Tourist sites around the Old Quater of Hanoi

Hanoi, where to go

The Old Quarter is located north of Hoan Kiem Lake of Hanoi. In the past, each street used to be dedicated to one commercial activity. That is why a lot of streets name begin with the word Hang, meaning merchandise, followed by a word indicating a product or profession. For example, Hang Dao (Peach St.) or Hang Duong (Sugar St.).
Close to Dong Xuan Market is Hang Ma (Paper St.) where traditional votive products made of colored paper are sold. Every year, on the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival (15th day of the 8th lunar month), Hang Ma St. turns into a toy market. Another very typical street is Hang Thiec (tin products), where the deafening sound of hammers striking tin plates can be heard all day long. During the Le Dynasty (15th century), many Chinese were allowed to reside in Thang Long. They chose to settle on Hang Ngang St. At this period, there were gates at the two ends of the street, hence the name Ngang, meaning horizontal barrier.
Below are some tourist site in the Old Quarter of Hanoi that visitors should not miss on their trip to Hanoi, Vietnam.

Pho Hang Ma - Paper street, Hanoi

Dong Xuan Market

Among tens of markets in the capital, such as Mo, Horn, Cua Nam or Ngoc Ha, Dong Xuan is the biggest. It was founded in 1889 in the Dong Xuan Quarter. At first, it was an open- air market, but it was later rebuilt with five iron arches and a roof made of zinc-coated iron sheets.
Located near the railway station, at the beginning of Long Bien Bridge, by the Red River, Dong Xuan Market is a convenient place for goods from everywhere to converge. At this market, you can find almost any everyday goods. Dong Xuan Market is also the biggest wholesale market in the North. Today, although it has been expanded and renovated to include three large, modern and spacious floors, it has still kept its original facade architecture.
Dong Xuan Market played a historical part since it was used as a glorious defense system for the soldiers protecting Ha Noi from the French in 1946. It is open from 6am to 6pm every day.

Ma May Ancient House

Located at 87 Ma May Street, north of Hoan Kiem Lake in the Old Quarter, the delightful house is worth visiting. It is one of rare ancient house still preserved in Ha Noi.
The house was built at the end of the 19th century according to the structure of traditional house. There is a small yard between buildings to have wind and light. The ground floor (facing street) used to selling goods, and the inner used for living and producing, and at the end is kitchen and toilet. On the second floor, the room - facing street used for worshipping and receiving guests, and the inside room used for bedrooms. After restoration many times, the house still kept old architecture decorations of Ha Noi.
The house is open from Monday to Friday, from 9am to 11.30am and from 2 to 5pm.

Ha Noi Opera House

The construction of the Ha Noi Opera House was started in 1901 and completed in 1911. It was modeled on the style of Paris Opera. It is the first opera house in Ha Noi that was built on a large scale and bears the architectural styles of modern European opera houses.
The house is 87m long and 30m wide. The audience's room is about 566m² and holds more than 900 seats. The ceiling is 30m high and in typically Greek style. The second floor houses many small compartments. The first and second floor has a balcony in the front and two staircases, which are very convenient for going upstairs and downstairs. Behind the stage are working rooms, make-up rooms, the rehearsal room and the meeting hall.
It is a major performing art cent re in Ha Noi. In front of it is the August Revolution Square which is situated at the axis of Trang Tien and Hang Khay Streets. On August 17, 1945 Hanoians witnessed the national yellow- starred red flag flying on the balcony of the second floor of the Opera House. On August 19, 1945 Hanoians held a meeting in response to the call of the Viet Minh Troupe for a revolt which was later turned into an armed demonstration to seize power in Ha Noi.
With the support of the French Government in 1997, the House was refurbished to its original conditions. After nearly a century, it appears as beautiful and magnificent as it did in its early days. It can cater to stage many art forms on demand from domestic and overseas art companies.

Ha Noi Cathedral

Ha Noi Cathedral, also known as Saint Joseph's Cathedral, was inaugurated on Christmas Day, 1887, after two years of construction. It was built on the site of the former Bao Thien Tower, which was famous in the ancient capital of Thang Long under the Ly Dynasty (11th and 12th centuries). Its design is inspired by the architecture of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Ha Noi Cathedral is open daily for mass from 5am to 7am and 5pm to 7pm. The entrance gate is at 40 Nha Chung St.

Ba Dinh Square                                                      Hanoi, where to go

Ba Dinh Square is a huge plaza composed of 240 squares of grass covering an area of 32,000m2. On the west side of the esplanade is President Ho Chi Minh's commemoration area where the Ho Chi Minh Museum and President Ho Chi Minh's Stilt House are located.

President Ho Chi Minh Relic Site in the Presidential Palace

The wooden stilt house in Hanoi

President Ho Chi Minh Relic Site in the Presidential Palace is located in Ngoc Ha Ward, Ba Dinh District. This relic site has been considered as one of the 10 special national relics (first batch) on August 12, 2009 signed by Vietnamese Prime Minister.
Here in the site are 1,456 objects, with 759 ones on display. All relics, objects and documents are well preserved so that they remain true to their origin and the state they existed at the last days of the President Ho Chi Minh's life. Covering an area of more than 10ha, the site consists of houses, garden, lawn, fish pond, and pathways.

