The capital status of Ho Chi Minh is not entirely customary. At the end of the 19th century, the city was listed on the world maps as the capital of French Indochina, and in the second half of the 20th century it served as the capital of South Vietnam.
Today Ho Chi Minh City is the largest metropolis in the country. The Vietnamese themselves often call him the old-fashioned Saigon, while not belittling the merits of the country's first president, in whose honor Ho Chi Minh City was renamed. The Russian traveler is also exploring Vietnam, and tours to Ho Chi Minh City are increasingly appearing in the search queries of tourist portals.
History with geography
Located almost in the extreme south of the country, Ho Chi Minh City is 1,700 kilometers away from the capital. Despite its secondary political status, economically the former Saigon is much more important than Hanoi, and it is he who is also the transport center of the country.
In the old days, Ho Chi Minh City was part of the state of Cambodia after the Angkorian period, and Saigon was named after the river that divides the city into two parts.
Briefly about the important
- Direct flights on the Moscow - Ho Chi Minh route are made by Vietnamese and Russian airlines. Travel time is almost 10 hours. You can also get to the former Saigon with connections in other countries, and such a flight is often cheaper than a direct flight.
- Moving around the city on rented vehicles is possible, but extremely dangerous. A multi-million city metropolis cannot boast of perfectly regulated traffic, and therefore a European, unaccustomed to chaos on the roads, can easily get into an accident of varying degrees of complexity.
- The most optimal way to travel for tour participants in Ho Chi Minh City is by city buses. Many routes pass through the historic center and go around all the most significant sights. The taxi is cheap, but you will have to negotiate the cost of the trip or make sure that the meter works properly.
- The air temperature in the former Saigon, due to the influence of the subequatorial climate, is always constant and rarely drops below +32 degrees. In May, the wet season starts, which lasts until the end of autumn, and therefore the most favorable time to buy a tour to Ho Chi Minh City is spring or winter.
Night Adventures
You should not forget about safety in any city in Southeast Asia, and therefore it is better not to make evening and night movements alone or drunk.
The most popular nightlife spot in Ho Chi Minh City is the market under the clock tower. Everything a customer can imagine is sold here, from antiques to modern electronic gadgets.
