The next stop on our tour of Vietnam was the "southern capital" - Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon. It had the name Saigon before the civil war, after the victory of the northern communist forces it was renamed Ho Chi Minh City or Ho Chi Minh City, but the central part of the city and the railway station are still called Saigon. During the war, Saigon was the center of the capitalist southern forces, and this difference between north and south is felt even now.

In another house, we were shown a much larger room with a balcony. We really liked it, but the price was biting - $ 15 (with air conditioning). We tried to bargain and eventually agreed on $10 with a fan. Of course, without air conditioning in Ho Chi Minh it's a bit hot, but we needed to save money.

We liked the hostess and the house so much that almost all subsequent visits to Ho Chi Minh City (five or six times) we stayed in this house. Later it turned out that this room is one of the best in the house.

In we will talk about the sights of Ho Chi Minh City that we managed to see.

The capital of Vietnam, Hanoi - what you need to know!

Do you want to see a real unique flavor from Southeast Asia? If yes, then Hanoi is for you! This city strikes with a pronounced contrast, where, on the one hand, modern Western goods, and on the other, a socialist way of life.

Therefore, it is not surprising that in Hanoi, next to chic Bentleys and Mercedes, there are rusty bicycles and mopeds, and next to expensive restaurants you can always find a cheap eatery for locals.

If you first came to Hanoi, you may get the impression that you are in an old Soviet city: not far from the central part of the city with its five-star hotels, old dwellings of the poor huddle, which can collapse from day to day.

Travelers should pay attention to the fact that you will not find exchange offices in Hanoi, as they simply do not exist there! Of course, it is possible that you will accidentally stumble upon a pawnshop that will have an exchange office, but this is unlikely, since Vietnamese pawnshops are quite peculiar. Therefore, you should take care of the currency exchange in advance, especially since the exchange rate there will upset you very much. Better yet, take all the money on the card.

Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, resembles a real anthill, and it is very easy for a person who does not know the city to get lost. If you are poorly oriented, it will not be superfluous to write down the address of the hotel, and there it is already up to local taxi drivers who will take you to any place.

This huge bustling city will surprise many tourists with its features. Of course, one of them will be the lack of sidewalks for pedestrians. The sidewalks of the Vietnamese are designed for parking mopeds or for numerous street cafes. Therefore, be very careful when moving along the edge of the road, especially during the rainy season: you may drip from the roofs or you may accidentally fall into one of the fetid puddles. Of course, such troubles lie in wait for gaping passers-by, mainly during the rainy season. I remember how my white trousers and T-shirt were instantly destroyed while walking through the streets of the city during the rainy season.

Not a very pleasant feature of Hanoi is the lack of garbage cans. As a result, the streets of the city are a kind of landfill with numerous candy wrappers and even garbage bags. The locals don't care at all, so don't be surprised if you see a garbage bag flying from the fifth floor straight into the road. This garbage is removed at night by a special machine, but, unfortunately, not all of it, but only in garbage bags, the rest of the garbage continues to lie on the streets.

Almost the same thing can be observed when the owners walk their dogs. For them, the main thing is to take their pets outside, and where the animal has already done its business, they don’t care, so look carefully under your feet! Yes, and don't be surprised when you see roaming chickens in the city center - this is a common thing for Vietnam.

Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, can be safely called a city of many faces. The magic of the eastern atmosphere manages to coexist with the reality of socialism, namely cheap housing and food. Hanoi has the opportunity to offer its guests a cultural rest, enjoy nature, fun day and night. The historical center of this city is Hoan Kiem Lake ("returned sword"). This place acts as a legendary, cultural phenomenon of Hanoi, a unique natural corner of the capital. A story is associated with him, in which a magic sword and a divine turtle appear. The Vietnamese say: Hoan Kiem is the protective space of the city and the country. Not far from the lake is the Temple of the Jade Mountain. On an island in the middle of the water is the Turtle Tower. In the evenings, you can watch a performance of an unusual puppet theater here. The water surface becomes the venue for performances. An ancient building, the first university in the past was the Hanoi Temple of Literature. Locals chose this place to worship their ancestors and read prayers for good luck. This area hosts concert programs dedicated to Vietnamese music. As for cultural recreation, thanks to the presence of numerous museums in Hanoi, you can learn about the culture of the country and its history. The expositions are presented by masterpieces of fine arts, Vietnamese history and ethnology, as well as the armed forces of the state. Classical music lovers can listen to the Hanoi Opera. Fans of the architecture of the past will be able to enjoy the walks made by the Old Quarter of the city. On Badinh Square you can see the modern, ceremonial Hanoi. It is famous for the Ho Chi Minh Museum, its mausoleum, and home. Military marches are held on the square. In the markets of the city and in souvenir shops, you can bargain, while reducing the initial cost by half. Here there is a chance to buy inexpensive leather shoes, handmade ties, silk dresses, shirts, pearl jewelry and scarves - all this makes the capital's shopping exciting. Often store prices are lower than market prices. And the fatigue from shopping is easily removed in the water park located near the Western Lake. A number of relaxing treatments can be availed at the capital's spa centre. A distraction from the bustle of the city will be a trip to the territory where Halong Bay is located. Local travel agencies organize bicycle tours around the capital. Hanoi is considered a real paradise for everyone who loves fine oriental cuisine. Tourists are pleased with the abundance of fruits, seafood, and quality local drinks. Prices are low here. Thanks to street food, food in cafes, restaurants, you can fully explore all the nuances of the capital's cuisine. The basic principle of cooking is to use only fresh products. Cooked dishes are not spicy, while they are well absorbed. The peculiarity of the cuisine is the popularity of rice. Here it is also popular as bread in Russia. Dozens of varieties are grown on the territory of the country: both a product familiar to Europeans and multi-colored (red, black). It is served neat. But often vegetables, herbs, and meat are added. Noodles, both rice and egg noodles, are also popular. Soups and side dishes are prepared with it. Seafood cuisine has become famous for famous dishes: shrimp of all sizes, octopus, crabs, clams and lobsters. They eat meat without restrictions. Unusual foods - dishes from frogs, snakes or rats should not scare you. In Hanoi cafes, as a rule, pork, beef, chicken are served. Exotic meat dishes are delicacies. They are offered by expensive restaurants. Dog meat, for example, is somewhat more expensive than beef. What is worth trying for tourists who visited this Vietnamese city. The main delicacy of Vietnamese cuisine is Nuoc Mam, the world-famous fish sauce. It is added to many dishes. It combines an unpleasant smell and a divine taste. Hanoi cuisine is represented by such worthy dishes as Pho soup, for example, is a bestseller. In Hanoi, its preparation is the best. It takes at least eight hours to prepare a rich broth made from thinly sliced ​​meat (beef, chicken) or mushrooms, noodles, onions. And as a seasoning they take wheat germ, cilantro and sauce. Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh? This question puzzled numerous visitors in Vietnam. Hanoi is considered the capital, and Ho Chi Minh City is an attractive huge city in the south of Vietnam. I want to go to both of these cities, but often you need to make a difficult choice. Still, which is better: Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi? Ho Chi Minh deserves more for your time and money. First of all, the weather favors this, because this city is located near the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City boasts the best weather because it has two seasons: dry and rainy. The dry season starts in December and ends in April. The average temperature in Ho Chi Minh City is 29 degrees throughout the year. Ho Chi Minh City has the best transport system, which is replenished with new roads and many railway lines. Traffic jams here are less serious than in Hanoi and by public transport there is a chance to get to any part of South Vietnam. Influenced by the culture of France, Ho Chi Minh City has gained a lot of experience in terms of entertainment. The entertainment facilities of the city have modern equipment, which is a definite plus for tourists. Restaurants in the city offer a wide range of dishes. In Ho Chi Minh City you can visit Italian, German, English, Hungarian, Indian, Chinese restaurants, which are characterized by comfort and the best finishes.

Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh? This question bothered numerous visitors to Vietnam, many of whom tried to find answers on the Internet. Hanoi is the capital and Ho Chi Minh is an attractive huge city in the south of Vietnam. Therefore, I want to go to both cities, but often it is necessary to make a difficult choice.
So which is better: Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City? We will not delay answering the question and will immediately say that, in our opinion. Ho Chi Minh deserves more of your time and money to travel here. Now we will explain why Ho Chi Minh City is better. than Hanoi.