• The Wooden Stilt House is where President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked from mid-May 1958 to 1969. The stilt house was built from April 15 to May 17, 1958. The wooden tiled roof two-storey house overlooks a garden where scented flowers are planted. The house has a green fence of hibiscus plants, reminiscing an image of his house in Nghe An Province where he was born and grown up. Presently, more than 250 documents and objects made of various materials in the stilt house have been kept intact and well preserved to the state they were during President Ho Chi Minh's last days in life.

• Fish Pond located in the front of the stilt house covers more than 3,000m2, with the deepest point being 3m. President Ho Chi : Minh visited the pond everyday after working hours to feed fish, mainly carp.

• Orchard covering more than 65,000m2 goes I well with fish pond, and they create green-; watery picturesque scenery for the place. The botany here is diverse with 1,271 individuals from 161 species of 54 families, including 36 species of fruit trees, 59 species of shady trees, and 67 species of flowers and bonsai trees. In the orchard, there are Xoai Road -where President Ho Chi Minh did morning exercise and had a walk after working hours in the afternoon and Gian hoa Phu Chu Tich which is considered the place as a special open-air living room for President Ho Chi Minh's meetings with dear guests, both local and foreign, on nice days. 

Apart from these destinations, the relic site also exists House 54 - where President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked from December 1954 to mid-May 1958, House 67 - where President Ho worked from 1967 to 1969 and is where he stayed for medical treatment and passed away, a kitchen, a garage where two cars that the President used to drive are kept, the Presidential Palace, the Government's Office, and surrounding gardens. Currently, the Presidential Palace and the Government's Office remain as working places of the State.
Opening time: all days except afternoon of Mondays and Fridays
- Summer: 7h30 to 11h and 14h to 16h
-Winter: 8hto 11hand 13h30 to 16h

President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum
After two years of construction, President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum was officially inaugurated on 29 August 1975. This project was the result of a close collaboration between engineers from Viet Nam and the former Soviet Union in order to keep the remains of President Ho Chi Minh, a great patriot who was later conferred the title of "World Cultural Activist" in 1990 on the occasion of his centenary birthday.
The mausoleum is divided into three floors. The first floor is a terraced stand exclusively used for grand meetings organised at Ba Dinh Square. The second floor is the centre of the mausoleum, where the .remains of the president are kept in a chamber, accessible through a series of passages and flights of marble stairs. The upper floor is the roof. The facade of the upper floor bears the inscription "President Ho Chi Minh" in dark violet, precious stone.
The mausoleum is open to the public on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. In summer, it is open from 7.30am to 10.30 am; in winter, from 8am to 11am. The hours are extended by 30 minutes on Sundays and holidays.
The Mausoleum is usually closed from September 5 to December 10 for maintenance. Photography is not allowed inside the mausoleum. For reservation, contact the Board for Organising Homage Paying to President Ho Chi Minh at 5 Ngoc Ha St., Tel: 3825 5128.

Hanging around Hanoi Old Quarter, you will also see some museums, pagodas, temples, and lakes. Which are famous tourist destinations for visitor to Hanoi. Please find details by separate articles for them: Pagodas & temples in Hanoi, Museums of Hanoi, Lakes in Hanoi.

Hanoi, where to go

An over view for tourists to Hanoi

Come to Hanoi, visitors will enjoy an incomparable combination of tradition, elegance and progress. The northern metropolis possesses a unique architecture of beautiful colonial villas and streets lined with old trees. However, just as the rest of the country, its capital is undergoing major changes. Wide avenues and highways are being created, hotels and office buildings are also being built, and giving a whole new looks to the city. Noi Bai International Airport, 35km from the center of Ha Noi, is one of the two biggest airports in the country. The airport is being modernized.

Ha Noi means "the hinterland between the rivers" (Ha: river, Noi: interior). The portion of the Red River running in Ha Noi is approximately 160km long. Ha Noi also characteristically contains many beautiful lakes, which are the lungs of the city, with their surrounding gardens and trees providing a vital source of energy.

