15 Amazing Things To Do At Night In Ho Chi Minh | Expatolife

Are you planning to visit Ho Chi Minh city and wonder where to go, what to do at night here?

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is famous for its bustling nightlife, with no shortage of places to hang out.

In this travel guide, I share my favorite things to do at night in Ho Chi Minh city for an interesting evening.

Join a food tour

Joining a food tour is probably one of the most exciting things to do at night in Ho Chi Minh city.

We love sitting on the back of the bike and venturing through the small alleys to find the best local dishes.

Which food tour should you try? We joined several food tours in Ho Chi Minh city, and you can check our Saigon food tour review here.

Stroll along Nguyen Hue Walking Street

On your trip to Saigon, you should definitely visit Nguyen Hue pedestrian street in the evening to have a vibrant view of the city.

Looking down from above, Nguyen Hue pedestrian street is crowded and bustling with colorful lights.

Many people gather here for a walk at night or stop by one of the shops and cafes along the roads. 

You can spot kids running and having fun at the water performance.

Also, there are entertainment activities, groups singing and dancing at the weekends, making Nguyen Hue street at night even more enjoyable.

Try ice skating

How about going ice skating in Saigon at night?

You can try ice skating at Landmark 81 and Vincom Mega Mall Thao Dien. 

Landmark 81 has one of the largest indoor ice rinks in Vietnam, with an area of ​​2000m2 and a maximum capacity of 150 guests.

The ice skating rink is frozen from natural water, 30mm thick, with a dedicated cooling system. All supporting equipment is imported from the US and Europe.

• The ticket price for the Landmark skating rink is 220,000 VND for adults and 150,000 VND for children.
• Address: B1 floor, Vincom Center Landmark 81 building, 772 Dien Bien Phu street, Ward 22, Binh Thanh District, HCMC.

Listen to live music.

Whether it’s a night out with friends or a spontaneous outing, live music bars have something for everyone to enjoy.

The music ambiance, the crowd, the drinks all make a lively and joyful atmosphere.

I’ve compiled a list of top live music bars in Ho Chi Minh city.

Watch the city from Saigon Tunnel Park

Visiting Thu Thiem Park (Saigon tunnel park) in District 2 is a must for those who love photography.

Here, you can view the city center from the banks of the Saigon River.

Boats and ships carrying cargo containers drive back and forth every minute. When the sun goes down, the city is simmering in lights, creating a breathtaking view. 

Also, hundreds of sets of plastic tables and chairs are arranged close to the river for visitors in the afternoon. You can order some snacks while relaxing and chatting with friends.

Eat seafood

Ho Chi Minh city is a hub of seafood, and people have mastered the cooking here. There’re plenty of choices, from oysters, shrimp to scallops and crabs.

A seafood dish starts from $2, and you can have a full meal with drinks under $10 per person.

My favorite dishes are steamed clams with lemongrass, grilled oysters, and grilled scallops.

Go bar hopping

Ho Chi Minh city has a thriving nightlife scene with plenty of bars and clubs for a fun night out.

Each bar has different styles and decorations, so break your night into chapters and make it fun by visiting different bars on your trip.

Maybe you’ll have some odd or exciting experiences along the way.

Visit Ben Thanh market

Visiting Ho Chi Minh city without the Ben Thanh market will be a huge miss.

At night, the streets along Ben Thanh market transform into a vibrant night market, selling various items such as clothes, fabrics, shoes, bags, handicrafts, etc. 

Stop by Ben Thanh market and try your bargain skill here. You may find some cute gifts and souvenirs for loved ones!

Ben Thanh Street Food Market

• Opening hours: 05:00 – 02:00
• Address: 26-28-30 Thu Khoa Huan, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1

When it comes to experiencing nightlife activities in Saigon, eating and drinking cannot be ignored.

Although it’s late at night, street vendors in Saigon are still very crowded and bustling.

Next to Ben Thanh market is a food court of about 700m2 on Thu Khoa Huan Street, District 1 called Ben Thanh Street Food Market.

This place has about 60 snack stalls with a full range of dishes from Vietnamese cuisine to dishes from all over the world.

You can find many delicious dishes such as pho, bun cha, spring roll, noodle soup, broken rice, and grilled skewers.

Visit book street

Nguyen Van Binh Book Street is a road more than 200m long in the center of District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

Here you can find more than 20 stalls selling books from different publishers across the country. 

While most people visit here in the morning, I find walking around here at night is very relaxing. It’s less crowded, and you can take a slow walk and take a look at the books.

At night, the shimmering lights begin to light up. The lights from the stalls and surrounding cafes add to the prominence of Nguyen Van Binh’s book street.

Saigon Outcast

Address: 188 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien

Saigon Outcast is an ideal nightlife destination with its creative space. Its campus is filled with artistic and creative spirit with three stacked containers surrounded by low walls covered with vivid and colorful graffiti.

This place has a lot of fun, surely will make Saigon night in your heart full of memories.

Have fun at Bui Vien

Bui Vien Walking Street is the heart of Saigon’s entertainment at night.

This street attracts lots of Vietnamese youngsters and travelers from around the world. All gather here for a busy, fun, and exciting nightlife.

This crowded neighborhood includes four famous streets named: Bui Vien Street, De Tham Street, Pham Ngu Lao Street, and Do Van Dau Street.

You can find several bars, clubs, and restaurants in this area.

Relax at Turtle lake

Turtle lake is a great place to see the bustling Saigon streets with shimmering and brilliant street lights at night.

There are many benches for people to sit and chat and relax at the lake after stressful and tiring working hours.

You’ll see many people gathering here, from couples walking and relaxing, groups of young people chatting to children running and playing. All of them bring a lively and joyful atmosphere.

Turtle lake is also a street-food paradise. You can find many snacks such as milk tea, peach tea, mango shake, and grilled rice paper.

Please note that there’s no parking service at the lake, so you should park your bike nearby.

Go bowling

Bowling is a fun way to spend a night out in Ho Chi Minh city. It’s inexpensive and fun to play, even if you only have two people. 

There’re many bowling centers in Saigon, for example:

• Powerbowl Van Hanh Mall: 5th Floor – Van Hanh Mall – 11 Su Van Hanh, Ward 12, District 10.
• Powerbowl Hung Vuong: 3rd floor – Parkson Hung Vuong – 126 Hung Vuong, Ward 4, District 5.
• Bowling Dream Game – AEON Mall Tan Phu: 30 Bo Bao Tan Thang street, Son Ky, Tan Phu district.

Eat your way along Co Giang street

I don’t know since when Co Giang street has become a great foodie destination with many restaurants. Walking along the road, you’ll see lots of delicious food vendors.

My favorite shops are:

• Ms. Tuyen’s Bun Thit Nuong: Grilled pork vermicelli attracts diners with the richness of grilled pork, spring rolls’ crispiness, and sweet fish sauce.
• Co Giang Bo la lot: Beef wrapped in la lot beef is grilled and served with rice paper, vegetables. Dipping with chili garlic fish sauce makes it even tastier.