1. Favorable weather

Located next to the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City has much better weather than Hanoi. Unlike Hanoi, which has four seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter), Ho Chi Minh City only has 2 seasons: the dry season and the rainy season. The dry season starts in December and continues until April, while the rainy season in Ho Chi Minh City lasts from May to November. The average temperature in Ho Chi Minh is 29 degrees Celsius all year round, which is significantly higher than in Hanoi.

2. Convenient transportation

Ho Chi Minh City has the best transportation system, which includes new roads and many railway lines. Traffic jams are not uncommon in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. However, since the roads are much wider in the capital of South Vietnam, traffic jams are less severe here than in Hanoi. By public transport, you can get almost anywhere in South Vietnam. It's hard to believe, but for only 50 cents you can drive more than 70 km from the center to some interesting village.

3. Various kinds of entertainment

Influenced by French culture during the French occupation and American culture in the 1960s and 1970s, Ho Chi Minh City gained a lot of experience in terms of entertainment. All entertainment facilities in the city are modern and well equipped, which is undoubtedly a plus for tourists.

4. Restaurants

Nowhere in Vietnam can you find such a diverse range of dishes from all over the world as in Ho Chi Minh City. Italian, German, English, Hungarian, Indian, Chinese restaurants are just ubiquitous here. In addition, restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City are cozier and have a better finish than many restaurants in Hanoi.

5. Active lifestyle

One of the youngest cities (Ho Chi Minh is just over 300 years old) "suffered" from the alien culture of the French and American troops. Now this city has a more modern and active lifestyle than any other place in Vietnam, including Hanoi. The people here are friendly and always ready to help you. They are sociable, frank and direct. So you can easily make friends and become close friends with them.
It is also worth noting that the Americans brought many of their usual entertainment to Ho Chi Minh City. So young people in Ho Chi Minh City are doing things that young people in Hanoi don't even think about. Surfing, for example, has become one of the most popular pastimes here in recent years.

As you can see, in many ways Ho Chi Minh City is superior to Hanoi. We have not yet noted the proximity to Ho Chi Minh City of the main resorts of Vietnam (Nha Trang, Phan Thiet), but still we compared the cities themselves in terms of how attractive they are for recreation if the tourist decides to spend his entire vacation in one of them.

Ho Chi Minh is the largest city in Vietnam and the economic capital of the country. Vietnamese is written Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh (Ho Chi Minh City) or TPHCM for short. Until 1975 it was called Saigon.
Russian tourists are frequent guests in Ho Chi Minh City. Basically, they follow in transit to the seaside resorts of the south of Vietnam, but they also linger in the city itself for 1-3 days to inspect it. There are Russian-speaking guides in the city, which is still very rare for Vietnam.

Corner of Ho Chi Minh City near the Pullman Hotel near Pham Ngu Lao

The city is located on the right bank of the Saigon River. Not far from it is the delta of one of the largest rivers in Asia - the Mekong. The terrain is almost flat. Height above sea level 2-20 m. Geographical coordinates: 10°10' - 10°38' north. latitude, 106°22′-106°54′ east longitude. Area 2095 sq. km. It extends 102 km from north to south and 47 km from west to east.

Second District of Ho Chi Minh City and the Saigon River

Ho Chi Minh City is divided into 11 administrative districts. Here are some of them.
The first district is located in the central part of the city. It has most of the places associated with history.
The second district is located to the east of the city center. It is being built up with upscale hotels.
To the west of the center is the 5th District, populated by ethnic Chinese. This zone is called Cholon (Cho Lon) and it does not exactly coincide with the boundaries of the administrative region.
In the 7th district is the Phu My Hung microdistrict, representing the modern face of the city. The buildings in it are overwhelmingly new, and there are more green spaces per person than in other areas. Many people with high incomes live here.

The population of Ho Chi Minh City is more than 7 million people and it is growing rapidly due to the arrival of residents from villages and poor cities. Most of the inhabitants by nationality are Viet. In addition to them, ethnic Chinese and Khmers are large diasporas. Many permanent residents here are citizens from other countries, for example, Filipinos.

