Step into history as you explore Nha Rong Harbor, one of Ho Chi Minh City's most significant landmarks. This iconic site not only boasts stunning architecture but also holds deep historical importance as the place where President Ho Chi Minh began his journey to seek national liberation.

Let's explore more about Top Must-Visit Historic Site in Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Rong Harbor 

Nha Rong Harbor (also known as the Ho Chi Minh Museum – Ho Chi Minh City branch) is one of the most iconic landmarks in Saigon. As the city's largest harbor, it captivates millions of visitors each year with its stunning architecture—a harmonious blend of French elegance and Vietnamese heritage. More than just an architectural gem, Nha Rong Harbor holds immense historical significance as the very place where President Ho Chi Minh set sail in 1911 to seek a path to national liberation. A visit to this landmark is an essential part of any Ho Chi Minh City tour.

History of Nha Rong Harbor

Nha Rong (or Ho Chi Minh Museum) is situated on the junction of the Saigon River, at the end of Nguyen Tat Thanh street. “Nha Rong” means “Dragon House”. Initially, it was a busy commercial harbor of Ho Chi Minh city which was built by the French between 1862 and 1863 to exchange goods, weapons, and materials during the French occupation of Vietnam.

Nha Rong Harbor & The Story of President Ho Chi Minh

Today, the place is internationally well-known for a historic event related to Vietnam’s independence. On 5th June 1911, at this harbor, Nguyen Tat Thanh (Van Ba), a young patriot and become President Ho Chi Minh later, aged 21, embarked aboard the ship Admiral Latouche Treville to sail to France. He set out on a long journey to seek ways to liberty for fatherland while Vietnam was under the control of the French during wartime. Thirty years later, in 1941, after traveling to some countries all over the world, he returned to Viet Nam to lead the revolution. Thanks to Ho Chi Minh’s ingenious leadership, Vietnam gained independence. From that moment on, Vietnamese citizens are grateful to the leader for changing the fate of the country, so they love and want to preserve any keepsakes related to Ho Chi Minh.

To celebrate the great contribution of President Ho Chi Minh, on September 3rd, 1979, the HCMC People's Committee officially decided to convert Nha Rong Harbor to Ho Chi Minh Museum at Nha Rong Harbor. As one of the most impressive museums in Ho Chi Minh city, it has collected, preserved, and exhibited a great number of pictures and items relating to President Ho Chi Minh's life and career. The museum has become a memorial place dedicated to the great Vietnamese leader and allured numerous local Vietnamese as well as international tourists who are interested in Ho Chi Minh’s life and communism.

Unique Architecture of Nha Rong Harbor

Tourists setting foot on Nha Rong Harbor will have a great opportunity to admire its unique architecture. It is easy to see that there are two ceramic Vietnamese-dragon-shaped statues on its rooftop. The dragon is a cultural symbol of Vietnam appearing in a lot of pagodas, temples, and residential houses. That's the reason why the building is called Nha Rong (Dragon House).

In the early days, the museum covered an area of 250 square meters and had three exhibit rooms. Today, it has nine exhibit halls with more than 148,000 square meters. Over 11,300 documents and artifacts along with 3,300 specialized books on President Ho Chi Minh are on display giving visitors information about Ho Chi Minh’s life and his revolutionary career. Besides, there are a lot of workshop activities, seminars, exhibitions, cinema, etc. combining tourism with traditional patriotic education.

How to Get Nha Rong Harbor

Nha Rong Harbor is located at No.1 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, Ward 12, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City. You can reach Nha Rong Harbor in many ways: bike, motorbike, or taxi.

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We hope that your experience will be nothing short of amazing

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