War Remnants and Colonial Charm: Discovering Ho Chi Minh City

Show Notes: Ho Chi Minh City — Then and Now

In this episode, Senior Writer Chin Teh Liang takes us to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest and fastest-changing metropolis. Once known as Saigon, the city still carries the echoes of its wartime past and its elegant French colonial heritage—yet today it’s a booming, modern powerhouse with a skyline that surprises first‑time visitors.

What We Cover in This EpisodeA City of Layers: Colonial Beauty, War History, and Modern Energy

Chin arrives during the 50th anniversary of Vietnam’s reunification, where long lines form outside the War Remnants Museum. Inside, he encounters some of the most powerful wartime photography in the world, along with reconstructions of prison “tiger cages” and even the original guillotine once used on prisoners.

Outside, the museum grounds display decommissioned helicopters, tanks, and fighter jets—sobering reminders of the country’s past.

French Colonial Architecture That Still Stuns

Ho Chi Minh City’s nickname, “The Little Paris of the East,” becomes clear as Chin explores its architectural gems:

1. Museum of Fine Arts — originally a tycoon’s mansion, now a museum filled with contemporary art, ancient sculpture, and breathtaking interior details like spiral staircases, stained glass, and Art Nouveau balconies.
2. Saigon Opera House — modeled after Paris’s Petit Palais, still offering nightly performances and pre‑show tours.
3. Street shoe‑shiners — a living remnant of the French colonial era.

The New Saigon: Skyscrapers, River Cruises, and the Metro

Along the Saigon River, glass towers rise above the water, including the iconic Bitexco Financial Tower and Landmark 81. Chin takes a nighttime river cruise, gliding under the color‑lit Ba Son Bridge while a violinist plays on board.

And for the first time ever, the city now has a brand‑new metro system, with 14 stations already running and more on the way—transforming how both locals and visitors move around the city.

Food, Cafés, and Sky‑High Dining

Ho Chi Minh City’s food scene is as diverse as its architecture:

1. The Café Apartment — a nine‑story residential building where every unit is a café. Perfect for people‑watching along the river promenade.
2. The Albion at Hôtel des Arts Saigon — a fine‑dining tasting menu featuring goose mousse, Hokkaido scallop, Wagyu tenderloin, and desserts made with Vietnamese chocolate, all served with panoramic city views.

A City Transformed

From war relics to world‑class dining, from colonial mansions to a futuristic metro, Chin reflects on how astonishing it is to see a place once defined by conflict now thriving as a vibrant, modern metropolis.