is one of South East Asia’s emerging boom cities.

是東南亞新興大城 之一。

Still affectionately known by many as Saigon,

許多人仍喜歡稱她為西貢，

this is Vietnam’s largest city and its economic engine room.

她是越南的最大城和 經濟引擎。

Ho Chi Minh City has an irrepressible soul and an entrepreneurial energy

胡志明市有一個鎮壓不住的靈魂 和創業能量

that hums day and night.

日夜活躍地不停運轉。

Despite almost a century of colonialism and brutal conflict,

雖然經過他國近一世紀的殖民和 殘酷的衝突，

today this city is renowned for its warm hospitality,

現今本城以熱情好客聞名，

which even extends to former foes.

甚至對其前敵人也如此。

A youthful enthusiasm flows through this city,

青春的氣息洋溢於這座城市，

just like the stream of scooters,

就像小型摩托車、

motorbikes and cars that flow endlessly through its chaotic streets.

摩托車和汽車源源不絕地流經 其混亂的街道。

In Ho Chi Minh City, it feels as though the future has arrived…

在胡志明市，可感受到 未來…

and yet the past is never far away.

但過去也未曾遠離。

Wide boulevards built during the French colonial era

法國殖民地時期留下的寬闊的林蔭 大道

are lined with cutting edge skyscrapers,

與現代摩天大樓相輝映，

while jasmine scented temples gently rub shoulders with chic rooftop bars

而散發茉莉花香的寺廟緊鄰 別緻的屋頂酒吧

One of the best ways to orient yourself is with a trip up the 68 story skyscraper,

要知道自己身在何處的最好方式之一是 爬上 68 層樓高的摩天大樓

the Bitexco Financial Tower.

Bitexco Financial Tower 金融塔。

Escape the heat and enjoy 360 degree views from the ultra modern Saigon Skydeck.

避暑的同時從超現代化西貢天空平台 (Saigon Skydeck) 享受 360 度視覺景觀。

More than 9 million people call Ho Chi Minh City home

居住在胡志明市當地的人口 超過 9 百萬人

and the dynamic energy of its streets is part of its charm.

她的魅力之一來自充滿活力 的街道。

The city is divided into a series of numbered districts and

本城市區分成一連串有編號的 區域

District One is where almost all of the city’s

其中第一區是本城市最迷人的

main attractions can be found.

全部精華所在。

Head to the area around Dong Khoi Street.

前往同起街 (Dong Khoi Street) 週邊區域。

Known as Rue Catinat when Vietnam was part of

在 20 世紀初期當越南還是法屬印度支那

French Indochina in the early 20th century,

的一部分時被稱為卡提拿街 (Rue Catinat)，

it was the height of elegance and sophistication.

是當時最高級最繁華的一條街道。

Today, it is still home to some of the city’s most graceful

現今城中仍存留著 最高雅的

architecture such as the Saigon Central Post office,

建築如胡志明巿中央 郵局，

still in operation today.

至今仍在營運。

Nearby, the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral and the Saigon Opera House

附近的西貢王公聖母教堂 (Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral) 和胡志明市大劇院

seem to echo with music of a time gone by.

彷彿響起了時間飛逝的音樂

While the old French Hotels such as the Hotel Continental Saigon

老舊的法國飯店如 西貢歐式飯店 (Hotel Continental Saigon)

offer a romantic oasis from the busy streets.

就像在繁忙街道中的浪漫綠洲。

Take a tour of the Gia Long Palace,

可到嘉隆府 (Gia Long Palace) 一遊，

known officially as the Ho Chi Minh City Museum.

此地被稱為胡志明市博物館。

It offers a wonderful insight into the way the

是一個可讓人深入了解本城

city has changed over the years

多年來的變遷史的地方

while the Museum of Vietnam History

因為這座 越南歷史博物館

looks further back in time.

呈現更古早時期的史實文物。

But although the city’s history is honoured here,

除了推崇和保留 本城的歷史

Dong Khoi Street is also at the epicentre of much of

同起街 也是

Ho Chi Minh City’s recent economic boom.

胡志明市近期最繁榮地區。

Luxury brands grace the windows of many of the area’s colonial-era buildings

本區許多殖民地時期建築物的 櫥窗內擺滿奢華品牌

and glittering new shopping centres offer stylish boutiques and coffee shops.

