What to do in Central Saigon?

Saigon, also known as Ho Chi Minh City, with its traffic and perpetual construction, may not be the most pedestrian-friendly city in the world, although there are plenty of places that are easy to get around on foot. Many of the city’s most famous and iconic sights are located within a block of each other in the city center, clustered around the old historic city hall. Visit these top sights in all of Saigon!

Top sights in Central Saigon

Notre Dame Saigon Cathedral

• Officially the Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of Saigon
• Constructed by the French Cochinchina colonial government in 1863
• The cathedral was constructed in a European Romanesque architectural style
• In 1960, Pope John XXIII made the cathedral a basilica
• The cathedral is famous for its beautiful stained glass windows
• The statue of St. Mary is famous for an incident in 2007, when the statue supposedly was witnessed by hundreds shedding tears, drawing Catholics from all over the world to witness the sight
• The interior of the cathedral is closed for massive renovations, which are projected to finish in 2020

Saigon Central Post Office

• The Saigon Central Post Office was constructed in 1886 by the French colonial government
• Though still an active post office, it is now one of the city’s big tourist attractions
• The post office is famous for its beautiful architecture and interior murals depicting the telegraph lines in southern Vietnam
• The old bank of telegraphs has been replaced with modern ATMS

Saigon Opera House (Municipal Theater)

• The 800 seat Saigon Opera House was built in 1897
• From 1965 until 1975 the Opera House was used as a meeting hall for the lower house of the South Vietnamese (State of Vietnam) parliament
• In 1995 the Opera House was restored for its original purpose
• Today, you can buy tickets ONLINE for plays, concerts, operas, and cultural performances

Book Street

• Nguyen Van Binh Street, better known as Book Street, is located just past the cathedral and post office
• Book Street opened in 2016, and has become a paradise for book lovers
• Dozens of bookshops line this pedestrian-only walking street
• You can find many English books, both new and secondhand

Ho Chi Minh City Hall

• Also known as the Hôtel de Ville de Saïgon
• The Ho Chi Minh City Hall was constructed by the French Indochina government in 1902
• Today, the City Hall is home to the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee
• The HCMC City Hall is not open to the public, but is a great place to take some photographs
• There is a large park and garden in front of the city hall where locals like to sit, relax, and take photographs
• Visit at night to see this grand old building lit up with beautiful lights

The Propaganda Bistro

• The Propaganda Bistro is one of many trendy restaurants located near the Ho Chi Minh City Hall
• This cool and funky bistro is decorated with murals depicting the iconic Communist propaganda artwork from Vietnam that has now become part of the pop culture
• The Propaganda Bistro boasts a large range of local Vietnamese craft beer!
• Try a delicious banh mi sandwich
• The prices are a bit higher than in other parts of the city, but the food is excellent