Ho Tay - Ha Noi

History
Since the founding of the country, Ha Noi has been a critical area. For more than a thousand years, Ha Noi was the center of all resistance movements against northern aggressors to secure the independence of the Vietnamese nation.
Twenty-three centuries ago, Co Loa (now part of Dong Anh District) was the capital of Thuc An Duong Vuong's country of Au Lac. With a favorable topography and position at the centre of the Red River Delta, Ha Noi progressively developed into a major settlement. In the fall of 1010, Ly Cong Uan (the founder of the Ly Dynasty) moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Dai La Citadel.
One day, Emperor Ly saw a golden dragon emerging from the waters of the Red River, near what is now Ha Noi. Interpreting this fact as a good omen, the Emperor ordered that the name of Dai La be changed to Thang Long (ascending dragon). The year 1010 was a historic year for Ha Noi as well as for the whole country.
Throughout the Ly, Tran and Le Dynasties, Thang Long developed into a strong capital with hundreds of palaces, royal residences, magnificent pagodas and temples. Buddhism and Confucianism developed strongly. The Temple of Literature - Royal College (Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam), Viet Nam's first University, was built (1076) and thousands of talented scholars came here for training. Thang Long witnessed many glorious victories in the resistance against aggressors; the most symbolic of which were the three successive victories against the Yuan-Mongol army in 1258,1285, and 1288.
Despite its changing names (Thang Long, Dong Do, Dong Kinh, and Ha Noi (1831), the capital has been the heart of the country for a thousand years by 2010.

Climate

Ha Noi is situated in a tropical monsoon zone with two main seasons. During the dry season, which lasts from October to April, it is cold and there is very little rainfall, except from January to March, when the weather is still cold but there is some light rain. The wet season, from May to September, is hot with heavy rains and storms. The average annual temperature is 23.2°C (73.7°F) and the average annual rainfall is 1,800 mm (70.8 inches). The average temperature in winter is 17.2°C (62.9°F), but can rarely go down to 5°C (41°F). The average temperature in summer is 29.2°C (84.6°F), but can reach up to 39°C (1040F).

Administrative Districts
After being adjusted the official border in August 2008, encompassing 18 outlying districts: Gia Lam, Dong Anh, Thanh Tri, Tu Liem, Soc Son, Ba Vi, Chuong My, Dan Phuong, Hoai Due, My Duc, Phu Xuyen, Phuc Tho, Quoc Oai, Thach That, Thanh Oai, Thuong Tin, Ung Hoa and Me Linh, and one town of Son Tay. Ha Noi is also contains ten urban districts, which is: Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Tay Ho, Thanh Xuan, Cau Giay, Long Bien, Hoang Mai, Ha Dong.

An over view for tourists to Hanoi

Historical architectures of Ho Chi Minh city

The migration of Chinese here from the early years of it' history, the domination of big culture of French and American in the past, in addition to it's Vietnamese architecture manner making Ho Chi Minh a plentiful architecture complex. Visiting these historical architectures bring tourist a colorful look on Ho Chi Minh history, so they are tourist destinations for many visitors to Ho Chi Minh young city nowadays.

Central Post Office

Located right in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City - at number 2, Paris Commune Street, District 1, The Central Post Office is one of the oldest buildings in Ho Chi Minh City. It was built around 1886 – 1891, based on the design of Gustave Eiffel – a famous French architect and has become a significant symbol of the city, just like its opposite neighbor Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral. It has long been the busiest post office of the country.

Being a mixture of Gothic, Renaissance and French influences, this building fascinates tourists by its typical colonial French features, from exterior to interior decorations. By the first time, visitors may feel that they’re brought back to 20th century railway station in Europe, rather than a post office in an Asian country. From its ornate furnishings, gorgeous-pattern-tiled floor to its massively high ceilings and numerous wickets, all speak of another place in time. The interior design is even more elegant with the phone booths, which are just the same since the colonial period.

Walking inside, the first things you notice are the two maps: Saigonet ses environs, 1892 describing Ho Chi Minh City in the past and Lignes télégraphiques du Sud Vietnamet du Cambodge which is the postal route from Vietnam to Cambodia. The building inside is big and airy with a lot of space. The ceiling was designed with arc shape which was carried by the two rows of steel pillars. This makes the building look grander and more stable. Also, the building looks just perfectly in harmony with the outside, considering its arched windows creatively designed with engaged piers, green window shutters or the main entrance with intricate ironwork.

Open from 6AM to 10PM, Saigon Central Post Office is usually included in city tour around Ho Chi Minh, as it’s quite easy to get there on foot, bike or motorbike since together with other French and American architecture it located in the downtown of Nguyen Hue, Le Loi, Dong Khoi street.

Center Post Office

Notre Dame Cathedral

Located right front of the Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral is a magnificent building situated at the Cong Xa Paris Square, Dong Khoi and Han Thuyen Streets. Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the oldest and biggest Catholic churches in Viet Nam. It was built between October 1877 and April 1880 in a French style. With the approval of the Vatican, the cathedral was named Notre Dame during ceremonies held in December 1959. Its neon-Romanesque architecture and two 57.6m-high square towers tipped with iron spires dominate the city's sky line, reminds of the cathedrals in Paris. In front of the cathedral is a statue of the Virgin Mary. Visitors can attend mass held three times on weekdays and six times on Sundays

