Which city is more interesting in Vietnam?

Question

Hi,compare Hanoi & Ho Chin Mingh which one is more interesting & good for shopping?Any good recommendations?Thanks for advice

Answer 1

I was in Vietnam, okay? And there'd be a h**l of a lot more people there today if it wasn't for me, okay?

Answer 2

It's spelt Ho Chi Minh meaning 'The Enlightened One'.  Anyways, if you preferred the history and calm I'd say Ha Noi but if you prefer the hustle and bustle and good food, get your *** to Sai Gon...d**n communists...

Other cities include Hai Phong (why go here? it's jsut a port city lol), Can Tho - heart of the Mekong delta and currently having three major make-overs

1. The Can Tho Bridge set to be the longest in SE Asia at around 2750m long should "bridge" a connection with Sai Gon.  

2. The highway to Sai Gon

3. The refurbishment of Binh Thuy Airport into an international airport as the number of growing tourists into Viet Nam is set to reach 7 million plus by 2009.

Answer 3

I think Hanoi is prettier, with it's tree-lined narrow streets, colonial architecture and many lakes, and I think is more interesting for a tourist. It's also the gateway to Halong Bay. I think HCMC is more fun, has a better nightlife, better shopping and better food than Hanoi. I found the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the "Hanoi Hilton" (the prison) fascinating in Hanoi, the museums, pagodas and cathedrals were nothing special. Same with Saigon, the Cu Chi Tunnels are a must, the War Remnants Museum was interesting, but most of the other sights were just ok. The people, the culture and the food is what is most appealing about Vietnam. It's a fairly short flight between the two cities, and I would recommend them both, I also think that anymore than 3 or 4 days in either city is plenty, after that, you'll run out of things to do. But I highly recommend both cities, fascinating places. Have fun.