DestinationsAsiaA Quick Guide to Enjoy Ho Chi Minh City Nightlife
A Quick Guide to Enjoy Ho Chi Minh City Nightlife

A Quick Guide to Enjoy Ho Chi Minh City Nightlife

If Ho Chi Minh City has made you astounded by its elegant beauty through cultural relics in daylight hours, it would bring you reversal feelings at night! As for the question, why does Saigon never sleep at night? We’re gonna find out what keeps Ho Chi Minh City nightlife vivid and dynamic when the sun goes down.

Initially, Fulfill Your Stomach for Activities of Ho Chi Minh City Nightlife

Haha, food always comes first to my mind. Of course, it’s hard for us to do anything on an empty stomach. Especially in this city, where there is a lot of delicious food, which is also one of the top reasons why people fell in love with Ho Chi Minh City. Hence, why not take a food tour to start the nighttime?

1. Night Market

To Vietnamese, the market has existed in their lives for centuries and it has rooted in Vietnamese culture in a wide range of aspects. Going to the market is a way to learn more about locals living habits. If you have a chance to experience the market during daily hours, the night market is another side of the traditional Vietnamese market, which keeps the whole menu of Saigon cuisine in one hand! Here are some suggestions you would want to take note of:

A corner of Ben Thanh market at night
A corner of Ben Thanh market at night.
  • Ben Thanh market – Le Loi, Ben Thanh ward, dist. 1.
  • Tan Dinh market – 48 Ma Lo, Tan Dinh ward, dist. 1.
  • Bà Hoa market – Tran Mai Ninh, ward 12, Tan Binh district.

2. Have a Feast with Street Food

If you are a foodie who loves tasting different cuisine, Saigon is an ideal choice! With thousands of mean dishes coming from all corners of the country, you can easily find a dish you want to try. Honestly, there should be a whole topic for night food in Ho Chi Minh City to talk about. Surely I will write a post about that.

Yes, enjoying street food in Saigon will definitely wow you. Street food with Saigonese’s lives, like flesh and soul since a lot of local residents make a living by selling street food. To me, enjoying a dish of gỏi khô bò (green papaya salad with a beef jerk) while looking at the sun going down at Le Thi Rieng Park is definitely an experience that no words can clearly describe! Here is a list of street food you should try in Saigon:

  • Ben Thanh Street Food Market – 26 – 28 – 30, Thu Khoa Huan st, Ben Thanh ward, district. 1.
  • Gỏi Khô Bò – Le Thi Rieng park (20k).
  • Bánh Tráng Trộn – anywhere (15-20k).
  • Spring Roll – anywhere around the city (8-10k/roll).
  • Súp Cua – Tan Dinh market or Notre-Dame Church (15-30k).
  • Dumplings – Hà Tôn Quyền street (65k).
  • Bánh Xèo – Bánh Xèo Ăn Là Ghiền eatery, 11A Tu Xuong, ward 7, dist. 3 (70k).
  • Bò Bía – Tan Dinh market (7k/roll).
  • Chè – Chè Cô Giang, 85 Cô Giang, dist. 1 (15-20k).
  • Bột Chiên – Đạt Thành eatery, 277 Vo Van Tan, ward 5, dist. 3 (35-40k).

Places to Go for a Walk

When sunset comes, it’s also the time for Saigon to change its different jacket, more hubbub and vivid than ever. From antique cultural relics to high-rise buildings, they are gleaming with strings of colorful lights.

Of the beauty of the city, it’s hard to resist going out! Here is the list of destinations you could visit Saigon at night.

1. Beautiful Bridges at Night

Mống Bridge in the evening
Mống Bridge in Ho Chi Minh City at night.

If you want to find somewhere to take some fresh air and view the city horizontally, going to bridges at night may be an ideal choice! From the bridges, you can view the whole city glistening in lights while having some snacks from street vendors. I can guarantee there is no place you can get the lovely view at zero cost.

  • Anh Sao bridge – dist. 7.
  • Khanh Hoi bridge – dist. 4, near dragon harbor.
  • Mống bridge (Messageries Maritimes Company bridge) – Between dist. 1 and dist. 4.

