Completed in 1891 and often attributed in part to Gustave Eiffel's design firm, the Saigon Central Post Office remains a fully functioning post office beneath a soaring vaulted hall decorated with historic maps of colonial-era Saigon and Cochinchina on the side walls, along with a large portrait of Ho Chi Minh at the far end. Wooden phone booths, an original ceiling clock, and vintage postal counters give the building a preserved late-19th-century atmosphere despite the tourist foot traffic. Elderly calligraphers and letter-writers still work small desks near the entrance offering postcard-writing and translation services, a tradition dating back to the building's early days serving a largely illiterate population. Visitors can buy stamps, mail postcards, or simply walk through the hall, which remains free and open to the public during business hours.
| Admission | Free |
|---|---|
| Hours | 7:00am-7:00pm Monday-Friday, 7:00am-6:00pm Saturday-Sunday |
| Typical visit | 20-30 minutes |
| Getting there | Directly across from Notre-Dame Cathedral in central District 1, walkable from Dong Khoi Street |
| Address | 2 Cong Xa Paris, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City |
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Location
2 Cong Xa Paris, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
10.7799, 106.6996 View on map
Highlights
- Vaulted 19th-century hall with historic maps of Cochinchina
- Original wooden phone booths and vintage postal counters
- Traditional letter-writers and calligraphers near the entrance
- Functioning post office where postcards can still be mailed
Tips for visiting
- Buy a postcard and stamp inside to mail directly from the historic counters
- Visit alongside Notre-Dame Cathedral directly across the street
- Early morning or lunchtime avoids the heaviest tour-group crowds
- Souvenir stalls inside sell postcards and small gifts at reasonable fixed prices
When to visit
Early morning or early afternoon on a weekday
Accessibility
Ground-level entrance and hall are wheelchair accessible.
Frequently asked questions
Is it still a working post office?
Yes, it functions as an active post office alongside being a tourist attraction, and visitors can mail letters and postcards from its counters.
Who designed the building?
It is widely attributed to French architect Alfred Foulhoux, though Gustave Eiffel's firm is popularly (if imprecisely) associated with it.