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Attraction of Ho Chi Minh City


  MUSEUM

HCMC has several museums, the best of which can be visited on foot. Sightseeing along with cycling is also possible, or perhaps hiring a cyclo (for a half or full day) to do the paddling for you is also a good way.

War Remnants Museum - The War Remnants Museum was once known as the Museum of Chinese and American War Crimes, later changed to avoid offending Chinese and American tourists, is now the most popular museum in HCMC with western tourists. It exhibits some of the instruments of destruction such as US armored vehicle, artillery pieces, bombs and infantry weapons displayed on the courtyard outside the museum including a guillotine that harvested a number of prisoners' heads. Inside, series of rooms present photographs of mutilation, napalm burns and torture. The most sorrowful gallery is the pictures of deformed babies, their defects attributed to the US' widespread use of chemical herbicides.

Museum of Ho Chi Minh City (the Revolutionary Museum) - Built in a gray neoclassic structure in 1886, the Museum of HCMC was once known as Gia Long Palace and later as the Revolutionary Museum. The museum houses collections of artifacts from the various periods of Anticolonialism including the photographs of Vietnamese peace demonstrators in Saigon and a dramatic photograph of a monk who made headlines worldwide when he burned himself to death in 1963 to protest against the policies of President Ngo Dinh Diem. The most interesting artifacts is a small diorama of the Cu Chi Tunnels displaying examples of infantry weapons used by Viet Cong, various South Vietnamese and US medals. Deep beneath the building is a network of reinforced concrete bunkers and fortified corridors of which branches stretch all the way to the Reunification Palace just a block west to the museum.

History Museum - History Museum, built in a Sino-French style in 1929, has an excellent collection of artifacts illustrating the evolution of Vietnam culture from 13 century BC to the nearest present. The main entrance is tucked just inside the gate way to the Botanical Gardens. The museum can be explore according to its separate subjects such as the history of Vietnamese military, Buddha images from around Asia, Champa arts, and customs and crafts of ethnic minorities.


  REUNIFICATION PALACE

Reunification Palace, formerly called Independence Palace or the Presidential Palace, is one of the most fascinating sights in HCMC, both because of its striking modern architecture and the eerie feeling you get as you walk through the deserted halls. The building once the symbol of the South Vietnamese government, is preserved almost as it was on that day in April 1975 when the republic of Vietnam, which hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese and 58,183 Americans had died trying to save, ceased to exist. Some recent additions include a statue of Ho Chi Minh and a viewing room where you can watch a video of Vietnamese history.


  PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE BUILDING

HCMC's gingerbread Hotel de Ville, one of the city's most prominent landmarks, is now the somewhat incongruous home of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee. It was built between 1901 and 1908 after years of the sort of architectural controversy peculiar to the French. This former hotel is notable for its gardens, ornate façade and elegant interior, lit with crystal chandeliers. It's easily the most photographed building in Vietnam. At night, the exterior is usually covered with thousands of geckos feasting on insects. Unfortunately, you'll have to content yourself with admiring the exterior only.


  ZOO & BOTANICAL GARDEN

Comprising of the dense giant tropical trees that thrive amid lakes, lawns and flowerbeds, the Zoo & Botanical Gardens makes a perfect place for a relaxing stroll. The gardens, found in 1864, was one of the first projects under taken by French after they established Cochinchina as a colony. It was once one of the finest such gardens in Asia; unfortunately, this is no longer true, as well as the zoo that its facilities become a bit run-down.


  PAGODA, TEMPLE & CHURCH

Notre Dame Cathedral - Built between 1877 and 1883, Notre Dame Cathedral is set in the heart of HCMC's government quarter. It is neo-Romanesque with two 40m-high square towers, tipped with iron spires, which dominate the city's skyline. In front of the cathedral (in the center of the square bounded by the main post office) is a statue of the Virgin Mary. If the front gates are locked, try the door on the side of the building that faces Reunification Palace. Unusually, this cathedral has no stained glass windows: the glass was a casualty of fighting during WWII. A number of foreign are allowed to add a short sermon in French or English to their longer presentations in Vietnamese.

Xa Loi Pagoda - Xa Loi Pagoda is famous as the repository of a sacred relic of the Buddha built in 1956. In August 1963, this pagoda was attacked by the troops under command of President Ngo Dinh Diem's brother as it had become the center of opposition to the Diem government. The pagoda was ransacked and 400 monks and nuns were arrested. This raid helped solidify opposition among Buddhist to the Diem regime, a crucial factor in the US decision to support the coup against Diem. This pagoda was also the site of several self-immolations by monks protesting against the Diem regime and the American War.

