If you expats are leisurely walking along a street in downtown Ho Chi Minh City and a man comes out of nowhere to invite you to buy his coconuts, chances are he is going to rip you off. >> An audio version of the story is available here There are several groups of coconut peddlers who only target foreign tourists to force them buy coconuts at cut-throat prices, or invite them to pose for a photograph with their ganh – the bamboo yokes hung with baskets at each end used to carry the fruits around – and charge them a great deal. When a couple of tourists were heading to Nam Ky Khoi Nghia in District 1 on May 5, they were stopped by a coconut vendor named Ngoc, who jumped out from his hiding place on Nguyen Du Street. The peddler spoke a few sentences in pidgin English and immediately passed his ganh onto the shoulders of the male tourist, much to the latter’s surprise. Finally, the holidaymakers were asked to pay VND200,000 (roughly US$10) for two coconuts, … [Read more...] about Inside look at coconut rip-offs in downtown Ho Chi Minh City
Reunification palace ho chi minh city vietnam
2017 Gyeongju culture expo to kick off in Ho Chi Minh City – Entertainment – Arts & Entertainment
The Hanoitimes - South Korea will hold a cultural expo in Vietnam`s commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City next year. South Korea will hold a cultural expo in Vietnam's commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City next year that will show off cultural exchanges between the two countries, and feature an amalgam of culture and economy, organizers said Friday. The Ho Chi Minh City-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2017, co-hosted by two local governments, the organizing committee and the Vietnamese city government, will run for 25 days in November. The Gyeongju World Expo, which began in 1998 and was put on by the North Gyeongsang provincial government and the Gyeongju city government, will be the third of its kind to be held overseas following ones in Angkor Wat, Cambodia, in 2006, and Istanbul, Turkey, in 2013. Gyeongju, 370 kilometers southeast of Seoul, was the capital of the ancient Korean kingdomof Silla (57 B.C.-A.D. 935), which ruled about two-thirds of the Korean Peninsula between the 7th and … [Read more...] about 2017 Gyeongju culture expo to kick off in Ho Chi Minh City – Entertainment – Arts & Entertainment
Downtown Ho Chi Minh City set to become pedestrian zone
A proposal has been submitted to transform many streets in downtown Ho Chi Minh City into footpaths, with all personal vehicles banned from entering the area. The municipal Department of Transport has tasked the Urban Traffic Management Unit No.1 with developing a project that will establish a 221-hectare pedestrian area in the city’s center. The detailed plan to prohibit personal vehicles from a 7.35 kilometer diameter area covering sections of Le Duan, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Pasteur, Hai Ba Trung, Mac Dinh Chi, Nguyen Binh Khiem, Dong Khoi, Nguyen Hue, Nguyen Du, Ly Tu Trong, Le Loi, and others is set to be submitted to the municipal People’s Committee for approval prior to April 30. The proposed area currently houses many cultural and service buildings, namely the municipal administration’s headquarters, the Reunification Palace, Ben Thanh Market, the Municipal Theater, Tao Dan Park, the Saigon Zoo, universities, and hotels. To help commuters and tourists affected … [Read more...] about Downtown Ho Chi Minh City set to become pedestrian zone
40 Years of Saigon – Ho Chi Minh City
Forty years after the country was reunited, Ho Chi Minh City has developed marvelously. The “Pearl of the Far East” of 40 years ago has developed into a “megacity” of modern times. It not only has skyscrapers, large avenues and architectural works of an impressive stature, but also a firm and dynamic foundation of life, economy and culture available for deep integration into the world. A “megacity” on the banks of the Saigon RiverForty years ago, Saigon was dubbed the “Pearl of the Far East” because the US poured millions of dollars into this city to build an “empire” of indulgence to serve their huge war machine. However, few people knew that behind the glamour and sparkling colouful lights of the nightclubs, restaurants, hotels and dormitories, which were always crowded with the troops of the Republic of Vietnam and US advisors, a majority of people in Saigon still lived in the poor slums on the banks of the Saigon River … [Read more...] about 40 Years of Saigon – Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City eyes opening of downtown music streets
A proposal to open music streets in downtown Ho Chi Minh City was made by the District 1 administration during a meeting with the city’s chairman on Wednesday. The proposal calls for music streets to be located on the parallel Han Thuyen and Alexandre de Rhodes streets. The streets are located near a number of the city’s landmark sites such as the Reunification Palace, the Saigon Central Post Office, and the Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica. They also border April 30 Park, a popular weekend rendezvous amongst the city’s youth and expat community, who go there to enjoy a take-away cup of iconic Saigonese iced coffee with condensed milk while listening to live music performances from amateur artists. The proposal by District 1’s administration was positively received by Nguyen Thanh Phong, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, who asked for a more detailed plan as soon as possible. A proposal to open a weekend food fair at Bach … [Read more...] about Ho Chi Minh City eyes opening of downtown music streets
