# Independence Palace, Ho Chi Minh City > Independence Palace is a 1960s modernist palace in central Ho Chi Minh City, preserved with its original interiors, gardens and a rooftop terrace. A palace-only ticket is 40,000 VND; with the exhibition hall it’s 80,000 VND. It opens daily 7:00–18:00 with no lunch break, and 60–90 minutes is enough. Web page: https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/independence-palace - City: [Ho Chi Minh City](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city), Vietnam - YesGo score: 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 15 min - With kids: Fine with kids - General admission (palace + exhibition): 80,000 VND; seniors 60+ and Vietnamese students 40,000; children 6–15 20,000 - Palace only: 40,000 VND; Vietnamese students 20,000; children 6–15 10,000 - Electric car round the grounds: 25,000 VND per ride, about 10 minutes; admission not included - Under 6: Not listed in the official table; unofficially free - Hours: Daily 7:00–18:00, weekends and holidays included, no lunch break - Ticket offices: 135 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa 7:00–18:00; 106 Nguyễn Du 8:00–16:00 - Closures: May close for state events, announced separately - Time needed: 60–90 minutes for the palace and gardens, about 2 hours with the exhibition - Address: 135 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa, Bến Thành ward (old District 1); in Grab, ‘Dinh Độc Lập’ - Payment: Cash in VND is the safe bet; tickets are also sold online on the official site - Coordinates: 10.77705, 106.69537 - Facts checked: 05.11.2026 ## Key facts - **80,000 VND** — general admission to the palace and the exhibition hall; palace only is 40,000 (source: Independence Palace official website (dinhdoclap.gov.vn)) - **7:00–18:00** — open every day, weekends and holidays included (source: Independence Palace official website (dinhdoclap.gov.vn)) - **Ngô Viết Thụ** — the architect, the first Vietnamese winner of the Prix de Rome (1955) (source: English and Vietnamese Wikipedia) - **1962–1966** — when the present building went up (source: English and Vietnamese Wikipedia; muaban.net) - **12 ha** — of grounds, with lawns, ponds and shaded gardens (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia; muaban.net) - **~100 rooms** — halls, offices and living quarters, each with its own purpose and decor (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia; muaban.net) - **Bamboo screen** — the stone facade screen echoes bamboo stems and the door lattices of Huế’s old palaces; it shades the building and lets air through (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia; muaban.net; Znews) - **26 m** — height of the building (source: English and Vietnamese Wikipedia) - **3 + 2** — three main floors and two mezzanines, with a lower level below and a roof terrace above (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia; muaban.net) - **吉** — the architect shaped the building’s outline on the Chinese character for ‘good fortune’ (source: muaban.net; Znews) > **Check it’s open on the day** The building still works as a hall for **state receptions and official events**, and on those days it closes fully or in part — the official site says exceptions are announced separately. If you only have one day in the city, check the homepage of dinhdoclap.gov.vn that morning. Otherwise it opens every day of the year. ## Independence Palace tickets and entrance fee There are two main tickets. **General admission is 80,000 VND** and covers the palace plus a separate exhibition hall in the grounds. **Palace only is 40,000 VND**. Children aged 6–15 pay 20,000 for the general ticket and 10,000 for the palace. Seniors over 60 and Vietnamese university students pay 40,000 for the general ticket. These are the current official prices. Short on time? The palace-only ticket is enough: the state rooms, the roof and the gardens are the point. Get the general ticket if architecture is your thing — the exhibition traces the buildings on this site from 1868 to 1966, with drawings and models. An **electric car ride round the grounds** costs 25,000 VND per person and takes about 10 minutes; admission is extra. The palace’s own guides were listed from 350,000 VND per group in the previous price table — ask at the counter, as the current table no longer shows it. You can buy at either ticket office or online on the official site. Bring cash in dong: smaller places in Vietnam are a cash world, and while foreign Visa and Mastercard work in hotels and chains, don’t count on a card at a museum counter. Ho Chi Minh City has recently raised its city museum fees, but the palace is not a city museum and sets its own prices. If a blog quotes 65,000 VND or ‘40,000 for everything’, it is out of date. ## Opening hours: is there a lunch break? Officially the palace and the exhibition hall open **daily 7:00–18:00**, weekends and holidays included, with **no lunch break**. The main ticket office at 135 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa keeps the same hours; the second one on Nguyễn Du (No. 106) sells from 8:00 to 16:00. Plenty of guides still give the old schedule — 8:00 to 15:30 or 16:30, closed 11:00–13:00. That no longer applies, but the last hour is still a poor choice: to see every floor and the roof without rushing, arrive by 16:30. The best slot is opening time, 7:00–9:00, when the rooms are cooler and the tour coaches haven’t arrived. After 15:00 is the next quietest window. ## What is the Independence Palace? In Vietnamese it is **Dinh Độc Lập**, officially **Hội trường Thống Nhất**; many guides and taxi drivers also know it as the **Reunification Palace**. All of these names point to the same building at 135 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa. It was built in 1962–1966 to a design by **Ngô Viết Thụ**, the first Vietnamese architect to win the Prix de Rome. It is textbook 1960s modernism — concrete, glass, long horizontal lines and open galleries — with an Eastern accent. The signature is the **stone screen** across the facade: vertical elements shaped like bamboo stems, modelled on the door lattices of the old palaces in Huế. It shades the rooms and lets the breeze through, tropical architecture designed before air-conditioning took over. According to the architect’s son, the outline hides Chinese characters: the whole mass reads as 吉, ‘good fortune’, and facade details form other auspicious signs. Inside are about a hundred rooms on three main floors and two mezzanines, with a roof terrace on top and a lower level underneath. The 1960s interiors survive almost untouched — furniture, lacquer panels, carpets and light fittings. Today the building is a museum open to the public and, on occasion, a venue for official receptions. ## What to see inside - **The facade and lawn** — the white bamboo screen, a broad staircase and an oval lawn with a fountain. The classic view is from the central driveway. - **The ground-floor reception halls** — big, high-ceilinged rooms in pale wood with their original 1960s furniture. - **The banquet room** — a large formal dining hall with its 1960s furniture and decor. - **The credentials room** — the most formal interior in the building, at the heart of the palace. - **Upper-floor reception rooms and offices** — each decorated according to its purpose, with paintings and reliefs from the palace collection. - **The cinema and leisure room** — a small private screening room and a lounge on the top floor, all period pieces. - **The rooftop terrace** — an open deck looking down the green Lê Duẩn boulevard, over the garden trees to the towers of the centre. - **The preserved basement rooms** — narrow corridors and small rooms with their period furniture and equipment; the route usually ends here. - **The gardens** — shaded paths, a half-moon lotus pond and an octagonal pavilion on a mound. ## How long do you need, and is it worth it? Allow **60–90 minutes** for the palace, roof and gardens, and about **two hours** if you add the exhibition hall and an electric car ride. You can explore on your own, rent an audio guide or join one of the palace’s guides — the official site lists all three. It is worth it if you like interiors and design: few modernist palaces anywhere have survived with their furniture and fittings intact. Don’t expect European-style opulence — this is clean lines, pale wood, lacquer and lots of air. It works with kids too: the rooms are roomy, and children tend to prefer the roof and the garden to the offices. If you only have a day and architecture leaves you cold, the facade from the boulevard is free, and the walk from Notre-Dame Cathedral passes right by it. > **Is there a dress code?** The official site lists no dress code, but this is a state building, so **covered shoulders and knees** are the safe choice and beachwear isn’t. Wear comfortable shoes — there are lots of stairs — and bring water: many rooms aren’t air-conditioned, and the roof is hot by late morning. ## How to get to the Independence Palace 1. **The palace stands in a park between Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa and Nguyễn Du streets**, its main facade facing the wide Lê Duẩn boulevard. The visitor entrance and main ticket office are at **135 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa**; the second ticket office is at 106 Nguyễn Du. 2. **From Notre-Dame Cathedral** — about 10 minutes on foot along Lê Duẩn through the park; from the Central Post Office, 10–12 minutes. 