Ho Chi Minh is awash with museums and landmarks, many of which mark the end of the Vietnam War and subsequent reunification. The city is also home to hundreds of pagodas and temples as well as pleasing French colonial architecture, popular shopping plazas and a zoo.

Diamond Plaza
If you get bored looking at pagodas, temples, shrines, and war relics, Diamond department store in District 1 offers an interesting alternative and lots of entertainment options. This modern, glitzy shopping mall has three shopping floors loaded with the latest fashions and gadgets as well as many restaurants, a Western-style cinema and a bowling alley. Phone: +84 8 825 7778.

General Post Office
Designed by renowned architect Gustav Eiffel of Eiffel Tower fame, the General Post Office in Ho Chi Minh City was a bold statement by the French imperialists during the French Indochina days. The post office is in the city centre adjacent to the Notre Dame Cathedral and was built in the 1880s. It has some wonderful architectural forms and high ceilings as well as a huge painting of national hero Ho Chi Minh.

Notre Dame Cathedral
Another reminder of French influence over the city of Ho Chi Minh, the neo-Romanesque Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the city’s finer buildings. Its two red bell towers dominate the tree-lined boulevards of Dong Khoi and are topped by two large spires. The cathedral is impressive inside and worth visiting during Mass, although it is the outside that holds the most intrigue with its imported tiles and massive foundation.

Reunification Palace
Visiting Ho Chi Minh City’s Reunification Palace, also known as Independence Palace, is a great way to discern how things would have looked during the war. The entire building has been kept as it was when it was South Vietnam's Presidential Palace and is stocked full of knick-knacks from the period, including radios, phones and office equipment. This was also the location where the war officially ended after tank number 843 drove into the compound and parked on the lawn out front on 30 April 1975. You can wonder around the palace alone or take a guided tour to learn more about the palace and war. There is a café onsite.

Saigon Zoo
Although not one of the world’s best zoos, Saigon Zoo is nonetheless Vietnam’s most substantial and provides visitors with a close up look of the country’s indigenous fauna. Saigon Zoo also has some nice gardens to wander around as well as a good museum. Website: www.saigonzoo.com.

Sri Thendayyutthapani Temple
For a taste of Hindu culture, take a look at the busy Sri Thendayyutthapani Temple, where numerous Indians pray daily. Inside the brightly painted temple are shrines celebrating Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna, while many intricate statues and a spectacular view from the roof add greater perspective.

Xa Loi Pagoda
This somewhat famous Buddhist shrine houses an important Buddha relic inside its seven-tiered façade. Hundreds of nuns and monks staged anti-government demonstrations here in 1963 with many being arrested. One of these monks, Thich Quang Doc, sacrificed himself for the cause. As well as the impressive building and shrine itself, there is also a Buddhist book publishing centre onsite. Phone +84 8 930 0679.

Crawl through the Cu Chi Tunnels, where Viet Cong forces used to live and work during the French Indochina and Vietnam wars. Companies offer tours from Ho Chi Minh City to the closest network of tunnels, where you can walk and crawl through some of the easier-to-access systems.

Cruise the Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh or from one of the in-situ towns deep within the region. Hundreds of small tributaries form the delta, where an abundance of wildlife and plant life can be discerned. Don’t forget your camera as there are some amazing vistas here.

Explore Chinatown with its charming character and myriad alleys where street hawkers trade everything from dried fruits to herbal medicines. Discern the French colonial houses and lovely pagodas while you shop. Cholon Market is the favoured area of Chinatown.

Indulge yourself at Spa Tropic, which is housed in a palm-shaded villa and offers a number of treatment options. Lie back for a spot of reflexology, body treatment or a mud mask while listening to soothing tones and enjoying the scent of jasmine and lemongrass.

Laze on Vung Tau Beach and get a tan, enjoy water sports or check out the nightlife. Nearby mountains also offer hikers and trekkers some great walking while attractions such as Giant Jesus and the lighthouse add further appeal. Hydrofoils speed to Vung Tau from Ho Chi Minh City throughout the day.

Lounge in a park and escape the city noise and bustle of Ho Chi Minh. There are several popular parks in the city where you can enjoy a picnic. Dam Sen Park is perhaps the most famous with its floating restaurant, Giac Vien Pagoda, water park, sports centre, lake, and bird garden. Rollerbladers and picnickers may prefer Tao Dan Park.

Mingle in a market. At the city’s markets, you can pick up anything and everything Vietnamese, including exotic food stuffs and quirky teas and coffees. Ben Thanh Market (Central Market) is the most popular, where silk dresses and suits can be had for a relative snip, while Cholon Market in Chinatown is another good bet.

See Ho Chi Minh on a walking tour to better gain perspective on Vietnam’s second city, where many sights can be taken in on foot. A popular route starts at the Saigon riverfront and goes along the quaysides and Ham Nghi, and then to Ben Thanh Market, from where Dai Lo Le Duan leads to the Notre Dame Cathedral and other gems.

Take in City Hall, one of Ho Chi Minh’s most impressive colonial buildings. Although you cannot enter the building, all the charm is in its French looking façade when it is lit up at night. A statue of Uncle Ho sits out front and is a renowned photo stop.