I. Introduction
Tourism in Saigon always brings unique experiences. There's nothing that doesn't exist, always bringing a fresh and youthful feeling. Traveling to Saigon is always an ongoing experience due to continuous development in both the economy and entertainment.
The nightlife spots in Saigon always attract a large number of tourists, especially the young crowd. These places always possess a vibrant atmosphere and a variety of exciting entertainment activities that quickly dispel stress and ignite emotions. Let's explore Saigon at night with VietnamStay, from gentle relaxation to lively music parties that last all night long.
II. Overview
Saigon, also known as Ho Chi Minh City, is the largest city in Vietnam and a major hub for commerce, culture, and tourism. With a population of over 8 million people, it has a rich history dating back to the 17th century, characterized by colonization and conflict. Today, Saigon is known for its colonial architecture, war museums, and cultural landmarks.
Modern Saigon is characterized by a rapidly growing skyline filled with skyscrapers, bustling streets, and ceaseless energy that captures the essence of a dynamic Asian city. The city offers a blend of old-world charm and contemporary flair, including the historic Notre Dame Cathedral, the Saigon Central Post Office, Ben Thanh Market, and intricate temples.
Saigon's nightlife is legendary, with bars, clubs, live music venues, and rooftop lounges. It never sleeps, offering something for everyone after dark, whether seeking lively entertainment or a tranquil riverside stroll. In summary, Saigon encapsulates Vietnam's history and progress, blending tradition with modernity, bustling streets with tranquil temples, and a unique blend of past and future.
III. Things To Do At Night Of Ho Chi Minh City
1. Experiences local life at Nguyen Hue walking street
- Add: District 1, Ho Chi Minh
One of the most enjoyable experiences to do in Ho Chi Minh at night is Nguyen Hue Walking Street, a great pedestrian street for people watching. The crowds of locals that flock each night bring out the uniqueness and become a modern cultural icon. They come to walk, socialize, sing, dance, and ride skateboards.
Nguyen Hue walking street
You will see crowds gathering on benches and enjoying drinks, children playing and street vendors in costumes. And they don't just make up for the blandness of physical space. Besides, you can also stop by the super creative apartment cafe nearby and enjoy the panoramic view of this busy street from above.
2. Take photos with famous sites at night
a.Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral
- Add: No. 1, Cong Xa Paris Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1
Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral at night.
Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral is located in the city center with bold French architecture. The church closes at 5:30pm, so you won't get a chance to explore inside at night. However, you can still come here to enjoy the nightlife of Ho Chi Minh City. Take nice photos in front of this magnificent architectural work, in addition, the main highlight of this Saigon nightlife venue is the interesting "flat cafe" model. For just a few dollars to buy drinks and snacks, you'll be given newspapers to sit and chat on the church grounds. Chatting and immersing in the nightlife of Saigon will be a great experience for all visitors to Notre Dame Cathedral!
b. The Crescent and Starlight Bridge
- Add: Tan Phu, District 7, Ho Chi Minh
Located in District 7 of Ho Chi Minh City, Anh Sao Bridge is one of the ideal photo spots for photographers and many young people. The bridge is 170m long with more than 5,000 lights arranged under the bridge road and on both sides of the bridge to create a shimmering and fanciful space.
The Starlight Bridge
The most attractive is the fountain with continuously changing rainbow light creating a romantic and delicate scene. To get this special light, the architect used a solar energy storage system, the panels will collect energy during the day and light up at night. This not only saves energy and operating costs, but also protects the living environment and surrounding ecosystem.
With a magical shimmering scene in the evening, Crescent Lake - Starlight Bridge is always an ideal place to hang out in Saigon at night for young people who are looking for a romantic place to date or gather with friends. Residents of Ho Chi Minh City often come here for a walk along the lake. Let's chat together, enjoy the fresh air, and relieve all the fatigue that has been suppressed all day.
