Ho Chi Minh City is still more commonly referred to as ‘Saigon’
by locals and visitors alike, despite the official change of name
in 1975. Located in the south of Vietnam, on a huge bend in the
Saigon River, it is now the economic centre of the country. The
Communist government, who took control of the whole of Vietnam in
1975, tried to suppress the natural entrepreneurial tendencies of
the Saigonese and the city went through the economic doldrums until
recovery started in the 1990s. Once again, there is a dynamic feel
to the city with the population purposefully going about its business.
The people have embraced the opportunities offered to them as a
result of the presence of the many multinational companies that
have poured in from elsewhere within the region and from Australia
and Europe, but the city has still managed to retain its distinctly
Asian feel.
