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

  • 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

  • Con Dao National Park

    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...

    Read more

  • Long Son Pagoda

    Long Son Pagoda, also well known as White Buddha Temple (Behind the pagoda is a huge white Buddha seated on a lotus blossom) is one of the most beautiful pagoda with an...

    Read more

  • Hoi An Central Market

    Sharpen your bargaining skills and head south east to Hoi An Central Market, one of Vietnam’s best, offering an unmissable shopping experience. Rich in the smell of...

    Read more

  • Bac Lieu Sanctuary

    Bac Lieu bird sanctuary is one of the most attractive eco-tourism in Mekong Delta and Bac Lieu province . Bac Lieu bird garden always makes visitors surprised by the...

    Read more

  • Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh

    Situated in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, bustling Ben Thanh Market in District 1 is a great place to buy local handicrafts, branded goods, Vietnamese art and other souvenirs.

    Read more

  • Old Houses in Hoi An

    Old houses in Hoi An hide a long history inside. These houses were featured strikingly by the length, lying close together in the wide and airy lanes. To learn about Hoi...

    Read more

  • Bat Trang Pottery

    Bat Trang, traditional porcelain and pottery village with history of seven centuries, is an interesting attraction in Hanoi that tourists should not ignore.

    Read more

  • Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

    Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is one of the most historical attractions in Hanoi , knowing for the final resting place and holding the embalmed remains of President Ho Chi Minh, the...

    Read more

  • Ta Phin Village

    Ta Phin village is famous as an attractive ecotourism of Lao Cai province and shoul not be missed when traveling to Sapa . Ta Phin village is home to...

    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