Notre Dame Cathedral

Municipal Theatre

Municipal Theater is located at N°7 Cong Truong Lam Son Street, District 1. It was originally an opera house for the Western audiences. Its construction was begun in 1898 and completed on 17 January 1900 according to the design by architect Ferrt. It holds 800 seats. The cost for the building at that time was nearly 1 million dong (old currency). In 1944 the House was badly damaged by air raids. Then, it became a temporary residence of the French and of Northerners migrating to Sai Gon after the signing of the Geneva Agreements in 1954. It was restored in 1665 and made the seat of Sai Gon Lower Houso of Parliament in 1956. After the liberation of Sai Gon, it was put under the management of the Artistic Performance Organization Company (Sai Gon Concert) and became the City's Opera House ever since. A variety of shows and performances are held in the theater: dancing and singing, spoken drama, circus, and fashion shows. It frequently hosts domestic and overseas professional art troupes. This is also where conferences, seminars and big festivals of the city are held. Investments have been poured into the restoration of the theater to its original conditions with advanced technique to make it capable of hosting performance of greater national and international dimensions. The theater features shows nightly from 8pm to 10pm, on every Sunday morning visitors can enjoy an outdoor concert here.

Municipal Theater in Ho Chi Minh city

Thong Nhat Palace
Thong Nhat (or Reunification) Palace is situated at 106 Nguyen Du Street, District 1. Originally called Norodom Palace and Palace of Indochina Governor General, it was built in 1868 and inaugurated in 1873. After 1954, Ngo Dinh Diem, South Viet Nam's President, and his family lived and worked in Norodom Palace. In 1963, this palace was heavily destroyed by bombs. President Diem commanded the remains to be destroyed and to build a new palace to be called Doc Lap Palace or Independence Palace. The new palace was built on a 120,000m2 area and covered 4,500m2. it included a basement, 3 main floors, 2 mezzanines, one terrace, and one upper floor. There are a total of 95 rooms in the Palace, each decorated according to its function. The Palace also features two exhibition rooms, a 33-room guest house, and numerous entertainment services such as tennis courts and stilt houses. On April 30, 1975, the tanks of the liberation army entered the Independence Palace, and the government, including 45 members and President Duong Van Minh, surrendered without condition. After the liberation, the Independence Palace became the headquarters of the city's military administration committee. The political consultation for national unification was held in this palace which was renamed Thong Nhat Palace or Reunification Palace . Nowadays, Thong Nhat Palace has become a historic, cultural relic attracting domestic as well as international visitors. The Thong Nhat Palace is open from 7.30am to 11am and 1pm to 4pm daily.

Reunification Palace

While French and American architectures located most in district 1, the architectures of Chinese located most in district 5. This plentiful architecture manners also showed by the design of many Markets, Pagoda, Zoo, and Museum of Ho Chi Minh city which you can explore in some other posts.

Phuong Trang & Mai Linh ticket booking contacts

Orange Phuong Trang (Futa) Bus

1/ Phuong Trang (Futa) bus: There are many Phuong Trang ticket office, but you you can simply book by phone:

Ho Chi Minh ctiy:

 - 272 De Tham st, district 1 -  phone: 08 38 309 309
 - 231 - 233 Le Hong Phong, district 5 - phone: 08 38 309 309
 - 328A Le Hong Phong, district 10 - phone: 08 38 309 309
  - Ticket office at Mien Dong bus station, 292 Dinh Bo Linh st, ward 25, Binh Thanh district - phone: 08 38 309 309
  - Ticket office at Mien Tay bud station, 395 Kinh Duong Vuong, Tan Binh district - Phone: 08 38 309 309
 - 798A Hanoi Highway, district 9 - phone: 08 38 309 309

An Giang:

 - Long Xuyen: 0763.989999
 - Chau Doc : 0763.56588

Bac Lieu: 07813.932345

Binh Dinh - Quy Nhon: 0562.242424 - 0563.946166 

Binh Thuan:

 - Mui Ne:  0623.743113 

 - Phan Thiet: 0623.636.636 

Ca Mau: 07803.651651 

Can Tho:  0710.3 769 768 

Da Nang: 05113.786 78

Dong Nai: 0618 890 639 

Dong Thap:

 - Sa Dec: 0673.774993 

 - Cao Lanh: 0673.876850 

Hau Giang: 07113 583 583 

Kien Giang: 0773.691691 

Lam Dong:

 - Dalat: 0633.585858 

 - Duc Trong:  0633.649 189 

 - Bao Loc: 0633 731 731 

 - Di Linh:  0633 788 799 

Nha Trang: 0583.812 812 

Quang Ngai:  0553.383939 

Vinh Long: 0703.879777 

Vung Tau:  0643 52 53 54

Website (in Vietnamese only): http://www.futabuslines.com.vn

2/ Mai Linh Express bus:

