Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Taken on: 22nd December, 2011. Copyright: All Rights Reserved - See greeneyedmon5ter's page of Flickr

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As cyclo drivers rest easy below vast neon billboards, the emerging Vietnamese middle class — mobile phones in hand — cruise past draped in haute couture on their imported motorcycles. Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City — Vietnam's largest and most exciting city.

How things have changed from the sleepy days pre-16th century, when the Khmer fishing village of Prey Nokor was established on a vast swampland. Saigon's origins date back to the early 17th century when the area became home for refugees fleeing war in the north. Towards the end of the century, once the population was more Vietnamese and Cambodia weak enough, Vietnam annexed the territory. Over the following decades Prey Nokor developed into the Saigon the French found when they conquered the region in the mid 19th century.

Within a very short time the French began to leave their mark on the city and still today some of the best hotels in Saigon are within grandiose colonials overlooking gorgeous ... Read our complete Ho Chi Minh City travel guide

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