Ho Chi Minh City, popularly known as Saigon to its seven million or so inhabitants, is Vietnam’s centre of commerce. Fuelled by the sweeping economic changes wrought by ‘doi moi’ in 1986, this effervescent city, perched on the west bank of the Saigon River, is also the largest city of Vietnam, though not its administrative capital – an honour that rests with Hanoi.
Unlike Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City may lack charm and elegance, but the city with its essential French colonial character has enough to draw your attention. The colonial villas, wide avenues and a lively cafe society in the city are bound to remind you of the days of French dominance. If Hanoi is a city of romance and mellow charms, then Ho Chi Minh is its antithesis.
Today, Ho Chi Minh City stands as a major tourist destination attracting millions of tourists from every nook and corner of the world. Already making a mark in the Asian tourism market as one of the leading destinations apt for business and leisure, Ho Chi Minh City is a place worth exploring.
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