District 1 Ho Chi Minh City: what it covers today
District 1 (Quận 1) is the name travellers still use for the old centre of Saigon. Since 1 July 2025 it is no longer an administrative unit. The area is split into the new wards of Sài Gòn, Tân Định, Bến Thành and Cầu Ông Lãnh. Bến Nghé is now part of Sài Gòn ward, and Phạm Ngũ Lão is part of Bến Thành. This guide keeps the familiar name because maps, hotels and signs still use it.
A Saigon walking tour in this area links the Reunification Palace, the Central Post Office, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Nguyễn Huệ street and the Opera House. For a guided version, see our overview of Ho Chi Minh City tours.
Reunification Palace
One palace with two names.
Name and address
The Reunification Palace (Dinh Thống Nhất) is also called Independence Palace (Dinh Độc Lập). It is one building, not two sights. The address is 135 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa, with an extra entrance at 106 Nguyễn Du, both in Bến Thành ward.
Hours
Open every day from 07:00 to 18:00, including public holidays and Tết, unless a special closure is announced. Tickets are also sold online.
Prices 2026
Adults pay VND 80,000, students and seniors VND 40,000, and children aged 6 to under 16 pay VND 20,000. Ticket combinations differ, so check the price and what it covers at the ticket desk before you pay.
Our pick: a walk through the centre
A fit if you want the stories behind the District 1 streets.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Tours in the centre of Saigon
Walking tours, city tours and half-day trips through District 1, with live prices and availability.
Post office, cathedral and Nguyễn Huệ
The Central Post Office (Bưu điện Thành phố) and Notre-Dame Cathedral (Nhà thờ Đức Bà) stand near each other and are two of the landmarks of a Saigon walking tour. Seeing the cathedral is a matter of looking from the outside. The Archdiocese is still running a restoration project, with work on the decoration of the towers, so the church is not fully open. Do not plan on an interior visit.
Nguyễn Huệ and the Opera House are the other orientation points of the centre. A walk through public space is possible at any time. Opera tours and performance tickets are a separate matter, so do not count on going inside. Check the opening times of the post office on the day.
District 3 and nearby museums
What lies next to the centre.
District 3 Ho Chi Minh
District 3 (Quận 3) has also been replaced by new wards, among them Bàn Cờ, Xuân Hòa and Nhiêu Lộc. People still use the old name for orientation, for example for hotels. The War Remnants Museum is in Xuân Hòa ward, which is the former District 3.
The museum
The War Remnants Museum has its own hours and tickets. Combine it with the palace in one day, but keep two separate entry tickets in mind.
Markets and food
Ben Thanh Market lies in the same area. Read the Ben Thanh Market page for hours, and see the food tour page if you want to eat your way through the centre.
Plan the rest of your trip
Where District 1 fits.
District 1: frequently asked questions
Does District 1 still exist?
Not as an administrative unit. Since 1 July 2025 the area is divided into the wards Sài Gòn, Tân Định, Bến Thành and Cầu Ông Lãnh. Travellers, maps and hotels still use the name.
How much is the Reunification Palace ticket?
Adults pay VND 80,000 in 2026, students and seniors VND 40,000 and children aged 6 to under 16 VND 20,000. The palace is open from 07:00 to 18:00 every day. Check the price and what it covers at the desk.
Is the Reunification Palace the same as Independence Palace?
Yes. Dinh Độc Lập is the historic name of the site and Dinh Thống Nhất is the name used today.
Can I go inside Notre-Dame Cathedral?
Do not plan on it. A restoration project with work on the towers is still running, and the church is not fully open to visitors.
What does a Saigon walking tour cover?
The usual stops are the palace, the post office, the cathedral, Nguyễn Huệ and the Opera House. Add the museum or the market if you have more time.