Romantic Pink Church in the East — 14 Must-Visit Attractions in Ho Chi Minh City I

By MOOK Scenic Spots Zhang Yawen
 
Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, is the largest city in southern Vietnam. Due to its French colonial past, the city retains many romantic and grand European-style buildings, earning it the nickname "the Paris of the East." Most attractions are not far apart, located within District 1 and District 3 in the city center, allowing you to explore them all on foot. Below are 14 extremely popular must-visit attractions in Ho Chi Minh City.

1.Pink Church(Nhà th? Tân ??nh)
The Pink Church's official name is "Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral," also known as "Tan Dinh Church." It is a Catholic church. Its entire exterior features a dreamy color scheme of pink and white that melts hearts and draws countless tourists for photos, becoming an international hit and one of Ho Chi Minh City’s landmarks.

The Pink Church is located in District 3, relatively farther from other tourist attractions. You can take a taxi there—taxi fares in Vietnam are not very expensive.

Address: 289 Hai Bà Trưng, Phường 8, Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 8:00–11:00 and 14:00–16:30


2.Ben Thanh Market (Chợ Bến Thành)
Ben Thanh Market is located in the city center and is an indoor market that has been preserved since the Saigon era. It offers a wide variety of dried goods, daily necessities, and handicrafts. You can also find authentic Vietnamese cuisine and traditional Vietnamese attire, the "áo dài" (Vietnamese equivalent of a cheongsam), here.

During the day, Ben Thanh Market operates as an indoor market, but at night it transforms into a bustling night market along the market building, making it a great place to shop for souvenirs. However, if you feel the prices quoted by vendors are unreasonable, you can try bargaining.