Officially, the southern metropoliss name is Ho Chi Minh City, and has been for many years, but there are still a number of locals and visitors alike that call it Saigon. However, nowadays, the two names are not used to make any kind of political statement; they are simply alternate ways of referring to the city.

What does the word Saigon mean?

An etymology of Saigon (or Sài Gòn in Vietnamese) is that Sài is a Sino-Vietnamese word (Hán tự: 柴) meaning firewood, lops, twigs; palisade, while Gòn is another Sino-Vietnamese word (Hán tự: 棍) meaning stick, pole, bole, and whose meaning evolved into cotton in Vietnamese (bông gòn, literally cotton stick,

Is Saigon a word?

former name of Ho Chi Minh City: capital of former South Vietnam 1954–76.

Is Saigon dangerous?

Ho Chi Minh is generally a safe city, as safe as other similar cities throughout the world. Violent crime is rare, but lately, robberies, assaults, and harassments started occurring, often involving weapons.

What is considered offensive in Vietnam?

The usual gesture to call people over — open hand, palm up — is considered rude in Vietnam. Its how people call for dogs here. To show respect, point your palm face down instead. And you also shouldnt call someone over when theyre older than you.

Is Saigon a safe city?

The U.S. Department of State has assessed Ho Chi Minh City as being a HIGH-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Despite this assessment, most visitors feel relatively safe. The level of crime is comparable to other cities of similar size throughout Asia.

Does it get cold in Saigon?

Ho Chi Minh City has dry periods in January, February and March. The warmest month is April with an average maximum temperature of 35°C (95°F). The coldest month is December with an average maximum temperature of 30°C (86°F).

What is a lucky number in Viet Nam?

Numbers: The Vietnamese believe the number 9 brings luck. 8 is also considered lucky. The 1 and 8 of 18, adding up to 9, are considered auspicious.