ABOUT HO CHI MINH CITY
Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, is the largest city in Vietnam. It was known as Prey Nokor (Khmer: ) before being annexed by the Vietnamese in the 17th century. Under the name Saigon (Vietnamese: Sài Gòn, it was the capital of the French colony of Cochinchina and later of the independent state of South Vietnam from 1954 to 1975. In 1976, Saigon merged with the surrounding province of Gia Định and was officially renamed Hồ Chí Minh City (although the name Sài Gòn - formally known as District 1 - is still commonly used.)
The city center is situated on the banks of the Saigon River, 60 kilometers (37 mi) from the South China Sea and 1,760 kilometers (1,094 mi) south of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.
The metropolitan area, which consists of Hồ Chí Minh City metro area, Thủ Dầu Một, Di An, Bien Hoa and surrounding towns, is populated by more than 9 million people, making it the most populous metropolitan area in Vietnam and Indochina. The Greater Ho Chi Minh City Metropolitan Area, a metropolitan area covering most part of Dong Nam Bo plus Tien Giang and Long An provinces under planning will have an area of 30,000 square kilometers with a population of 20 million inhabitants by 2020.
Ho Chi Minh City operates at to speeds: fast and faster. The central business district is rapidly developing in steel-and-glass precision, while the old Saigon lives on among wide avenues flanked by elegant colonial buildings.
Hectic and electric, traditional and modern, Ho Chi Minh city is a study in contrasts as it leads the change of a young country rapidly opening up to the rest of the world.
The central downtown area is in district 1. Sites of interest include the Historical Museum, the Reunification Hall and the War Remnants Museum.
Within a day's drive you can easily reach other sites worth visiting; Cuchi tunnels or Mekong Delta is well worth the trip.
If you are looking for good food, hot Pho (rice noodles soup with beef) or Hu Tieu (southern style noodle soup) will keep you satisfied 24 hours a day. You can also find everything from Korean hot pot to Japanese sushi and Indian curries to a genuine Texas barbecue or spicy Thai cuisine.
