Cho Lon is a big district and is predominantly the Chinese district of Saigon. It is often called Chinatown. The Chinese settled here in the early 1900s, never quite integrating with the rest of Saigon. Cho Lon today is a bustling commercial centre of Saigon. The district has many ornate Chinese temples and pagodas.

Exploring the place is best done by riding a cyclo. You can also opt for organised city tours, which usually start at the Giac Lam Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in Saigon. The Binh Tay Market is an interesting place to visit and has many Chinese goods on sale. The Chua Quan Am Temple, a classic Chinese temple and Cha Tam, a catholic cathedral should definitely be included on a visitor's list. Buildings in this area have a happy mix of Chinese and French architectural styles.

Originally built in 1868 as the home of the French Governor General of then Cochin china, this building was destroyed and rebuilt in 1966 by the South Vietnamese President Diem, who commissioned Paris-trained Ngo Viet Thu, winner of an architectural excellence prize in Rome, to design it. Then known as Independence Hall or the Presidential Palace, it became the home of then President of South Vietnam Nguyen Van Thieu until April 30, 1975. On that historic day, tanks of the liberation army crashed through the wrought-iron gate to the palace where General Duong Van Minh, then president for only 43 hours, and his entire cabinet was waiting to surrender. It is now called Reunification Hall and has been preserved as it was found on that day in 1975.

The palace consists of 95 rooms, each decorated according to its function. It features two exhibition rooms, a 33-room guesthouse, bomb shelter, Catholic chapel, helipad and numerous entertainment facilities. The visitor's entrance is at 106 Nguyen Du Street.

The War Remnants Museum, located in District 3 of Saigon, was known as the Museum of American War Crimes, and the name was changed to the War Crimes Museum as recently as 1993. Later, due to normalisation of relations with America, it was renamed "War Remnants Museum." However, the theme is obviously anti-war and highlights American war atrocities.

The museum houses graphic details and gruesome photographs of war atrocities. In addition, there are exhibits of US armoured vehicles, weapons, bombs and artillery pieces. A French guillotine used to execute prisoners also stands as testimony to Vietnam's bloody past. Samples of Agent Orange, phosphorous bombs and napalm, which were herbicides and defoliants used by the United States Armed Forces, are kept as exhibits and their ill effects are delineated graphically. What's more, exhibits of deformed foetuses - a result of exposure to dioxin - presents a chilling picture to a visitor.

Pictures of the My Lai Massacre, an event which resulted in the mass murder of Vietnamese civilians by the US Army, show how war brings out the worst in human beings. The museum makes no attempt to be diplomatic and shows the effects of war as it is.

Tay Ninh is located on the border with Cambodia, and being only 100km (60 miles) northwest of Saigon, it is not too far from the outermost suburbs of the city. The road to Tay Ninh is flanked by rice paddies, sesame fields, cashew plantations and rubber trees, offer a good look at the diverse nature agriculture possible here. Of considerable interest is the Cao Dai Holy See, constructed in 1933 and located 4km (2.5 miles) from the center of Tay Ninh.

Founded in 1926, Cao Dai is a combination of the Buddhism and Catholic religions blended with Confucian and Taoist philosophies. The religion has more than 2 million followers and advocates humanitarianism, benevolence and universality. Black Virgin Mountain, a rare piece of high ground in this part of southern Vietnam, is located 15km (9 miles) from the town of Tay Ninh. It attracts many pilgrims year-round to attend various religious festivals held on the mountain.

The Cu Chi tunnels are a stark reminder of the Vietnam War. These are located near the village of Ben Suc, 75 kilometres northwest of Saigon. Though the construction of these tunnels began in 1948, so that the Viet Minh (the communist revolutionary national liberation movement led by Ho Chi Minh), could hide during the French aggression, it grew in complexity over the years with the interconnection of individual tunnels. By 1965, it had nearly 200 kilometres of connected tunnel network.

These tunnels were also ingeniously used as complete living premises with sleeping chambers, kitchen areas and even medical clinics where blood transfusions were conducted. However, living in these tunnels was never easy and it was the Vietnamese resilience which saw the soldiers through. The tunnels had concealed entrances and booby traps which protected the inmates, in the event the tunnel was discovered. A staggering 16,000 guerrillas could take shelter in these tunnels at a time. The tunnels are now preserved by the Vietnamese government and serve as a war memorial structure.