Green Mai Linh bus

No	From	Phone Booking
		province code	phone number
North
1	Hanoi	04	36 33 66 99
2	Hai Duong	0320	3 726 815
3	Hai Phong	031	3 842 321
4	Thanh Hoa	037	6 557 222
Center
1	Vinh	038	3 515 525
2	Ha Tinh	039	3 898 888
3	Quang Binh	052	2 211 788
4	Da Nang	0511	379 29 29
5	Tam Ky	0510	385 29 29
6	Quang Ngai	055	2 210 210
7	Quy Nhon	056	39 39 39 39
8	Van Gia	058	3 912 444
9	Nha Trang	058	3 59 06 06
10	Ninh Thuan	068	3 761 888
11	Phan Thiet	062	3 823 222
Center Highland
1	Kontum	060	3 913 888
2	Gia Lai	059	2 211 211
3	Buon Me Thuot	0500	3 819 777
4	Dalat	063	3 52 11 11
5	Bao Loa	063	3 722 888
South
1	Ho Chi Minh	08	39 29 29 29
2	Ba Ria	064	3 756 756
3	Vung Tau	064	3 576 576
4	Ben Tre	075	3 510 510
5	Cao Lanh	067	3 877 877
6	Vinh Long	070	3 878 878
7	Can Tho	0710	37 39 333
8	Vi Thanh	0711	6 271 271
9	Long Xuyen	076	3 922 222
10	Rach Gia	077	3 92 92 92
11	Ha Tien	077	3 956 956
12	Soc Trang	079	3 621 777
13	Bac Lieu	0781	6 250 555
14	Ca Mau	0780	3 888 888
For Indochina roughs
1	Ho Chi Minh	08	39 29 29 29
2	Phnompenh	855	979 29 29 29

Website (in Vietnamese only): http://www.mailinhexpress.vn

 Phuong Trang & Mai Linh ticket booking contacts

Transportation for tourist in Ho Chi Minh city

Ho Chi Minh City is 72km from My Tho, 116km from Vung Tau, 136km from Vinh Long, 169km from Can Tho, 250km from Rach Gia and 338km from Ha Tien, 300km from Da Lat, 445km from Nha Trang, 965km from Da Nang, 1,051km from Hue and 1,690km from Ha Noi

Air

Tan Son Nhat Airport is 7km from the city centre. From Ho Chi Minh City, there are regular flights to many cities around Viet Nam and in the world

Airlines Offices in Ho CHi Minh city
Vietnam Airlines

Truong Son Ticketing Office

49 Truong Son St., Ward 2, Tan Binh Dist.
Tel: 3832 0320, Fax: 3848 6945

Dinh Tien Hoang Ticketing Office

15B Dinh Tien Hoang St., Dist. 1
Tel: 3832 0320, Fax: 3825 8377
 

Vietnam Air Service Co. (Vasco)

114 Bach Dang Rd., Tan Binh Dist.
Tel: 3842 2790, Fax: 3844 5224

Jetstar Pacific Airlines

1A Me Linh St., Dist.1
Tel: 3825 8101,Fax: 3825 8104

Aeroflot

4H Le Loi Blvd., Dist.1
Tel: 3829 3489, Fax: 3829 0076

Air France

130 Dong Khoi Rd., Dist.1
Tel: 3829 0981, Fax: 3822 0537
 

All Nippon Airways (ANA)

16th Floor, Sun Wah Tower, 115 Nguyen Hue St.
Tel: 3821 9612, Fax: 3821 9619
 

Asiana Airlines

6th Floor, 39 Le Duan Blvd., Dist.1
Tel: 3822 2663, Fax: 3822 2710
 

British Airways

170-172 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Rd., Dist.3
Tel: 3933 0777, Fax: 3930 5008
 

Cathay Pacific

72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St., Dist. 3
Tel: 3822 3203, Fax: 3825 8276

China Airlines (Taiwan)

37 Ton Due Thang Blvd, Dist.1
Tel: 3911 1591, Fax: 3911 1592

China Southern Airlines

21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Rd., Dist.1
Tel: 3823 5588, Fax: 3823 7003
 

Emirate Airlines

170-172 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Rd., Dist.3
Tel: 3930 2939, Fax: 3930 5002
 

Eva Air Taiwan

2A-4A Ton Duc Thang St., Dist. 1
Tel: 3822 4488, Fax: 3821 7215
 

Japan Airlines

88 Dong Khoi Rd., Dist.1
Tel: 3821 9098, Fax: 3821 9097

Korean Air

Room 909, 9th Floor, 34 Le Duan Blvd., Dist.1.
Tel: 3824 2879, Fax: 3824 2877

Lao Airlines

2 Tran Quy Khoach , Dist.1
Tel: 6651 6466

Lufthansa - German Airlines

14th Floor, Bitexco Building, 19-25 Nguyen Hue Blvd., Dist. 1
Tel: 3829 8529, Fax: 3829 8537

Malaysia Airlines

37 Ton Due Thang Blvd, Dist.1
Tel: 3829 2529, Fax: 3824 2884
 

Quatas Airways

1-3-5 Le Duan St., Dist. 1
Tel: 3827 3888, Fax: 3824 3624

Singapore Airlines

Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan Blvd., Dist.1
Tel: 3823 1588, Fax: 3823 1554

Thai Airways

29 Le Duan Rd., Dist.1
Tel: 3822 3365, Fax: 3822 3465

United Airlines

17 Le Duan Rd., Dist.1
Tel: 3823 4755, Fax: 3823 0030

Train

The Express trains take 30-39 hours to reach Hanoi; hard and soft seats are available. Air-conditioned sleepers should be booked in advance.
Train tickets can be purchased at the ticket office of the station and also at most of travel agents in the city.
Saigon Railway Station

1 Nguyen Thong St., Dist. 3
Tel: 3843 6528/ 3931 8952

Bus And Minibus

There is a variety of bus stations around Ho Chi Minh City.

