One of the odder tourist sites we’ve ever visited. The leader of the Vietnamese communist movement and celebrated as the father of the country, Ho Chi Minh was a modest man who wished to be cremated after his death. He hoped that his ashes would be scattered in the north, south, and middle of the country. Instead, he was embalmed, and his body remains on display in the mausoleum. After entering the mausoleum complex, you follow a long, winding path around the large complex to the mausoleum itself. The tomb is kept cold and dark, and visitors follow a path around it while armed guards stand at each corner of the body. Once you exit the tomb, there are several other attractions on the site, including the presidential palace (which was offered to Ho, though he declined it), Ho’s house (a much more modest home built on stilts in the style favored by one of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities), the Ho Chi Minh Museum, and the One-Pillar Pagoda.
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 8-5; Monday 8-11am.