The Mekong Delta region covers a large area of south-eastern Vietnam, encompassing approximately 40000 square kilometres. This is the region where the mighty Mekong River advances and empties into the South China Sea via a network of distributaries. The Mekong River is one the most important rivers of the world, starting from the Tibetan Plateau and passing through China, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is also the 11th longest river in the world. The area is extremely fertile and an important rice bowl of the world.

Even before the Vietnamese people came to settle in the Mekong Delta, the Khmer Krom people had already made this their home. The delta has a diverse population and is also home to Chinese, Cham and Vietnamese people. The first Europeans to arrive here were the Portuguese in 1540. Nearly fifteen million people live near the wetlands of the delta, almost 80 percent of whom are farmers. The backwaters and canals are abuzz with boats selling vegetables, fruit and seafood. These boats are popularly called floating markets.

Amidst such hectic activity, surprisingly, the Mekong Delta is an ideal place to relax and soak in the rural ambience. There are many riverside home-stays that also arrange cruises on natural creeks and through quiet hamlets by motorised boats. It is indeed a pleasure to see rural life first hand, with peasants working hard in their fields, strong water buffalo bathing in the water, orchards laden with luscious tropical fruits and ancient Khmer temples. At My Tho there are other things to do, such as a visit to fruit orchards and bee-keeping farms where you can taste natural honey and honey wine. You can also visit distilleries and the local coconut candy production units where you can take the pleasure of tasting candy and coconut pulp.

The Mekong River splits into nine tributaries before it joins the sea to form the Mekong Delta. This region is called Cuu Long or "the Nine Dragons" by the Vietnamese. Life in the delta region depends on the river so what better way to understand Mekong life than floating gently on these channels.

These waterways are also the lifeline for its inhabitants as they serve as their marketplace known as Floating Markets. Boats loaded with seasonal fruits and vegetables, fresh water fish, turtles, shrimps, crabs and snakes do brisk business. Visiting these markets in the morning is recommended as this is the time when the suppliers' boats are well-stocked. You can visit the floating markets at Cai Rang, Phong Dien, Nga Bay, Phung Hiep or at Cai Be.

For those interested in religion, history or architecture, a tour of the city's many places of worship is a must. Ornamental Cantonese and Fujian pagodas in Cho Lon, a Japanese-style pagoda, Vietnamese temples, South Indian mosques and Hindu temple and Catholic churches attest to the Buddhist, Taoist, Muslim, Hindu and Christian faiths that make up the spiritual lives of Vietnamese past and present. Many are the site of historical events such as Cha Tam Church where President Ngo Dinh Diem and his brother took refuge after a coup attempt. Or go out of the city to Tay Ninh to visit the Caodai Great Temple and its attempt at a curious fusion between Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Hinduism, Vietnamese spiritism, Christianity and Islam.

Whether you love the art of the hard bargain or just love to shop, Saigon is the place for you. There are shopping malls and department stores for easy, air-conditioned browsing where you can let bored children, spouses or travel companions entertain themselves with bowling or video games. Indoor markets like Ben Thanh are bargain havens for those who love the hot, sweaty, hard-earned sell. Want to have clothes custom tailored or a suit made? There are shops everywhere that do it for a tiny fraction of what it would cost back home. Get pants hemmed for 70 cents.

There are even a few shops that do haute couture fashion. Export-quality backpacks and bags, real and fake sports shoes, good quality lacquer, good quality wooden toys, cheap, plastic Chinese imports, good and medium quality embroidered linens and children's clothes, gold and silver jewelry, real and fake antiques, Vietnamese art, paintings and painted reproductions, ceramics, wood and stone carvings, ethnic minority textiles - they're all here plus much more. Good main streets for walking and window shopping are Le Thanh Ton, Dong Khoi, Nguyen Hue, Le Loi, Ly Tu Trong and Pasteur. Hai Ba Trung is congested but long and has shops that sell everything under the sun. The same can be said for all of Cho Lon.

  Australia Consulate General of Australia, 5B, Ton Duc Thang St. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 829-6035 Fax: +84 (8) 829-6031

  Belgium Consulate General of Belgium, 7th Floor, Sunwah Tower, 115 Nguyen Hue Blv. Tel: +84 (8) 821-9354 Fax: +84 (8) 827-8068

  Cambodia Consulate General of Cambodia, 41, Phung Khac Khoan St. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 829-2751 Fax: +84 (8) 827-7696

  Canada Consulate General of Canada, 235, Dong Khoi St.,Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 827-9899 Fax: +84 (8) 827-9935

  China Consulate General People's Republic of China, 39 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St.,Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 829-2465 Fax: +84 (8) 827-5845