Ho Chi Minh City produces 17% of the national GDP, from here comes 40% of the country's total exports. The industries are as follows: shipbuilding, production of clothing, footwear, furniture, other consumer goods, processing of agricultural products, fish and other seafood. The construction industry is well developed. There are chemical and petrochemical industries.
Around the city, especially in the provinces of Long An and Dong Nai, there are many industrial zones that produce a wide range of industrial products.

The wet season here lasts from May to November, the dry season - from December to April. The average annual temperature is 28 °C. The maximum reaches 39 °C in April, the minimum is 16 °C in December. But these extreme values ​​are rare and do not last long, and in general, the air temperature deviates from the average value of 28 ° C by several degrees in one direction or another. During the wet season, it rains or showers for approximately two hours a day.

Story

By historical standards, Ho Chi Minh City is quite young. Saigon was officially founded on March 15, 1874 by decree of the President of France, since Vietnam was a French colony at that time. But people lived in this area even earlier, first the Khmers (Cambodians), then the Vietnamese.
During the colonial period, the city developed quite rapidly. It was a major industrial and commercial center of Southeast Asia.

The most famous period in the history of Saigon in the world was the 60s and 70s of the 20th century during the Vietnam War. The Viet Cong underground operated here, the last point in the war was put here by the capture of the palace, which housed the puppet South Vietnamese government.

After the war, Ho Chi Minh City also economically actively developed and rebuilt, especially after 1990.

Attractions and entertainment

Sights of the central part of the city: Independence Palace, Museum of War Relics (formerly the Museum of American War Crimes) with specimens of weapons used during the Vietnam War, a zoo, a botanical garden, Ben Thanh clothing market, Catholic cathedrals built in the 19th century Notre Dame de Saigon and the lesser known Tang Dinh.

On the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City and its environs, there are no less, if not more, attractions than in the central part of the city.
In 2018, the tallest building in Southeast Asia at the moment, Landmark 81 skyscraper (Vincom Landmark 81), was built. It is located 3 kilometers northeast of the city center.

In the northeast direction from the city, Kuchi guerrilla tunnels from the Vietnam War have been preserved. Phuhoadong village in Kuchi county produces dry rolled pancakes, some of which are exported to several countries due to their taste. They are made from cassava and rice flour.

The city includes the Can Zio biosphere reserve with its mangroves, located in the coastal zone.
Almost next to the city, to the northeast of it, in the province of Binh Duong, there is a "bamboo village" which is a large museum under the sky and indoors, dedicated to bamboo and its role in the life of the Vietnamese.

There are few festivals in Ho Chi Minh City. One of the notable ones is the Fruit Festival, which takes place in May-August for three and a half months. Every year on the sea coast, where the southern administrative part of the city goes, the festival of the sacred Whale is celebrated.
The largest scale of celebrations takes place during the Vietnamese New Year, which is called Tet.
In recent years, due to the large influx of foreign tourists, entertainment events have begun to be held on a larger scale during Catholic Christmas and the European New Year. This makes it different from other Vietnamese cities.

Hotels

The number of 5 and 4 star hotels in the city is approaching one hundred. Some of them belong to large international hotel chains, others belong to Vietnamese firms and departments.

There are many decent budget hotels and guesthouses in the city. Basically, they are concentrated in the area of ​​Pham Ngu Lao (Pham Ngu Lao). Prices at the beginning of 2011 were from $12. This area is also close to transport points: landing places for Open Bus, river pier, Ben Thanh city bus station.

shopping

The most famous shopping place is the Ben Thanh clothing market in the city center.
The same goods are twice cheaper at the clothing market in Moc Bai in the neighboring province of Tai Ninh (in fact, this market is located near the northern border of Ho Chi Minh City) not far from the Moc Bai border crossing from Vietnam to Cambodia.

Large well-known shopping centers and branded stores: Labella Boutique, Zen Plaza, Mango, Cao Minh Tailor's, Saigon Tax Trade Center, City Plaza Nguyen Tea (Citi Plaza Nguyen Trai), XQ Saigon Hand Silk Embroidery-Manufacturing & Displaying Center and others.

