War Remnants Museum

The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City first opened to the public in 1975. Once known as the ‘Museum of American War Crimes’, it's a shocking reminder of the long and brutal Vietnam War. Graphic photographs and American military equipment are on display. There's a helicopter with rocket launchers, a tank, a fighter plane, a single-seater attack aircraft. You can also see a conventional bomb that weighs at 6,800kg. American troops had used these weapons against the Vietnamese between 1945 and 1975. The most talked-about exhibits at the War Remnants Museum are the ‘tiger cages'. The South Vietnamese government kept their political prisoners in these confinements. Locals believe the cages imprisoned up to 14 people at a time. The museum also has a guillotine brought in by the French government. Both the French and South Vietnamese used it to execute their prisoners until 1960. Also featured are grisly photos of victims that had suffered ‘Agent Orange’. As many as 4.8 million people were exposed to strong pesticide and chemical spray. The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs believed 500,000 children were born with birth defects.

2 minutes

The Venerable Thich Quang Duc Monument

This peaceful memorial park is dedicated to Thich Quang Duc, the Buddhist monk who self-immolated in protest at this intersection not far from the Presidential Palace (today's Reunification Palace) in 1963. The memorial was inaugurated in 2010, displaying Thich Quang Duc wreathed in flames before a bas-relief.

20 minutes

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The Chantarangsay Pagoda is a religious and cultural haven for the Khmer people in the south of Vietnam. The pagoda also houses monks from Theravada sect, the most ancient branch of Buddhism.

45 minutes

FITO Museum

A unique blend of traditional and modern architecture, the museum includes one ground floor and five upper floors that are home to 18 exhibition rooms. You may see a delicately carved wooden pictures with different captions that illustrate different types of traditional medicine. This was a place where over a 50 skillful engravers have worked hard to complete these carved pictures for nearly 3 years. The architecture of this museum shows the typical features of traditional architecture in different regions of Vietnam. It reflects many features of the Northern house in the basin of Red River, of the Hue style and some of the Cham ethnic minority group styles. In the Cham tower are exhibited some Linga - a ritual sculptures which represent a power, a diligence and a vital force in the Cham religion. This museum is equipped with modern audio-visual technology, which regularly shows "A Century of Health Care Experiences" - a documentary film about the history of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine.

1 hour

Turtle Lake (Pass By)

Turtle Lake roundabout is located at the crossroads of Vo Van Tan, Pham Ngoc Thach, Tran Cao Van Streets. The street surrounding the lake is named Cong Truong Quoc Te and the lake is officially named Cong Truong Quoc Te roundabout. It is located in the city center, 800 m from the Independence Palace, 400 m from Notre Dame Cathedral and 2 km from Ben Thanh Market.

The Secret Weapons Cellar (Pass By)

Once a hiding place for nearly two tons of Saigon Commandos weapons during the spring offensive and 1968 uprising, the Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street little house was declared a National Monument of Culture in 1988. The bunker is located in a house on Nguyen Dinh Chieu Road, District 3, HCMC, and was used to hide the arsenal of Sai Gon Commandos. Among them are about 2 tons of weapons, which were prepared for the Tet Offensive (January 1968). Previously, this house was bought by Tran Van Lai (Lai Lai - May Hong Que) and he secretly trained there. At that time, to avoid suspicion, he used the excuse to repair the toilets. He took his wife and children to Go Vap (another district of Ho Chi Minh City), stayed alone in the house and spent the nights building his bunker.

Tan Dinh Church (Pass By)

Tan Dinh Church Saigon is a Romanian-style church in Ho Chi Minh City, where you can see intricate Gothic and Renaissance elements that have managed to survive Vietnam’s turbulent periods. Built in 1876 and spanning 60 metres in height, it’s widely regarded as the second biggest church in Ho Chi Minh City, after Notre Dame Cathedral. Nearby the gate are two massive bell towers, while the bright pink church is fitted with three beautifully-decorated Italian marble altars. In 1877, Father Donatien Éveillard invited the Sisters of Saint-Paul de Chartres to set up an orphanage and boarding school beside the church, which had housed over 300 youths in the span of three years. A publishing house is then added to the cathedral grounds, where disadvantaged children were educated for the publishing trade. To honour his contributions to the local community, he was buried beneath the nave of Tan Dinh Church following his death in 1883.

