Central Post Office in Ho Chi Minh City

The Central Post Office in Ho Chi Minh is a beautifully preserved remnant of French colonial times and perhaps the grandest post office in all of Southeast Asia. Located next door to Notre Dame Cathedral, the two cultural sites can be visited together and offers visitors a chance to imagine life in Vietnam during the times of the Indochinese Empire. The building was designed by Gustave Eiffel – the renowned engineer who also designed the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower – and features arched windows and wooden shutters, just as it would have in its heyday in the late 19th Century.


 

The Central Post Office in Ho Chi Minh was constructed between 1886 and 1891 and once inside, the looping arches, intricately designed marble floors and antiquated telephone boxes all serve as a reminder of the importance the post office played in days before email and mobile phones. Although the architecture is distinctly French, the large portrait of Ho Chi Minh hanging high above everyone at the far end of the building reminds everyone we are definitely in Vietnam. Painted onto walls overhead are two maps of the region; one of them showing the telegraph lines that crisscross Vietnam and Cambodia and the other displaying a map of the Saigon region in 1892.

 

 

Although the experience is a fascinating glimpse into history, the fact that this is still a functioning post office makes the experience even sweeter, and we encourage everyone to send a letter or postcard from here – it’s a piece of living history where even the old fashioned glue pots are still in use for sticking stamps to letters. There are two wings branching out from the main office, selling souvenirs, postcards and lacquerware but the prices are inflated and the same products can probably be found elsewhere for a better price.

Central Post Office

Opening Hours: 7am to 8pm

Location: 2 Công xã Paris, District 1

See more

  • Long Bien Bridge

    If Hoan Kiem Lake with special green water and the red bridge named The Huc is the symbol of an elegant and charming ancient city; Red river and Long Bien bridge may be seen...

  • Phong Dien Floating Market

    Phong Dien floating market is not only a palce for selling and exchanging products but also a popular attraction in Can Tho . Phong Dien floating market has many different...

  • Ly Quoc Su Pagoda

    Located at 50 Ly Quoc Su Street in the Old Quarter, only 50m from St Joseph's Cathedral, Ly Quoc Su Pagoda is one of the oldest ones of its kind in Hanoi

  • Fansipan mountain Sapa

    The Mount Fasipan is located in Lao Cai province, about 9km southwest of Sapa town. It belongs to the mountain range Hoang Lien Son, located in the northwest of Vietnam and...

  • Minh Chau Beach

    Minh Chau Beach is a private beach located on Quan Lan Island, Quang Ninh Province, which is only 15 kilometers away from Quan Lan Beach. For those who want a long journey, a...

  • Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

    This is the most recent yet probably the largest and undoubtedly the most interesting Museums in Hanoi and Vietnam.

  • Discovery Vinh Hung Ancient Tower

    Vinh Hung tower is an ancient and unique architecture that has been preserved in Mekong Delta . The tower has a value about artistic culture and was discovered in 1911 by...

  • Fujian Assembly Hall in Hoi An

    The photogenic Fujian (Phuc Kien) assembly hall was created as a place in which residents from Fujian in China could meet up and socialise whilst living or visiting Hoi An....

  • Cong Tay Island

    Cong Tay Island is located in Bai Tu Long Bay, part of the tour around Ngoc Vung Island in Quan Lan, about 40km off Bai Chay Cruise Port. Ships and cruises normally run from...

  • Lan Ha Bay

    Located adjacent to Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay is a peaceful bay in Cat Ba Islands system. Lan Ha Bay has about 400 large and small islands covered with green trees and...

Most popular tours

Business info

  • Vietnam Local Guide

  • Address: 18th Floor, VTC Online Tower, 18 Tam Trinh Str.,Hai Ba Trung Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Email: info@vietnamguider.com
  • Phone: (+84) 0904989890
  • Hotline: (+84) 0904989890