Reunification Palace Guide
The former Presidential Palace of South Vietnam — war command room, rooftop helicopter, underground bunker, and the site where the Vietnam War ended
The Reunification Palace (formerly Independence Palace) is one of the most historically significant buildings in modern Vietnamese history. This striking 1960s modernist structure served as the official residence and workplace of the President of South Vietnam until April 30, 1975 — the day a North Vietnamese tank crashed through its front gates, ending the Vietnam War.
Designed by architect Ngo Viet Thu in 1966 after the original French colonial Norodom Palace was bombed by two rogue South Vietnamese pilots, the palace is a masterpiece of 1960s modernist architecture blending Western design principles with Vietnamese artistic traditions. The building has been preserved as a museum since reunification, with its state reception rooms, war command center, underground bunker, and rooftop helicopter pad maintained exactly as they were during the final days of the war. Walking through the palace is like stepping into a time capsule of one of the 20th century's most dramatic historical moments.
7:30-16:00
Opening Hours
65,000₫
Entry Fee
Morning
Best Time
1966
Year Built
Essential Information
Open daily 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM (last entry 3:30 PM) including weekends. Entry costs 65,000₫ for adults, 25,000₫ for children aged 6-16, and free for children under 6. Audio guides available for 30,000₫ and highly recommended for historical context. The palace is air-conditioned throughout, providing comfortable exploration even in Saigon's tropical heat.
Early morning at opening (7:30 AM) for the quietest experience and best exterior light. Tour groups and school groups arrive between 9:30 AM and 2:00 PM during peak season. Late afternoon after 3:00 PM is another good window. Weekday mornings are consistently the least crowded. The palace front lawn and gardens are particularly photogenic in the soft morning or late afternoon light.
Located at 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, District 1, in the heart of Saigon's historic center. A 10-minute walk from Notre-Dame Cathedral, 10 minutes from the War Remnants Museum, and 15 minutes from Ben Thanh Market. By Grab, it costs 15,000-25,000₫ from most District 1 locations. The palace is easily combined with the War Remnants Museum and Cathedral in a morning walking tour.
Budget 1.5-2 hours for a thorough visit. The ground floor and state reception rooms take 30-40 minutes, the underground bunker and war command room 30 minutes, and the upper floors including the rooftop helicopter another 30-40 minutes. With the audio guide, add 20-30 minutes. The palace grounds with gardens and the front lawn tank are worth an additional 15-20 minutes.
What to See
War Command Room
Deep in the basement of the palace, the War Command Room (also called the Telecommunications Room) remains frozen in time from April 30, 1975 — the day Saigon fell. This network of underground rooms served as the nerve center for South Vietnamese military operations, with original communications equipment, military maps with strategic markings, and telecommunications gear still in place on the desks and walls. You can see the exact radio equipment used to broadcast President Duong Van Minh's unconditional surrender to North Vietnamese forces. The room is surprisingly small and cramped, giving visitors a visceral sense of the claustrophobic tension during those final hours. The original strategic wall maps with colored pins marking troop positions are particularly compelling.
Rooftop Helicopter
On the rooftop of the palace sits a UH-1 Huey helicopter — one of the most photographed objects in Saigon. This is a replica of the helicopter used in the famous evacuation of the US Embassy during the fall of Saigon, and it marks the exact spot where a rogue South Vietnamese pilot bombed the palace on April 8, 1975, just weeks before the war ended. The rooftop offers panoramic views across the palace grounds and the surrounding District 1 skyline. On a clear day you can see the Bitexco Financial Tower and Landmark 81. The helicopter and the painted landing circle on the rooftop make for an iconic photo opportunity that captures one of the most dramatic moments of the 20th century.
Underground Bunker and Tunnel System
Beneath the palace lies an extensive network of reinforced bunkers and tunnels built to protect the president during aerial attacks. The underground complex includes a situation room with detailed war maps, a presidential bedroom, a kitchen, and a telecommunications center — all connected by narrow concrete corridors. The bunker was designed to withstand direct bomb hits and was equipped with its own ventilation and water supply systems. Walking through the narrow, low-ceilinged corridors gives you a powerful sense of the paranoia and danger that characterized the final years of the South Vietnamese government. The bunker is surprisingly cool compared to the tropical heat above ground.
State Reception Rooms
The upper floors of the palace feature the lavishly decorated State Reception Rooms where President Nguyen Van Thieu hosted foreign dignitaries and conducted official business. The rooms showcase 1960s modernist architecture at its finest — open-plan spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows, geometric ceiling patterns, lacquerware decorations, and period furniture. Highlights include the Credentials Presenting Room with its massive lacquer painting, the State Banquet Hall that could seat 100 guests, the Cabinet Room with its oval table, and the Presidential Library. The interior design is a fascinating blend of Western modernism and Vietnamese artistic traditions. The rooms are maintained in their original condition and offer a glimpse into the political culture of 1960s South Vietnam.
