Ho Chi Minh

Located just a one-hour drive northwest of Ho Chi Minh City are the extraordinary Cu Chi tunnels. During the war Vietnamese guerillas built this labyrinth of narrow tunnels; they used them to hide during bombing raids and stage surprise attacks. The entire area of Cu Chi was designated a free fire zone and was heavily bombarded: you can still see numerous craters caused by 500-pound B52 bombs. There are over 200 kilometers of tunnels in the area, all of which were dug using only hand tools. Two sections of tunnel are open to the public. Ex-Vietnamese fighters lead tours through the underground hospitals, kitchens and sleeping quarters. Visitors of Cu Chi can also fire AK47s and M16 rifles on a specially designed firing range.

The Cao Dai Sect was founded in the 1920’s by Ngo Van Chieu, a Saigon civil servant; its followers believe in a combination of the Islamic, Christian, Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian faiths. The symbol of the religion is an “all-seeing eye”, which dominates the altar at the Cao Dai Holy See, a colorful temple described by Graham Greene in The Quiet American as “The Walt Disney Fantasia of the East”. Monks dressed in bright colors represent different branches of the sect and the noon mass (one of four, each day) is an amazing spectacle.

An opera house in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is an example of French Colonial architecture in Vietnam.

Built in 1897 by French architect Ferret Eugene, the 800-seat building was used as the home of the Lower House assembly of South Vietnam after 1956. It was not until 1975 that it was again used as a theatre and restored in 1995.

Saigon Opera House is a smaller counterpart of the Hanoi Opera House (built from 1901 to 1911 and shaped like the Opéra Garnier in Paris). The Saigon Opera House owes its specific characteristics to the work of architect Félix Olivier, while construction was under supervision of architect Ernest Guichard and Eugène Ferret in 1900.

Its architectural style is influenced by the flamboyant style of the French Third Republic with the façade shaped like the Petit Palais which was built in the same year in France. The house had a main seating floor plus two levels of seating above and was capable of accommodating 1,800 people. The design of all the inscriptions, décor, and furnishings were drawn by a French artist and sent from France.

However, the décor of the façade faced some criticisms. In accordance with Gothic style, the house facade was decorated with inscription and reliefs (like City Hall), but it was criticized as being too complicated. In 1943, some of the complicated decoration was removed. On the occasion of the 300th anniversary of Saigon in 1998, the city government had some façade decor restored.

The City Hall was built between 1902 and1908 in a French colonial style for the city, then known as Saigon. It was renamed after 1975 as Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee. Illuminated at night, the building is not opened to the public or for tourists. A statute of the namesake is found in park next to the building.