3. **From Ben Thanh Market** — about 10–15 minutes’ walk north up Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa. 4. **By metro** — Line 1 to **Ben Thanh** station, then about 15 minutes on foot up Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa. From **Opera House** station it’s a longer 15–20 minutes. 5. **By Grab or taxi** — set ‘Dinh Độc Lập’ or 135 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa. Grab takes cash or a card linked in the app. 6. **From Tan Son Nhat airport** — Grab or taxi in 25–40 minutes, or bus 109 to the centre near Ben Thanh Market, then walk. ## Palace, history museum or post office? | | Independence Palace | Museum of Vietnamese History | Central Post Office | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | 1960s modernist palace with original interiors and gardens | Museum of Vietnamese archaeology and culture | Working post office, 1886–1891 | | Entry | 40,000 VND; 80,000 with the exhibition | 60,000 VND | Free | | Hours | Daily 7:00–18:00 | Tue–Sun 8:00–11:30 and 13:00–17:00 | Daily, safely 8:00–17:00 | | Closed | No weekly closing; shut for state events | Monday | No closing day | | Time needed | 60–90 minutes | 1.5–2 hours | 20–40 minutes | Palace from its official website, history museum from the museum’s official website, post office from travel guides (unofficial). The palace and the post office make an easy morning walk; the museum is by the zoo, about 25–30 minutes away on foot. ## Before you go Tick off what’s ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Checked the official site for an event closure today - [ ] Arriving at opening time or after 15:00, by 16:30 at the latest - [ ] Cash in VND: 40,000 or 80,000 per person - [ ] Shoulders and knees covered, comfortable shoes - [ ] Water for the roof and garden - [ ] Decided on the exhibition hall and the electric car ## Historic sights in Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City’s historic places scored by YesGo. - [Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-notre-dame-cathedral) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free; inside only during Mass - [Independence Palace](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/independence-palace) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 40,000–80,000 VND - [Saigon Central Post Office](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-central-post-office) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free - [Saigon Opera House](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-opera-house) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free outside; inside with a show ticket - [Ben Thanh Market](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/ben-thanh-market) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free entry - [War Remnants Museum](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/war-remnants-museum) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 60,000 VND; concessions 30,000 - [Museum of Vietnamese History](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/museum-of-vietnamese-history) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 60,000 VND; kids and students free - [Cu Chi Tunnels](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/cu-chi-tunnels) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · ≈ 90,000–110,000 VND ## Central Saigon morning: palace, cathedral, post office, opera and market Be at the Independence Palace for opening, walk down Lê Duẩn to [Notre-Dame Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-notre-dame-cathedral) and the [Central Post Office](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-central-post-office), drop down Đồng Khởi to the [Opera House](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-opera-house) and reach [Ben Thanh Market](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/ben-thanh-market) for lunch. Add it to your route and YesGo sets the times and walks. 1. [Independence Palace](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/independence-palace) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 40,000–80,000 VND 2. [Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-notre-dame-cathedral) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free; inside only during Mass 3. [Saigon Central Post Office](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-central-post-office) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free 4. [Saigon Opera House](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/saigon-opera-house) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free outside; inside with a show ticket 5. [Ben Thanh