  Cuba Consulate General of Cuba, 5B, 45 Phung Khac Khoan St., Dist.1 Tel: +84 (8) 829-7350 Fax: +84 (8) 829-5293

  Czech Republic Consulate General Czech Republic, 28 Mac Dinh Chi., Dist. 1 Tel: +84 (8) 829-0585 Fax: +84 (8) 822-6043

  Denmark Danish Economic and Commercial Office, 1801 Sunwah Tower. 115 Nguyen Hue Blv. Dist.1. Tel: +84 (8) 821-9373 Fax: +84 (8) 921-9371

  France Consulate General of France, 27 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St., Dist.3. Tel: +84 (8) 829-7231 Fax: +84 (8) 829-1675

  Germany Consulate General of Germany, 126 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St., Dist.3. . Tel: +84 (8) 829-2455 Fax: +84 (8) 823-1919

  Hungary Consulate General of Hungary, 22 Phung Khac Khoan St.. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 829-0130 Fax: +84 (8) 829-2410

  India Consulate General of India, 49 Tran Quoc Thao St.Dist 3. Tel: +84 (8) 930-3539 Fax: +84 (8) 829-4495

  Indonesia Consulate General of Indonesia, 18 Phung Khac Khoan St. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 825-1888 Fax: +84 (8) 829-9493

  Italy Italian Trade Commission, 17 Le Duan St. Dist. 1. Tel:829-8721 Fax: +84 (8) 829-8723

  Japan Consulate General of Japan, 13-17 Nguyen Hue Blv. Dist.1. Tel: +84 (8) 822-5314 Fax: +84 (8) 822-5316

  Laos Consulate General of Laos, 9B, Pasteur St. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 829-7667 Fax: +84 (8) 829-9272

  Republic of Korea Consulate General of Republic of Korea, 107 Nguyen Du Str. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 822-5757 Fax: +84 (8) 822-5750

  Malaysia Consulate General of Malaysia, 2 Ngo Duc Ke Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 829-9023 Fax: +84 (8) 829-9027

  Netherlands Consulate General of the Netherlands, 29 Le Duan St. Dist. 1. Tel: +84 (8) 823-5932 Fax: +84 (8) 823-5934

  New Zealand Consulate General of New Zealand, R 909/9th Floor Metropole Building 235 Dong Khoi St. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 822-6907 Fax: +84 (8) 822-6905

  Norway Consulate General of Norway, 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 822-1696 Fax: +84 (8) 827-2696

  Panama Consulate General of Panama. 7A Le Thanh Ton St. Dist.1.Tel: +84 (8) 825-9334 Fax: +84 (8) 823-6447

  Philippines Consulate General of the Philippines, 29 Le Duan St. Dist. 1. +84 (8) 823-3157

  Poland Consulate General of Poland, 5 Le Loi Blv. Dist. 1. Tel: +84 (8) 914-2883 Fax: +84 (8) 914-2884

  Russia Consulate General of Russia, 40 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan St. Dist.3. Tel: +84 (8) 930-3936 Fax: +84 (8) 930-3937

  Singapore Consulate General of Singapore, 8th Floor, Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi Blv. Dist. 1. Tel: +84 (8) 822-0173 Fax: +84 (8) 914-2938

  Spain Spanish Economic and Commercial Office. 25 Phung Khac Khoan St. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 825-0173 Fax: +84 (8) 825-0174

  Switzerland Consulate General of Switzerland, 124 Dien Bien Phu St. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 8205402 Fax: +84 (8) 820-5402 Fax: +84 (8) 824-4856

  Sweden Consulate General of Sweden, 8A/11 Thai Van Lung St. Dist.1. Tel: +84 (8) 823-6800 Fax: +84 (8) 824-4856

  Thailand Consulate General of Thailand, 77 Tran Quoc Thao St. Dist.3. Tel: +84 (8) 932-7637 Fax: 932-6002

  United Kingdom Consulate General of the United Kingdom, 25 Le Duan Blv. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 829-8433 Fax: +84 (8) 822-1971

  United States Consulate General of the US, 4 Le Duan Blv. Dist1. Tel: +84 (8) 822-9433 Fax: +84 (8) 822-9434

  Australia Consulate General of Australia, 5B, Ton Duc Thang St. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 829-6035 Fax: +84 (8) 829-6031

  Belgium Consulate General of Belgium, 7th Floor, Sunwah Tower, 115 Nguyen Hue Blv. Tel: +84 (8) 821-9354 Fax: +84 (8) 827-8068

