Saigon. Paris of the East. The Pearl of the Orient. The setting of erotic French novels and thrilling Graham Greene mysteries. There was once a time when the city now known as Ho Chi Minh held a fascinating allure for travellers – a place of intrigue and exoticism, the perfect blend of colonial culture and Oriental charm.
Post-war, Vietnam’s meteoric progress saw the country’s most populated metropolis advance at an incredible rate, with the city centre trading in its innumerable ancient shophouses for towering skyscrapers – for better or worse.
The area known as District 1 is where most modern-day visitors now spend their time. It’s the city’s financial hub, its beating heart, a heady mishmash of gorgeous colonial structures, stark Soviet-era buildings and striking high-rises, all soundtracked by the bee-like swarm…
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Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Edition (Digital) - 1 Issue, November 2018