Mien Dong Bus Station 

292 Dinh Bo Linh Rd., Binh Thanh Dist.
Tel: 3898 4893, Fax: 3899 2094
There are bus services from the bus station to destinations north of HCM City such as Buon Ma Thuot (8 hours), Da Nang (24 hours), Da Lat (7 hours), Hai Phong (43 hours), Nha Trang (8 hours), Ha Noi (36-40 hours), Hue (25 hours), Phan Thiet (4 hours), Pleiku (13 hours), Vung Tau (2h30'), Vinh (31 hours), Quang Ngai (20 hours), Quy Nhon (16 hours), Nam Dinh (38 hours) and Tuy Hoa (12 hours).
Most buses leave daily from 5am to 5.30pm.

Mien Tay Bus Station

395 Kinh Duong Vuong Rd., Binh Tan Dist.
Tel: 3877 6593, Fax: 3875 2853
Located on the western edge of the city, where buses and minibuses leave for most major destinations in the Mekong Delta.

An Suong Bus Station 

National Highway 22, Ba Diem Commune, Hoc Mon Dist.
Tel: 3883 2516, Fax: 3883 0411
Buses to Tay Ninh, Cu Chi and other destinations in the South.

Among many bus companies at these bus station, there some professional list below. With these bus companies you do not need to move to the bus stations which very far from the down town (district 1,3 ..) since they have their private station in the down town. They have phone booking service, and roughs details on their website.

   1/ Phuong Trang (Futa) bus: This company operate strong in south Vietnam only. There are many Phuong Trang ticket office, but you you can simply book by phone, please click here for detail of all Phuong Trang ticket offices.

   2/ Mai Linh: This company operate nation wide, and bus from Ho Chi Minh to Laos & Cambodia, please click here for detail of all Mai Linh ticket offices.

   3/ Sinh Cafe bus: This is a bus company and a tourist operator also. They have service to most Vietnam tourist destinations and even neighbor Indochina countries of Laos and Cambodia. Please find details on their English website: https://www.thesinhtourist.vn

   4/ Hanh Cafe bus: Similar to Sinh but Hanh do not have service to Laos and Cambodia: http://hanhcafe.vn/index.html

City bus

At present, there are over 120 bus routes. Fare cost: VND3,000-5,000. Operation hours: 5am-21pm everyday.

 
Boat

The hydrofoil route from Bach Dang Port (1A Ham Nghi St., Dist. 1) to Vung Tau City (and vice versa) - Operation hours: hourly trips from 6am to 4.30pm (weekdays), from 6 am to 5pm (Saturday & Sunday).
Please contact:

Vina Express, Kios 2 Ton Duc Thang St, Dist. 1, Tel: 3829 7892

Vina Express, 91 Le Quoc Hung, Dist. 4, Tel: 3940 0621, Fax 3943 5493

Petro Express, 10B Ton Due Thang St, Dist. 1, Tel: 3821 0653

Car & Motorbike

Almost tourist cafes, travel agents or hotels arrange car & motorbike rental service.
Car And Motobike Rentals are available at hotels and cafes.

 
Cyclo (Pedicab): Perfect for slowly moving around for sight seeing of Ho Chi Minh city. Price about: 40,000VND/hour (in 2013)

Motor-Taxi (Xe om): Quickest way to get around town and cheaper than cyclo, or just try this to take some experiment of the so call two-wheels-cultural of Vietnam. Xe om drivers stand along most street corners of Ho Chi Minh and very easy to find.

Xe om - Motor taxi

Taxi in Ho Chi Minh City

Mai Linh Taxi 3838 3838
Vinasun Taxi 3827 2727 

Vina Taxi 3811 1111 

Saigon Airport Taxi 3844 6666
Comfort Taxi 3821 2121
F. Taxi 3845 4545

Ho Chi Minh city (Sai Gon) in an over view

SaiGon (Ho Chi Minh City) and neighboring provinces including Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc have set up the South – East region. Being the biggest tourism center of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh city is 1,690 km south of Hanoi and about 60km from the coast.

Bach Dang harbor by night

Ho Chi Minh City also constitutes the cultural center of the South and the Mekong Delta, making many attraction tours for tourist.
Hundreds of rivers and canals cross Ho Chi Minh City. The Saigon River, crossing 106km of the city, is the biggest. The river network from Ho Chi Minh City to the surrounding provinces and Cambodia is much developed. Means of transportation by road, railway or sea from Ho Chi Minh City to all other provinces are also very convenient, National Highway 1 and Thong Nhat Railway connect Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, National Highway 1 also connect Ho Chi Minh with Mekong Delta, and Notional Highway 13 connects Vietnam with the rest of Indochina. Ta Son Nhat International Airport, only 7km from the center of the city, is the biggest airport in Vietnam.

