A must for architecture and history fans alike, this 1960s building has housed a number of Vietnam’s presidents and top brass, including Ngo Dinh Diem, who survived a bomb dropped on the palace by his own troops in 1962 (they were more successful with his murder a year later) and General Minh, who ceded power to a VC officer here in April 1975. It’s an airy, light-filled modernist building by noted local architect Ngo Viet Thu, who incorporated auspicious Chinese symbols in its design as well as natural motifs like the striking bamboo-style concrete pillars along the facade. Inside, grand dining rooms, a games room, cinema, nightclub and even a helipad combine to give the sense of a James Bond-style residence, but it’s the bunker, with its shooting gallery, that’s most likely to stay with you. A total treat from top to very bottom.
Tired of wasting time and money?
Join the club.
Cut through the noise and find out where the pros go.
Sign Up Today
Independence Palace
This stunner of a building also offers a fascinating walk through Vietnam's historyShare with friends:
Details:
More places & itineraries in District I
More places & itineraries in Ho Chi Minh City
More recommendations from Yolanda Zappaterra