- Museums
- Temples
- Architecture
- Entertainment
Ho Chi Minh City - the southern capital of Vietnam surprisingly combines historical sights, the architectural heritage of the French colonialists and local national specifics. A tourist who comes here always has something to see. The choice is really great and deserves special attention.
Museums
There are about 10 museums in the city, each of which is unique in its own way. Among this variety, it is worth noting:
The Reunification Palace (Independence Palace) is located in the tourist part of Ho Chi Minh City. Previously, the building housed the presidential residence, but in 1975, when the Vietnam War ended, a tank belonging to the northern troops entered the palace. After this event, the building was restored and declared a museum
Today, excursions are organized inside the palace, including acquaintance with the luxurious interior and its exhibits, watching a thematic film, and walking in the park. On the ground floor of the palace there is a shop where you can buy souvenirs.
- The War Crimes Museum (War Victims Museum) is the most popular in the city. This fact is explained by the fact that terrible exhibits are kept within its walls, reminiscent of the period of the American-Vietnamese War. The vast halls contain a photographic archive, reconstruction of cells for prisoners, torture instruments, military equipment, and models of weapons. The museum leaves conflicting emotions among tourists, so it is better to think carefully before visiting.
- Not far from the Ho Chi Minh City Zoo, you will find a History Museum. This place is famous for its rich collection of relics, the age of which ranges from 300 thousand years ago to the present day. The exhibits are represented by works of art, products made of precious metals, scrolls, clothes and household items of the Tyam culture. On weekends, an impromptu water puppet theater is organized near the museum. This spectacle delights not only children, but also adults.
- The Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine is quite entertaining. It was created on the principle of exhibition pavilions where exhibits are located. Most of them are medicinal teas, tinctures, patches and other preparations widely used in traditional medicine in Vietnam. On request, all this can be purchased directly at the museum. To this end, it is better to have a guide in advance who is versed in the formulation and herbal ingredients of medicines. There is a hall on the second floor, which demonstrates the history of the development of pharmacology in the country.
Temples
Temple complexes are the pride of Ho Chi Minh City, as most of them are perfectly preserved and are cultural heritage. Some of the temples are still operational, but the entrance to such places for tourists is usually limited. Once in the southern capital of Vietnam, include the following objects in your travel program:
Gyak Lam Pagoda is known to all locals due to the fact that it is the oldest in the city. The construction of the landmark falls on 1744. The complex consists of three zones: a hall for ceremonies, reading prayers and receiving meals. The interior decoration of Giak Lama is the embodiment of the most important Buddhist canons. In each room you will see a huge number of Buddhas who are responsible for a particular area of human life. All saints have their own altar, which is approached by people who want to pray
In the outer courtyard of the pagoda, there are several statues, among which Quan-Yin, the goddess of Mercy, clearly stands out. The entrance to Giak Lam is "guarded" by sculptures of mythical animals.
- Turtle Pagoda (Jade Emperor Pagoda), considered the best architectural site of Vietnam in the early 20th century. It was built in 1909 and dedicated to the sky god Ngoc Hoang. The exterior of the building is very modest, with a traditional red tile roof and red facades. Inside the temple, you can smell the strong smell of fragrant candles, symbolizing faith. There are also massive statues of generals - fighters with fabulous dragons from the Vietnamese epic. The pagoda is divided into two halls: the heavenly one and the inhabitants of the underworld. A statue of a red horse is installed near them. Vietnamese women believe that if you pat an animal on the back, the family will be replenished.
- Picturesque Cao Dai Temple, not far from Ho Chi Minh City. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that the shrine is the center of one of the most interesting religious movements called Caodaism. The symbol of this religion is the image of an eye enclosed in a triangle. This sign can be seen in the temple everywhere. The interior space is decorated with colorful figurines of deities, abstract structures, and the high ceiling is covered with blue paint, imitating the vault of heaven. On weekends, tourists are allowed into the temple to see the most important event - the ceremony of worshiping saints.