History
While Hanoi has 1,000 years of history, Ho Chi Minh City is a relatively new settlement. The name of “Saigon” was registered for the first time in documents dating back to 1698. Due to its favorable geographical location, topography, and climate, this area rapidly became a converging point for traders from all over the world.
Saigon Port was built in 1862 and foreign trades quickly became familiar with the Ong Lanh Market, Ray Market, Ben Thanh Market and Saigon Market. For many years, Saigon was praised as the “Pearl of the Far East.”
Ho Chi Minh City is where the heroic resistance against aggressors and the struggling process for independence of the Vietnamese Nation began. It was also where the Ho Chi Minh Campaign triumphantly finished on 30 April 1975. At the first session of the 6th National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, in July 1976, the name of the town was officially changed to Ho Chi Minh City.

Nowadays, pedicab (xich lo) most used by tourist

Climate
There are two distinct seasons. The rainy season lasts from May to November and brings an average rainfall of 1,979mm (7,718 inches). The dry season lasts from December to April. The annual average temperature is 27.550C (81.590F) and there is almost no winter. So, the climate is particularly favourable for tourism all year around.

Administrative districts
Ho Chi Minh City is divided in 17 urban districts and five rural districts. There are also 305 sub-districts and communes.
Urban districts are numbered from 1st to 12th, and also include Tan Binh, Binh Thanh, Phu Nhuan, Thu Duc, Go Vap. As for rural districts: Nha Be, Can Gio, Hoc Mon, Cu Chi, Binh Chanh.

Tourist Destinations of Ho Chi Minh city

Nhiu Loc canal surrounding HCM 

Despite its quite recent past, with more than 300 years history, Ho Chi Minh City nevertheless possesses numerous interesting buildings, displaying a characteristic combination of Vietnamese, Chinese, European and American cultures. These include Ben Thanh market, Nha Rong (Dragon House Wharf), Quoc To Temple (National Ancestors' Temple), Xa Tay (Municipal Office), Ho Chi Minh Municipal Theater as well as many pagodas and churches. Ho Chi Minh City draws approximately 70% of visitors to the country. The city's resources and accommodations are attractive to many travelers. Numerous steps have been and will be taken to stabilize the tourism potential of the city. For instance, historical relics and architectural works have been restored, traditional values have been recovered in festivals, and many museums are expected to be upgraded. Tourist visitors and discover Ho Chi Minh in many angle depends on their taste:

 * Historical architectures of Ho Chi Minh city

 * Markets in Ho Chi Minh

 * Pagodas around Ho Chi Minh city

 * Parks & Zoos

 *  Ho Chi Minh city suburb tourist destinations

 

From Ho Chi Minh, tourist can easy travel to many famous tourist destinations in south and cnter of Vietnam since it is just 72 km to My Tho, 116 km to Vung Tau, 136 km to Vinh Long, 169 km to Can Tho, 300 km to Dalat, 445 km to Nha Trang, and 965km to Da Nang.

Where to go around Hue city, Vietnam

Ngu Binh Mountain

Also known by the name Bang Son Mountain, Ngu Binh Mountain is located 3km from Hue. It is 105m-high and, seen from a distance, Ngu Binh Mountain looks like a screen protecting Hue. Along with the Perfume River, it is a significant symbol of Hue. The old capital is sometimes called Huong-Ngu City, referring to the beauty of the mountain and the river.

Duong No Village
Duong No is the village where President Ho Chi Minh spent his childhood, in Phu Duong Commune, Phu Vang District. It is on Thuan An Road, approximately 8km from Hue.
Duong No has always been a prosperous and industrious village, where many literary and military traditions originated.

The Communal house of No Duong village in a festival

In 1898, Mr. Nguyen Sinh Huy, President Ho Chi Minh's father, was invited by a Law Ministry official to come to Duong No and prepare his children for provincial examinations. Young Nguyen Sinh Cung (Ho Chi Minh) began to study Chinese with his father's pupils. He stayed with his father in Duong No until 1900. When Mr. Huy went to Thanh Hoa and was promoted to Provincial Examiner, Ho Chi Minh returned to Hue and lived with his mother, Hoang Thi Loan.
After the country's reunification in 1975, the local people restored the house according to its former architecture. Nowadays, it can be visited. It exhibits interesting artifacts and pictures. In Duong No, visitors will also enjoy the river, the boat landing and Am Ba Temple.

Mineral Stream of My An
My An is located in Phu Duong Commune, Phu Vang District, 7km east of Hue, on the way to Thuan An Beach.
In June 1979, geological and meteorological expedition N079 discovered this natural stream. After multiple scientific studies and experiments, the project "Studying medical qualities of the mineral stream in My An" came to the conclusion that the mineral water in My An includes every micro-element necessary for the human body. This stream can be compared to various well-known mineral streams, such as Koundour (former Soviet Union) or Pavel Banis (Bulgaria).
Tests concerning the medicinal value of the mineral water have had positive results. The water of this stream can be used to successfully treat several skin and venereal diseases, rheumatism, digestion, mental, respiratory and other chronic diseases.
At present, many local and foreign patients come to My An for self-treatment. Huong Giang Tourist Company and related administrative bodies of Thua Thien Hue have begun to take advantage of this mineral source to develop a tourist resort focusing on medical treatment by mineral water.