Bitexco Financial Tower (Pass By)

Ho Chi Minh City’s Bitexco Financial Tower & Sky Deck stands 262 metres high at the centre of the city’s business district and offers visitors an unparalleled city view from its Sky Deck. Designed by renowned American Architect Carlos Zapata, this 68-storey tower houses offices, shops, restaurants, and a helipad. CNNGo recently ranked the building fifth in their listing of the world’s 20 most iconic skyscrapers.

A O Show - Lune Production (Pass By)

À Ố Show is one of Vietnamese Bamboo Circus performances.

Duờng Dồng Khởi (Pass By)

Home to many French colonial buildings, Dong Khoi Street has witnessed many changes in Ho Chi Minh City. During the French occupation, it was the centre of glamour and was called Rue Catinat. It became Tu Do or Freedom Street during the Vietnam War. When the Communists took over Saigon in the late 1970s, the name changed again to Dong Khoi, which means Total Revolution.

Saigon Opera House (Ho Chi Minh Municipal Theater) (Pass By)

The Saigon Opera House in Ho Chi Minh is an elegant colonial building at the intersection of Le Loi and Dong Khoi Street in District 1, very close to the famous Notre Dame Cathedral and the classic Central Post Office. The restored three-storey 800-seat Opera House was built in 1897 and is used for staging not only opera but also a wide range of performing arts including ballet, musical concerts, Vietnamese traditional dance and plays. Performances are advertised around the building and information can be found in the state-operated tourist information centre close by.

Ben Thanh Market (Pass By)

Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 is a great place to buy local handicrafts, branded goods, Vietnamese art and other souvenirs. Here, you’ll find eating stalls inside the market where you can get a taste of hawker-style Vietnamese cuisine or simply cool off with a cold drink when the bargaining becomes too much. The market is big, difficult to navigate at times and certainly best avoided during the hottest part of the day but all the same its well worth a look. When night falls, restaurants around the perimeter of the market open their doors creating a vibrant street side scene filling the air with the scents of wok-fried noodles, barbecued fish and meats. One of Saigon’s oldest landmarks, Ben Thanh offers a great atmosphere that is absolutely authentically Vietnamese.

The Independence Palace (Pass By)

Reunification Palace was the base of Vietnamese General Ngo Dinh Diem until his death in 1963. It made its name in global history in 1975. A tank belonging to the North Vietnamese Army crashed through its main gate, ending the Vietnam War. Today, it's a must-visit for tourists in Ho Chi Minh City. The palace is like a time capsule frozen in 1975. You can see two of the original tanks used in the capture of the palace parked in the grounds. Reunification Palace was the home and workplace of the French Governor of Cochin-China. It has lush gardens, secret rooms, antique furniture, and a command bunker. It's still in use to host important occasions in Ho Chi Minh, including APEC summits.

Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts (Pass By)

Reunification Palace was the base of Vietnamese General Ngo Dinh Diem until his death in 1963. It made its name in global history in 1975. A tank belonging to the North Vietnamese Army crashed through its main gate, ending the Vietnam War. Today, it's a must-visit for tourists in Ho Chi Minh City. The palace is like a time capsule frozen in 1975. You can see two of the original tanks used in the capture of the palace parked in the grounds. Reunification Palace was the home and workplace of the French Governor of Cochin-China. It has lush gardens, secret rooms, antique furniture, and a command bunker. It's still in use to host important occasions in Ho Chi Minh, including APEC summits.