Market](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/ben-thanh-market) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free entry > **Photographing the palace** The classic shot is from the central driveway by the fountain: lawn, fountain and the whole facade screen in one frame. The morning sun lights the front and makes the white concrete glow. From the roof, the Lê Duẩn boulevard runs dead straight away from the palace on its axis. ## Independence or Reunification? ‘Independence Palace’ and ‘Reunification Palace’ are the same building in Ho Chi Minh City; maps and Grab understand both, and ‘Dinh Độc Lập’ always works. Don’t mix it up with the Palace of Independence in Minsk or Astana if you search online. ## Tips - Come at 7:00–9:00: it’s cooler and the tour groups haven’t arrived. - Check the official site in the morning — the palace closes for state events. - Short on time? The 40,000 VND palace ticket covers the rooms, the roof and the gardens. - Pay in cash with small VND notes. - Cover shoulders and knees and wear comfortable shoes — lots of stairs. - Walk on along Lê Duẩn to Notre-Dame and the post office — about 10 minutes. ## Questions ### How much is the Independence Palace entrance fee? 40,000 VND for the palace only, or 80,000 VND for the general ticket with the exhibition hall. Children 6–15 pay 10,000 and 20,000 VND. ### What are the Independence Palace opening hours? Daily 7:00–18:00, weekends and holidays included, with no lunch break. The Nguyễn Du ticket office sells from 8:00 to 16:00. ### Does the palace close for lunch? Not according to the official schedule. The 11:00–13:00 break comes from older guides. ### Is the palace ever closed? There is no weekly closing day, but it shuts fully or partly for state events, announced separately on the official site. ### Is the Reunification Palace the same as the Independence Palace? Yes, it is one building at 135 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa — Dinh Độc Lập in Vietnamese, officially Hội trường Thống Nhất. ### How long do you need at the Independence Palace? 60–90 minutes for the palace, roof and gardens; about two hours with the exhibition hall. ### How do I get to the Independence Palace? About 10 minutes on foot from Notre-Dame Cathedral along Lê Duẩn, or 10–15 from Ben Thanh Market. By metro, Ben Thanh station and a 15-minute walk. In Grab, set ‘Dinh Độc Lập’. ### What is there to see inside? Reception halls, the banquet room, the credentials room, a private cinema, the rooftop terrace, preserved basement rooms and the gardens with a lotus pond. ### Is there a dress code? None is published, but covered shoulders and knees are the safe choice. Wear comfortable shoes for the stairs. ### Is the Independence Palace worth visiting? Yes, if you enjoy 1960s architecture and interiors — the building survives almost intact. Otherwise, the facade from the boulevard on the way to Notre-Dame is enough. ## How we checked Prices and hours come from the palace’s official website: the price table now in force and the homepage. An older table on the same site listed children as 6–17 and combo tickets with the electric car; the current one says 6 to under 16 and has no combos, so we don’t quote combos or the guide fee as firm. Under-6s aren’t in the table, so ‘free’ is marked unofficial. Travel guides (vietnamtourism.com and others) give 65,000 VND and hours of 8:00–15:30 or 8:00–16:30 with a lunch break; that contradicts the official site, which we follow. Floor area differs between sources (20,000 vs 120,000 m²), so we leave it out. The screen and characters are from Vietnamese Wikipedia, muaban.net and Znews. Walking times are worked out from Wikidata coordinates and YesGo’s Ho Chi Minh City notes, rounded. The page describes the building purely as architecture and a place to visit. ## Sources - Independence Palace official website (dinhdoclap.gov.vn) — current price table, opening and ticket office hours, electric car, event closures, ticket office addresses, online tickets - Independence Palace official website, previous price table — combo tickets and guide service - English Wikipedia: Independence Palace — architect and Prix de Rome, construction dates, height, address, names - Vietnamese Wikipedia: Dinh Độc Lập — floors, number of rooms, grounds, facade screen, room names - muaban.net, ‘Kiến trúc Dinh Độc Lập’ — grounds, floors, rooms, screen modelled on Huế door lattices, characters in the outline, garden and pond - Znews — the architect’s son on the bamboo screen and the characters - Wikidata Q933384 — coordinates, distances to nearby sights - Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History official website — price and hours for comparison --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.