6,000 join rehearsal for Reunification Day celebrations in Ho Chi Minh City
Nearly 6,000 soldiers, militiamen, and civilians partook in the April 26, 2015 rehearsal of a military parade and other ceremonies, to take place in downtown Ho Chi Minh City in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Reunification Day on April 30. The rehearsal saw the participation of the country’s top leaders and city officials, including Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Secretary Le Thanh Hai; Defense Minister General Phung Quang Thanh; and Minister of Public Security General Tran Dai Quang. Almost 6,000 participants showed up at the venue as early as 4:00 am. Some 1,000 others from the security force, backstage personnel, and media were also present at the event. Leading the rehearsed parade was a van bearing the country’s national emblem, which was followed by the blocks representing the country’s 54 ethnic groups. Later came a group of children and teenagers and another van with the photo of the country’s late President Ho Chi Minh. The drilled … [Read more...] about 6,000 join rehearsal for Reunification Day celebrations in Ho Chi Minh City
A guide to Vietnam’s fast, furious Ho Chi Minh City
If a city’s fortunes can be judged by the number of cranes dotting its landscape, Ho Chi Minh City has high hopes. Posters stuck to construction sites advertise lavish apartment blocks and landscaped shopping malls under development. A metro system, currently being built, promises comprehensive public transport at last. Change is in the air—and the city’s exceptionally youthful population, over half of whom are younger than 35, are leading the way. Yet despite rapid growth, Ho Chi Minh City—still known by locals and expats alike as Saigon—retains an old-world charm. Alongside the visible signs of new wealth—imported cars, chic restaurants, and gated mansions with lavish, Italianate exteriors—sits the Saigon of old. Bare-chested men take naps in hammocks, hens peck in rubble on the roadside, and food stalls ladle up steaming bowls of pho to boisterous groups of friends sat at plastic tables. Nicknamed the “Pearl of the … [Read more...] about A guide to Vietnam’s fast, furious Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City TV seeks to make cultural connection with regional nations
Eighteen television performers from several countries are in Ho Chi Minh City for a TV program titled "Duyen dang truyen hinh (Charming TV employees) ASEAN TPHCM 2009." It is being organized by Ho Chi Minh City Television and China's Guangxi TV. The women from Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Singapore, two others from Vietnam, and five guests from Guangxi Province will participate in several activities from May 26 to 29. On May 26 they paid some visits to historical and tourist sites in HCMC like Ben Thanh market, the Post Office, Reunification Palace, and the Ho Chi Minh Museum. On May 27 they will visit a village making rice paper in Cu Chi district and an embroidery factory of well-known designer Viet Hung, and enjoy local food and drink. On May 29 the women will give performances in a cultural exchange concert titled "Thieu nu va luy tre lang" (Young girls and the village's row of bamboo trees) at the Dai Nam tourism … [Read more...] about Ho Chi Minh City TV seeks to make cultural connection with regional nations
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City is the center of business, science, technology, culture, arts and entertainment. It is the second most important city in Vietnam after Hanoi, and is a leading industrial and commercial centre of Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City has hundreds of rivers and canals, but most of them are small. The climate is tropical. There are two main seasons: monsoon and sunny season. The wet season lasts from the middle of April to October. And the dry season runs from November to April. Average temperature is around 28 degrees Celsius. Ho Chi Minh City is located on the banks of the Saigon river. The total area of the city is about 2,056.5 square kilometers. It is more than 300 years old with a population of approximately 8 millions people Ho Chi Minh City is an important and large turntable for transport. This is a city where hundred thousands of the motorcycles, bicycles, cars, and buses share the same street. The largest airport is Tan Son Nhat in the South of the country. Ho Chi … [Read more...] about Ho Chi Minh City
Old Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City is today a major economic centre and the most dynamic city of Vietnam. The city of old Saigon has seen a lot of changes since the southern liberation and national reunification. However, many unique beautiful characteristics still remain as time passes by. … [Read more...] about Old Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City