Also known as District 1, Ho Chi Minh City Centre is the buzzing heart of Vietnam’s largest city. It’s home to many of the city’s most important architectural landmarks and one of the world’s oldest zoos, as well as cultural and history museums. Colonial-era buildings and food stalls selling authentic Vietnamese snacks line the district’s narrow backstreets.
Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City Centre
Dominating Ho Chi Minh City Centre are the twin bell towers of the Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was constructed by French colonists between 1863 and 1880. Overlooking Paris Square, it’s decorated with tiles crafted in Marseille and glass shipped from Chartres. The six bronze bells still regularly call the city’s Catholics to worship.
A short walk from the Notre-Dame Cathedral is the Independence Palace where the Vietnam War came to an end in 1975 after a North Vietnamese Army tank crashed through its gate. Today, you can wander through its period-furnished rooms while learning about its role as a command bunker and see two of the tanks used to capture the palace.
Ho Chi Minh City Centre is home to several fascinating museums, including the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City and the War Remnants Museum where vintage helicopters, rocket launchers and fighter planes from the Vietnam War are on display. Kids will love the historic Saigon Zoo, which showcases more than 550 animals, including clouded leopards and Bengal tigers, as well as plant species native to Vietnam.
Getting around Ho Chi Minh City Centre
Tan Son Nhat International Airport is a 20-minute drive from Ho Chi Minh City Centre, while trains connect from Hanoi to the Ga Sai Gon railway station. Buses travel throughout Ho Chi Minh City Centre and cyclos are a popular way of getting around the district.