A Luoi
A Luoi is located 70km south-west of Hue, along National Route 49. Set amongst the mighty Truong Son Mountains, A Luoi District is inhabited by the people of the Pa Co and Ta Oi ethnic groups. Despite the passage of time, the people of this area have kept their traditional customs and practices. A Luoi is especially famous for its unique weaving skills, in particular, knitting glass beads together with cloth thread. This handicraft has drawn the attention of many visitors and art specialists.
The attraction is enhanced by the presence of the historical Ho Chi Minh Trail, a mythical trail from the triumph against the Americans.

Bach Ma National Park
Bach Ma has breath-taking natural landscapes. The highest peak is Hai Vong Dai (Sea Observation Post), 1,450m high, where people can have a panoramic view of the immense sea and surrounding scenery...

Discover the beauty of Bach Ma National Park here

Lang Co Beach 
Which is ten kilometers long, borders Highway 1A and is near Hai Van Pass. Lang Co once had a fishing village with white storks. When the French occupied the area, they named it ''Lang Co'' which means ''Stork Village'' in Vietnamese. People later mispronounced the tone, saying ''Lang Co.'' The sloping beach of white sand has a large area of water that is less than one meter in depth. This and its average temperature of 25⁰C make Lang Co ideal for family swims. Here some more details of Lang Co Beach .

Thuan An Beach
Thuan An Beach is located by the Thuan An Estuary, where the Perfume River flows into Tam Giang Lagoon, and then into the sea. Thuan An Beach is about 13km from Hue City. It takes 15 minutes by car.
On the left hand side of the road, there is a river with boats travelling back and forth. On the right side, there are houses, temples, pagodas, gardens and fields.
Not far away from Hue, Thuan An Beach is the perfect spot for travellers to come and relax in the summer. The beach is also very popular with the locals, especially from April to September, when the whether is very hot.
Tourists can also visit the whale Deity Temple and Thai Duong Temple, where the Goddess Thai Duong is worshipped.
Thuan An Beach can be reached by bus. Tickets can be bought at Dong Ba Bus Station near the Dong Ba Market on the north bank of the river. Note that the last bus back leaves around 4pm. 

Voi Stream
Another tourist destination af Hue lies in Phu Loc District, Thua Thien-Hue Province, 40km south of Hue City. Nestling amidst other well-known tourist sites like Bach Ma, Lang Co, and Chan May, Voi Stream allures tourists by its eco-environment and wild beauty.
Various rocks, small or big alike, scatter in the pure water of Voi Stream, which conjure up a herd of baby elephants playing with each other. By the waterfall, fascinating extra is a crouching stone elephant from whose trunk spouts out a fountain of water. Coming here, visitors feel like being lost in a forest of rare animals.
The 500m Voi Stream includes Voi Pool and Du Pool. Heading there, tourists can wallow in the cool water or sit on different flat stones to enjoy the pure airy atmosphere. They can also immerse themselves in the pouring of the waterfall, the rustling of leaves, the melody of wind and the chirping of birds. All adds up to the endless concert with different nuances of nature. Du Pool offers thrilling experience for those who want to hold the hanging tree roots to swing back and forth.
Its convenient access and diversified activities make this tourist site an ideal place for domestic and foreign holidaymakers.

Voi Stream - Voi mean elephant in VNese

Hue Garden House
Garden house is a typical and unique characteristic of Hue City. Hue people have had a close attachment with the nature since the old day. Tourist all seem to share a common feeling when they visit Hue City: they are enchanted by the natural landscapes and by the vegetation which is everywhere from the walls of the Citadel to the private gardens of green plants and colorful flowers.
Hue's gardens are very diversified and multiform as they display flowers fancies, ornamental plants as well as luxuriant fruits orchards along the riverbanks. Among them: the fruit-garden of Tuan Village, colourful flower garden of Nguyet Bieu alluvial ground, Huyen Khong Pagoda garden with its precious orchids or An Hien ornamental garden, the world of all kinds of flowers.
The pleasure of decorative plants of the inhabitant of Hue expresses an ardent love of nature of this entire city of dream and poetry that is Hue, and leaves in the soul of tourists unforgettable feelings.
Some famous garden houses in Hue: An Hien (Huong Long Commune, Hue City); Lac Tinh Vien (33 Phan Dinh Phung St., Hue City); Tinh Gia Vien (7/8 Le Thanh Ton St., Hue City); Y Thao (3 Thach Han St., Hue City); Ty Ba Trang (51 Ong Ich Khiem St., Hue City)

Where to go around Hue city, Vietnam