It’s hard not to mention Saigon when talking about travelling to Southeast Asia. Saigon (also known as Ho Chi Minh city) is one of the most amazing destinations where every travel lover should visit once in their life. The city mesmerizes tourists by not only its colorful lifestyle but also magnificent buildings built a long time ago. As one of the finest colonial architectures in Saigon, Reunification Palace is the symbol of Vietnam national independence with historical and architectural values attracting tourists around the world.
History of Saigon’s Reunification Palace
Being built in the 1870s, the Reunification Palace was originally used as the home and command center of Governor General. During the Vietnam War, this building was taken over by President Ngo Dinh Diem before the present government make it the reunification symbol of the whole country.
The architecture of Saigon’s Reunification Palace
Despite having a great historical story to tell, nowadays, the Reunification Palace is used as a museum for travelers to come and get to know Vietnam clearly. Being designed by a noted Vietnamese architect, Reunification Palace will impress you with its incredibly beautiful architecture which is a combination of Western and Eastern styles.
On the rooftop you will find a heliport with an old giant helicopter participated in the War. The meeting room and the banquet room are situated at first floor; the second floor is filled with bedrooms, reception, and workplace for the President; the third floor is designed for entertainment, and the fourth floor is ballroom for parties. From the reception rooms, meeting rooms to the President’s chambers, every detail is fascinating and impressive to the most visitor; and its construction has remained unchanged until now through many ups and downs.
What to do in Saigon’s Reunification Palace
Tourists are allowed to go and see most areas of the palace. Therefore, if you’re planning to get there, don’t forget to walk around as much as you can because the palace has many corners; and each corner has a special video to describe the palace and its history in popular languages such as Vietnamese, English, French, Chinese and Japanese.
Even though the area is quite crowded and noisy as it is the center of the city, there is a different world inside the Reunification Palace with large green space and a peaceful atmosphere. This garden creates a comfortable and cheery feeling for tourists right after walking through the entrances. To reach the palace, tourists are recommended to take a city bus or walk on foot to enjoy the beautiful view around it.
When and how to go to Saigon’s Reunification Palace
This landmark of Ho Chi Minh city owns an area of about 120.000m2 near Nam Ky Khoi Nghia street to the Northeast, Huyen Tran Cong Chua street to the Southwest, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai to the Northwest and Nguyen Du street to the Southeast. You can easily go to this place by buses, taxis or motorbike taxis.
Reunification Palace is open all days per week from Monday to Sunday, from 7:30 am to 5 pm (closed from 11:30 pm to 1 pm) with more than 1000 visitors coming each day. There is a small entrance fee around 30.000 VND per person. You may be checked for security reasons and need permission to take photos inside the palace, so it’s better to take some guided tours which you can share the local’s understanding as well as get some bits of help in case you need photos or anything special.
In the end, it is safe to say that the Reunification Palace is deserved to be known as one of the most popular and must-see historical places of Vietnam. Your trip to Ho Chi Minh city would not be really complete without setting foot in this place. Spend time dropping by to admire stunning architectural works and find out more about the rich history of Vietnam.