Museum of Ho Chi Minh City (Pass By)

This is a fascinating museum on the Botanic Gardens’ grounds tracing the evolution of first human civilization in southeast Asia to the present, including religious, art, and political history.

Central Post Office (Pass By)

The Saigon Central Post Office was constructed from 1886-1891 and depicts classic elements of Gothic, Renaissance and French colonial design. While some mistakenly credit Gustave Eiffel, the famed designer of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it was actually designed by French architect Alfred Foulhoux.

Ho Chi Minh Square (Quảng truờng Hồ Chi Minh) (Pass By)

Ho Chi Minh Square can be found in the middle of District 1, right in the city centre, and is surrounded by beautiful French colonial style buildings. On this square you will find a statue of Uncle Ho, which was placed to honour the 100th birthday of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee (City Hall). The City Hall is a popular place for tourists to take pictures and is especially beautiful around dusk, when many of the landmarks are lit by soft lighting. On the left flank of the square you find the five-star Rex Hotel which is also designed by French architects and was home to International journalists during the Vietnam War. A state of the art shopping mall with all international brands, a food court and some luxury hotel rooms can be found on the right side (also French colonial architecture).

Landmark 81 SkyView (Pass By)

Landmark 81 is a super-tall skyscraper in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The investor and primary developer for the project is Vinhomes, a Vietnamese corporation that is also the country's largest real-estate company.

Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater (Pass By)

Water puppetry is a tradition that dates back as far as the 11th century when it originated in the villages of the Red River Delta area of northern Vietnam. Today's Vietnamese water puppetry is a unique variation on the ancient Asian puppet tradition. The puppets are made out of wood and then lacquered

Cu Chi Tunnels (Pass By)

The tunnels of Củ Chi are an immense network of connecting tunnels located in the Củ Chi District of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and are part of a much larger network of tunnels that underlie much of the country. The Củ Chi tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War, and were the Viet Cong's base of operations for the Tết Offensive in 1968.

Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral (Pass By)

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, officially Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception is a cathedral located in the downtown of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Established by French colonists who initially named it the Church of Saigon, the cathedral was constructed between 1863 and 1880. The name Notre-Dame Cathedral has been used since 1959. It has two bell towers, reaching a height of 58 meters.

People's Committee Building (Pass By)

Ho Chi Minh City Hall or Saigon City Hall or Hôtel de Ville de Saïgon was built in 1902–1908 in a French colonial style for the then city of Saigon. It was renamed after 1975 as Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee. Although this elegant colonial building is not open to the public, Saigon City Hall is popular for its great photo opportunities.

Ba Thien Hau Temple (Pass By)

The Thien Hau Temple, officially the Ba Thien Hau Pagoda, is a Chinese-style temple of the Chinese sea goddess Mazu on Nguyễn Trãi Street in the Cho Lon of District 5 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Museum of Ho Chi Minh City (Pass By)

Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts is the major art museum of HCM City, Vietnam, and second in the country only to the Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts in Hanoi. The museum covers three three-floor buildings which house a collection featuring Vietnamese art works in sculpture, oil, silk painting and lacquer painting, as well as traditional styles including woodcut paintings in the Hàng Trống, Đông Hồ, and Kim Hoàng styles, as well as Vietnamese ceramics and a collection of ancient Buddhist art.

Tan Dinh Church (Pass By)

Tân Định church is a Roman Catholic church in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Its formal name is the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Even though it's in District 3, the parish shares its name with neighbouring District 1's Tân Định Ward. It was built during the French colonial period in the 1870s and completed on 16 December 1876, when Vietnam was part of French Indochina.

Fito Museum - Museums of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine & Pharmacy (Pass By)

Traditional medicine & pharmacy museum

Ho Chi Minh City's Book Street (Pass By)

Ho Chi Minh City Book Street is a book street located at Nguyen Van Binh Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

Nguyen Dinh Chieu Walking Street (Pass By)

A beautiful walking street.

South-Vietnamese Women Museum (Pass By)

Cultural museum honoring Vietnam's women