Ho Chi Minh city, previously called Saigon, was a territory of the anti-communist, capitalist republic of South Veitnam during the Vietnam war. Under the name Saigon, it was the capital of the French colony before the war. Despite aid from the United States, Australia and South Korea, Saigon fell to communist forces. Ho Chi Minh city was named after the communist revolutionary leader of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (otherwise known as North Vietnam) who bore the same name. Ho Chi Minh is still informally referred to as “Saigon”.

Agencies are still offering special Vietnam holiday packages to tour the city. The city still bears grand boulevards and historic French buildings from its colonial area. Ho Chi Minh City Museum, Museum of Vietnamese History, the Revolutionary Museum, and many more are scattered throughout the city for tourist enjoyment. Cinema and drama theatres reportable account for 60-70% of the money that it makes. These theaters include the Municipal Theater and the Lan Anh Music Stage.

Vietnam’s Demilitarized Zone was established in 1954 at the Geneva conference as a result of a peace treaty agreement. The DMZ was originally intended to calm and divide rival governments between the North and South. In this area, military activity was not permitted. Either side had the ability to use the neutral territory for administrative purposes.

Eventually, the area was bombarded with military expansion from the North. Many refer to this event as the “fall of Saigon” but the revolutionaries from the North interestingly called it the “liberation of Saigon”. The area is known historically for being the site of some of the bloodiest battles. Those who are interested in the story of the Vietnam War would find a tour here interesting from a Vietnam travel agency.

It is important to take extreme caution when walking in the DMZ. Walking beyond path markings could result in serious injury or death due to the number of landmines that still exist in its location. The DMZ has unintentionally become a wildlife preserve because of how dangerous it is to travel through it.

The tunnels are well worth exploring, as they are a particularly interesting part of any tour. The zone is absolutely stunning and the rich cultural background is valuable to any history buff. But it is high encouraged that tourists stay with Vietnam tour operators to remain safe. If you remain with your tour guide, you can rest assured that you are being lead into places of a safe distance from danger.