World City Guide

Nightlife

During the Vietnam War, Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon as it was known then) was notorious for its nightlife but this changed dramatically after 1975 and venues were forced to close their doors. Now, however, the city is once again awash with clubs and bars, varying from tiny, gloomy establishments to some very upmarket venues. Most of the nightlife is concentrated in District 1, particularly on the streets around Dong Khoi and Hai Ba Trung, although a few good restaurants and bars are found in District 3 and Phu Nhuan District. Bars and clubs should close at midnight but many are open into the early hours of the morning or until the last client leaves. Imported drinks are considerably more expensive than local ones and alcohol sold in the more upmarket places is even more expensive again. There is never any entrance fee to the bars but nightclubs generally charge around US$5. The dress code is generally very relaxed with no restrictions on jeans or trainers. Information on what’s on can be found in The Guide, published monthly by the Vietnam Economic Times (website: www.vneconomy.com.vn).

Bars: Perhaps one of the most famous bars is Apocalypse Now, 2C Thi Sach. Be warned it only gets going around midnight. For a quiet drink with great views over the Saigon River, try the rooftop bar at the Majestic Hotel, 1 Dong Khoi. Continually popular place are the Blue Gecko Bar, 31 Ly Tu Trong, with a pool table and darts board and Underground in the basement of Lucky Plaza at 69 Dong Khoi, a place to hang out after work. The Q Bar, 7 Cong Truong, Lam Son Square, has made a welcome return after several years’ absence and it is still stylish, sophisticated and cool but larger than before.

Casinos: Gambling in Vietnam is illegal for Vietnamese people, however, it is allowed by foreign passport-holders. There is only one casino in the north of the country but now gaming centres with slot machines are making an appearance in Ho Chi Minh City; try Chats Slot Gaming Centre, New World Hotel, Le Lai, Club 21, Omni Hotel, 251 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan District, and OV Club, Equatorial Hotel, 242 Tran Binh Trong, District 5.

Clubs: Clubs were slow in appearing in the city but now there is a choice, although they all play a wide variety of music, including techno, pop and retro. The Catwalk disco and karaoke bar, in the New World Hotel on Le Lai, is well established. Popular with young Saigonese and ex-pats alike are the techno clubs, Hazzards on Hai Ba Trung and Speed on Tran Hung Dao, with its great sound system, and Mua Rung on Ho Huan Nghiep, which is decorated as an Amazonian rainforest. The largest and most hi-tech club in Vietnam, Spaceship on Ham Nghi continues to draw the crowds with its spectacular light shows.

Live Music: The Wild Horse Saloon, 8A1/D1 Thai Van Lung, has regular live music nights from jazz to blues and country. Several of the international hotels stage nightly performances by local and international bands. These include Caravelle Hotel on Lam Son Square (in the stylish Saigon Saigon Bar with stunning views over the rooftops), the New World Hotel, Le Lai, the Equatorial Hotel, Tran Binh Trong, District 5, and Sofitel Plaza Saigon, Le Duan. It is even possible to find gypsy and flamenco music being performed at the Carmen Bar, 8 Ly Tu Trong.