There's something really strange about opening hours in Vietnam. Most government-run museums (i.e. all of them) are open in the morning, but then close for lunch hours from 11:30 until 1:30. It's super inconvenient for everything to be closed for two hours in the middle of the day, especially because most days are work days for us, and we try to keep super busy on our days off. It's even stranger, because although the museums are closed, the staff is still there to tell everybody that they have to wait until 1:30. It's annoying, but I guess everybody deserves a lunch break!
The other day we walked across the city to visit a few museums, but we arrived around 11:00, too late to be admitted to the museum before they closed. Stuck on the other side of town, we went to a cafe for a while, but eventually got bored and set out on foot to see what we could do to entertain ourselves. By chance, we happened to come across the nearby Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens!
The Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens was founded in 1865, and is Vietnam's oldest and largest zoo. It was commissioned by Admiral Pierre-Paul de La Grandière, commander of French Cochinchina, and contains over 125 different species of animals. While the zoo is definitely fun to visit, its the botanical gardens that are the most impressive.
The Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens was considered to be a pearl of French Indochina, one of the world's best and most extensive collections of exotic animals and plants.
The gardens are especially famous for their extensive collection of bonsai trees and orchids, all catalogued and collected from all across Asia. Although neglected a bit during the war, the gardens are once again the pride of Vietnam.
The zoo itself is huge, but nothing too impressive. The animals seem to be well-cared for, and the exhibits, while not super huge, are big enough that the animals have space to roam around a bit.
Just near the exit is a two-story pagoda, a memorial to those Vietnamese killed during the First World War. It's surrounded by beautiful flowers and lush gardens. It's tranquil and beautiful.
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