Festival

Ho Chi Minh’s Birthday Festival

Credited as being the founder of the Viet Minh independence movement in 1941 and establishing communist control in part of Vietnam in the 1950s, Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890 – September 2, 1969) was a Vietnamese revolutionary, who was later appointed as Prime Minister (1946–1955) and then went on to become President (1955–1969) of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The name Ho Chi Minh means "he who enlightens." This festival, honoring Ho Chi Minh’s is celebrated on his birthday, the 19th of May.

City guide

Overview & visitor information

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Tet Festival

Activity

Ho Chi Minh City is a city of festivals and fetes. The events are exotic and distinct in their own way and portray Vietnamese culture with grandeur. The ideal time to visit this bustling city is during the months of January and February, when the weather is cooler. This is also the time for the famous Tet Festival. The Tet Festival is the highlight of the Vietnamese festivals which is celebrated with a lot of pomp and ceremony. Usually falling between the 19th of January and 20th of February, the Tet Festival is celebrated for a week in the south. It is the biggest festival celebrated and marks the Lunar New Year. The beginning of the New Year is believed to be the most auspicious time to start any venture and tourists planning a trip to Ho Chi Minh City during the Tet Lunar New Year festivities must be well prepared and have bookings far in advance for accommodation and transport.

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The Thien Hau Pagoda festival

Activity

The Thien Hau Pagoda festival is celebrated in the famous Thien Hau Pagoda, with reverence to the Lady Thien Hau. Originally a Chinese deity, she is held in high regard in seafaring communities and is believed to offer protection to sailors. People regularly come to this pagoda to pray for a better life and during the festival, a lion dance is performed in the yard of the pagoda.

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Buddha’s Birthday Festival

Activity

An event of great importance in Ho Chi Minh City is Buddha’s Birthday Festival, which is celebrated on the 15th day of the Fourth Lunar Month. In Ho Chi Minh City this festival is lavishly celebrated in the Nghia An Hoi Quan Pagoda. The temple is exquisitely decorated, while monks move in processions through the streets. The celebrations are held on the night of the May full moon and visiting the temple a week before these begin is advisable.

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Nghia An Hoi Pagoda

Activity

This festival is celebrated in the Nghia An Hoi Pagoda that is dedicated to Quan Cong an eminent Chinese officer during the Three Kingdoms period. The Chinese community, such as the Hoas and Kinh, visit this pagoda annually to commemorate this special festival, which is celebrated twice a year-on the 15th of the 1st lunar month and the 24th of the 6th lunar month (July). Once the prayers are over, various non-religious activities take place on the grounds of the pagoda.

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The Le Van Duyet Temple Festival

Activity

The Le Van Duyet Temple Festival is a very auspicious festival for the Vietnamese. It is celebrated on the death anniversary of national hero Le Van Duyet and honors him and his wife. His death anniversary is usually held on the 1st day of the 8th lunar month and sometimes proceeds for a few days after the official ceremony. Traditional Southern Vietnamese rituals are performed, including the burning of incense, an opera performance or even consultation with the oracle about one’s life, marriage, work, etc.

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National Day

Activity

The National Day on the 2nd of September celebrates Ho Chi Minh’s proclamation of freedom for Vietnam in 1945.

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Mid Autumn Festival

Activity

The liveliest festival celebrated in Ho Chi Minh City is the Mid Autumn Festival, which is usually celebrated by children and comparable to Halloween without the ‘evil spirit’ connotation. Small children carrying colorful lanterns go on procession around the city and are showered with gifts and boxes of moon cakes.

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Wandering Souls Day

Activity

The Wandering Souls Day is the second most important festival celebrated in Vietnam. On this sacred day, offerings like food and other gifts are made to honor the ‘wandering souls’ or the ‘souls of the forgotten dead.’ The most amazing feature of this festival is in the Giac Lam Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City - the Tree of Wandering Souls. People come here specifically to pray for their sick relatives by writing the names of friends and family on little pieces of paper and sticking them to the tree.

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The Fisherman’s Festival

Activity

On the 16th day of the 8th lunar month, the very important Fisherman’s Festival is held in the midst of Can Thanh in the Cana Gio District. Fishermen partake in the festivities rather than going out to catch fish on this day honoring the whale, a friend of seafarers. Fishing boats and harbors are extravagantly decorated and lit on this day.

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Death Anniversary of Tran Hung Dao

Activity

Tran Hung Dao was a Vietnamese Grand Commander-in-Chief in the 18th century and was said to be one of the very few generals in history to have never lost a battle or war under his command. Special rituals and prayers are conducted annually on the 20th day of the 8th lunar month in memory of the Vietnamese hero.

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What to do with Children in Tow

zoo

Ho Chi Minh City offers plenty of places where you can take your children. One place to spend the day is the Saigon Zoo. With 133 years of operation, it’s is one the oldest zoos world. The wide variety of indigenous animals, the aquariums and the museum can keep children occupied for the entire day. Several temples are also found in its extensive grounds.

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The Saigon Opera House

House

Also known as the Ho Chi Minh Municipal Theatre, the Opera House is a beautiful example of French Colonial architecture from 1897. The 3-story, 1,800-seat opera house stages a variety of concerts not limited to opera, including ballet, classical and pop music and traditional Vietnamese performances. The square outside is a great place to relax and people watch.

