What is the best part of Ho Chi Minh City?

What is the iconic building in Saigon?

Okay, so Saigon… or Ho Chi Minh City, whatever. That’s where I lost my favorite sunglasses. At Notre Dame Cathedral, yeah, that big church.

Ugh, it was so crowded. Think 2024, a Tuesday morning. Sunny, ridiculously humid like always.

The cathedral. Twin bell towers, yup. HUGE, seriously, over 58 meters high. I remember squinting up.

I was sweating like crazy, totally distracted trying to get a decent photo. Click. Click. Click. Sunglasses… gone.

Honestly, the church is kinda pretty, in a French colonial kinda way. Very iconic, very touristy.

Lost shades aside, it IS a landmark. The bells. They are impressive!

But… the lost sunglasses. It haunts me. Cheap ones, sure, but still.

It’s just… the principle! So, the Cathedral – it’s beautiful and all, a symbol. But also, a monument to my lost shades. Never forget.

Here is some info about the Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral:

• Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
• Construction: Started in 1877. Finished 1880.
• Style: Neo-Romanesque.
• Materials: Bricks from Marseille.
• Architect: J. Bourard.
• Height: 58 meters.
• Status: Active cathedral.

Yeah, bricks from Marseille. Fancy! Should have protected my sunglasses.

What is the oldest building in Saigon?

Okay, so, Saigon, right? I was there in 2023, March, I think. Crazy hot. Anyway, Giac Lam Pagoda, that’s the oldest thing I saw. Seriously old. 1744, they said. Can you believe it? The wood… it was incredible. All worn and smooth from, like, centuries of people touching it. I felt this weird calm there, despite the crazy city noise outside. It felt… peaceful, almost magical. The smell of incense was strong, you know that heady, sweet smell?

The architecture was just… different. Not like anything I’d ever seen. Detailed. Intricate. Beautiful. Lots of gold leaf, lots of carvings. I spent hours wandering around, just soaking it all in. It felt genuinely ancient, not some fake historical thing. You could feel the weight of history there.

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting that. I thought it’d be touristy, but it was… authentic. It was just… raw, you know? Real. People were praying, monks were walking around. It wasn’t a museum; it felt like a living, breathing place. That’s what really stuck with me. I took tons of photos, obviously.

• Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
• Date of visit: March 2023.
• Key takeaway: The building’s age and the palpable sense of history and spirituality. It wasn’t just old; it was alive.
• Personal feeling: A sense of awe and unexpected peace. It felt profoundly different from typical tourist sites.

I even bought a small Buddha statue from a vendor outside – a little souvenir to remind me. I should probably add that I didn’t see any other buildings that seemed nearly as old. So yeah, Giac Lam Pagoda is definitely the oldest I encountered.

Is it worth going to Landmark 81?

Worth it? Landmark 81… I don’t know. The view is something, I’ll give it that. Like seeing a different city. Or a dream of a city.

It’s high, so damn high. You can see everything, stretched out below. Does that make it worth it? Maybe. Depends on what you’re looking for.

I went up there last month. On a Tuesday. It was quieter then, not so many faces. Just the city breathing below. Did it change anything? No, not really.

• View: Unmatched perspective.
• Cost: Steep ticket price.
• Crowds: Can get crowded, especially weekends.
• Experience: Impressive, but fleeting, just like the memories of her.
• Regret: Not going alone, I guess.

What is there to do in Landmark 81?

Landmark 81? Oh, you mean that giant needle poking Saigon’s sky! More than selfies, thankfully.

Inside, it’s a vertical amusement park. Sort of.

• SkyView observation deck: Obviously. Peer down. Judge the tiny humans. I do.
• Shopping mall: Retail therapy. ‘Cause climbing a skyscraper totally isn’t. Buy souvenirs! (I suggest the tiny Landmark 81 replica. Super useful.)
• Ice rink: Ice skating in Vietnam? Why not! Maybe avoid wearing flip-flops. Just a thought.
• Restaurants: Fine dining… or just grabbing pho after all that skating. Your call! I’d choose pho. Always.
• Cinema: Catch a flick! Because who needs a view when you have explosions on screen? Jokes! (Mostly.)

Near Landmark 81? Brace yourself.

• Central Park: Green spaces! Shocking, I know. It’s great to relax and watch ppl… you know.
• Saigon River: Take a cruise. Or just stare wistfully. Depends on your budget, tbh.
• Vincom Center: More shopping! It’s a sickness! I love to shop!
• Museums: Culture! Learn stuff! Impress dates! Or just nap in the air conditioning.
• Street food: The real Vietnam experience. Forget fancy restaurants! Get your banh mi on. So good. I’m hungry now.

Basically, Landmark 81 and its surroundings are designed to separate you from your money and maybe show you a good time doing it. Succeeds mostly!

How many floors is Landmark 81?

Landmark 81 boasts 81 stories. At 461.2 meters, it stands tall, dominating the Bình Thạnh skyline. Funny, isn’t it? How structures meant to ground us reach for the sky.

It occupies the former site of Newport’s logistics hub. Now, it’s luxury apartments, hotel rooms, and retail spaces. A complete transformation of space!

Why 81? A deliberate design choice, for sure. A reflection of ambition, perhaps.

• Height: 461.2 meters
• Location: Bình Thạnh District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Previous Use: Newport logistics base
• Current Use: Mixed-use (residential, hotel, retail)

The tower symbolizes Vietnam’s economic growth, a very visual symbol. It’s more than just concrete and glass. It’s aspirational.

Which is the no. 1 highest building in the world?

Okay, highest building… hmmm.

Burj Khalifa! Yep, that’s the one.

• Still the tallest, right?
• How tall is it actually?

829.8 meters. Gotta remember that.

Wait, what about that new one? Merdeka something?

• Malaysia, right?
• Not taller, though.

Merdeka 118. Second tallest, 678.9m. So close! But nope. It’s in KL – Kuala Lumpur! Always forget the city. It used to be called Menara Warisan Merdeka. So many names! Oh well, it’s not the tallest.

Crazy how tall buildings are getting, tho. My aunt lives on the 40th floor. It is mindblowing, seriously.

• Burj Khalifa: Located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Its construction finished in 2010.
• Merdeka 118: Located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The construction was finished in 2023.