Saigon
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) is a thriving metropolis with an unavoidable western influence offering quite a different experience to Hanoi. Whilst Hanoi may be a city to be savoured coasting along at its bureaucratic pace, Saigon has been busy revitalising a stagnated nation. As cyclo drivers rest below neon lit billboards, the new Vietnamese elite cruise past draped in their western fashions on their Japanese bikes. In electric Saigon the people look now to the neon shrines for direction rather than to Uncle Ho. The old guard look increasingly out of place, n a city now dominated by the dollar. Young executives now pound the pavement in the place of blind obedience. Where in Hanoi the past is sacrosanct and inescapable, in Saigon only the future matters as the past is plunged into irrelevance.
Towering developments start to break the skyline as multinationals fight for a seat on a plane into the country. Doi Moi and the lifting of the crippling embargo have opened the floodgates to an unstoppable torrent of foreign capital. Now everyone wants to be friends, after all, there is a lot of money to be made. After twenty years of forced sedation, Vietnam is now stirring but Saigon is wide awake.
For many of the inhabitants of Ho chi Minh City, nothing has changed. The streets still swarm with life. People buy and sell things, bargain, cook, wash, urinate, sleep, eat, drink, and live on the streets of Saigon. Despite the large amount of money being thrown around, the filter effect is yet to manifest itself and thousands of people have to survive on virtually nothing. Cyclo drivers, often unable to do other work due to government policy, earn next to nothing and are still being punished for being on the losing side. As they bed down for the night n their cyclo, across the road at the La Lai Hotel, the wealthy Vietnamese are arriving in their Mercedes Benz for a night of indulgence.
Many of the street stall holders live beside or under their stalls on mattresses they
drag out for a night under the stars. Some of the beggars in Saigon are amongst the worst
you will see and will play up their wounds for a few more dong. As wealth begins to rise,
so do the more undesirable facets of life in Saigon.
As night falls, most parks (and hotels) fill up with prostitutes, reminiscent of the
Vietnam War, catering again to foreign demand. Crime is also on the increase, with bands
of cadres’ children, running amok and untouchable by the authorities due to the
inherent corruption within the system.
Saigon reflects all the changes, good and bad, that Vietnam is to face. As the city wholeheartedly embraces the western ideal, some of the side effects may be beginning to justify the caution of Hanoi.
This pagoda has so much incense that it will make you cry. If you can see through the smoke, you will experience a spectacular pagoda. The pagoda is named after Ngoc Hoang, who was known as the Emperor of Jade. A statue of him dominates the sanctuary and he is surrounded by his guardians who are believed to be as hard as diamonds. Other than these statues, there is a veritable assembly of other gods and icons, encompassing the beliefs of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. To the left of their sanctuary is the true highlight of a visit to the Emperor of Jade Pagoda, the Hall of the Ten Hells. This hall is lined with wooden panels that have had the ten layers of hell carved onto them. These carvings depict exactly what is waiting for all you sinners out there, and they are topped by a representation of each King of Hell. These Kings are perusing books that detail the evil acts perpetuated by the dead and appear to stare at you very ‘knowingly’. At the end of the hall there is a statue of Thanh Hoang who is the Chief of Hell.
This pagoda was the site of the infamous self immolation of Thich Quang Duc on 11 June 1963 and on the central altar now stands a jar containing his heart. Xa Loi Pagoda is also known for its tower which is supposed to contain a relic of the Buddha. During the Diem Regime, this pagoda was attacked by ARVN soldiers and over 400 monks were imprisoned, some of whom were killed. This action helped to strengthen the opposition to the Diem regime and was crucial in the US decision to back the coup against Diem.
Notre Dame Cathedral is near the GPO. The cathedral was begun in 1877 and completed in 1883 and was consecrated in 1959. Le Place Pigneau de Behaine is the square in front of the cathedral which holds a beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary. Mass is held on a regular basis.
This large white French-style building is at 65 Ly Tu Trong Street. This building has played important roles in previous administrations and was made into the Revolutionary Museum in 1978. The museum essentially contains a photographic record of the Revolution within Vietnam, beginning with the French and ending with the Americans. The side and back gardens contain US military war trophies including a tank and jet. All the information here is written in Vietnamese, so unless you have a sound understanding of Vietnam during the revolutionary periods, you may feel a little confused. You can however hire a guide at a separate cost to entry that will interpret the information for you.
This building was originally known as the Presidential palace or Independence Hall and is a classic example of 1960s architecture. In 1962, in a failed attempt to assassinate President Diem, two of South Vienam’s crack fighter pilots took off on a mission against the Viet Cong, but instead attacked the Presidential Palace. Diem and his family were sheltered in the cellar from the effect of the bombs which caused considerable damage. Reunification Hall was also the site of the famous photo taken by Neil Davis of the NVA tank bursting through the gates of the palace as Saigon was liberated, this ‘reunifying’ Vietnam. Within the walls of Reunification Hall everything has been more or less untouched since 1975, leaving quite an eerie feeling as you wander through these halls of power. Reunification Hall is also linked to the Revolutionary Museum by a series of underground tunnels and bunkers. The Hall is at 106 Nguyen Du Street.
