Sai Gon quick guide

Throughout its history this city has gone by several names; currently it is known as Ho Chi Minh City, after being called Saigon from the French colonisation until 1976. Situated near the south of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam. Tours with experienced companies are the best way to get around and get to grips with the crowded streets, the culture and the hustle and bustle of the city, before you venture out to explore. With its tropical climate that rarely gets lower than 20 degrees Celsius, be prepared to encounter sudden rain showers in the rainy (spring-summer) season. As you stroll with your group around the streets of Vietnam, tours will take you to the most important historical sites, museums and will guide you as you decide what sort of street foods you would like to try.

Reunification Palace
Located at 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, the Reunification Palace is one of the historical sites that should not be missed when visiting this part of Vietnam. Tours to the palace will take you into a time-warp where most of the building was left untouched from the day before Saigon fell. Formerly the Presidential Palace, the war ended when a tank crashed through the front gates, and a replica of that tank now holds pride of place outside. Be sure to check out the basement room with its phones and objects left over from the 60s. There is a café where you can sit a while and contemplate the history the exhibits depict.

Museum of Ho Chi Minh City
Just a short distance away from the Reunification Palace is the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City. As you explore more of this great city in Vietnam, tours will undoubtedly take you to this museum, which was built between 1885 and 1909 and is housed in a building designed by French architect Alfred Foulhoux. Inside, the museum contains a wide variety of artefacts from the Communist period of Vietnam, the French Resistance between 1930 and 1954, and the American Resistance. There are also cultural items from wedding ceremonies and two wooden boats that date back to the 13th century.

Eating in Ho Chi Minh City
Getting to try to exotic local cuisine is one of the most exciting things about visiting Vietnam. Tours to Ho Chi Minh City will take you through the tastes of the city's street food and introduce you to dishes that bear no resemblance to the homogenised Asian food of the West. Be sure to stop by a stall selling Banh Khot, which are fried coconut rice cakes served with pork or prawns on top and eaten in a lettuce leaf. Next, you must try a Banh Cuon, which is a rice crepe filled with a variety of things and often served with a sweet fish sauce. Those familiar with Vietnamese food may already know of Pho, and you simply must pop into any of the shops in the city to try an authentic bowl of this delicious noodle soup. Even if you are feeling less than adventurous but are still hungry for some street food, go for the Banh Mi, which is a Vietnamese sandwich based on the French baguette, and is a light and crispy bread served with a variety of fillings.

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