Photography Tips
Exterior and Grounds
The most iconic exterior shot of the Reunification Palace is from the front gate on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, showing the modernist facade with its distinctive geometric sun screens and the Vietnamese flag. The palace grounds feature manicured gardens with tall tropical trees that frame the building beautifully. Early morning (just after opening at 7:30 AM) provides soft golden light on the front facade. The tank on the front lawn — a replica of the North Vietnamese T-54 that crashed through the palace gates on April 30, 1975 — is one of the most photographed objects in Saigon.
Interior Architecture
The palace interior is a masterpiece of 1960s modernist design with excellent natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows. The geometric ceiling patterns in the State Reception Rooms create stunning abstract compositions when shot from directly below. The central staircase with its red carpet is another popular subject. The underground bunker rooms are quite dark, so use a camera with good low-light performance. Flash photography is permitted in most areas except where signs indicate otherwise. The rooftop helicopter with the Saigon skyline behind it is the single most Instagram-worthy shot in the building.
Historical Details
For documentary-style photography, focus on the small historical details that tell the story: the original telephones and radio equipment in the war command room, the strategic maps with colored pins, the vintage furniture in the presidential office, and the propaganda posters displayed throughout the building. The English-language information plaques next to each room provide excellent context. The contrast between the opulent state rooms upstairs and the cramped, functional bunker rooms below makes for a powerful photographic narrative about the two faces of power during wartime.
Nearby Food & Cafes
Com Tam Ba Ghien
A legendary com tam (broken rice) institution about a 10-minute walk from the palace. Ba Ghien has been serving Saigon's favorite everyday meal since the 1990s — perfectly grilled pork chop (suon nuong) over broken rice with a crispy fried egg, pickled vegetables, and fish sauce. The charcoal-grilled pork is smoky, caramelized, and impossibly juicy. Open from early morning until late evening, with the busiest period at lunch. There is usually a queue, but turnover is fast. Cash only, no frills — just outstanding food.
The Workshop Coffee
One of Saigon's best specialty coffee shops, located on the upper floor of a colonial-era building on Le Loi Boulevard, just a 5-minute walk from the palace. The Workshop roasts its own Vietnamese single-origin beans and serves them as pour-over, AeroPress, and espresso drinks. The space is bright, airy, and modern with exposed brick walls and large windows overlooking the street below. A perfect mid-morning stop after visiting the palace. The avocado smoothie and the egg coffee (ca phe trung) are popular non-traditional options.
Nha Hang Ngon
Set in a beautiful French colonial villa on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, directly opposite the palace grounds, Nha Hang Ngon recreates the street food experience in a refined garden setting. The menu features dishes from all regions of Vietnam — Hanoi pho, Hue bun bo, Saigon banh xeo, and dozens more — prepared at open cooking stations around the courtyard. It is an excellent introduction to Vietnamese cuisine for first-time visitors. Prices are slightly higher than street food but still very affordable. Reservations recommended for lunch and dinner.
Pro Tips
Get the Audio Guide
The audio guide (30,000₫) is one of the best investments in Saigon tourism. Without it, the palace rooms can feel like empty 1960s spaces with little context. With the audio guide, every room comes alive with stories of political intrigue, wartime drama, and the final hours before the fall of Saigon. It covers every major room including the bunker and rooftop. Available in English, French, Japanese, and several other languages.
Start from the Basement
Most visitors start at the top and work down, which means the underground bunker and war command room get crowded in the late morning. Reverse the route: head straight to the basement when you arrive, explore the bunker and command room in peace, then work your way up through the state rooms to the rooftop helicopter. This counterflow strategy lets you experience the most historically significant areas with fewer people.
Combine with the War Museum
The War Remnants Museum is just a 10-minute walk from the palace, making them a natural pair for a morning itinerary. Visit the War Remnants Museum first (opens at 7:30 AM), spend 2-3 hours there for the documentary and photographic perspective on the war, then walk to the palace to see where the political decisions were made and where the war ultimately ended. This chronological approach provides the fullest understanding of the conflict.
Watch for Special Events
The palace occasionally hosts cultural events, art exhibitions, and musical performances in its grand state rooms. April 30 (Reunification Day) sees special commemorative events and the palace is decorated with flags and banners — it is busy but atmospheric. The palace gardens are sometimes used for evening events and light shows during major holidays. Check the official website or ask your hotel concierge for the current schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
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