Buzz
These rumors are unverified but still instill fear in visitors.
4 spooky destinations in Saigon
Graveyard Park
With lush greenery, a fishing pond, children's play area..., Le Thi Rieng Park is a familiar recreational spot for Ho Chi Minh City residents. However, this place is also famous for its supernatural stories and superstitions. Few know that this park used to be the Do Thanh cemetery, later renamed as Chi Hoa cemetery.
The 25-hectare cemetery, with its main gate facing Le Van Duyet Street (now Cach Mang Thang 8 Street) in Chi Hoa - Hoa Hung area. According to the elderly, the Do Thanh cemetery was once a sacred land. Especially during the war, countless nameless graves emerged here, mostly of unknown soldiers, many tombs were mass graves.
Hence, the locals here often pass on mysterious stories about the restless spirits of soldiers who died in battle, frequently seen wandering and lamenting.
Anyone venturing into the park at night will find it hard to forget the dim yellow lights scattered along the pathways, stone benches standing desolately amidst the eerie atmosphere. Some even claim to have seen the ghost of a little girl swinging alone on an old swing. Lê Thị Riêng Park is also rumored to be the site of many child drownings in its pond.
‘The People-Swallowing Lake’ in Thủ Đức university village
Nestled within the National University village in Thủ Đức district, the stone lake is a popular photography spot in Saigon. With depths reaching dozens of meters, plunging to about 50 meters at its deepest point, it has claimed the lives of dozens of visitors. Despite attempts to fence it off, bodies occasionally resurface along the shore.
In addition to its depth, the lake is also rumored to have mysterious ‘whirlpools’ that occasionally churn in its depths. These rumors persist due to the difficulty in explaining the high number of deaths in the area surrounding the stone lake.
An experienced diver revealed that the water in the lake is extremely cold due to the surrounding rocky terrain. Falling into the lake without hitting your head on a rock is fortunate; however, survival is still unlikely due to the numbing cold causing cramps. Moreover, the lake's water has no current, so those experiencing cramps cannot drift with the flow to the shore, struggling only makes sinking easier. There are also several deep pits within the lake, shallow around the knees, and many careless swimmers have fallen into them.
Besides, many believe the lake is haunted, with those who drowned before pulling and taking the lives of those after. But it's all just rumors, the main reason still lies in the consciousness of visitors, disregarding the danger warnings.
The museum with the ghost of the young lady
The ghost story of the Hua family is quite famous in Ho Chi Minh City because today, the ancestral home of the Hua family has become the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum located in the center of District 1. The mansion has 99 doors, making it one of the most beautifully architectural structures in both old and modern Saigon.
This was the residence of the tycoon Hua Bon Hoa, and before 1975, there were many rumors that this house was very mysterious. According to oral tradition, the beautiful daughter Hua Tieu Lan suddenly disappeared one day, and from then on, on quiet nights, cries of despair echoed from within the building. Those who worked late saw the shadow of the mistress in a white nightgown swiftly gliding through the corridors, further frightening people about this building.
One day, Mr. Hua posted an obituary about his daughter's death. People did not believe the girl had died because there were some bold thieves who dug graves but found no remains. Later, there was information that Tieu Lan contracted leprosy, incurable. Mr. Hua had to confine his daughter to a sealed room. From a beautiful girl, now disfigured by leprosy, Tieu Lan became insane, often screaming in the night.
Today, employees at the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum say they have never seen any mysterious events. “We've only heard stories from rumors, very intriguing, but I don't think they're real. The feeling here is very warm, peaceful. Generations have worked here since 1975, and no one has ever said they've seen ghosts,” one tour guide confided.
Rumored haunted apartment block with virgin corpses
Formerly the famous President Building hotel (727 Tran Hung Dao) in the 1960s, the building belonged to a very wealthy tycoon. According to the design, the building had 13 floors, 3 towers, and 530 rooms. Despite concerns that the number 13 would bring bad luck, some advised the tycoon, but he paid no attention and the building retained its 13 floors.
However, as it was nearing completion, several fatal accidents occurred, preventing the 13th floor from being finished. The hotel owner had to hire a spiritual master to dispel the bad luck, and there were even rumors that four virgin corpses were bought from a hospital and buried to appease the four directions. Subsequently, more and more supernatural stories were circulated.
Shortly after, the building became a hub for bars and restaurants for US soldiers. Upon liberation, the grand hotel area was converted into residences for government officials, but the 12th floor remained unused while the 13th floor was permanently abandoned.
According to residents living here, at night they often hear footsteps on the ground and see a military parade, while others see a blonde man holding the hand of a Vietnamese girl.
Today, the apartment block has deteriorated significantly, becoming old, gloomy, with many areas abandoned for a long time, emitting a musty smell, animal carcasses, and a chilly atmosphere due to the lack of light and human presence, making few dare to venture. However, this eerie atmosphere of the building ironically attracts some people to come for artistic photography.
According to Suzy Nguyen/Star
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Reference: Mytour Travel Handbook
MytourOctober 28, 2016
