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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