Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

Saigon (officially Ho Chi Minh City / abbrev HCMC) is Vietnam's capital and largest city, with population over 8,5 million (metro over 13,5 million). The metro area consists of Ho Chi Minh City metro plus all surrounding towns. The name Saigon is widely used by locals and refers to city's downtown (District 1) which is the homeport for river cruise ships. All cruisetour itineraries between Siem Reap and Saigon pass through Phnom Pehn (Cambodia's capital city) and cross through Tonle Sap Lake.

Ocean-going ships to Saigon dock at Port Phu My (aka Tan Cang Cai Mep). The seaport is located approx 80 mi (130 km) or at around 1,5 hours drive distance from the city, connected via modern highway inaugurated in 2014. Phu My is a large cargo port without tourist attractions in its vicinity. Cruise ships dock at port's containership terminal. Shuttle bus service to Saigon and also to Ba Ria (approx 16 km / 10 mi to southeast) is provided. From Ba Ria, passengers can access Vung Tau (beach resort city). The best way to get to Ho Chi Minh City is via the cruise ship company or private travel arrangements.

Ho Chi Minh City also has two river ports where cruise ships are usually berthed. Port Saigon is approx 2 km (1,2 mi) from downtown. The other port (Hiep Phuoc) is approx 16 km (10 mi) from downtown. Their GPS coordinates are - Port Saigon (Latitude 10.492100, Longitude 106.451440) and Port Hiep Phuoc (1038N / 10645E). Saigon's river cruise port information was contributed by Mr Truong Hoang - operation manager of A&K Vietnam Travel Co Ltd (subsidiary of "Abercrombie & Kent" - US-based luxury travel agency).

Once known as Prey Nokor, the city was an important Khmer seaport prior to the 17th-century annexation by Vietnam. Named Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City served as the capital of France's Cochinchina colony and later of the independent South Vietnam Republic (1955–1975). On July 2, 1976, Saigon merged with the surrounding Gia Dinh Province and was renamed after revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969).

In 2007, approximately 4,3 million tourists visited Vietnam, of which 70% (3 million) visited Ho Chi Minh City. Most tourist sites are in District 1, and a short distance from each other. The most prominent buildings in downtown are City Hall, Reunification Palace, Municipal Theatre (Opera House), State Bank Office, City Post Office, City People's Court, Notre-Dame Cathedral. City's historic hotels include Hotel Majestic (from Vietnam's French colonial era) and Rex & Caravelle hotels (fka hangouts for US officers in the 1960s-1970s). The most famous museums are Ho Chi Minh City Museum, Revolutionary Museum, Vietnamese History Museum, Museum of South-Eastern Armed Forces, War Remnants Museum, Fine Art Museum, Southern Women Museum, Nha Rong Memorial House, Ben Duoc Relic of Underground Tunnels. Cu Chi tunnels are north-west of the city. Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens were opened in 1865. Also inside the city are located Dam Sen Park, Suoi Tien Amusement Park and Can Gio's Eco Beach Resort.

Port Saigon

The seaport is managed by the authority company Saigon Port JS Co (fka Saigon Trade Bureau). The port has a total quay length 3+ km with 21 docks/berths along 4 rivers (Saigon, Nha Be, Soai Rap, Thieng Lieng). Port's annual cargo shipping traffic is 10+ million tons, or ~50% of Vietnam's SKEZ (Southern Key Economic Zone) that includes HCMC (Ho Chi Minh City) plus 7 provinces (Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Long An, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, Tien Giang). Port Saigon handles annually ~65% of the region's steel, ~93% of the fertilizers.

Port Tan Thuan Port (HCMC's District 7) handles cargoes like steel, machinery equipment and container ships. Port Saigon-Hiep Phuoc (in HCMC's Nha Be district) has quay length ~1,8 km, land area 100+ hectares (berths and warehouse storages) and can handle cargo vessels with max DWT 70,000 tons, This is HCMC's largest cargo port with annual capacity 20 million tons.

In FY2018 (fiscal year) port's throughput was 9+ million tons, with revenue VND 1000 billion (Vietnamese dong / ~USD 43 million). Via joint venture companies, Saigon Port has partnership operations with leading cargo terminal operators like PSA (Singapore), SSA Marine Seattle (USA), APM Terminals Aarhus (Denmark). The deepwater terminals CMIT (Cai Mep International Terminal, by APM Terminals) was opened in 2006. Thi Vai LNG Terminal is new (2020-opened). The container terminals SSIT (SP-SSA International Terminal, by Saigon Port/Vinalines and SSA Marine Seattle) and CMIT (Cai Mep International Terminal, 2007-opened) have combined quay length 1,8 km and capacity to handle cargo carriers with max DWT 165,000 and ULCVs (Ultra Large Container Vessels) with max capacity 18,000 TEU-containers. SSIT and CMIT have combined annual capacity ~3,7 million TEUs.

Saigon cruise terminal

Saigon tours, shore excursions, hotels

City Tours and Shore Excursions

Cu Chi Tunnels