| Formerly known as Saigon, Hochiminh city today is the bustling and vibrating economic center of the south. The city is bathed by many rivers, arroyos and canals, the biggest river being the Saigon River. The Port of Saigon, established in 1862, is accessible to ships weighing up to 30,000 tons, a rare advantage for an inland river port.
Over the past few centuries, Saigon was already a busy commercial center. Merchants from China, Japan and many European countries would sail upstream the Saigon River to reach the islet of Pho, a trading center. In 1874, Cho Lon merged with Saigon forming the largest city in the Indochina. Saigon was called the ''Pearl of the Far East'' and was an important trading center for Chinese, Japanese and Western merchants who travelled up the Saigon River.
In Hochiminh city, you can visit: French quarter with cathedral Notre Dame, Poste Office, municipal theatre of style parisian small Palace, formerly Presidential palace, China town, war museum, ancient pagodas and temples...
The climate is generally hot and humid. There are two distinctive seasons: the rainy season, from May to November, and the dry season, from December to April. The annual average temperature is 27șC. The hottest month is April and the lowest is December. It is warm all year.
You can visit the Cu Chi tunnel located 70km from Hochiminh city, enjoy an attrative excursion in the mekong delta...
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