Thu Duc isn't exactly a place you'd consider going on holiday. Today, the suburban district is home to industrial centers, dusty roads, busy residential neighborhoods and rumbling transport trucks, unlike its former era.
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40 years ago, life in Thu Duc was the polar opposite. Instead of crowded streets and giant factories, this outer district served as a weekend getaway for young Saigonese. With a host of attractions, from swimming pools to roller skating rinks, Thu Duc drew in curious city dwellers in need of some fresh air.
Beyond its status as a weekend destination, the outlying district also bore a rare mix of rural and urban Vietnam: modern markets stood next to rice paddies, local factories rubbed shoulders with fruit plantations and bicycles shared the road with flashy European cars. Caught between urban development and rural life were Thu Duc's many markets, schools, universities and religious facilities, adding a bit of local culture to the district's unique mashup of agriculture and industry.
While the industrial seems to have taken over these days, forcing out much of Thu Duc's agricultural past, these pre-1975 photos are a glimpse into what Thu Duc looked like during a particular moment in time.
