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| Travel Destination Guide - Ho Chi Minh City |
Travel Eye on Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon (Vietnam)
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Ho Chi Minh City is still more commonly referred to as 'Saigon' by locals and visitors alike, despite the official change of name in 1975. Located in the south of Vietnam, on a huge bend in the Saigon River, it is now the economic centre of the country. The Communist government, who took control of the whole of Vietnam in 1975, tried to suppress the natural entrepreneurial tendencies of the Saigonese and the city went through the economic doldrums until recovery started in the 1990s. Once again, there is a dynamic feel to the city with the population purposefully going about its business. The people have embraced the opportunities offered to them as a result of the presence of the many multinational companies that have poured in from elsewhere within the region and from Australia and Europe, but the city has still managed to retain its distinctly Asian feel.
Located on the Saigon River on the edge of the Mekong Delta, Saigon became the capital of the Republic of South Vietnam and was the American headquarters during the Vietnam War.
Although overshadowed by modern and Asiatic influences, a little of Ho Chi Minh City's French colonial charm still remains, evident in the graceful architecture, wide boulevards, and a sidewalk cafe society. It is not for the attractions that one visits Ho Chi Minh City however, but for the vibrancy of its street life, and its proximity to the Mekong Delta.
Today Ho Chi Minh City has a cosmopolitan and energetic atmosphere. Although relatively modern, it has still managed to hold onto its Asian character, and fine restaurants, smart hotels and chic bars line the sidewalks crammed with noodle stands, markets and shoeshine boys. The buzzing of motorbikes and scooters merges with the cries of street vendors and the urgent business of stall owners, selling barbecued dog, writhing snakes and tropical fruits.
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