“Dong Khoi’ means ‘uprising’, to commemorate the uprising of Vietnamese over would-be colonial masters in the past. Before 1975, it was known as Tu Do, meaning ‘freedom’, a name bestowed on it by President Diem in 1954 to celebrate the departure of the French. The French themselves knew it as La Rue Catinat, and even a century ago it was lined with classy cafes and fashion boutiques. The main difference today is heavy traffic, towering shopping malls and office blocks.

It’s one of the most interesting streets in the city to wander along, with some of the city’s top sights along the way—the Notre Dame Cathedral, The General Post Office, the Hotel Continental, the Opera House, the Caravelle Hotel, other long-standing hotels like the Grand and the Majestic, the Jumia Mosque, and a short walk to the west, the Saigon Skydeck.

If you’re only in town for a day or two and want to get a taste of Saigon then and now, a stroll down Dong Khoi is highly recommended.

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  Photo by Ron Emmons