedral with Hai Ba trung avenue inthe back. The building's front side was adorned with rectangle squares inscribedwith the names of telegraphic and electric inventors together with figures ofmen and women wearing laurel wreaths.A big clock was hung over the dome of thebuilding . Inside the building , visitors can see two historical maps, one is"Saigon and its environments" created in 1892 and "Telegraphicnetwork in South Vietnam and Combidia" created in 1936. - TheCentral Post Office is available with 35 customer servicing counters equippedwith up-to-date telecom facilities that enable direct telegraphic contact withany areas of the globe and any place in the country. In addition, there arevarious services such as registered postal parcel time alarm, express mailservice, cultural souvenir products, telegraphic philately, telegraphic gift... Address : No.2 Paris Commune Park, Dist.1 War Remnants Museum Housed in a former United States administration building, TheWar Remnants Museum is one of the most popular and sobering museums in the city.It highlights the suffering of the Vietnamese people at the hands of the Frenchand American forces up to 1975. The photographs of the injured and dead are bothhaunting and sickening. This is not a politically balanced exhibition, but whenyou consider the statistics of American versus Vietnamese casualties, that ishardly surprising. This museum is probably too disturbing for children to view. Address: 28 Vo Van Tan, District 3 China town Cho Lon, Saigon’s Chinatown, is oneof the oldest, mysterious and most interesting parts of Saigon. Cho Lonliterally means ‘big market’ and the vast Binh Tay Market lives up to thatreputation. Though not as centrally located as the famous Ben Thanh Market, itwas the first market I visited in Saigon.
Unlike other markets, Cholon Market hasn't changed since the days of the VietNam War. Here you will find derelict shells of old French style houses that arestill surrounding the market building. When I arrived it was probably in themid-80s Fahrenheit but because of overcast skies and a little breeze it washumid but not stifling. The market, however, was crowded and under its roof itdid get pretty warm. I took my time shopping and I would suggest that you doalso. The aisles are narrow, the din is loud, and the people are scurrying aboutor squatting in the narrow passages to talk or eat. The variety of goods here ispositively astounding and will give you uncanny glimpses into modern Vietnameselife. I took a lot of pictures and my guide and I stopped often to inquire aboutsome eye-appealing trinket or to haggle over the price of some pistachios.
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