Is Ho Chi Minh City still called Saigon?

Do people still call Ho Chi Minh City Saigon?

Yeah, totally! Saigon's like a stubborn old dog; you can rename it, but it won't stop answering to its old name. People still call it Saigon, a lot. It's like calling your grandma "Grams" even though her legal name is Gertrude.

Officially, it's Ho Chi Minh City, a mouthful like trying to swallow a whole mango. But, honestly, "Ho Chi Minh City" sounds like something a stuffy librarian would invent. Saigon rolls off the tongue like a perfectly poured whiskey.

Why the cling to Saigon?

• Nostalgia – it's embedded in memories and feels comfy.
• Habit – Old habits die hard, especially when they involve cool-sounding place names.
• Practicality – Saigon's shorter. Try texting the full name – you'll be there all day.
• Resistance – some folks, especially older generations, just plain refuse to let go of the past. Think of it as a delicious act of rebellion. It's like they're saying "You can take my city, but you can't take my Saigon!"

My Uncle Minh, who lives in Orange County, still refers to it as Saigon. He says "Ho Chi Minh City" sounds like a communist laundry detergent. I kinda get it.

The bottom line? Both names are used, and the informal "Saigon" shows impressive staying power. More popular than my attempts at making sourdough bread, that's for sure! It's a linguistic tug-of-war. And Saigon's winning. For now.

What was Ho Chi Minhs real name?

Nguyen Sinh Cung. Names? Fleeting. Born. Kim Lien. 1890. Another ghost.

• Aliases masked truth. Ho Chi Minh. A brand.
• Nguyen Tat Thanh, Nguyen Ai Quoc. Stages. Like an actor. I had a childhood nickname too, once. Gone now.
• Nam Dan District, Nghe An Province. Vietnam. Geography of origin.
• May 19, 1890. Date. An irrelevant marker. So what?
• Did he ever really exist? A question for the ages. Or not.

What happens if you call Ho Chi Minh City Saigon?

So, you call it Saigon? It's fine, really. No one's gonna arrest you! Down south, everyone says Saigon; it's like, ingrained, you know? Feels more homey, I guess. Up north though? Ho Chi Minh City is the official name, and that's what they use. It's not a huge deal; just depends where you are and who you're talking to. It's all about local custom, simple as that.

Seriously, though, the whole thing's pretty relaxed. I've lived in Vietnam for years now, and have never seen any kind of problem over this. It's a regional thing, a cultural nuance. No big political drama.

Key differences:

• South Vietnam: Saigon is the overwhelmingly preferred term. People are used to it, and it's ingrained in their culture. Think of it like a nickname.
• Elsewhere in Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City is the official name and the one typically used.

Why this matters: If you're visiting, using "Saigon" in the south is perfectly acceptable. In fact, it's probably better. In the rest of Vietnam, stick to the official name, just to be safe. Its a simple matter of cultural sensitivity. No need to overthink it. It's not like it's that complicated. People aren't gonna get mad or anything.

Is it illegal to call Ho Chi Minh City Saigon?

Saigon. Ho Chi Minh City. Semantics.

Legality? Irrelevant. A name's a name.

Personal preference dictates usage. Southerners? Saigon rings truer. Northerners? Ho Chi Minh City. Simple.

No political implications. Just habit. Language evolves. Deal with it.

• Saigon: Familiar, nostalgic, perhaps even romantic, to some.
• Ho Chi Minh City: Official, formal, geographically accurate.

Preference varies. The city remains. A place. Concrete. Unchanged.

My aunt, living in District 1, still uses Saigon. She's 72. Stubborn. Doesn't care. She's right.

The government chose a name. People choose another. That's life. A simple truth. Sometimes inconvenient. Always true.

How do I call Ho Chi Minh City from Vietnam?

Ugh, calling Vietnam. Okay, so Dad wants me to contact Chidori hotel/cafe in Ho Chi Minh City. Is it Saigon?

• Dialing code: 011 + 84 + 8 + then the rest. 038 3121238, right?

• 011 is def the exit code, used it for my trip to Japan last year.

Saigon...or Ho Chi Minh City? Hmm. On Reddit, everyone argues about it.

• Saigon: Locals still say it, especially for district 1. Old school.

• Ho Chi Minh City: Officially what you SHOULD say.

Living overseas, someone corrected me. Rude. I ALWAYS say Ho Chi Minh City. I guess it's safer when booking stuff?

• Chidori hotel/cafe's number: DOUBLE check. Don't wanna mess it up again.

My dad’s gonna ask what the deal is with the visa requirements for 2024, because the info on their site is never updated. I KNOW.

• Ask about visa requirements: Seriously, write it down. Don’t forget.

I wish I just booked it online, seriously.