Most visitors to Viet Nam spend just one or at most two days in Ho Chi Minh City, perhaps simply using it as a base to explore the Cu Chi Tunnels before heading off to see the myriad other attractions this fascinating country has to offer. Invariably depicted as the country's "dynamic economic powerhouse," it is rarely considered as a cultural centre in its own right, a shortcoming no doubt reinforced by the frightening rate at which the city's remaining old buildings continue to be demolished and replaced by gleaming new tower blocks.
Yet there is another side to the southern capital. If you look hard enough you can still find what's left of the elegant architectural heritage which once won the city the title "Pearl of the Orient." This book seeks to identify that heritage and enable visitors to experience it through a series of walking tours.
Since there is a great del to see and do in Ho Chi Minh City, all of the walking tours in the book are relatively lengthy. Furthermore, many of the tours take you to a selection of museums, temples, pagodas, communal houses and other intriguing destinations which may each demand a visit of 30 minutes or more.Thus, unless you have a half day or even a whole day to devote to each walking tour, you might first wish to use each one as a means of finding your bearings and getting to know the main sights of the city, perhaps just visiting one or two attractions as you walk and saving the remainder for subsequent visits. - from Amzon