Last Updated on 2026 年 1 月 17 日 by Ching
The Ho Chi Minh Central Post Office is one of the places I really liked on this trip.
This Ho Chi Minh Central Post Office (Saigon Central Post Office), with its Sino-Vietnamese heritage, was once considered one of the most beautiful post offices in the world. Besides being one of the few century-old French architectural buildings preserved in Ho Chi Minh, it was also the first post office established during the French colonial period. Its charming yellow and green exterior has made it a must-visit tourist attraction in Ho Chi Minh today!
Check out our experience of strolling through this century-old post office and buying stamps!
Location of Ho Chi Minh Post Office
The Ho Chi Minh Central Post Office is located in the city center, near the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica. It’s about a 10-minute walk from the popular Coffee Apartment in recent years. You can start an afternoon from the Coffee Apartment, visit the Central Post Office, the Red Cathedral, the Reunification Palace, and then walk to Ben Thanh Market for snacks, making it quite a fulfilling itinerary!
French Century-Old Classic – Exterior of Ho Chi Minh Post Office
We visited the Ho Chi Minh Central Post Office on the afternoon of the fourth day. After a night out at the bars on Bui Vien Street, we slept until noon, had brunch at the hotel, shopped for souvenirs at the supermarket, and then leisurely arrived at this century-old post office, avoiding the scorching midday heat of Ho Chi Minh.
Looking back at the photos, I noticed the small ‘1886’ and ‘1891’ above the main entrance, which likely indicate the years the Central Post Office was constructed and completed. The decorative carvings on the exterior walls of the post office are incredibly delicate and exquisite.
In the afternoon, the square in front of the Ho Chi Minh Central Post Office is bustling with people, making it necessary to crop photos to avoid the crowd. As we approached the post office for a closer shot, the entire exterior of the Central Post Office is a striking yellow, looking very eye-catching under the afternoon sun. The walls are adorned with luxurious carvings, full of French architectural style.
Saigon’s Century-Old Post Office: Classic French Arcade
Upon entering the interior of the Ho Chi Minh Central Post Office, the first thing you see is a portrait of Mr. Ho Chi Minh.
Originally named Saigon and historically known as ‘Prey Nokor’, Ho Chi Minh is named in honor of the anti-Japanese leader during World War II and the founder of the Vietnamese Communist Party, Mr. Ho Chi Minh, who is also the figure depicted on our Vietnamese dong.
Therefore, within this century-old post office, the portrait of Mr. Ho Chi Minh hanging above represents the people’s admiration for him.
The second attraction of the Ho Chi Minh Central Post Office is its French arcade design. This type of arched and elevated architectural style appeared in late 18th century Paris, and you can still see many such architectural designs in Europe today.
Last year, when we visited Melbourne, we specifically went to see the century-old Royal Arcade. Walking through these century-old buildings always gives a sense of traveling through time.
Vietnamese Stamp Appreciation
Visiting the Ho Chi Minh Central Post Office, besides buying some postcards to send, this place is also one of the important areas in Ho Chi Minh City for selling souvenirs. Although the prices might be a bit higher than at the Ben Thanh Market, you can still find many treasures! Penny bought a green woven bamboo basket bag as a gift here, while I purchased several Vietnamese stamps.
The first one I chose was a colorful illustration-style Vietnam War theme, with a total of seven stamps placed on a black card, simply packaged in a transparent plastic bag without any extra packaging, perfect for collection.
Upon closer inspection, the illustrations on the stamps are intricately detailed and vividly colored, making them truly irresistible.
This size can be directly pasted into a B5 notebook. Since I don’t have a special stamp collecting habit, I directly pasted it onto my 2019 Muji planner, securing it with washi tape.
The same series also includes a fighter jet version, which is really worth collecting!
Additionally, I bought a set of Vietnamese landscape stamps for my mom, who has a habit of collecting stamps.
This set of stamps is relatively exquisite, fixed on a plastic hard card in an introductory fold, with English and Vietnamese descriptions attached at the top. The printing is beautifully detailed. I think this series is quite suitable as a gift to bring back, perhaps not as practical as some magnets or keychains, but it’s great for collecting and has commemorative value!
Ho Chi Minh Central Post Office Experience
The Ho Chi Minh Central Post Office is located in the center of Ho Chi Minh City and is one of my favorite attractions on my Ho Chi Minh trip! This first post office of French colonial architecture has an adorable and eye-catching goose-yellow exterior. If you’re tired from walking around in the heat outside, you can come here to write postcards and enjoy a century-old French romance!
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