Reunification Palace

If you’re interested in the Vietnam war and the significant event in 1975, the Independence Palace is a must-visit on your trip to Ho Chi Minh City!

The Reunification Palace, also known as Independence Palace, is one of the most famous historic sites in Vietnam. This building was the home and workplace of South Vietnam’s President during the Vietnam War.

The Palace has witnessed the happenings of two fierce wars against the French and American colonists and it was an important mark to end the war and the fall of South Vietnamese Government when tank No.390 crashed through its main gate and entered the grounds on April 30, 1975. A replica of that tank is now parked on the lawn outside the building.

Apart from its historic significance, the Reunification Palace is also a showplace of the South Vietnamese modernist architecture and interior decoration, typical in the 1960s. Be sure to check out the impressively recreation room, featuring a circular sofa, and the eerie basement, full of vintage 1960’s phones, radios, tactical maps hang on the walls and office equipment. 

There is also a room filled with historic photos and a propaganda film showing how the South Vietnamese supporters and American imperialists yielded to Ho Chi Minh’s revolutionary forces.

Best time to visit

As this is a very popular tourist attraction, visitors better arrive early - as soon as the palace opens- to avoid crowds

How to get there

The Reunification Palace is nestled in District 1, which is also the center of Ho Chi Minh City and close to other tourist attractions such as Notre Dame Cathedral, 30/4 Park, Central Post Office, etc. This place has the front gate facing the intersection between Le Duan Street and Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street. For those staying in hotels in District 1, the palace is a 20-minute walk, otherwise a bus can be taken directly to the centre station.