The Saigon Reunification Palace, a Vietnam attraction in Ho Chi Minh City, is a place to see great Saigon architecture. The Saigon Reunification Palace is also where you’ll learn quite a bit about south Vietnam before Vietnam becomes one.

Tip: They have staffs who will bring you around on a free guided tour which normally last for about an hour. This happens whenever there are about 10 to 15 visitors forming a group.

 

The Cabinet meeting room. Green is the color theme chosen as it’s said to have a calming effect.

 

 

The Banquet room. The painting at the back of the room shows the whole of Vietnam with the mountains representing north Vietnam, the palaces and pagodas for the central and Mekong Delta for south Vietnam.

 

This is the President’s International reception room where he received his guests from oversea. The raised platform, making him look taller, is to project a sense of power.

 

One of my favorite shot of the Saigon Reunification Palace This carpet was a gift from a Hong Kong diplomat to the president.

 

The President’s National reception room.

 

These flower stone ‘curtains’ bearing the shapes of bamboo joints not only beautifies the Reunification Palace but also allow sunlight in to brighten up the place.

 

Main stairs of the Saigon Reunification Palace.

 

The Vice President’s reception room.

 

The Credentials presenting room.

 

Presents from the Vietnamese people to the President.

 

Tip: The higher you go, the better the view gets.

 

My favorite part of the Reunification Palace. This is the President’s private living area. What is special here it is that although we are now on the 2nd level and inside a building, the design of the garden with the open sunlight gives one the feeling of being outdoor without ever stepping out.

 

The map room.

 

Gambling room.

 

Movie theatre.

 

Projector room.

 

This is at the top level with what is call the ‘Four Directions Tower’.

 

The heliport. The 2 red circles indicate where 2 bombs were dropped in an unsuccessful attempt to kill the President.

 

The main gate of the palace where tanks of the liberation troops crashed right through the wrought iron on 30th April, 1975, uniting Vietnam once and for all. The tanks can be seen on the left side of this picture.

 

And finally, my favorite story about the Saigon Reunification Palace is this – when the first officer from the North Liberation Troop entered the room where the leader of South Vietnam was, the leader said ” I’ve been waiting since early this morning to transfer power to you”. “There is no question of your transferring power, you cannot give up what you do not have”, replied the officer.

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