HANOI – SAIGON (HO CHI MIN CITY) BY FLIGHT
Saigon, or Sai Gon in Vietnamese, was merged with the surrounding province in 1976 and renamed Ho Chi Minh City to celebrate the reunification of north and south at the end of the Vietnam War. The city’s namesake comes from Ho Chi Minh, the communist revolutionary leader who is credited with uniting the country.
A vibrant metropolis, Saigon teems with energy, activity and motion. Nearly everywhere there is a fascinating juxtaposition between traditional and modern life. The emerging modern skyline stands toe to toe with colonial buildings and traditional temples. Outside on the streets, young professionals zip by on motorbikes, chatting on cell phones, inside the quiet temple courtyards, worshippers pray amidst clouds of incense.
A visit to the Ben Thanh Market, Notre Dame Cathedral, The Central Post Office which is a French-style building with glass canopy and iron frame built between 1886 and 1891 and is the largest post office in Vietnam. Reunification Palace, the Independence Palace of the South Vietnamese President was stormed by tanks on the 30th April 1975 signifying the fall of South Vietnam, it has been preserved in its original state.
