”La perle de l’Extrême-Orient”
Once known as “la perle de l’Extrême-Orient” (Pearl of the Far East) Ho Chi Minh city is the financial center of Vietnam. It is also one of the most important centers for politics, and culture and education in Vietnam. This land was originally a trading port of the Khmer Empire, known as Prey Nokor which means “city in the forest”. After the fall of the Khmer Empire, Prey Nokor became derelict. In 1698, Nguyen Huu Canh came here by an an order of Lord Nguyen to establish Vietnamese administrative structures in the area. This place therefore renamed Gia Dinh which marked the birth of the city.
Ho Chi Minh city is also known by its former name of Saigon. When the French entered Indochina, Saigon and Phnom Pend were the two most important cities of the Indochina Federation. Saigon was the capital from 1887 to 1901 before the capital of Indochina was moved to Hanoi. During the Vietnam War, Saigon was selected as the capital of the Republic of Vietnam (commonly known as South Vietnam). The currently official name, Ho Chi Minh city, adopted on July 2, 1976 by the National Assembly of Vietnam according the name of the first leader of North Vietnam.
Saigon before 1975 (photo: internet)
“Prey Nokor”
Saigon in Vietnamese is that Sai meaning “firewood, lops, twigs; palisade”, while Gòn is another word meaning “stick, pole, bole”, and whose meaning evolved into “cotton” in Vietnamese (cotton plant). This name may refer to the many kapok plants that the Khmer people had planted around Prey Nokor. Saigon originally referred to the Chinese town (District 5 and District 6, today) and Ben Nghe is the name for the administrative center (District 1 and District 3, today). It means there are 2 cities next to each other that was confirmed by two Englishmen Crawford and Finlayson who came to this city in 1922. After the French captured the South in 1861, they only used Saigon as it is probably easier to pronounce. Today many Vietnamese still use the name Saigon but refer to the city center which includes district 1, 3 and 5 of Ho Chi Minh City.
Ho Chi Minh City is located in the South-Eastern region of Vietnam, 1730km South of Hanoi, 50km East of the sea. The city has a tropical climate, specifically a tropical savanna climate, with an average humidity of 78–82%. The year is divided into two distinct seasons: rainy season (May – November) and dry season (December – April). The average temperature is 28 °C with little variation throughout the year. Therefore, Visitors can visit the city at any time of the year but the most pleasant is definitely from January to March.
Ho Chi Minh city today (photo: pixabay)
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are the gateways at the two sites of the country, so a day trip here is definitely great for your Vietnam journey.
The main attractions of the city:
– The Old Post Office
– Independence Palace
Open: 7:30 am – 11:00 pm from 13:00 to 16:00
– Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral
Opening hours to visit: Morning 8:30 – 10:00, afternoon 14h30 – 15:30 (Monday – Friday)
Time for Mass: Morning 5:30, 17:00 pm (Mon – Sat), Sunday: 5:30, 6:30, 7:30, 9:30 (for foreigners), 16:00, 17:00, 18:30
– Nguyen Hue Street
– Bui Vien Street
– Binh Tay Market (Cho Lon)
Open: 7:00 – 18:00
– Ben Thanh market
Open: 7:00 – 19:00
– Cu Chi Tunnels, …
Ho Chi Minh City is home to a large concentration of Vietnamese from different regions. The cuisine here is extremely abundant with various typical dishes such as: Vietnamese spring rolls (goi cuon), broken rice (com tam), crispy pancake (banh xeo), noodle soup (hu tieu), caramelised fish in clay pot (ca kho to), vermicelli noodles with grilled pork (bun thit nuong), goby hotpot (lau ca keo), etc. The best dishes here are well regarded as nutritious, savoury, and hearty delights that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.
Broken rice (photo: internet)
With a population of about 9 million, this city always shows visitors a bustling life and a special attraction. If you want to have a gentle excursion when you are nearing the end of your journey in Vietnam or you are surprised to get to know Vietnam when arriving, Ho Chi Minh tours with JPTraveltime’s enthusiastic and knowledgeable members will be our honor to give you a full and honest view of this beautiful city.
(Justin Ngoc Pham)