Architecture
The architectural appearance of Ho Chi Minh City is diverse. The pearl of the city is the Catholic Church of Notre Dame de Saigon, built in the period from 1877 to 1883 on the Parisian square. The landmark received its name by analogy with the French cathedral, and this is understandable: French masters who lived in Ho Chi Minh City in the 19th century are directly related to its construction. Many elements for the construction of the cathedral were brought from Europe. For example, a Swiss watch, which has become an adornment of bell towers. In 1959, the Vietnamese bishop Pham Van Thien wrote a prayer in honor of the consecration of the cathedral, and five months later a sculpture of the Virgin Mary was made in Rome. She was placed in front of Notre Dame de Saigon on February 16 of the same year.
Inside, the temple has a luxurious design: magnificent stained-glass windows made of Venetian glass, high arched openings in the classicism style, frescoes, a white-stone altar - all this creates an amazing atmosphere.
Another French “footprint” in architecture is the City Hall, formerly called the Town Hall. The building was erected by the same French architects from 1902 to 1908. The building stands out from the crowd thanks to its unusual style and creamy white exterior facades. In 1975, the municipality was renamed the City Council. A few years later, the House of Culture was located in the Town Hall. Today, the entrance is strictly prohibited, but this does not interfere with admiring the structure. There is a square in front of the municipality, in the center of which there is a monument to Ho Chi Minh. Most tourists gather around the town hall in the evening, when the lights turn on and the town hall looks like a fairytale palace.
The modern financial tower of Biteksko, the highest building in Ho Chi Minh City, harmoniously fits into the historical architecture of the city. In 2011, this record was beaten by the Keangnam Tower, built in Hanoi. A team of professional designers worked on the Biteksko project, inspired by the idea of / u200b / u200bmaking a skyscraper that looks like a lotus flower. The result is a large-scale glass building of ideal proportions, 263 meters high.
Inside the tower there are numerous restaurants, shops, offices, trade pavilions. Tourists come to this place to go up to the 49th floor, where an observation deck is equipped, from where you can see the city with a 360-degree panorama. For convenience, everyone is given binoculars that magnify the image several hundred times. After walking through the observation deck, visitors head to the bar on the 50th floor to enjoy delicious Vietnamese cuisine.
Entertainment
Ho Chi Minh City is rich in places where you can have fun for both adults and children. It all depends on individual preferences and the funds that you are willing to spend on it. Among the most popular and well-known are:
The acrobatic show A O Show, which regularly takes place on the stage of the opera house. The show absorbed the new influences of traditional Vietnamese musical art and modern acrobatic stunts filled with notes of humor. At the same time, the best collectives of the country perform on the stage, having considerable experience in creating events of this kind. Every year the directors improve the script, trying to show the audience new productions
It is worth purchasing tickets for the A O Show in advance, as they are sold out rather quickly. If you buy tickets on the Internet on the theater website, then you will save a lot. During the performance, tourists are prohibited from taking pictures or filming.
Ho Chi Minh City Zoo attracts thousands of tourists every year. You will need at least one day to explore this attraction. The vast and green area is divided into sectors thematically. The first sector is inhabited by large predators and herbivores. The second is inhabited by monkeys and crocodiles. The rest of the space is occupied by terrariums, pavilions with butterflies, greenhouses with exotic plants
They move around the zoo by mini-buses or with the help of a card that is issued at the entrance. In the evening, a program is organized for children with a performance of tiger cubs and cubs. At the exit there are many souvenir shops selling products with the zoo's logo.
Suoi Tien Park is visited annually by millions of tourists and locals. This is a huge complex that includes a water park, a dolphinarium, a mini-zoo, green spaces. Everyone will find entertainment to their liking here
All rides are characterized by a high level of safety and create the most comfortable conditions for children. Younger visitors especially enjoy splashing around in the warm water pools and then relaxing on the sun loungers. The ticket price includes a full day pass. At the same time, the price is quite acceptable - 50,000 VND.
