Dai Nam Tourist Park, is an interesting attraction found around 40kms from Saignon which opened in November, 2008. Dai Nam Van Hien Temple is located within the site as well as entertainment site complex, shopping areas, open range zoo, hotels, Vietnamese and Western restaurants plus the country’s biggest man-made mountain range.

Upon arrival visitors first across the famous Dai Nam Quoc Tu Temple. The first floor contains historical artefacts whilst the second continues to be used as a place of worship. Exhibits of the various dynasties of Vietnam from Ngo to Nguyen are on show here.

Dai Nam Quoc Tu is otherwise known as Tu An Temple (or the Temple of Four Gratitudes), and acts as a reminder of the apparent origins of the Vietnamese people. Buddha, the Au Co Mother, the Hung Kings and President Ho Chi Minh all represented here.

More than 50 billion dong was spent to build the park, and it is treated as the started point for mass tourism in Vietnam. However, despite the rather contrived origins, many locals rave about it especially the beautiful temple. The park can be found as Thu Dau Mot Town, Binh Duong Province (to get there take bus number 616 or arrange a tour through a travel agent.

While Hanoi is Vietnam’s political centre, Saigon is the country’s economic heart. After the fall of Saigon in 1975, the city was named Ho Chi Minh City; however, the old name is still used by both locals and foreigners.

The Tourist Information Centre can be found on the north eastern side of the roundabout where Le Loi meets Nguyen Hue. Staff are extremely helpful and can provide you with useful maps of Hanoi, as well as Saigon.

Tan Son Nhat Airport in Saigon is the country’s largest, and receives passengers from all over Asia, as well as Australia, New Zealand, France and Germany. Immigration is known for being tight and a lot of time is often wasted waiting around; however, if your papers are legitimate there shouldn’t be any problem entering the country.

Taxis are the most comfortable way to travel around Saigon and rates are usually quite reasonable. Motorbike taxis are easy to find and very cheap, they are also actually quite safe despite how chaotic the roads look!

Crossing the road in Saigon can be a nightmare the first few times, but if you shadow a local and observe their technique you should find it easier. Walking slowly at a steady pace is the key, and never ever turn back.

There are plenty of attractions in Saigon, as well as an excellent dining scene. Saigon offers the widest selection of Vietnamese and international food, although authentic local food is becoming harder to find due to the city becoming more cosmopolitan.

Bikes and bustle

Get caught up in the heady buzz of Saigon, dizzy with the pace of a million motorcycles, and beguiled by the local girls cycling by in their flowing Ao Dai dresses. Southern Vietnam is captured in all it’s intriquing essence here.

Follow the history and culture of the city on this blog, from Re-unification Palace to the War Museum, with plenty of Asian and Indo-Chine architecture and character splashed across this guide. From the Cu Chi tunnels and Mekhong Delta, to endless pagodas and Com Pho shops, it’s all soon covered here.

It’s all part of a comprehensive travel guide, with hundreds of pages and dozens of pictures, which we are busy developing to help you plan you trip to Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam.