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

  • 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...

    Read more

  • Bach Thao Park

    Bach Thao means “hundreds of plants” and like its name, the park is one of the few green areas in the increasingly industrialized city of Hanoi. Bach Thao Park or...

    Read more

  • The Museum of Cham Sculpture in Da Nang

    With their roots dating back as far as 192 AD, Vietnam's indigenous Cham people lived an Indian way of life in both culture and language. The Cham Museum in Danang is...

    Read more

  • Thien Cung Cave

    Thien Cung Cave is considered the most beautiful primitive cave of Halong Bay with complicated interior structure, many floors, and high ceiling. Thien Cung Cave...

    Read more

  • Dong Khoi Street in Ho Chi Minh

    Home to many French colonial buildings, Dong Khoi Street has witnessed many changes in Ho Chi Minh City. During the French occupation, it was the centre of glamour and was...

    Read more

  • Ba Mun Island

    Ba Mun Island is an island belonging to Minh Chau communes of Van Don District of Halong Bay, lying parallel to the island of Quan Lan. The Island is also known as High Island...

    Read more

  • Trang An Eco - tourism Complex

    Trang An eco-tourism complex is the comnination of green mountains and blue water, many caves limestone mountains, wild natures of forest and rivers and a large system...

    Read more

  • Bach Ma National Park

    With close proximity to both Hue and Danang, Bach Ma national park is simple a cannot-afford-to-miss for nature lovers and especially bird-watching enthusiasts.

    Read more

  • Hoi An Museum of History & Culture

    Where the Thu Bon River flows directly into the East China Sea, Hoi An was once one of the major Asian trade hubs. From the 16th to 18th century merchants visited from across...

    Read more

  • Saint Joseph Cathedral

    Saint Joseph Cathedral, located at 40 Nha Chung street, Hanoi, is a Roman Catholic cathedral with neo- gothic style, which was built about 120 years ago.

    Read more

Destinations

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