  Cambodia Consulate General of Cambodia, 41, Phung Khac Khoan St. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 829-2751 Fax: +84 (8) 827-7696

  Canada Consulate General of Canada, 235, Dong Khoi St.,Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 827-9899 Fax: +84 (8) 827-9935

  China Consulate General People's Republic of China, 39 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St.,Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 829-2465 Fax: +84 (8) 827-5845

  Cuba Consulate General of Cuba, 5B, 45 Phung Khac Khoan St., Dist.1 Tel: +84 (8) 829-7350 Fax: +84 (8) 829-5293

  Czech Republic Consulate General Czech Republic, 28 Mac Dinh Chi., Dist. 1 Tel: +84 (8) 829-0585 Fax: +84 (8) 822-6043

  Denmark Danish Economic and Commercial Office, 1801 Sunwah Tower. 115 Nguyen Hue Blv. Dist.1. Tel: +84 (8) 821-9373 Fax: +84 (8) 921-9371

  France Consulate General of France, 27 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St., Dist.3. Tel: +84 (8) 829-7231 Fax: +84 (8) 829-1675

  Germany Consulate General of Germany, 126 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St., Dist.3. . Tel: +84 (8) 829-2455 Fax: +84 (8) 823-1919

  Hungary Consulate General of Hungary, 22 Phung Khac Khoan St.. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 829-0130 Fax: +84 (8) 829-2410

  India Consulate General of India, 49 Tran Quoc Thao St.Dist 3. Tel: +84 (8) 930-3539 Fax: +84 (8) 829-4495

  Indonesia Consulate General of Indonesia, 18 Phung Khac Khoan St. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 825-1888 Fax: +84 (8) 829-9493

  Italy Italian Trade Commission, 17 Le Duan St. Dist. 1. Tel:829-8721 Fax: +84 (8) 829-8723

  Japan Consulate General of Japan, 13-17 Nguyen Hue Blv. Dist.1. Tel: +84 (8) 822-5314 Fax: +84 (8) 822-5316

  Laos Consulate General of Laos, 9B, Pasteur St. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 829-7667 Fax: +84 (8) 829-9272

  Republic of Korea Consulate General of Republic of Korea, 107 Nguyen Du Str. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 822-5757 Fax: +84 (8) 822-5750

  Malaysia Consulate General of Malaysia, 2 Ngo Duc Ke Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 829-9023 Fax: +84 (8) 829-9027

  Netherlands Consulate General of the Netherlands, 29 Le Duan St. Dist. 1. Tel: +84 (8) 823-5932 Fax: +84 (8) 823-5934

  New Zealand Consulate General of New Zealand, R 909/9th Floor Metropole Building 235 Dong Khoi St. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 822-6907 Fax: +84 (8) 822-6905

  Norway Consulate General of Norway, 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 822-1696 Fax: +84 (8) 827-2696

  Panama Consulate General of Panama. 7A Le Thanh Ton St. Dist.1.Tel: +84 (8) 825-9334 Fax: +84 (8) 823-6447

  Philippines Consulate General of the Philippines, 29 Le Duan St. Dist. 1. +84 (8) 823-3157

  Poland Consulate General of Poland, 5 Le Loi Blv. Dist. 1. Tel: +84 (8) 914-2883 Fax: +84 (8) 914-2884

  Russia Consulate General of Russia, 40 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan St. Dist.3. Tel: +84 (8) 930-3936 Fax: +84 (8) 930-3937

  Singapore Consulate General of Singapore, 8th Floor, Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi Blv. Dist. 1. Tel: +84 (8) 822-0173 Fax: +84 (8) 914-2938

  Spain Spanish Economic and Commercial Office. 25 Phung Khac Khoan St. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 825-0173 Fax: +84 (8) 825-0174

  Switzerland Consulate General of Switzerland, 124 Dien Bien Phu St. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 8205402 Fax: +84 (8) 820-5402 Fax: +84 (8) 824-4856

  Sweden Consulate General of Sweden, 8A/11 Thai Van Lung St. Dist.1. Tel: +84 (8) 823-6800 Fax: +84 (8) 824-4856

  Thailand Consulate General of Thailand, 77 Tran Quoc Thao St. Dist.3. Tel: +84 (8) 932-7637 Fax: 932-6002

  United Kingdom Consulate General of the United Kingdom, 25 Le Duan Blv. Dist 1. Tel: +84 (8) 829-8433 Fax: +84 (8) 822-1971

  United States Consulate General of the US, 4 Le Duan Blv. Dist1. Tel: +84 (8) 822-9433 Fax: +84 (8) 822-9434