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Buu Dien Truong Tam (Post Office)

Building

This is the historic post office was built in the 19th century European style and features an enormous portrait of the former president Ho Chi Minh. The crowds inside consist of mostly visitors rather than actual customers.

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Saigon Square

Market

This is a popular spot for both tourists and the younger crowd, where Russian Market stores can be found selling cheap watches, T-shirts, DVDs, clothes, slippers and the like.

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City Hall

Building

Formerly known as the Hotel de Ville and rebranded as the People’s Committee Hall, the City Hall is a strikingly beautiful French colonial building and an important monument to the Vietnamese. The entrance is a popular place to have your photograph taken by the statue of Uncle Ho.

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Bink Quoi Tourist Village

Village

The Bink Quoi Tourist Village was built in 1994 by the Saigon Tourist Corporation. It is the largest tourist attraction in all of Ho Chi Minh City, offering an evening dinner cruise with a cultural show. The tourist village offers a lot of activities to pass time as well as hosting puppet shows and boat rides.

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Cong Vien Van Hoa Park

Park

This club was once used by French colonists. It is shaded by trees and has a number of tennis courts, a swimming pool, a gymnasium and table tennis facilities. Early in the mornings, the art of thai cuc quyen [slow-motion shadow boxing] is practiced.

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The Fine Art Museum

Museum

The Fine Art Museum is widely known for its spectacular range of artifacts including contemporary paintings, some of which can be bought. A wide variety of art exhibits, including Khmer, Cham and Indian works of art are also displayed. This museum is just a few blocks from the famous Ben Thanh Market.

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Mariamman Hindu Temple

Temple

The Mariamman Hindu Temple is approximately 3 blocks from the Ben Thanh Market and was built in the 19th century and dedicated to the Hindu goddess, Mariamman.

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Ben Thanh Market

Market

The Ben Thanh Market is the biggest attraction in Ho Chi Min City for all tourists as it is the main shopping centre and everyone visiting Vietnam comes here looking for bargains. The market is very well organized with an array of stalls arranged in sections according to what they sell. The Ben Thanh is also huge on souvenir shops.

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Villa Romaine

Cuisine: Italian Villa Romaine offers the city’s highest quality Italian food and is part of the famous Thao Dien Complex. The restaurant is just a 15 minute drive from District 1 and can also be reached by boat. It is definitely worth visiting if you want to enjoy a nice quiet meal on the peaceful banks of the river.

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Pomodoro’s

Cuisine: Italian Pomodoro’s is a fancy Italian restaurant that gives you a true sense of being in Italy. Their specialty is lasagna and their pizzas are absolutely delicious. The restaurant not only serves fine entrees, but also offers an array of appetizers if you’d just like to snack. Desserts here are also a treat.

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Au Lac Do Brazil

Cuisine: Brazilian This restaurant is known as a Brazilian churrascaria – an all-you-can-eat restaurant featuring a wide variety of barbecued meats. Live Latin music and dancing provide the main attraction from Tuesdays to Saturdays. For authentically Brazilian cuisine and fine service, visit any of the Au Lac Do Brazil outlets in Ho Chi Minh City.

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La Habana

Cuisine: Spanish & Cuban With its colorful Mediterranean décor, La Habana offers outstanding Spanish and Cuban food. There are over 50 different types of tapas on the menu, as well as paella specialties. La Habana hosts free salsa lessons on Tuesdays and live music on Fridays, but show up any night of the week for a fun and relaxing atmosphere and great food.

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Huy Long Vien

Cuisine: Chinese Huy Long Vien offers the best Peking duck as well as fantastic all-you-can-eat dim sum. Location: 99 Nguyễn Du, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3823 7799

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L’En Tete

Cuisine: French A stylish French bistro, L’En Tete serves classic French cooking along with its live jazz piano performances. Every two months, the restaurant also organizes an art show and hosts an opening with the artists. With its fine food and great atmosphere, L’En Tete, which is open until midnight, offers a magnificent dining experience.

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Temple Club

Cuisine: Vietnamese The Temple Club is an elegant restaurant housed in a turn of the century former Chinese temple. The décor is classic and much of it- from the rugs to the tapestries- is available for purchase. The Vietnamese standards are cooked wonderfully and the atmosphere is romantic and reminiscent of the 1930s Saigon.

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Barbecue Garden

Cuisine: Vietnamese and International delicacies The restaurant specializes in the city’s best barbecues, with both Vietnamese and international delicacies. At night the restaurant is beautifully decorated and lit, the air is thick with the odor of fresh meat being grilled and music sets the atmosphere for a fine dining experience.

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Lemongrass

Cuisine: Vietnamese Popular among tourists, locals and expats alike, this cozy restaurant by the opera house serves quality Vietnamese food and excellent seafood.

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Spice

Cuisine: Thai This is the largest and most popular Thai restaurant in all of Ho Chi Minh City. Authentic Thai food is cooked by two Thai chefs and the food- both traditional and fusion- is always fresh and is served within minutes. This venue seats over 200 people and is air conditioned.