Navigating war and peace in Vietnam
I sheepishly ask our guide Pham Linh if she has heard ‘Cause I’m still in Saigon…!’, the hit Charlie Daniels song. “We don’t shy away from our past,” she smiles, as she hands me ca phe sua da, the must-have Vietnamese ice coffee with condensed milk, right across the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City, once known as Saigon.
Let’s talk about the French first, for it is impossible to ignore them in Vietnam’s capital city. The French didn’t just colonise Vietnam, they left behind a grand blueprint for a city they hoped would rival Paris. The legacy is still visible in the city’s architectural grandeur, with Saigon Central Post Office as its masterpiece. The blend of Gothic and Renaissance styles is evident in its vaulted ceilings, arched windows, decorative ironwork, and ornate facade.
Travel tips
- Using ‘Grab App’ is convenient for a taxi commute. Double-decker bus tours are available for sightseeing from 9 am to 4 pm and 4.30 pm to 9 pm.
- A half-day group tour to Cu Chi Tunnels can be booked through local travel agencies and is priced between 3,20,000 VND (Rs 1,100 approx) and 4,20,000 VND (Rs 1,435 approx).
- The entrance fee for Cu Chi Tunnels is 1,25,000 VND (Rs 427 approx), while that for the War Remnants Museum is 40,000 VND (Rs 137 approx).
Not far lies the magnificent Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica, its red-brick facade, towering spires and intricate stained-glass windows casting an almost surreal contrast against the busy streets below. As you wander deeper into the city, the elegant yet majestic People’s Committee Building and the Opera House carry on the French architectural tradition.
Walk along Dong Khoi Street, and you’ll feel as though you’ve stepped into a French postcard — with a few motorcycles zipping past, of course. The French influence is more than just architectural. It’s in the coffee culture too. The famous ca phe sua da, for instance, may have its roots in colonial times when the French introduced condensed milk, but now it’s a daily ritual for millions, and for an outsider too.
The modern history of Ho Chi Minh City is shaped by a much more intense period — the Vietnam War. Dive into its wartime past at the Cu Chi Tunnels, located about an hour outside the city, and once the heart of Viet Cong’s operations.
These tunnels are the ultimate expression of human ingenuity and resilience, offering a bizarrely efficient method for navigating a war. Imagine crawling through narrow, dark tunnels that go on for miles, connecting secret hideouts, storage rooms and escape routes. It’s like the world’s most intense game of hide and seek, only with landmines and heavy artillery.
The area is now a well-maintained tourist spot, with guided tours, exhibitions and interactive experiences, but the tunnels themselves retain an air of mystery and hardship that can’t be sanitised. The most eye-opening part is, of course, crawling through the tunnels, which still maintain their original claustrophobic, narrow nature. At points, you’ll find yourself hunched over, manoeuvering through passages just wide enough for your shoulders.
The site also displays wartime artefacts, including weapons, uniforms and traps used by both the Viet Cong and the American forces.
Back in Ho Chi Minh City, the War Remnants Museum offers a more sombre perspective on the Vietnam War. While Cu Chi offers a glimpse of survival in the face of adversity, the museum presents the consequences of that survival. It’s a raw, sometimes difficult, experience. The museum’s exhibits feature harrowing photographs, military equipment and detailed accounts of the war’s impact on civilians. It’s an emotional ride, reminding you that while history may be fascinating, it’s also deeply painful.
There’s also a touch of irony in the way history is told. The propaganda posters, the militant rhetoric, it all adds a layer of performance to the otherwise grim history.
After spending time in the tunnels and museums, you may find yourself wondering how a city that was once embroiled in such conflict can now be so alive. Ho Chi Minh City today is a bustling metropolis — an intoxicating blend of old world charm and 21st century ambition. Its heritage is still proudly displayed, but it’s constantly being reimagined. The traditional markets, like Ben Thanh Market, sit alongside modern malls.
On any given street corner, you might encounter a neon-lit cafe serving avocado smoothies and a street vendor frying banh xeo (Vietnamese pancakes). This city thrives on contradictions, as history and modernity keep crisscrossing.
— The writer teaches at GGDSD
College, Chandigarh