Ho Chi Minh City tourism and travel information :histroy, festivals, attractions …

Saigon Tourist Attractions

Ho Chi Minh City is divided into 17 urban districts ( quan, derived from French quartier) : quan 1th, 2th, 3th, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, Tan Binh, Binh Thanh, Phu Nhuan, Thu Duc, Go Vap and five rural districts : Nha Be, Can Gio, Hoc Mon, Cu Chi, Binh Chanh.There are also 305 sub-districts and communes.
Means of communication by road, railway, or sea from Ho Chi Minh City to all other provinces are efficient. National Highway 1 and Thong Nhat Railway connect Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi and National Highway 13 connects Vietnam with the rest of Indochina. Tan Son Nhat International Airport , only 7km from the center of the city, is the biggest airport in Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City tourism and travel information

There are two distinct seasons : the rainy season, from May to November, brings an average rainfall of 1,979 mm ; the dry season lasts from December to April. The annual average temperature is 27.55 oC and there is no winter. The climate is particularly favourable for tourism.

History of Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City Opera Theater

While Hanoi has 1,000 years of history, Ho Chi Minh City is a new settlement, the word Saigon having been registered for the first time in documents dating back to 1698. Due to its favourable geographical location, topography, and climate, this land rapidly became a convering point for traders from all over the world
Saigon port was built in 1862 and foreign traders rapidly became familiar with Ong Lanh Market Bridge, Ray Market, Ben Thanh Market, and SaiGon Market. For a long time, Saigon was praised as the ” Pearl of the Far East.”
Ho Chi Minh City is where the heroic resistance against aggressors began and the struggling process for independence of the Vietnamese Nation, and where the Ho Chi Minh Campaign of April 30, 1975, finished triumphantly. At the first session of the 6th National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in July 1976, the name Saigon was officially changed to Ho Chi minh City.

Ho chi minh city Culture

Ho Chi Minh City_ Dragon House Wharf

Through the 300 years since its foundation, Ho Chi Minh City witnessed theconstruction of numberous buildings such as Nha Rong ( Dragon House Wharf), Quoc To Temple ( National Ancestors’ Temple), Xa Tay ( Municipal Office), Ho Chi Minh Municipal Theatre, many pagodas ( Giac Lam Pagoda, Ba Thien Hau pagoda, To Dinh Giac Vien Pagoda), and churches ( Huyen Sy, Thong Tay Hoi, Thu Duc).
One of the main characteristics that influenced the 300 years of Saigon is the combination of three cultural sources : Vietnamese, Chinese, and European.
Ho Chi Minh City is the cultural center of the Cuu Long Delta . It is in the city that the quoc ngu ( national writings) was first generalized and that the first books written in quoc ngu were published.

Traditional Festivals in Ho chi minh City

Ho Chi Minh Attraction Destinations _Thien Hau Pagoda Festival

Thien Hau Pagoda Festival

The pagoda,also called Lady Pagoda, is located at 710 Nguyen Trai street in the 5th district. Legendarily, Lady Thien Hau, originally from China, sacrificed her life to save human beings. The ceremony in her honour, on the 23rd of the 3rd lunar month, is considered as the biggest ceremony taking place at Thien Hau Pagoda. People pray to her for happiness, prosperity, and solidarity.
The festival ends on the afternoon of the 24th of the 3rd lunar month. Lion dancing performances take place in the pagoda’s yard. This festival plays an important role in the spiritual life of the city’s Chinese as well as Vietnamese communities.

Nghia An Hoi Quan Pagoda Festival

Ho Chi Minh City Travel & Tourism Attraction_Nghia An Hoi Quan Pagoda

The pagoda is situated at 678 Nguyen Trai Street, in the 5th district, and worships Quan Cong ( an eminent Chinese man) and other spirits. Every year, not only the Hoa people but also numerous Kinh people and visitors from distant provinces take part in two festivals ( on the 15th of the 1st lunar month and on the 24th of the 6th lunar month).
On the 14th, unicorn, lion and dragon dance groups perform for audiences on the large field in front of the pagoda. According to customs, only vegetarian offering are given to Quan Cong, while other spirits are offered dishes containing meat. Following the worshipping ceremonies are artistic activities that last a few nights in the grounds of the pagoda. This festival aims to glorify Quan Cong’s merits, demonstrating the admiration of the Hoa community for Lord Quan Cong

Le Van Duyet Temple Festival

vietnam tourist attractions_Le Van Duyet Temple

The temple, located in Binh Thanh district, is where Officer Le Van Duyet and his wife are worshipped. The festival takes place on the 1st of the 8th lunar month, the day of death anniversary of Le Van Duyet. During the ceremony, people pray for the safety of the country, favourable weather, good harvest, and happiness.

• Pagodas & Temples in HCM city Vietnam (0)
• Tourist Attractions & Sightseeing Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam (0)