The Basic Facts About Saigon!

What's In A Name?

Gia Đinh – The area that is now Saigon was originally founded way back in the 18th century by Vietnamese refugees migrating south to escape civil war in the north.

This settlement gradually became an important commercial hub, and in the early 19th century the Nguyen lords named the town Gia Đinh.

Sài Gòn – When the French captured the city in 1859, they renamed the city Sài Gòn.

The origins of the name Saigon are uncertain, but the Chinese translation of Saigon is "Western Palace."

Today people often write the name as SaiGon or Saigon to give it a more Western appearance.

Hồ Chí Minh – In 1975 the city was renamed once again. This time it was changed to Ho Chi Minh after the communist leader of the same name.

Back To Basics - The Facts About Saigon

Language

The official language is Vietnamese, but a lot of the young people in the main cities speak English well enough to hold a conversation. Quite a few of the older people in Saigon can speak some French as well.

Currency

đồng (VND)

Vietnam Electricity

Standard 220 Volts AC (at 50Hz cycles)

Population

About 10, 000, 000 people.

Size

Saigon is 808.9 sq ml.

Temperature

The average temperature in Saigon is 28 °C (82 °F)

Time

UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) + 7

Government

HCM City People's Committee - Chairman: Mr. Le Hoang Quan

HCM City People's Council - Chairwoman: Ms. Pham Phuong Thao

HCM City Party Chief - Mr. Le Thanh Hai

Saigon Vietnam

Public Holidays

New Year's Day

1st January

Tết Nguyên Đán

Tết occurs in January and February. The official 4 day holiday goes from the 1st through to the 4th day of the first lunar month.

Hùng Vương's Day

7th April - King Hùng is the legendary founder of the first Vietnamese State.

Liberation of Saigon

April 30th - celebrates the day that the armed forces of North Vietnam entered Saigon and united the country in 1975.

International Labour Day

May 1st

Day of the Nation

2nd September - is a celebration of Ho Chi Minh's declaration of freedom from the French

Getting Around

Saigon is not the easiest city to get around. The streets are narrow and there are hordes of motorbikes that cause congestion and traffic jams, making Saigon difficult to get around at the best of times. But don't let this put you of exploring this fantastic city; you can click here to learn more about what transport options are available.

Weather in Saigon

Saigon has two seasons, the wet and the dry season. The wet season usually starts in about May and ends in November. The dry season is from December to April.

For foreigners like myself, the months between November and February are generally the most comfortable for traveling. I always advise my friends to visit during these months as the temperature is still a bit cooler, but you don't get the rains associated with the wet season.