VietnamTravel information about Ho Chi Minh city (Saigon)
- More information about Ho Chi Minh city:
- General information, weather, seasons
- How to get to Ho Chi Minh city
- Transport Ho Chi Minh City
- Ho Chi Minh City Airport
- Hotels and districts of Ho Chi Minh city where to stay
- Sights Of Ho Chi Minh City
- Photo Of Ho Chi Minh City
- Map Of Ho Chi Minh City
General information
Tourist district of Ho Chi Minh city by night
Some believe that visiting Vietnam, tourists are divided into those who love Hanoi and those who like Ho Chi Minh city. Perhaps this is true, and to understand which category you, only when you visit there.
Ho Chi Minh city (Ho Chi Minh city) - the official name of the city since 1976. This name is used mainly in official documents, signs, addresses and schedules. And for the people of Vietnam Ho Chi Minh city - still the good old Saigon, and almost nobody uses the new name in everyday speech.
Ho Chi Minh city is the largest city in Vietnam (more than 7.5 million inhabitants) and economic capital of the country (about 300 thousand enterprises). For many tourists arriving here Saigon may seem just a boring industrial city, few people linger here. But there are those who deliberately stay in Saigon, to experience the hustle and bustle, wander through shopping malls and walk through the rows of the market Ben Thanh (Ben Thanh market), visit the many parks and squares, enjoy evenings in cafes, restaurants and bars in the tourist district. There are also several historical monuments, famous places, museums and temples. Images of exotic and ordinary life are present everywhere - street markets where bargain and make deals, sidewalk cafés, whose stereo speakers fill the surrounding streets with music; net new pubs, where tourists chatting over a beer with peanuts and a huge bowl of soup Pho (Pho).
The city is located in the South (Ho Chi Minh city on the map) and is quite an attractive place for tourists looking for an interesting vacation, not associated with lying on the beach. Saigon is also a transit point for tourists heading on holiday in the South of Vietnam resorts in Phan Thiet and MUI ne, Phu Quoc island or Vung Tau.
From Saigon you can go to almost all corners of Vietnam, and not only. Numerous excursions in the vicinity of Ho Chi Minh city to the Mekong Delta, in Cambodia, Laos and Thailand you can buy for just a few tens of dollars. In the heart of Saigon, you generally will not have any problems with visits to area attractions and relaxation: a well-developed network of public transport, plenty of taxis and motorcycle taxis will allow you to immediately after arrival in the country even from the airport to reach the threshold of your hotel in just a few rubles.
Of course, Ho Chi Minh city is not Bangkok, with its cutting edge restaurants and crazy night life (but who knows what will be here in a couple of years), but a few days stolen from his vacation, are visiting the city.
If you are not ready to visit Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh city on their own can pick up and buy tour in Ho Chi Minh city online.
360° panoramic photo of the square of Ho Chi Minh city
Square in front of Ho Chi Minh City Hall
Weather. Tourist seasons
Ho Chi Minh city is located in the South of the country, and it is very hot and tropical climate. Humidity average of 75%. In this part of Vietnam is divided into two seasons: the rainy season is from may to November; dry season from December to April.
The average temperature is +28°C, in particularly hot days in April the temperature can reach +39°C. By and large, the season of the year to stay in Saigon does not really matter. During the monsoon rains here, although abundant, quite short, and rather are a relief from the heat than an inconvenience.
Seasons in Ho Chi Minh city by months, when is the best time to go
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
*best time to visit;
appropriate time to visit;
not a recommended time to visit
Current weather in Ho Chi Minh city and the forecast for the near future:
Time in Ho Chi Minh city
In summer and in winter time in Vietnam, ahead of Moscow is +4 hours.
| Moscow: +4 | Samara: +3 |
| Kazan: +4 | Nizhny Novgorod: +4 |
| Ekaterinburg: +2 | Novosibirsk: 0 |
| Irkutsk: -1 | Vladivostok: -3 |
Helpful information
Rush hour in Ho Chi Minh city usually from 7:00 to 8:30 and 16:30 to 18:00.
It is best to settle near the market Ben Thanh tourist area, formed along the Pham Ngu Lao (Pham Ngu Lao). There you can find as cheap hotels, guesthouses or hostels and the room for a long time.
Bus No. 152, which is very cheap to get from the airport to the tourist area or back service only operates 06:00 to 18:00. After 18:00 will be reached by taxi.
The exchange rate at the airport of Ho Chi Minh city is perfectly acceptable to exchange the initial amount. So, one day the exchange rate at the airport was 20 932 Dong per dollar, and in the course 21 of 250, i.e., a difference of only 1.5%. Also at the airport in both terminals have plenty of ATMs.
Shopping-Ben Thanh market. Because of the great popularity of the market Ben Thanh tourists and its Central position in the city all prices there are somewhat higher than in other markets or even malls.
Fruits in Ho Chi Minh city. Fruits in Ho Chi Minh city are found everywhere and are inexpensive, but particularly cheap market with fruits not far from the tourist area you can find, if you go on the street of Pham Ngu Lao to the West (away from the market Ben tan). At the end of the street you find a small local market Cho Thai Binh.
Cheap hotels. There is no point in trying to find affordable accommodation outside of the tourist district of Ho Chi Minh city formed by streets of Pham Ngu Lao (Pham Ngu Lao) and Bui Vien (Bui Vien). All the cheapest hotels are here, cheaper is simply impossible to find.