The markets are a huge and busy complex where you can spend hours wandering around aimlessly experiencing Vietnamese shopping culture. They have great food here to tempt your tastebuds. The Markets take up the whole block opposite the Ben Thanh Bus Station at the main roundabout in town where Le Loi Boulevard and Tran Hung Dao Boulevard meet.
The museum is located at 28 Vo Van Tan Street. If the only side of the Vietnam War you have seen has been through films such as Platoon, Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse Now, then visit the War Crimes Museum to have a bit of the glory and bullshit scraped away. Although the name of the museum has been changed from that of the Museum of American War Crimes, they were the main perpetuators of the horrific things you will see inside this museum. As you wander the aisles, remember the fact that Vietnam was actually punished through the imposition of the trade embargo for winning its own war of independence, and that reparations were never paid. Without meaning to demean the sacrifices of the American and associated forces that were made during this terrible and unnecessary conflict, it appears that Vietnam bears an awful lot of the scars of the war. The museum has a large number of photos detailing atrocities, along with reams of statistics and a recreation of a cell at Poulo Condore Prison. The most startling statistic of the war is that no one side really won. In fact, the legacy of the disaster of this war lingers on in both countries and in the world. The section dedicated to the defoliating and chemical side of the war show photos of aborted and stillborn children, along with a few in jars, and photos of napalm affected people.
It should be mentioned, however, that this is a biased museum dedicated to the purpose of propaganda. It must be remembered that the Vietnamese also performed their share of atrocities during the conflict.
This market appears to be a clothes market at first glance, but towards the rear of the market, there is a wide collection of war surplus (both genuine and fake) which can be purchased. Be warned, this market is a hit with some of the more affluent visitors to Vietnam and you may need to bargain especially hard to get a decent price here. The range of goods available ranges from dogtags to combat boots and ammunition holders to complete flight suits. For those planning a trip to Cambodia or Los Angeles, bullet proof vests are also available here. There are stories circulating that if you can show the vendor your ticket to Cambodia, he will give you a discount on a bullet proof vest !!! The War Surplus Market is nearby to Phung Son Tu Pagoda at 104 Nguyen Cong Tru street.
This museum has been known by a number of names since its construction in 1928. The museum traces Vietnamese history from prehistoric times till the period of French occupation. The Historical Museum carries an impressive range of artefacts including Funan pieces found at Oc-Eo and a small selection of Cham sculpture (the majority of the Cham art can be found at the Cham Museum in Danang.). Unfortunately most of the signs in the museum are not in English and the leaflet which you can buy is not of much assistance. The entrance to the Museum is just inside the entrance to the Zoo on Nguyen Binh Khiem Street and is open Tuesday to Sunday.
Cho Lon is the Chinatown of Saigon and, not surprisingly means "Big Market". After the reunification of Vietnam, many of the Chinese residents of Cho Lon fled the country due to the persecution of the communist authorities. Now as the Vietnamese economy begins to improve, the Chinese Vietnamese are slowly returning, breathing life into what was once an electric section of Ho Chi Minh City. Mot many travellers stay in Cho Lon even though there is an abundance of cheap good accommodation available. Whether you elect to stay there or not, Cho Lon is still definitely worth a visit, if not to visit the lively markets, the pagodas are some of the best in ho chi Minh city. Although not far from the hub of budget accommodation along Pham Ngu Lao Street, one of the best ways to visit the area is by cyclo.
This pagoda is very popular amongst the childless women of Saigon as it is dedicated to the Goddess of fertility. Built in the 19th century by Fukien immigrants and little has been done to the pagoda since, thus allowing it to retain a traditional look and feel.
Believed to be the oldest pagoda in Ho Chi Minh city, this pagoda is undoubtedly one of the most popular. The roof of the pagoda relays fantastic tales taken from traditional Chinese lore whilst the walls are covered with lacquer paintings of various spirits and deities. This pagoda is best visited when there are a lot of worshippers present as the going s on and heavy incense filled atmosphere creates a memorable experience.
This pagoda is easily recognisable by the intricately carved wooden boat which hangs over the entrance. One of the attractions of this pagoda is the carvings within. As you enter, on your left there is a huge representation of Quan Cong’s horse and its groom both of which are actually larger than life. The figures behind the main alter, in the glass case are Quan Cong and his assistants.
Again built by the Fujian community, this pagoda was constructed in 1902 and is one of the most beautifully decorated pagodas in all of Ho Chi Minh City. The pagoda is especially will known for its vast collection of figurines, carvings and hanging lanterns. Dedicated to Quan Cong, many Vietnamese visit this pagoda before embarking on a journey as a visit here is believed to bring good luck.
This pagoda is a bit of a walk from the centre of Cho Lon, but worth a visit nonetheless. The pagoda itself ha been rebuilt a number of times, but was originally built on what are thought to have been Funan ruins. At one time, plans were made to move the pagoda to another site. To facilitate this move, a large white elephant was loaded up with all the valuable items and was to be led to the new site. The elephant did not get very far, and stumbled more or less where it was loaded, dropping all the valuables into the pond which now surrounds the pagoda! This was taken as a clear message from the Gods that the pagoda was to stay exactly where it was. The inside of the pagoda is filled with statues which have been fashioned from all manner of materials. The pagodas is surrounded by a number of fascinating monks tombs.
[ Around Saigon ]