Local cuisine and restaurants

The following dishes are considered typical for Ho Chi Minh City (the list has just begun to be formed and will be supplemented in the future).

• Sandwiches Banh Mi (Bánh Mì) in many varieties.
• Pho soup with rice noodles, beef or chicken, seasoned with herbs and green onions.
• Ban Reu (Bún riêu). This is a crab and tomato broth. Noodles, tofu, pork and more are added to it.
• Ban mam (Bún mắm). This is a purely South Vietnamese dish on the broth with the addition of fish sauce.
• Ban thit nuong (Bún thịt nướng).
• Crushed (broken) rice in Saigon style, included in the Asian Book of Records. Made with crushed rice, fried pork ribs, pork skin, egg roll and fried eggs and vegetables.

In addition to Vietnamese restaurants, there are restaurants of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, French, Indian, Italian, German, Mexican cuisines and others. There are many cafes with live music in which Vietnamese and foreign ensembles play, most of the latter are Filipino.
In local travel agencies, you can order a gastronomic tour, organized according to any principle.

Consulate General of Russia

The Russian Consulate General operates in Ho Chi Minh City. Russian citizens who are in this city can apply to it on issues that significantly affect their interests in Vietnam and are within the competence of the consulate. For example, illegal detention by the police, etc.

Contact details.
Address: 40, Ba Huyen Thanh Quan street
Tel. (8-10-84-83) 930-39-36
Tel. for emergency communication in case of an emergency: +84-903-741-255, +84-8-3930-39-36
Fax (8-10-84-83) 930-39-37
Email: [email protected]

The Russian-speaking colony in Ho Chi Minh City ranges from two hundred to three hundred people. It tends to grow slowly. These are employees of the Consulate General, employees of representative offices of large state and commercial enterprises of the CIS countries, as well as people employed in commerce and in travel services.

Transport

Ho Chi Minh City has a modern international airport Tan Son Nhat (Than Son Nhat). It is located within the city, 7 km northwest of the city center. Flights are made to many countries of the world by dozens of airlines from different countries. Aircraft of several Russian and foreign airlines fly to Russia.

Trains run north to Hanoi, stopping in towns and cities, depending on the train class.

The bus service is well developed. Including there are regular bus routes from several companies to neighboring Cambodia. The longest bus route is Open Bus to Hanoi. Its cost is approximately $30 with a route length of more than 1,500 km.

Bus station Ben Thanh (Bến xe Ben Thanh) is located near the market of the same name in the city center.
Myen Dong Bus Station (Bến xe Miền Đông) is located 6 km northeast of the city at 292 Dinh Bo Linh street. Buses depart from it to Vung Tau, Hanoi, Mui Ne, Dalat, Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue.

Mien Tai Bus Station (Bến xe Miền Tây) for routes to the Mekong Delta is located at 395 Kinh Dương Vương. Buses leave from here for My Tho, Vien Long, Long Xuyen, Can Tho, Rach Gia, Ha Tien, Chau Doc.

The bus station in the Cholon area (Bến xe Chợ Lớn) is located 10 km from the center of Ho Chi Minh City at 86 Trang Tử.

Saigon City Bus Station is located at Me Linh Square.

Sea passenger ships, boats and ferries go to some islands from Ho Chi Minh City. From the river terminal on Ton Duc Thang Avenue to the center of the Mekong Delta, the city of Can Tho, a large boat for 50 passengers departs daily at 8.00. Travel time - 3.5 hours.

The city itself has a well-developed bus service. There are no metros, trams or trolleybuses.
Most of the residents travel on motorbikes. At the beginning of 2016, there were 7.4 million, that is, almost one motorbike per capita.

Safety

Ho Chi Minh City has a high crime rate for Vietnam. It is the only one where the police has a department to combat banditry.

Foreign tourists are quite often robbed in the form of chains, handbags, purses and mobile phones being torn off by criminals on motorbikes. Therefore, close to the sidewalks and when crossing the street, one must be vigilant. Robbers act most often at dusk. Among them are often drug addicts.

Crossing the street with heavy motorbike traffic for a foreigner is a problem, including a psychological one.