Saigon — District 1 & Colonial Heritage★★
Distrikt 1, Ho-Chi-Minh-City
Bến Thành: 6:00–18:00, Nachtmarkt: 18:00–23:00
Hauptpost: Frei, Bến Thành: Frei (Einkauf nach Verhandlung)
District 1 is the heart of Saigon — a fascinating mix of French colonial heritage, brutal war history, and Asian metropolis energy. Here, the main attractions are concentrated in a small area:
French Heritage
- Main Post Office (Bưu Điện Trung Tâm): Designed by Gustave Eiffel (yes, THAT Eiffel), opened in 1891. The vaulted ceiling, the old phone booths, and the huge Ho Chi Minh portrait are a surreal mix. It still functions as a post office today — you can send postcards home.
- Notre-Dame Basilica: Built in 1880 from bricks shipped from Marseille. Under restoration for years, but impressive from the outside. A piece of Paris in the tropics.
- City Hall (Ủy Ban Nhân Dân): Magnificent French colonial building from 1908, beautifully lit at night. Not accessible, but photogenic from the outside.
- Opera House (Nhà Hát Thành Phố): Built in 1897 in the style of the Paris Opera. Today, Vietnamese acrobatics shows are performed here.
Bến Thành Market
The Bến Thành Market is Saigon's most famous market — a covered labyrinth of stalls with clothing, souvenirs, spices, and street food. The prices are hopelessly overpriced (2–3× the normal price), so bargain hard or better buy elsewhere. Still, a visit is worthwhile for the atmosphere and the street food around it. In the evening, the area transforms into a night market with food stalls.
