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
The most famous historical relic in Bac Kan is ATK, the complex of underground tunnels and rooms emboldened by a missile defense system in Cho Don (Bac Kan).
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...
Founded more than 100 years ago, Ho Chi Minh City Zoo and Botanical Gardens (aka Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens) are listed as one of the oldest zoos in the world, opened...
Minh Mang Tomb is in Huong Tho Commune, Huong Tra District, on the west bank of Perfume River and about 12km south of Hue City center. This place is where 2 tributaries join...
Just across the street from the Temple of Literature, Vietnam Fine Arts Museum can be found spotted easily from afar.
Con Dao is a tourist island and is ranked one of 10 mysterious islands in the world by Lonely Planet. Besides, Con Dao National Park is the 6th Ramsar in the world, and the...
Being shaped like a dragon’s head dimly looming in the thin veil of the early morning, Ham Rong (Dragon Jaw) Mountain that is fine combination of man-made and natural...
Danang is also famous for the city of bridges as : Ha river Bridge, Tran Thi Ly Bridge, Dragon Bridge, Thuan Phuoc Bridge. And Dragon Bridge may be the most famous...
Pham Ngu Lao Street in Ho Chi Minh City is on the western edge of District 1 and is renowned as the place where most backpacking travellers stay during their holiday.
Hanoi Flag Tower at the age of nearly 200 years is renowned as one of the symbols of Hanoi. The construction began in 1805 and completed in 1812, the 11th year of Gia Long...
Price from: 2.020 US$
Price from: 1.460 US$
Price from: 1.320 US$
Price from: 96 US$