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Bus Mode: Further info at https://hopon-hopoff.vn/tours/hcm-citysightseeing-tour
Walk Mode
Track difficulty: Bus Mode: Easy hop on/hop off. Walk Mode: Easy-Intermediate.
Terrain elevation: Plane
Estimated time: Bus Mode: 1 Hour. Walk Mode: 2.5 hours
Steps: Bus Mode: N/A. Walk Mode: 13,000 steps approx.
Need: Unpredictable rain would make you carry a rain coat and wear the nón lá (Vietnam's famous rice farm hat)
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Your average trip to Vietnam's biggest city is about to make a lot of more sense with CitiTrails. Lost in between the hundreds of bikes beeping? The many places to eat, shop, and visit? How about a quick take of major landmarks to keep an eye on while making sure to keep with the chaos that moves this bustling southeastern icon 24/7.
Bus Tour in District 1
The main starting point of this trail takes you to the most beautiful plaza of Ho Chi Minh City. The Saigon Opera House carries French Colonialism style into today. The reason you should take a picture here is because you feel a sense of belonging to the city right away.
Moving along the way, the route will take you through much of the modernity of District 1. The communist heritage remains, but if you follow along streets like Hàm Nghi, skycrappers rapidly come across your lens, such as the Bitexco Financial Centre. This is one of those breathtaking landmarks that highlights the rapid development of HCMC since communist times.
One of the monuments that caught my attention was the iconic Trân Hung Ðao. The afterlife of this ancient Royal Prince of Vietnam is commemorated by in a plaza full of contrasting landscapes.
The route continues along the Sông Saigon River, which makes a plea to the incredible traffic that people have to live with in Asian Southeastern cities. However, I was moved by the views I was able to capture just before doing a quick detour towards the Cãu Ba Son bridge (this was not included in the original trail)
Nguyen Hue Walking Street
We recommend you to follow the following trail to enjoy more of District 1.
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Once the bus tour is over, its a must to take some sunset pictures with the lights coming out of Ho Chi Minh People's Committee Building. You are close from the Opera House to head to Ho Chi Minh Statue Plaza where the lights of this beautiful French building will start to light up in the background.
Nguyen Hue became a walking street where the HCMC government has strictly promoted this space as an area for walking only. You won't find any informal businesses popping up here. Its a nice contrast from what you usually see in every other street of the city.
Here's the proof of the great pictures you can take here!
It is impressive the views from this place. You cannot really get enough of it. This why CitiTrails highly recommends the visit to this area.
Coffee Coffee Coffee at Cafe Apartments Building
One of the most iconic attractions would be the most out of place building you'll find near Nguyen Hue walking street. An ordinary brutalist building built initially in the 1960's as dormitories for the American military has transformed itself with lots of aesthetic coffee lights promoted in every window of it.
There are around 9 stories where every floor has at least 4 commercial places to dine-in, have a drink, or shop local Vietnamese souvenirs.
A nice way to wind-down the afternoon and have a cup of Vietnamese coffee with a view ;)
Landmark 81
If you are still wanting to do more and think you've got enough energy....try the tallest building in Vietnam (or the second tallest skycrapper in Southeast Asia).
You would probably need to take a car, Grab, or a bus ride. So here's the most common route to it.
Follow this proposed route to get from Nguyen Hue to Landmark 81
Landmark 81 iconic's building is surrounded by one of the most exclusive living and shopping facilities. Luxury apartments and high-end retail is what calls tourists to gravitate around this spectacular monument.
Get to the top! Buy the ticket entrance inside the building's main mall and enjoy a trip to the top of the best views of HCMC.
Final Thoughts
District 1 is the heart of where the financial, political and influential side of HCMC is located at. The Vietnam War and French colonialism is remembered with respect, you can see this across places such as the War Remnants Museum and People's Committee Building. Its impressive to not fall short of places to visit. CitiTrails has done its best to figure out a way to get the most of it.
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