Fodor's Expert Review Haiphong Opera House

One of the most beautiful buildings in Haiphong, the Opera House, built by the French in 1907, has all the exterior designs of a classic, except for its coat of splendidly yellow paint. Once the site of lavish French and Vietnamese productions, the 400-seat theater was taken over by the Vietminh following World War II. President Ho Chi Minh addressed the world's youth from the steps in June 1946, and a huge portrait of him, visible from hundreds of yards away, hangs above the wooden front doors, making this feel eerily like the focal point of the city. In a way it is; the Haiphong People's Committee now holds its major meetings and assemblies here. Stage productions and concerts do take place, but they're rare. If you're not attending a show, you need written permission from the authorities to step inside, although tourists have been known to be waved in on occasion. The stone courtyard in front of the opera house is a popular place for families on weekends and couples after sunset.