Saigon – The Pearl Of The Far East: A City Born Of Rivers And The Dream To Reach The Sea
By Dr. Phạm Hà – Founding President & CEO of LuxGroup®; Founder of Lux Cruises Group® and Amiral Cruises for Presidents®
1. From a Youthful Voyage to the Dream of Storytelling by Water
Forty years ago, I left Haiphong on a coastal ship bound for Saigon — a two-day voyage that would awaken in me a lifelong fascination with rivers, oceans, and destiny.
At that time, water was not yet an “industry” — it was a way of life, a silent current carrying the nation’s soul toward the sea.
Standing on deck as the dawn broke over the Saigon River, I saw Nha Rong Wharf glowing in the morning light — the very place where, in 1911, Nguyen Tat Thanh (later President Ho Chi Minh) departed aboard the Amiral Latouche Tréville to begin his journey for national liberation.
A century later, I returned — not to depart, but to retell the Vietnamese story of the sea, through Amiral Cruises for Presidents®, carrying the philosophy: “Luxury is Culture – Delivering Happiness.”
2. The Binh Chuan and the Spirit of the Vietnamese Entrepreneur
In 1920, the Binh Chuan, the first ocean-going ship built, owned, and captained by Vietnamese hands, docked in Saigon. It was more than a maritime event — it was an economic declaration of independence.
Its creator, Bạch Thái Bưởi, known as the “King of Vietnamese Ships,” launched it under a simple yet powerful motto: “Vietnamese sail on Vietnamese ships.”
When the Binh Chuan entered Saigon Port, it carried not only cargo, but also the ideals of a rising nation — prosperity, integrity, righteousness, and responsibility — the moral compass of a true Vietnamese entrepreneur.
Today, LuxGroup® continues that legacy — building business upon ethics, culture, and national pride — believing that true luxury begins with authenticity and service to the people.
3. Saigon – The Riverine City of Cultural Confluence
Few cities owe their identity to a river as profoundly as Saigon does.
Since the founding of Gia Dinh Citadel under Lord Nguyen Anh, the confluence of the Saigon, Nha Be, and Dong Nai Rivers became the heart of Southern Vietnam’s commerce and civilization.
From early settlements of Kinh, Hoa, Khmer, and Cham communities arose a uniquely open, dynamic, and generous culture — a city born from water, enriched by diversity, and forever turning outward to the world.
From Ben Nghe – Cho Lon – Thu Thiem to Can Gio – Nha Be, generations of Saigonese lived, traded, and prospered with the river — forging a temperament that remains bold yet kind, cosmopolitan yet deeply human.
4. Six River-Based Industries that Shaped the Colonial City
When the French rebuilt Saigon in the late 19th century, they envisioned not just a tropical port but a model riverine metropolis — the most advanced urban center in Indochina.
Six key “smokeless industries” defined this transformation and still echo in the city’s rhythm today:
1. Maritime and Port Industry:
The Saigon Port and Nha Rong Wharf became among the busiest in Asia, linking the Mekong Basin to global trade routes.
2. Commerce and Logistics:
A vast network of warehouses, markets, and canals turned Saigon into the logistics capital of continental Southeast Asia.
3. Finance and Insurance:
Early banks such as Banque de l’Indochine and Comptoir National d’Escompte de Paris made Saigon the “Wall Street of the Far East.”
4. Telecommunications and Media:
The 1876 undersea telegraph cable connecting Saigon to Paris positioned the city as one of Asia’s earliest information hubs.
5. Transport and Engineering:
The Saigon–My Tho Railway (1885) — Indochina’s first — along with trams, bridges, and multi-modal links, created a unique harmony of land, sea, and rail.
6. Culture and Education:
From the Opera House and Dinh Norodom (Governor’s Palace) to the Pasteur Institute and School of Practical Engineering, Saigon flourished as a cradle of science, art, and modern thought.
Through these six pillars, Saigon became “La Perle de l’Extrême-Orient” – The Pearl of the Far East — a city where architecture met water, commerce met culture, and East met West in perfect balance.
5. Storytelling by River – The Art of Boutique Cruising
Amiral Cruises for Presidents®, a member of Lux Cruises Group®, is more than a luxury vessel — it is a floating cultural stage.
Each voyage reimagines Saigon’s living heritage through art, cuisine, and music:
• Nha Rong – Bach Dang – Can Gio: where past and present flow together.
• Contemporary Indochine interiors: a dialogue of elegance, nostalgia, and design.
• Boutique experience: every traveler becomes part of the story, every sunset a “legacy moment.”
On Amiral Cruises, guests do not simply see Saigon — they feel it.
They sense the heartbeat of the river, the whisper of time, and the eternal rhythm of a city that lives through water.
6. From Binh Chuan to Vietnam Waterways® 2045
If Bạch Thái Bưởi once dreamed of building a Vietnamese maritime empire, then Vietnam Waterways® by LuxGroup® is the 21st-century continuation of that dream — a “national cruise line” designed to complement Vietnam Airlines in the sky.
It aims to revive 4,000 years of riverine civilization through ESG-driven cultural tourism — blending heritage, sustainability, and happiness.
Our mission is to position Vietnam once again as a maritime nation, a new Pearl of the Far East shining through culture, ethics, and excellence in hospitality.
7. Epilogue: The River, the Moonlight, and the Soul of Saigon
Each evening, as Amiral Cruises for Presidents® glides from Nha Rong Wharf, Saigon’s skyline shimmers on the river like scattered stars.
The city hums with modern life, yet the water below still carries stories of centuries past.
To love Saigon is to understand its flow — to see movement in stillness, heritage in progress, and identity in the reflection of its rivers.
Because every journey — like every dream — begins with water.
Dr. Phạm Hà
Founding President & CEO, LuxGroup®
Founder, Lux Cruises Group® – Amiral Cruises for Presidents®