“Motorbike taxis cheap and generally quite safe?” That may be true for some. However, caution is important as we approach Phường 2 in Ho Chi Minh City. It is also known as Saigon. This city is the largest in Vietnam. Phường 2 shares a story.
Imagine this bustling city before you. Prey Nokor was here. It was once a Khmer fishing village. Vietnamese immigration changed it. The immigrants came in the 17th century.
In 1698 Prey Nokor became Saigon. Vietnam formally annexed it. Vietnam gained much from this annexation. Saigon grew quickly into a major settlement.
French and Spanish forces invaded Saigon in 1859. Saigon then became part of French Indochina. French rule brought Western architecture. Some French villas still stand. French immigrants came too. They accounted for 10% of the population by 1929.
When France fell to Nazi Germany in 1940, Saigon fell under Vichy France. Soon Japan took control. Japan and Vichy France co-ruled. However, Japan truly ran Saigon.
The Communist Viet Minh declared Vietnam independent in 1945. Ho Chi Minh led them. They fought a guerrilla war against France. In 1949, capitalist Vietnamese formed their own state. Saigon became its capital. The former Vietnamese emperor was re-established. The Republic of Vietnam began in 1956. France relinquished control in 1954. The Viet Minh controlled North Vietnam. Non-Communists controlled South Vietnam.
In the 1940s, the U.S. supported the Viet Minh against Japan. In the 1950s, they supported France against rebels. The U.S. defended South Vietnam in the 1960s. On April 30, 1975, the U.S. ended involvement in Vietnam. The Viet Minh took Saigon. In 1976, they renamed it Ho Chi Minh City.
Many Saigon residents fled to the U.S. after the Fall of Saigon. A Vietnamese diaspora was created. The city expanded to include its suburbs. Today, Ho Chi Minh City has eight million people. It is Vietnam’s economic hub. It accounts for 20% of national GDP. Many tourists visit too. They especially flock to the French District. Museums and cinemas also attract them.
Today most Saigonese are ethnically Vietnamese. The Chinese are the largest minority. They live in Cholon and other districts. The Chinese are called “Hoa.” More Hoa live here than anywhere else in Vietnam. Some Cambodians also live here. They are known as Khmer.
Most Saigonese speak Vietnamese. The Hoa speak Chinese dialects. These include Cantonese and Hainanese. Tourism brings English speakers too.
Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism are common here. Vietnamese and Chinese people practice them. Roman Catholics make up 10% of the population. There are also Protestants, Hindus, Muslims, and Baha’i followers.
Ho Chi Minh City residents produce 20% of national GDP. They account for 28% of industrial production. They also manage a third of the nation’s shipping tonnage. Per capita GDP was $5,100. This is much higher than the national average. Service industries make up 51% of the economy. Forestry and agriculture account for 48%. The state owns 33% of the economy. The private sector owns only five percent. Foreign investments fuel 62% of it.
Ho Chi Minh City has a tropical climate. It is warm all year. There are wet and dry seasons. The rainy season lasts from May to October. The dry season runs from December to April.
Over 70 inches of rain fall during the wet season. Seventy percent of rain days include thunderstorms. Showers usually only last a couple hours. Most tourists visit between November and March. This avoids the wet season. Typhoon season shrinks tourist crowds.
The average humidity is 78% to 82% throughout the year. Temperatures are stable. The average daily mean is 82°F. Average daily highs range from 87°F in December to 94°F in April.
Tan Son Nhat is Vietnam’s busiest international airport. It is located about eight kilometers from the heart of the city.
As you explore Phường 2 reflect on its history. From Khmer village to modern city, its story continues to unfold.