The Word - Ho Chi Minh City

Saigon, as the cliché would have it, is a city on the up. Quite literally. Only twenty years ago, Vietnam’s southern hub was a neglected shadow of its former self. The benefits of the shift from a centrally planned economy to a market-based model were yet to be felt and the legacy of war, neglect and isolation resulted in a pretty sorry state of affairs.

You don’t have to sniff too hard to catch the scent of romance in Saigon. The city’s reputation for raciness can’t, of course, be written off, but the kind of ardour most commonly witnessed on the teeming streets is rooted in more innocent values.

Saigon is a city of contrasts, of old meets new, of rich versus poor, of west up against the east. So, here is a mini guide to what makes this city unique. Meet the A to C of Saigon.

Saigon is a city of contrasts, of old meets new, of rich versus poor, of west up against the east. So, here is a mini guide to what makes this city unique. Meet the D to G of Saigon.

Saigon is a city of contrasts, of old meets new, of rich versus poor, of west up against the east. So, here is a mini guide to what makes this city unique. Meet the R to U of Saigon.