2. Take a Walk at Nguyen Hue Walking Street

In some blogs I mentioned, Nguyen Hue walking street is the best spot for people to gather in the evenings or on weekends. By having a nice location (right in the heart of the city), well – upheld facilities such as lights, greenery, etc, Nguyen Hue walking street is absolutely a good place for people who want to go out to enjoy Saigon at night.

A part of Nguyen Hue street every night in Ho Chi Minh City
A part of Nguyen Hue street and the Cafe Apartment in Saigon at night.

When going to this place, you can enjoy a mild atmosphere mingling with hubbub sounds from groups playing guitars and singing together. Plus, if you visit Nguyen Hue street on Saturday, there also have entertaining performances relating to traditional culture and foreign ones. This is one of the city government’s efforts to espouse residents and tourists to visit the city’s place of interest.

In addition, I know a great place you can make when visiting Nguyen Hue street! It is taking a cup of tea on level 9 of the Cafe Apartment. From above, you can look at a whole street twinkling in lights while enjoying your tea.

Multiple Entertaining Activities to Choose

People always say that Saigon is like a transformational city, which refers to the changes in Saigon over time. Indeed, Saigon in daily hours looks like an old storyteller owning a bunch of historical stories of this land. At night, it turns out to be more energetic and modern with mainstream songs. So why don’t you go out and find some energy from the city?

1. Enjoy Classic Music at Ho Chi Minh Opera House

As I mentioned in the blog Saigon Opera House – The Home of Municipal Music, Ho Chi Minh opera house is not only a tourist attraction in the daytime, but it is also where people escape from hustle and bustle of life by listening to classic music or get jaw-dropping with sophisticated art performances. Because of that, I do think Ho Chi Minh opera house will definitely satisfy your night in Saigon!

The well-known A O show at Saigon Opera house
The well-known A O show at Saigon Opera house.

Address: Ho Chi Minh opera house – 07 Dong Khoi, Ben Nghe ward, dist. 1.

2. Feast Your Eyes on Exhibitions

In recent days, there are more and more exhibitions appearing in Saigon. Each of them has brought a unique topic with different tones and meanings. To me, going to these places helps me to take more tranquility and knowledge after a non-stop working week. So, I do think that immersing yourself in the artwork would be another good choice for your days in Saigon when you want to find somewhere that is peaceful, and not crowded. Furthermore, ending up a day with creative pieces of art is a great experience to relax your mind, isn’t it?

Here is the list of exhibitions that you should visit. Some close at 6 pm, and some close later. Thus, you may want to arrange your schedule to enjoy Ho Chi Minh City nightlife the most.

  • The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre – 15 Nguyen U Di, Thao Dien ward, dist. 2.
  • Craig Thomas Gallery – 27i Tran Nhat Duat, Tan Dinh ward, dist. 1.
  • Ao Dai Exhibition – 2nd floor, Saigon House, 77 Nguyen Hue, dist. 1.
  • AZ Gallery – 25 BIS Nguyen Binh Khiem, Ben Nghe ward, dist. 1.
  • B/S Art Studio – 106 Le Loi, Ben Thanh ward, dist. 1.
  • VY Gallery – 20 Nguyen Anh Thu, Dakao ward, dist. 1.
  • EIGHT Gallery – 8 Phung Khac Khoan, Dakao ward, dist. 1.

3. Get Chilled with a Cup of Tea or Coffee

Cộng Cà Phê, a well-known coffee chain in VIetnam
A glass of coconut coffee at Cộng Coffee.

If you are already full of dinner but still do not want to go home, finding yourself a cup of tea at a small, solitude cafe may be the answer. There are so many nice, cozy cafes in any corner of Saigon. Each of them has its own unique styles in decorating, drinks, views, and so on. So, if this is the right thing for you, go read my suggestions of the beautiful cafes you should visit and pick 1 to enjoy Saigon at night.

