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The Reunification Palace is the former Presidential Palace of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), located in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Formerly known as the Independence Palace, this grand structure was built on the site of the French built Norodom Palace which was destroyed during a bombing in 1962. Until 1975, this is where South Vietnam’s war effort was run from, and it is the site where North Vietnam’s Army officially won the war by marching right up to the palace, its tanks smashing through the gates in victory.
Today, the palace is a museum, left basically as it was during the surrender in 1975. When I visited Saigon, I took some time to explore the different rooms and floors of the palace, taking lots of photos as I went. Here are some of my photos from the Reunification Palace.
The Reunification Palace
Stairs leading from the entrance to the palace
Cabinet Meeting Room
Conference Hall
International Reception Room
Beautiful carpet
National Reception Room
View from one of the front balconies
Another reception room
A dining room
The Movie Theatre
A grand piano
An old helicopter on the rooftop helipad
An old war room in the basement bunker
Vintage equipment in the basement
The tank that smashed through the gates in 1975
The Reunification Palace costs 30,000 Dong ($1.50) to enter and is open from 7:30-11am and 1-4pm every day.
I like the carpet, antique chairs and chandeliers! I do hope the people of Vietnam will continue preserving the Palace so that future generation with can see it to give them glimpse of history.
Hi Kristy. The interior of the palace is certainly beautiful. It’s a museum now so it should stay well looked after.
Wow, i love how everything was left how it was in 1975! I am going to Saigon soon, and thought i’ll give this place a miss but thanks to your blog post, i HAVE TO VISIT this place! I LOVE places left frozen in time, and I cannot miss this one. Just a Q – are we allowed to take photos or you got special permission/sneaked? Also, can we go near the furniture? I see some parts cordoned off but some parts I don’t know if the camera isn’t catching it but it looks like you can walk straight up to the furniture – can you? Thanks again!!!
Hi Mabel. Yes you can take photos in the palace. From memory you can walk up and touch most of the furniture but yes there are some areas that are cordoned off to stop people from walking on rugs etc. which is understandable.
A historical site in their turbulent history. Another place to visit that will give tourists a balanced perspective is the ARVN Cemetery at Bien Hoa. A final resting place for 16,000 soldiers on the losing side, it is neglected and some statuary has been dismantled and/or vandalized. Forget the theme bars, go ahead and see the Cu Chi tunnels. If anything, add this to your itinerary to see that all citizens in their nation suffered.
Hi Don. I didn’t get to the places you mentioned. Next trip! Thanks for the tips.
I visited the Palace last August. Probably one of the best museum’s I’ve ever visited. The Palace is a perfect time capsule from the Vietnam/American war era.