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SOUTHERN
VIETNAM
Ho
Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Saigon is the former name of Ho Chi Minh City which was once also
called "the Pearl of the Far East". Still the largest
city and the industrial and trading centre of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh
City is now on the way to regain its heyday. This can be seen through
its development velocity and changes taking place almost everyday.
The modern life of the city shows in the many hotels of international
standards, restaurants, cafés and night-life. However, Ho
Chi Minh City is still much more with pagodas, temples, museums
and markets which give visitors knowledge of the city's history
and evolution as well as local people's daily life. Tourists, of
course, should not miss a visit to Ho Chi Minh City's bustling Chinatown
(or "Cholon" in Vietnamese) where the city's Chinese community
mostly live in. From Ho Chi Minh City, one-day excursions are easily
arranged for tourists to the famous system of underground tunnels
of Cu Chi and/or to Tay Ninh Province to the magnificent Great Temple
of Caodaism - a religion uniquely found in Vietnam, or for a boat
trip on Mekong river in the Mekong Delta.
Mekong
Delta
On the map this vast area encircles the downstream of the Mekong
river which is to Vietnamese people the "Nine Dragon river".
The nine dragons here correspond to the river's nine estuaries through
which the river flows into the East Sea. Being called the "rice
basket" of Vietnam, the delta boasts large rice paddies with
beautiful landscapes. Tourists can also take small boats into small
canals to visit local farmers' houses hidden in large orchards of
longan, rambuttan, sapodilla, etc. A trip to know thoroughly the
farmers' daily life and to enjoy the seasonal tropical fruits the
shady gardens is truthfully an unforgettable and rewarding experience
for those coming here to the Vietnamese countryside.
Cu
Chi Underground Tunnels
Situated in a suburban district of Ho Chi Minh City of the same
name - Cu Chi, this renowned network of over 250km-long tunnels
became famous around the world during the Vietnam war. This was
also the site of years of fierce struggles and an example of Vietnamese
people's bravery and endurance. Once coming here, tourists will
comprehend the reason why Vietnam had won the war despite large
amounts of modern weapons and money had been used. This network
of tunnels which was dug out underground and used as the Vietnamese
guerrillas' nearest base to Saigon during the Vietnam war is now
an attraction for foreign tourists as well as for local people.
A half-day trip is easily arranged from Ho Chi Minh City which is
only about 75km from the tunnels.
Tay
Ninh
The province of Tay Ninh has long been the headquarters of Caodaism,
a religion that can only be found in Vietnam. This unique religion,
which is a mixture of Buddhism, Confucianism and Christianity, was
once very popular among the people of the region and in the Mekong
Delta. Tourists will be amazed by the magnificent Great Temple (also
called the "Holy See") where four times a day masses will
be held of which the noon service is most important. As for those
who do not have much time in Vietnam, a visit from Ho Chi Minh City
to the Great Temple of Caodaism in Tay Ninh can be combined with
the trip to Cu Chi Underground Tunnels, and we can have a full day-trip
to these both interesting places.
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Ho
Chi Minh City (Saigon) |
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Mekong
Delta |
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Chi Underground Tunnels |
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Tay
Ninh |
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