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Saigon Saigon has always been the business capital of Vietnam and is a bustle of activity today. New skyscrapers are going up everywhere you look. Officially renamed in honor of Ho Chi Minh after the war, most of the locals still refer to it as Saigon. Ho Chi Minh City has a population of more than twelve million, making it the largest city in the country. |
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| Cu Chi | |
 About
twenty five miles northwest of downtown Saigon you
can visit the
tunnel complex at Cu Chi. These tunnels are a testament of the
tenacity of the Vietnamese who began their construction during the
40's in the war against the French. By the end of the American War,
there were over 200 miles of tunnels, some of them as deep as 25
feet underground. Rooms were carved out of the earth big enough to
create mess halls and hospitals for the VC and elements of the North
Vietnamese Army. Though the American military knew of its existence,
they were never able to locate the main tunnel complex.
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Though
there are many things to see in Saigon that relate to the war, it is
a city that should be explored on its own merit. An evening on the
roof-top bar and cafe at the Rex is always a stop for me.