Giac Lam Pagoda - Giac Lam Pagoda is a Buddhist Pagoda but has incorporated aspects of Taoism and Confucianism. Built in 1744, rambling Giac Lam is draped over 98 hardwood pillars, each inscribed with traditional chu nom characters (Vietnamese script, based on Chinese ideograms). Ornate tombs greet visitors at the entrance to the compound, as does a gleaming white statue of Quan Thew Am Bo Tat, the Goddess of Mercy. Inside, there are photographs and portraits of monks from the past and an impressive sanctuary with countless gilded figures. The main hall is solemnly decorated. Here are kept 113 old statues of which 5 are made of bronze, 8 parallel sentences, 9 balustrades, 19 horizontal boards and altars, all are valuable works of art. It is the most famous Patriarch pagoda in South Vietnam. The pagoda is recognized as one of National historical-cultural vestiges by the Ministry of Culture. The pagoda is north of Cholon in District 10, about 1km (0.6mi) north-west of Phu Tho Stadium.

Giac Vien Pagoda - Giac Vien Pagoda is located about 10km south-west of downtown Ho Chi Minh City, amid a quiet area near Dam Sen (lotus pond) Tourist Park. It has the ancient architecture of the pagodas built in the Nguyen dynasty of the 19th century, and typical characteristics of the southern area in terms of the architecture, design and arrangement of the worshipping shrines. Giac Vien Pagoda has been classified by the State as a cultural relic and a mini-museum of wooden engravings of historical and artistic Value. For this reason, it attracts a lot of researchers and visitors all year round.

Vinh Nghiem Pagoda - Vinh Nghiem pagoda is located at 339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street in Ho Chi Minh City. It was constructed between 1964 and 1971 following the design of architect Nguyen Ba Lang. This classic style seven story tower with strong Japanese influences was built with the assistance of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association. The Kwan-Yin tower is located on the left of the pagoda. This structure is the biggest of the Vietnam Buddhist Association. A Devotee Relic Tower was erected behind the pagoda in 1982.


  PARK

Van Thanh Park - Van Thanh Park is located east of Ho Chi Minh City, in Binh Thanh district. The park lies on the bank of the Thi Nghe River, a branch of the Saigon River. From the park, there is a view of Vung Tau. Van Thanh Park is the entertainment area mostly prized by Ho Chi Minh City citizens. At night, Van Thanh Park is filled with music. Festivals, fashion shows, and cast selections are often held in the park.

Dam Sen (Lotus Lake) Park - Dam Sen Park belongs to district 11 in Ho Chi Minh City, at the corner of Lac Long Quan and Hoa Binh streets. The park's infrastructure is divided into 30 parts and features several activities, restaurants, and shows, including a smaller reproduction of the Giac Vien Pagoda, the Thuy Ta floating restaurant, a lake similar to West Lake in Hanoi where one can fish, a puppet show, a bird garden, a water park, a sports center, and the Nam Tu Royal Garden.

Ky Hoa Tourist Area - Ky Hoa Tourist Area, located in the center of Ho Chi Minh City, is a spacious area spread out over 14 ha. In Ky Hoa, there is a park, a market, modern hotels, and a wide array of restaurants. The area also comprises the Hoa Binh Theater, the biggest theater in the city.

Ky Hoa is divided into two parts: Ky Hoa I and Ky Hoa II. A nice bridge connects the two parts. There is plenty of entertainment such as sailing on the lake, going around the lake by train, visiting the small zoo and aquarium, playing electronic games, and roller-skating. Doi Hoa Vang auditorium, which has over 1000 seats, was built near the lake. Cultural activities, such as international dance festivals and fashion shows, are often held in this area.

Suoi Tien Tourist Area (Fairy Stream) - Suoi Tien Tourist Area is located northeast of Ho Chi Minh City, in Thu Duc district. It is an entertainment area where local citizens spend weekends and where foreign visitors also enjoy spending time. The wild landscape houses many rare species; for example, there are approximately 2,000 crocodiles bred in Crocodile Lake. Another popular attraction is the aquarium where tourists can admire hundreds of fish species and other marine creatures swimming in glass tunnels.



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