4. Enjoy the End of a Day in Saigon with Bars and Clubs

In recent years, there are more and more clubs and rooftop bars for people to enjoy their nights. Speaking of this type of entertainment, there are also a variety of bars/clubs following different kinds of music such as ballad rooftop bars, acoustic music pubs, or non-stop music clubs, etc. In addition, some bars take advantage of their locations to lift up their customers’ way of enjoying drinks while watching the city’s view.

chilling in ho chi minh city at night bar
Ending the day with some alcohol in such a nice place as Saigon.

Here is the list you can take a look at if you want to try this activity:

  • Saigon Saigon Rooftop Bar – 19 Lam Son Square, dist. 1.
  • Glow Sky Bar – 93 Nguyen Du, Ben Nghe ward, dist. 1.
  • Shri Restaurant and Lounge – Floor 23, Centec Tower, 72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, dist. 1.
  • Bars, lounges, and clubs at Bui Vien walking street.

Well, with the things I gather in this blog, it could be a fulfilling answer to the question: “Why Saigon never sleeps at night?”, I guess. In the end, I hope with some suggestions, you will find yourselves something to do for nights in Ho Chi Minh City!


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Having itchy feet at a very young age is a motivation for me to escape from a hustle and bustle life, go to more lands to learn more new things, meet more strangers and share these wonderful experiences with more people who have the same hobby.

26 Comments

  • Mary K Stallings

    Oh wow! Ho Chi Minh has such a lively night life! The art would definitely be more my vibe and I’m glad you mentioned they often closed at 6 I was curious if they were part of the late night festivities too!

    • Khoi Nguyen

      Many of the exhibitions close at 6 pm but some close at 8 pm.
      I believe the info will be useful for you to arrange your trip schedule in HCMC.

  • Kuntala

    I love Ho Chi Minh City. I’ve traveled to a lot of cities and none of them can match the energy of ho Chi Minh.

  • Olivia Robins

    the food and night market are so captivating , i would love to viist this city one day, to expirience the ” vibe” and eat local food Kind regards pati robins at style squeeze blog

  • Cristina Petrini

    Yup! I really miss the nightlife very much and since in Italy it is now dead, give me a nice place where I can fully enjoy it! Then it reminds me of Madripoor, gorgeous!

    • Khoi Nguyen

      I’m sure Ho Chi Minh City has parts that remind you of the nightlife in Italy.
      The city does have Italian restaurants too.

  • Ntensibe Edgar

    Did I just see spring rolls here? I’m even hungry now….thanks to visiting Ho-Chi-Minh city!

  • Elizabeth O

    I would love to see ho Chi Minh City for myself one day. I’ve always wanted to visit Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh, in particular. It’s such an amazing city.

    • Khoi Nguyen

      I’m sure you will love Vietnam and HCMC in particular.

  • Eileen M Loya

    I would love to visit Ho Chi Minh city for the night markets and the street food. My college best friend has visited the place numerous times and she always has great stories to tell about how you can never get tired of visiting Ho Chi Minh.

    • Khoi Nguyen

      Believe in your friends. You will also have a lot of stories to tell after visit the city.

  • Emily Fata

    Wow, Ho Chi Minh looks like such an amazing place to visit! I can’t wait until things are back to normal and I can see it for myself.

    • Khoi Nguyen

      Definitely, traveling to HCMC will be your best decision ever.

  • Samantha

    This place sounds fabulous. I miss traveling!

  • Nyxinked

    Such a gorgeous city! I can’t wait until we’re able to travel again so I can experience places like this.

    • Khoi Nguyen

      I believe we will be able to travel again soon. Perhaps starting next year Covid will go away.

  • Dominique

    This looks great. I have never been and saving for later!

    • Khoi Nguyen

      Thanks for your comment! Don’t forget to check other great articles about this city on my blog.

  • argonagency

    Ho Chi Minh looks so great. Your photography quality is also very nice. I haven’t started traveling again yet since the pandemic but this is def a place to add to my roster.

    • Khoi Nguyen

      Thanks a lot for your compliment! I’m sure you will love the city when you traveling there.

  • emman damian

    Ho Chi Minh City is one of my favorites! I love the night life and the gastronomic scene! Can’t wait to visit again!

    • Khoi Nguyen

      I’m glad that the city is one of your favorites. There are many things for you to explore on your next time visit.

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