3. Explore Ben Thanh Night market
If this is a must-visit place when coming to Ho Chi Minh City, then Ben Thanh night market is definitely on the list of you should go. Not only has the characteristics of culture, or time, but the market has existed for hundreds of years and has witnessed many changes in Saigon in the past and present. But now Ben Thanh market is still maintained and famous for many items sold at more than 1500 large and small stalls in the market and an attractive food court with many local dishes or snacks sold in the market. market. Young people love the dark.
Ben Thanh Night Market - The iconic market of Ho Chi Minh City, will bring you, especially foreign tourists, an interesting and meaningful experience.
Ben Thanh Market
a. Shopping
Fashion stalls are always a tourist attraction when visiting the market. Clothes of all shapes and sizes, but unique shoes or bags are sold in Ben Thanh market with affordable prices and quality.
Ben Thanh Market is known as the iconic market of Saigon, so handicrafts or souvenirs are not to be missed and this is also an area that many tourists love. favorite, due to its unique features and idiosyncrasies. Ben Thanh night market souvenir stalls sell a variety of items such as embroidery, lacquer paintings, sand paintings, ceramics, lovely conical hats, cloth lanterns, wooden statues... .with flexible prices for each product. If you have the opportunity to visit Saigon and do not know what to buy as a gift, souvenirs at the market are a great suggestion for you.
If you are a lover of unique jewelry, the jewelry stalls at Ben Thanh Market are a must-see for everyone. In the market, jewelry is sold with countless types, designs, unique and diverse colors and most of them are handmade.
b. Eatery experiences
The food at the food court is a special feature that attracts visitors as well as Saigon people when coming to Ben Thanh night market, the market is always crowded and bustling even when it is not a public holiday. Ben Thanh night market not only sells authentic Saigon dishes, but also typical dishes of each region are also present here, besides grilled dishes or many snacks that are loved by young people. With a price that is not too expensive but the taste is not inferior to a luxury restaurant, come to Ben Thanh night market to taste the special dishes in Ho Chi Minh City at night.
Here some recommendations for you:
- Com Tam Sai Gon
- All kind of of noodle: Bun mam, bun rieu, bun suong, bun moc, bun bung
- Banh xeo Hue
- Grilled seafood
- Rainbow Sticky rice
- Rolls
- Banh canh cua
- Banh trang tron
4. Watch art performances at Ho Chi Minh Opera House
Opera House, also known as Ho Chi Minh Theater, is a magnificent French colonial architecture located at the intersection of Le Loi and Dong Khoi, District 1, next to the famous Notre Dame Cathedral and the historic Center Post Office. The theater hosts a wide range of performing arts activities, including concerts, ballet, and other cultural performances.
Ho Chi Minh Opera House
These events are ideal activities to do in Ho Chi Minh City at night, especially for families traveling with children, keeping them entertained after a long day of sightseeing while learning about Vietnamese culture.In addition, this theater also occupies a prime location when located on a busy street with many of the most high-class hotel and restaurant systems in Saigon. Thanks to that, after enjoying the attractive performances of tuong, cai luong, drama, etc. inside the theater, you can also walk around here to check in, admire the beautiful scenery here and feed the empty stomach. It is these advantages that have helped the Opera House become one of the nightlife spots in Saigon that is loved by many foreign tourists when visiting Ho Chi Minh.
5. Try Beer Hoi on Pham Ngu Lao Street
The scene of drinking beer is very famous along Pham Ngu Lao Street, District 1. In Saigon, there are many places for locals and tourists to enjoy this drink, from high-class restaurants, discos, and pubs to sidewalk eateries, so it's not strange to see expats and local Vietnamese enjoying a cold beer on the street. Bui Vien and Pham Ngu Lao streets in District 1 are expats' "paradise" when it comes to nightlife in Saigon. With so many bars, pubs, and clubs lining the street, you can spend the night having fun.
6. Chilling with night movies watching
Watching movies late at night is a very interesting experience and is very popular with foreign tourists to explore Saigon, many movie lovers also come here.
Modern bed style cinema
Especially among young people, there is a trend of watching movies by lying down and enjoying attractive movies in the most comfortable way. Grasping this demand, many high-end cinemas in Saigon have launched many attractive cinemas, such as Lotte Cinema's Sleeper, CGV's Sweetbox Theater with spacious double seats, and most recently, L’amour Cinema of Liberty Hoang Van Thu with modern bed style design and free premium services most luxurious of CGV.
