Vietnam In-depth Tour Series Three
September 2nd is Vietnam's National Day. In 1945, as Japan surrendered, it also announced the abolition of the last emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, Emperor Bao Dai. On September 2nd, the Viet Minh led by Ho Chi Minh declared independence in Hanoi, the northern part of Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh delivered the 'Declaration of Independence', proclaiming the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (also known as 'North Vietnam'). However, at this time, Vietnam was actually taken over by France and the United Kingdom, the victorious nations, who respectively managed North and South Vietnam. The Japanese surrender in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) was accepted by the British Southeast Asia Command. Since Vietnam was originally a French colony before the Japanese occupation, the United Kingdom later handed South Vietnam back to France in exchange for its support of British colonies in Asia. However, France's national strength and military power were insufficient to sustain its colonial rule after World War II. Additionally, with the support of the Chinese and Soviet communists, the Viet Minh essentially forced France to withdraw from colonial rule in Vietnam after the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. By then, North Vietnam was firmly under the control of the Viet Minh, but due to the influence of the UK and the US and the great power games, Vietnam was eventually divided into North and South. The political center of South Vietnam is now Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon).
Today, I visited the Reunification Palace, whose name has evolved from Reunification Palace to Independence Palace to Norodom Palace, built by the French Governor in 1869. The changes in its name reflect its functions during different periods. The victors become kings, the losers outcasts, an eternal truth. Today, it serves only as a place for people to visit. I had many thoughts: there were those who worked tirelessly for their country and people, the machinations of political power, the struggles between major and minor nations, and the worries of those whose time has come to an end.
The ticket price is 6.5w (about 20 RMB). I added an audio guide for a total of 15.5w. There was no tour guide service on-site, let alone a Chinese-speaking guide (at the two history museums I visited later, I saw guides speaking Vietnamese, but no Chinese-speaking guides). Since today is National Day, I was worried about the crowd. Before going, a Vietnamese student who studied in China told me: Don't worry, don't worry, it won't be as crowded as in China. It opens at 8 am, and I arrived at 7:30 am. Indeed, it wasn't very crowded, not even as crowded as a park in China. The number of people queuing at the ticket office was only about twenty or thirty. When I came out after my visit, there were more people, but it was far from crowded. There were quite a few Western tour groups, and the history museums I visited later were even less crowded.
I divided it into four main functional areas: the office area with the Cabinet Room, Banquet Hall, Reception Hall, Presidential Office, and Vice Presidential Office on either side, the Situation Room, and the Library; the leisure area with a cinema, billiards, and piano; the living area with a dining room and bedrooms; and the basement with the President's wartime office and bed, the Intelligence Room, and the War Situation Analysis Room, and the temporary radio room. It's not overly luxurious, but it's refined enough to match the center of power.
Historic landmark! So big,worth to visit. Learn a lot about Vietnam history.
Historical palace in big garden located in the city center of Ho Chi Minh. here you can study the long history of the city and the numerous changes during the time.
The Presidential building is well intact as well as all the rooms that are on display. No need to preorder tickets online because queues are fast. The main souvenir store is at the entrance
Contains a lot of the rich history of Saigon starting from French control all the way to the Vietnam War.
The Palace of Unification, located in the center of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, was built on February 23, 1869, and was originally called the Norodom Palace, the governor's palace of France throughout Indochina. In 1954, the French withdrew and handed over the Norodom Palace to the then Vietnamese government. The name of the palace has been changed to the "Independence Palace" and the "Unification Palace", which is a symbol of the independence of the Vietnamese people and the freedom of the country. The Unification Palace covers an area of 120,000 square meters. It is a huge white palace building with a hundred magnificent halls and halls, which can meet the needs of diplomatic concierge, conference and meeting. The courtyard design and architecture are gorgeous and elegant. Outside the Unification Palace, the grass is beautiful, the birds and flowers are fragrant, the tropical style coexists with French romance, and it is a must-check-in attraction to Ho Chi Minh City.