Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is a sprawling metropolis that is home to more than 5 million people. Vibrant and alluring, this city offers something for everyone. It is a study in contrasts: traditional and modern, young and old, rich and poor.

If you ever wondered what Bangkok must have been like before the gridlock or Hong Kong before the high rises, this is your chance.

But don't wait too long, this place is changing fast. Plan on spending a minimum of 2 or 3 days, longer if you can.

The central downtown area is in District 1. Here's where you'll find the greatest variety of lodgings, including classic hotels like the Grand, the Majestic and the Rex, as well as most of the newer, upscale hostelries. In recent years a lot of new hotel projects have been going up, creating a temporary glut, particularly in the high end of the market. The result is some pretty good deals on some really nice hotel rooms. We recommend first-timers stay in District 1, as it's close to many museums, historical sites, and good restaurants.

Numerous worthwhile sites within Ho Chi Minh City itself include the Historical Museum, Reunification Hall and the War Remnants Museum (formerly the War Crimes Museum). Within a day's drive there are also several attractions well-worth the trip.

Bargain hunters will find good deals on native handicrafts and custom-tailored clothing. Of course Ho Chi Minh City is also a great place to just sit and watch the action or take a leisurely tour in a cyclo to visit the historical sites, including Notre Dame Cathedral and the former U.S. embassies.

Downtown streets are dominated by two-wheeled traffic. Fashionably-dressed women with designer sunglasses, high heels and elbow-length gloves cruise past on their Hondas, followed by teenage girls wearing traditional Vietnamese ao dai, peddling bicycles and holding hands. With few traffic lights, intersections are negotiated by slowing down and then weaving through the cross traffic, making eye contact with the closest riders. Pedestrians cross the street by simply walking into the melee, hardly breaking stride as the traffic swirls around them. It all sounds crazy, but it works!

Most offices, stores and museums open early, usually around 7:30 a.m. Most close their doors for lunch for up to 2 hours. The city literally shuts down between noon and 1. Doors reopen by 1:30 and stay open until around 4:30 or 5. Most restaurants stop serving at 10 p.m.

Ho Chi Minh City has essentially two seasons: dry and wet. The dry season runs from November through April; the wet season from May through October. Dry or wet, it's always hot! If you arrive during the wet season, bring a raincoat and umbrella.

Not only a commercial centre, Ho Chi Minh City is also one of the most important tourist zones of Vietnam. Tourists may start their travels from Ho Chi Minh City to the Cuu Long delta with vast paddy fields and peaceful villages on both sides of channels overshadowed by coconut canopies. These channels may lead tourists to floating markets or to their remote mangrove forests in the southernmost part of the country. Other beautiful landscapes are the Thap Muoi field with natural birds sanctuaries, the Phu Quoc island or the beaches at Vung Tau. If going north, tourists will reach Da Lat that is next to the large basalt Central Highlands.

Main tourist spots within the city include:

- The Reunification Conference Hall: At the end of the 19th century, the French built the Norodom Place on this site. It was also an office of the then Governor. In 1963, those who carried out a coup d'etat damaged it in a bombardment. In 1966, it was restored. From 1966 to 1975 this Palace was the residence and office of the presidents of the pro-American Governments, called the "Independence Palace". At 11.30 am of April 30, 1975 the tanks of the Liberation Army entered and the last puppet authority capitulated without conditions.

- The Dragon House-Wharf: This is a large architectural project, built in 1862 on the bank of the Sai Gon River as the office of a waterway company. From there, in 1911 the 21-year-old Nguyen Tat Thanh (president Ho Chi Minh) departed for his voyages seeking a way for national liberation. At present, this is the commemorative house to President HO Chi Minh.

- Vinh Nghiem pagoda: This is a most famous pagoda in the city, built from 1964 to 1973 thanks to financial contributions of the Buddhists of the Truc Lam zen sect who came from Bac Giang province, therefore the pagoda is called "Vinh Nghiem", after the name of a pagoda built in the 11th century in Yen Diung, Bac Giang province, the ancient of the Truc Lam zen Buddhist sect.? The pagoda has?a seven layered tower keeping many pictures, statues of Buddha and a large bell contributed by Japanese Buddhists for peace prayers during the war in Vietnam.

- Notre Dame Cathedral: This is the most beautiful cathedral of the city located in its centre. The French built it from 1877 to 1880. Its two high bell towers were built the neo-Romanistic style.

- Zoo and Botanical Garden: It was built during 1864 and 1865. At first, many precious species of plants were brought here from India, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand, then rare animals were also raised. A bridge across the Thi Nghe Channel links the part reserved for growing plants and that for animals.

At present, thousands of plants grow in the Garden, including species from Africa and America. Hundreds of animals, birds and reptiles are also cared for here, so this is the biggest zoological garden of the country and the largest entertainment place of the city.