There were several private clubs in Saigon. Foreign expatriates and diplomats along with elite wealthy Vietnamese and their families could, if members, enjoy the swimming, tennis, dining and gym at Le Cercle Sportif Saigonnais. During 1969 and 1970 my uncle Ed Sanborn was a member while in Saigon as general manager of an American civil engineering firm. He took these photos.
Le Cercle Sportif is now known as the Ho Chí Minh City Labor Culture Palace.
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Photo from historynet.com |
Uncle Ed also belonged to Le Golf Club de Saigon, an 18 hole course located by Tan Son Nhut airport.
A work associate belonged to Le Club Nautique. He kept a power boat there and, however unlikely this may seem, used it for water skiing on the Saigon River.
Another private club was the International House, of which I was a member in 1967-68. Located at No. 69 Nguyen Hue, it had a restaurant, piano bar, slot machines and a little store selling luxury goods, including diamond jewelry. There was something murky about the ownership of this place as they were able to import beer, liquor, food and expensive goods not available elsewhere in Vietnam.
