SGR - Welcome our website Saigoner.vn and share our common passion with Saigon - Hochiminh City - “ the Pearl of the Far East” since the mid - 19th century, still having the high development in the region and the country.

Saigon always warmly welcome tourists and newcomers from other cities and provinces to come to attend trainning programmes, live and work here. To understand Saigon, you cannot visit it within just a few days. To understand and visit some special places in a distrist, you need one or two days at least. At present, there are 15 districts, 4 suburban distrists and one city. The more you discover here, the more you feel interested and love Saigon.

1. Visit District 1 - the central district of Hochiminh City, having an intimate relationship with the ancient Saigon:

To having more interesting feelings, please walk or bike on streets such as Nguyen Hue St, Le Loi St, Ham Nghi St, Bach Dang Wharf and surrounding areas, discover the busy lives of the first-developed economy of S-shaped Vietnam with lots of great attractions from morning to evening. Here you can have lots of beautiful pictures taken.

There are high-rise buildings, modern commercial centers, large walking streets, poetic rivers in in the city. You may visit old French-styled houses, villas and buildings that are still so beautiful, such as: HCM City Central Post Office, HCM City People’s Committee Office, HCM City Theatre, HCM City Museum, Notre Dame Catheral, Tan Dinh Church, Ben Thanh Market, Tan Dinh Market,… 

Tan Dinh Church, Distrist 1

You may experience other public transportation means: subway, double-checker buses, cyclos - our old traditional mean of transport, river buses, tourist boats and cruise ships,  hydrofoils to Vung Tau Beach, or city trains. On special occasions, you can tour on a helicoper managed by some State-owned agency.

2. Ben Thanh Market – one of Saigon famous symbols

This market was build in 1914 with 4 main gates and other 12 small gates at 4 directions. It sells various goods, foods and drinks not only retail but whold-sale, from daily using things to luxury gifts. Tourists always success in finding needed things and gifts and Vietnamese souvenirs to friends and relatives. It is also an ideal place to enjoy delicacy Vietnamese foods and drinks.

Ben Thanh Market, Distrist 1

3. Visiting Saigon Zoo - Saigon Central Biological Garden

Here you will see thousands of trees and plants (even numerous very old trees) and animals. Families with little children like this place so much. It is also a biological learning center for pupils and students and an interesting check-in place for youngsters. 

4. Visiting the Independence Palace

This special national relic site is at 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District It witnessed lots national and historical events, such as the liberation of the South of Vietnam in April 30, 1975, unifying the motherland.

The Independence Palace was begun to built in February 23, 1868. In 1962, it was leveled and then rebuilt with the useable acreage of 20000 square meter, with the 3 main floors, the ground floor, 2 basement floors, 2 mezzanines and one terrace for helicopter usage.

5. Exploring Bui Vien Walking Street (Phạm Ngũ Lão Ward, Dist. 1)

This place was known since the middle of the 19th century, with many cheap hotels for backpackers. It is near lots of tourist sites. In evenings from the past till now, foreigners have often sat in front halls, coffee shops, restaurants on the pavements and enjoyed their times. Vietnamese students often came there to promote their English with foreigners. 

Foreigners can easily find one-day tour here.  

Since then it has been known much more. In August 20, 2017, Bui Vien Walking Street  had its grand opening after the first Nguyen Hue Walking Street. It lives 24 hours a day, best crowded in evenings.

6. Visiting Cho Lon known as China Town in Distrist 5 and 6 

Lots of Chineses have been living there, developing their enonomy, and becoming crowded after the 2nd World War.  This was one of the two main places of the Old Saigon.

There are often lion dances, dragon dances, kungfu desmontration attracting not only children but youngsters and adults on Tết (New Year Festival) and others festivals. You can visit lantern streets on the Lunar Mid-Autumn Festival, or red-decorated products for the Lunar New Year. You can pass through centers of producting sweet-smelling herb medicine. Please visit markets here to know how much the Chinese people like commerce and success in their commerce.

7. Visiting more than 20 beautiful and sacred pagodas and temples (Vietnamess style, Chinese style and Thai style):

More than 20 pagodas named after will safify your faith, or be the beautiful and peaceful places; such as:  

- Jade Emperor (Ngọc Hoàng) Pagoda, Subramaniam Hindu Temple (Chùa Ông Ấn Độ), Saint Trần Hưng Đạo Temple (Dist. 1),

- Vĩnh Nghiêm Pagoda, Xá Lợi Pagoda (Dist. 3);

- “Chùa Bà Thiên Hậu” Pagoda, Quan Âm Pagoda, “Chùa Ông” Pagoda (Dist. 5),

- Ấn Quang Pagoda, Giác Ngộ Pagoda, “Việt Nam Quốc Tự” Pagoda (Dist. 10);

- Giác Lâm Pagoda (Dist.11);

- Diệu Pháp Pagoda, Long Vân Pagoda , Monument of “Left Marshal (Tả quân) Lê Văn Duyệt”  (Bình Thạnh Dist.);

- Hoằng Pháp Pagoda (Hóc Môn Dist.);

- “Phật Cô Đơn” Pagoda (Bình Chánh Dist.);

- Bửu Long Pagoda, One-pile Pagoda, “Thiền Viện Minh Đăng Quang” Pagoda (Thủ Đức City),

- “Chùa Bà Châu Đốc 2” Pagoda (Dist 7).

Bửu Long Pagoda in Thu Duc City

8. Cần Giờ Sea for a change of fresh air

Vietnam has long beaches from the north to the south, facing the East Sea. Saigon has a beach in Can Gio District in the south. Here there are polder areas and high-expressed boats to Vung Tau Beach.  You can go there by bus from the main bus station in Saigon with one-day tour or stay one night in a hotel at the beach, so that you can view the sunset and then the sunrise on the beach.

9.  Staying on a farm or visiting big parks of Saigon

Saigon is large, so there are rural districts there. Here are intereating places:

- In Cu Chi District: Joy Farm, Fosaco Ecological Village, Tư Huỳnh Fruit Garden, Hai Tỷ Fruit Garden,…

- In Hoc Mon District: Hóc Môn Ecological Tourist Area, Villa H2O Tourist Area, Koi RinRin Park,…

- In Binh Thanh Districh: Văn Thánh Tourist Attraction, Bình Quới Tourist Attraction,…

- In District 11: Đầm Sen Cultural Tourist Attraction.

- In Thu Duc City: Suối Tiên Tourist Attraction, Family Garden,…

Lake in Đầm Sen Cultural Tourist Attraction

The Gate of Suối Tiên Tourist Attraction

10. Visiting historical relics

Such as:

- Nhà Rồng Wharp - where President Ho Chi Minh went on board in 1911 to find the way to save the country (District 1).

- Museum of War Remnants  (28 Võ Văn Tần Street, District 3)

- Củ Chi Tunnels Historical Relic (“Underground City - Military Zone - Củ Chi District)

- Bến Dược Temple (Committee Area basement, Military Zone - Củ Chi District)

- Ngã ba Giồng Temple (Xuân Thới Thượng Commune, Hóc Môn District),…

11. Eating and Drinking in Saigon:

From the north to the south, everyone likes coming to Saigon at least once in their lives. Youngsters tend to choose to go to univeraities in Saigon to live actively and reach the highly-developed culture, education and economy. Due to historical factors, there were many Chinese people coming here and they founded special cuisine. Here you easily enjoy foods and drinks of China, Europe, South Korea, Japan, India, Vietnam of the North, the Middle and the South.

It is unforgetable once coming to Saigon! Living in Saigon long enough, finding that this is truly an incomparable special place!

Lộc Nguyễn - 2024