光鮮亮麗的購物中心充斥著 時尚精品店和咖啡館。

A more traditional way to experience local commerce is with a visit to Ben Thanh,

要體驗當地商業氣息的更傳統方式是 去參觀濱城市場 (Ben Thanh)，

the city’s largest and most central market.

那是本城規模最大也最中心的市場。

You can find nearly anything here but be prepared to bargain.

什麼都買得到 但別忘了殺價。

The buzzing Ho Chi Minh City’s street markets

熙來攘往的胡志明市街邊市場

are also the perfect place to immerse yourself in the fresh and fragrant

也是您流連忘返 於越式料理鮮美香味

tastes of Vietnamese cuisine.

的地方。

Cholon, is another great place to find the beat of the city.

堤岸 (Cholon) 是另一個可找到 城市節奏的地方。

Today it is one of the world’s largest chinatowns

現今的堤岸已然成為全世界最大的中國城

but it first became internationally famous

但她成名為全球知名

as a thriving black market during the Vietnam conflict.

繁華黑市起於越戰時期。

Known here as the American War,

在越南叫做美戰，

it is far from forgotten and many visitors come to Ho Chi Minh

這段永難抹滅的記憶讓做多觀光客 來胡志明市

to better understand one of the most controversial conflicts in the 20th century.

一探這個 20 世紀最具爭議性 戰役的全貌。

The powerful War Remnants Museum attracts more than

令人震撼的戰爭遺跡博物館每年 吸引超過

half a million visitors each year and is a

50 萬人次的訪客來

confronting reminder of the horrors of war.

領略戰爭的恐怖。

Take a tour of the Reunification Palace,

參觀統一宮 (Reunification Palace)，

another icon from those dark days.

她是另一個代表黑暗時代的圖標。

When North vietnamese tanks crashed through the gates here in 1975,

當 1975 年北越坦克車壓過 此處大門時，

it signaled the end of the world’s first televised war.

象徵這個全球首次由電視 播送的戰爭的結束。

See the rooftop from which the last evacuations took place

參觀發生最後撤退行動的 屋頂

and visit the telecommunications room which has remained almost untouched since that fateful day.

以及從那恐怖時期至今 保留完好的電信室。

Escape from the weight of history at the Tao Dan Park,

到騷壇公園 (Tao Dan Park) 走走以遠離 歷史沉痾，

an oasis of green, right in the heart of the city.

她是位於本城正中央的 綠洲。

Or, exchange the scooter fumes for flowers

或是遠離摩托車排氣

with a stroll through the 100 year old Zoo and Botanical Gardens.

散步到有 100 年歷史的舊動物園 和植物園。

The lush grounds of Binh Quoi tourist village

平桂 (Binh Quoi) 渡假村的植被繁茂

are a 30 minute drive out of town.

從市中心到城外約 30 分鐘車程。

This village was created to show what

本村建造目的是要向世人展示

life was like on the mekong delta in days gone by.

早期在湄公河三角洲人們生活 的樣貌。

Discover a different kind of energy in Ho Chi Minh city’s

到胡志明市香煙裊繞的寺廟 探尋另一種完全不同

incense filled temples.

型態的活力。

Although officially an atheist country there are a number of

越南雖是個無神論者國家 但在

long established religions in Vietnam including

越南境內有不少早期建立的信仰

Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.

包括佛教、儒教和道教。

At the Jade Emperor Pagoda,

到玉皇廟 (Jade Emperor Pagoda)

pay your respects to Ngoc Hoang,

敬拜玉皇上帝 (Ngoc Hoang)

the King of Heaven, a taoist gatekeeper to the afterlife.

這位來世天堂 的道教守門者。

As the sun goes down,

在黃昏時刻，

find yourself a seat at one of Ho Chi Minh City’s famous rooftop bars,

找一家胡志明市著名的 屋頂酒吧歇腳

a perfect way to soak up the buzz of the city.

好好感受城市的喧囂。

Dynamic, chaotic and energizing.

充滿活力、混亂卻精力十足。

Ho Chi Minh city may have burst onto the world stage as a battle zone but today,

胡志明市曾經是世上 佈滿戰火的區域，

there is no better destination to plug in to the pulse of 21st century Asia.

但時至今日已成為連接 21 世紀亞洲脈搏的 最佳目的地。