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Location Information

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Language: French, English, Chinese
Currency: Dông (VND)

Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. Vietnam is bordered by China, Laos and Cambodia.

The history of Vietnam began 2,700 years ago. Successive dynasties based in China ruled Vietnam directly for most of the period from 111 BC until 938 when Vietnam regained its independence. Vietnam remained a tributary state to its larger neighbor China for much of its history but repelled invasions by the Chinese including three invasions by the Mongols between 1254 and 1284. King Trần Nhân Tông later diplomatically submitted Vietnam to a tributary of the Yuan to avoid further conflicts. The independent period temporarily ended in the middle to late 19th century, when the country was colonized by France. During World War II, Imperial Japan expelled the French to occupy Vietnam, though they retained French administrators during their occupation. After the war, France attempted to re-establish its colonial rule but ultimately failed. The Geneva Accords partitioned the country in two with a promise of democratic election to reunite the country.

Because of its geography, the climate in Vietnam varies greatly from north to south. Tropical monsoons occur from May to October in the north and south and from September to January in the center. It is almost totally dry throughout the rest of the year.

The capital, Hanoi, sprawls on the banks of the Red River. It is a beautiful city that retains an air of French colonial elegance with pretty yellow stucco buildings lining leafy streets. Hanoi is also a city of lakes, which adds to its air of sleepy grace. In the middle of the city lies the peaceful Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Restored Sword) with the 18th-century Ngoc Son Temple (Jade Mountain Temple) sitting on an island in its centre.

About 160km (100 miles) from Hanoi, near the port of Haiphong, is Ha Long Bay. This is an amazing complex of 3000 chalk islands rising out of the South China Sea. The area is strange, eerie and very beautiful. Many of the islands contain bizarre cave formations and grottoes. Near Ha Long Bay is Catba Island, a designated National Park and a rich repository of plants and wildlife.

Set back from the delta formed by the Mekong River, Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) is the main commercial centre of the southern part of Vietnam, receiving its name in honour of the leader who successfully led the nation against both France and the USA. Locals still like to refer to it as Saigon. More modern than other Vietnamese cities, Ho Chi Minh City has also retained its French colonial influences.

Vietnamese cooking is varied and usually very good. It is a mixture of Vietnamese, Chinese and French traditions, with a plethora of regional specialties. As in all countries of the region, rice or noodles usually provide the basis of a meal. Not surprisingly, fish is plentiful.

Vietnam definitely isn’t Thailand when it comes to the nightlife, but Ho Chi Minh City has a vast range of bars, clubs, live music venues and restaurants from gloomy little establishments to some rather upmarket venues. Hanoi’s nightlife is on the up and now there is a good selection of bars and restaurants, although the city can still seem a little quiet after 2200. Elsewhere there are bars and restaurants but the choice is limited.

Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam and is located near the Mekong Delta. Ho Chi Minh City is still more commonly referred to as ‘Saigon’ by locals and visitors alike.

Saigon began as a small fishing village known as Prey Nokor. The area that the city now occupies was originally swampland, and was inhabited by Khmer people for centuries before the arrival of the Vietnamese. In 1623, King Chey Chettha II of Cambodia (1618-1628) allowed Vietnamese refugees fleeing the Trinh-Nguyen civil war in Vietnam to settle in the area of Prey Nokor, and to set up a custom house at Prey Nokor. Increasing waves of Vietnamese settlers, which the Cambodian kingdom, weakened because of war with Thailand, could not impede, slowly Vietnamized the area. In time, Prey Nokor became known as Saigon.

The city has a tropical climate, with an average humidity of 75%. A year is divided into 2 distinct seasons: The rainy season which usually begins in May and ends in late November. The dry season lasts from December to April.

The streets, sidewalks, and outdoor markets are owned by the motorbikes, and not yet geared towards pedestrian traffic. You're spoiled for choice in Saigon, which offers the country's largest variety of Vietnamese and international food.

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.

Medical Precautions: Yellow Fever only if you are coming from or stopping over in an area affected.

Recommended Vaccinations:
Polio
Tetanus
Hepatitis A
Malaria Prophylaxis

Visa Requirements