7. Savor in beauty of Ho Thi Ky night flower market
In addition to the hustle and bustle in the center, Saigon also has peaceful and quiet places at night. Visitors should once "live slowly" through the famous night flower markets to fully feel the rhythm of life of a "very different" Saigon.
Colorful flowers
The most famous flower market is Ho Thi Ky flower market located on the street of the same name in District 10, open 24 hours a day. It is the largest wholesale flower market in Saigon with a variety of fresh flowers, rich in colors and types, mainly imported from Da Lat, the western provinces, in addition to imported flowers such as Japan chrysanthemums , flowers from Thailand, China… The best time to walk around the flower market is around 23:00 to 1 am because this is the time when the freshest flowers are delivered, and visitors can fully enjoy the colorful beauty of the flower market.
8. Have parties all night long
a. Bui Vien street
Bui Vien is known as the road of backpackers and a must-see place to explore the nightlife of Ho Chi Minh City. Bars line both sides of the road, each serving cheap beer, delicious snacks, loud music and fun, drunk tour groups. With flashing lights, loud music, clubs and crowds of people, this street is similar to Khao San Road in Bangkok.
This is a vibrant place loved by tourists as well as residents and there is no boring corner on this street. Bars and restaurants are packed every day of the week. It doesn't matter if it's weekend or weekday, you can always come here to party and it's pretty hard to get lost.
If you love nightlife and like an atmosphere different from the rooftop bars, Bui Vien is one of the best things to do in Saigon at night.
b. Lush Saigon
- Add: No 2, Ly Tu Trong Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh city
- Open: 05:00 PM - 01:00 PM
The city's newest bohemian hangout is Lush Saigon, located on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street. This isn't the first spacious establishment to appear in this part of town, but it offers high-end amenities that many other clubs and bars lack.
Live music at Lush SaiGon
With its edgy, artsy atmosphere and slick team of DJs and musicians, Lush Saigon is a popular spot for locals and expats in this sprawling city. At night, when the club is packed with revelers, its atmosphere is more like a pub than a dance club. The interior has purple clusters of lights on the wall that give it a cozy feeling.
The bar is stocked with drinks (their signature cocktail, "Purple Rain") and music by Vietnamese artists. Doors open at 8:00pm but we recommend not arriving before 9:30 pm. The club is open seven nights a week and is always busy.
c. Apocalypse Now Saigon
- Add: No 2B, Thi Sach Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
- Open: 07:00 PM - 04:00 AM
Apocalypse Now Saigon is one of the best nightclubs in District 1, attracting a healthy mix of backpackers, expats and Vietnamese women looking to mingle and mingle. With stunning architecture, remarkable acoustics and a wide variety of music genres, it's no surprise that this club has grown in popularity over the years!
Apocalypse Now Ho Chi Minh City has a large selection of wines, cocktails and beers, although drinks can be pricey, so we recommend visiting during happy hour. From 8:00pm to 10:00pm on themed nights, you can get a free drink (and sometimes a light appetizer).
The DJs play a good mix of pop, dance and trance here, and there's plenty of space to dance and enjoy the evening. Unlike most nightclubs in Saigon, Apocalypse Now is open until 04:00, making it a great spot for all-night dance enthusiasts.
d. TNR SaiGon
- Add: No 57, Pham Ngu Lao Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
- Open: 08:00 PM - 05:00 AM
TNR Tavern Saigon is an underground bar in District 1 located just off Bui Vien Street. This humble entertainment club opened in 2008, has a pool table, reasonably priced drinks and an iTunes console where you can listen to your favorite tunes.
Women get a free drink every Sunday from 22:00 to 12:00, on Thursdays the pub owner is also a great DJ, playing drums and bass, UK garage classics, hip hop and disco.
