HCM CITY — Authorities in HCM City’s District 5 on April 27 released travel guidebook “Hello District 5” featuring historic relics, ancient architecture, cuisines, festivals, shopping, and leisure destinations in the district.

The bilingual guidebook, in Vietnamese and English, is the first for a district in the city.

A total of 10,000 copies will be distributed to tourist information and support centres, travel agents, hotels, and leisure destinations around the city.

District 5, close to the city downtown, is famous for its more than 300 years of cultural heritage and bustling business hub, Lê Thị Loan, head of the district People’s Committee’s economic office, said.

It is home to 50 tangible and intangible cultural heritages, a large number of traditional wholesale markets and specialised trade streets, and diverse ethnic cultures and cuisines, she said.

National architectural heritage sites such as the Lady Thiên Hậu Pagoda, Ôn Lăng Assembly Hall, Nghĩa An Assembly Hall, Nhị Phủ Assembly Hall, and Ming Dynasty Assembly Hall are among its famous tourist attractions.

Beside 11 traditional wholesale markets, many special trade streets have also been developed for many years, including jewellery, goldsmith, silversmith, oriental medicine, and painting streets.

Many dazzling festivals are celebrated here, such as the Spring Lantern Festival in the first lunar month, Lady Thiên Hậu Worship Day in the third month, Mid-Autumn Festival in the eighth month, and Flower Lantern Festival at the end of the lunar year.

Some must-try dishes when visiting the district are dim sum, mì sủi cảo (shui jiao noodles), fish hotpot, vịt quay Bắc Kinh (Beijing roasted duck), gà và vịt tiềm (stewed sweet herbal chicken and duck soup), cà ri dê (goat curry), nước sâm (herbal tea), chè đậu hủ hạnh nhân (almond tofu sweet soup).

There are 69 hotels ranging from one to five stars with a total of 2,555 rooms, Loan said.

Fashion Street

The district People’s Committee on April 26 inaugurated the 2km Fashion Street along Nguyễn Trãi Street to offer tourists more shopping choices.

More than 200 fashion and accessory stores open here from 4pm to 11pm every day, including six recognised as meeting tourism standards.

The committee plans to set up an online market place by June and allow these stores to join it for free. — VNS