Ho Chi Minh City Districts

Everything you Need to Know about Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City (also known as Saigon) is one of the fastest developing cities in Southeast Asia, yet it still retains its own historical charm. The city is divided into 19 districts with District 1(sometime referred to as Saigon District) serving as the city centre. Here you will find many hip bars, restaurants and cafés as well as centuries-old buildings. The famous Pham Ngu Lao quarter in District 1 is where budget travelers head for. It offers a bohemian atmosphere and many cheap guesthouses as well as a variety of Western-style cuisine.

Other hot locations include Chinatown and the airport area in Tan Binh District. Located within Districts 5 and 6, Chinatown or Cholon is the biggest Chinese community in the country. Its main attraction is the famous Binh Tay Market. Tan Binh District is where Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the country’s largest, is located. It has plenty of hotels as well as a peaceful residential area where the rich and middle-class Saigonese live.

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Pham Ngu Lao Street

The Pham Ngu Lao area of District 1 is where most backpacking travelers first land in Ho Chi Minh City. It’s a similar scene to Southeast Asia's most famous backpacking centre, Khao San Road in Bangkok, but on a smaller scale. Read More...

Airport District

Tan Binh District is in northwest Ho Chi Minh City and Tan Son Nhat International Airport lies in the south of this area. Tan Binh is made up of large residential areas with a variety of good restaurants, fine boutiques and malls including Big C and Parkson CT Plaza. Read More...

Cholon - Ho Chi Minh City's Chinatown

It’s immediately obvious when you arrive in Ho Chi Minh City’s Chinatown as all the shop names are in Chinese characters. And once in a while you will hear a few merchants of the older generation speaking in Mandarin Chinese rather than Vietnamese. Read More...

City Centre

The colourful and buzzing city centre of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is also known as District 1. This is where you will find great food, bargain-heavy (and trendy) shopping and fun nightlife. Being the main commercial hub of Saigon (as most locals still prefer to call HCMC), life here is upbeat, both day and night. Read More...