TNR SaiGon
e. Snuffbox SaiGon
- Add: 14 Ton That Dam, Nguyen Thai Binh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
- Open: 06:00 PM - 02:00 AM
Snuffbox, a comfortable and stylish speakeasy tucked away in a dilapidated building, hosts simple music performances where local DJs and bands showcase their skills. The pub is small and intimate, with the public just meters away from the performances.
Snuffbox is famous for its extensive beer and drink menu, alongside vibrant music options. If you want to experience the sourness of tequila, the sweetness of agave, and the salty lime in a single glass, choose a strong Margarita ($5.61).
Snuffbox SaiGon
9. Live Music Bars
a.Acoustic bar
- Add: No. 6E1, Ngo Thoi Nhiem Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
- Open: 06:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Legends never die at the Acoustic Bar in Ho Chi Minh, where you can hear great versions of Jimi Hendrix, The Doors and John Lennon, among others. The multinational team of musicians is allowed to perform national anthems from any era, so it's not just limited to old music.
Soundbar has limited space. On weekends it can get crowded, so get there early to get a good seat for an enjoyable evening. There are many participants, including residents, foreigners and tourists. So if you want to meet attractive new people, this is the place to go.
b. Indika Saigon
- Add: 43 Nguyen Van Giai Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
- Open: 02:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Music live show
Indika Saigon, also known as the House of Curiosity, is one of Saigon's trendiest hangouts tucked away in an alleyway. It is a popular spot for Vietnamese and foreign tourists thanks to its nightly music events and delicious meals. It hosts a variety of events from reggae parties to Tattoo Takeover pop-ups. The courtyard has a calming atmosphere and the bar is friendly and welcoming. Also the service and drinks are excellent.
c. Yoko Bar & Cafe
- Add: No 22A, Nguyen Thi Dieu Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
- Open: 08:00 AM - 12:00 AM
A short taxi ride from the tourist areas of Ho Chi Minh City, Yoko has a pleasant atmosphere with a great mix of locals and expats. Live music usually starts around 9:30 p.m., covering a variety of rock, pop, ballad, indie and jazz genres. So whatever your musical taste, Yoko has something for you.
In addition, there are plenty of comfortable sofas, as well as a small space above with great views of the artists. Yoko Bar is a real Ho Chi Minh City spot that doesn't rely on tourism, so it's the perfect place to relax with a drink or cocktail and enjoy music.
10. Try your luck in SaiGon Casino
Several upscale hotels in Ho Chi Minh City have casinos where you can play roulette, blackjack or baccarat or try your luck at slot machines. Casinos in Saigon are called game centers and are not the same as in Las Vegas. But they make up for that with great service and hospitality, making spending the night in Ho Chi Minh City a pleasure.
Probably the best casino in Ho Chi Minh City is the Vegas Club, located in the Caravelle Hotel. Here they provide the best gaming experience along with high quality customer service and the latest gaming equipment. Other luxury casinos are located in New World Saigon and Grand Hotel Saigon, Rex Hotel, Hotel Majestic Saigon…
IV. Final Words
In conclusion, exploring Saigon by night is an enchanting journey that unveils a whole new dimension of this vibrant city. As the sun sets and the city's lights come alive, Saigon transforms into a dynamic playground of sights, sounds, and flavors. The nightlife offers a kaleidoscope of experiences, from energetic street markets and bustling bars to serene river cruises and soulful live music performances.
Saigon's nightlife isn't just about entertainment; it's a reflection of the city's spirit. It's a place where history and modernity coexist, where the traditional meets the contemporary, and where the past and present fuse to create a tapestry of memories. The city's night scene captures the essence of Vietnamese culture and showcases the warmth and vivacity of its people.
Whether you're savoring delectable street food, dancing the night away in a vibrant club, or simply wandering the illuminated streets, Saigon's nightlife promises an unforgettable experience. It's a journey that bridges cultures, creates connections, and leaves an indelible mark on every traveler lucky enough to venture into its nocturnal embrace. In the heart of Saigon's night, you'll discover not just the city's beauty, but also its soul, making it an essential chapter in any traveler's story.
And don't wait any longer, hurry up and book an appointment
with us to explore Ho Chi Minh City at night or enjoy a day tour in our
SaiGon City Highlight.