HANOI TRAVEL INFORMATION...

In 1975, Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) but today they are
both used interchangeably by foreigners and locals alike, most
preferring the former. Technically speaking, Saigon is actually
downtown District 1 of the larger HCMC (which has 19 urban and 5 rural
districts.) Downtown Saigon is the most popular tourist destination in
Vietnam. In the past it was referred to as the Pearl of the Orient and
Paris of the East because of its wide boulevards, colonial-style
villas and lively café society. Today, it is a curious mix of the past
and present. The streets bustle with pedestrians, cyclos, bicycles,
motorbikes, taxis and SUVs all vying for right-of-way. Foreign
businessmen and tourists share the walkways with noodle soup vendors
and pajama-clad Vietnamese women balancing their weight's worth of
seasonal fruit on their shoulders. Modern skyscrapers loom beside
elegant, dilapidated villas. Bars, cafes and Hotels for every budget
and taste and restaurants for every cuisine line the streets. Shop in
multiple-storied, upscale malls or haggle for bargains on the street.
Get a manicure, facial, shampoo or foot massage for under US$ 10 with
a cup of tea or be fitted for a suit or gown in a boutique. Saigon has
it all within an area no more than a 15 minute walk from end to end.
Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam’s commercial hub and its center of
international business.
More at: www.vietnamalive.com