Local Interest
Moving west from the Crescent , along the Rach Dia Channel , some of the modern architecture becomes more striking and less generic . Follow Tran Van Tra Street along the waterfront . Before its redevelopment , District 7 was mostly swampland , and it is still riddled with creeks , channels and ponds . These bodies of water , combined with the new leafy suburban streets , make riding through District 7 at night a very pleasant , and sometimes quite chilly , experience . There are hardly any street vendors and not much local food of any variety here . Instead , dozens of international food franchises and coffee chains occupy the ground floors of apartment buildings and office complexes . Some of these stay open late and there are also lots of 24 hour convenience stores . It ’ s a good idea to pick up a snack and a drink and take it away to the attractive Panorama Park on the banks of the Rach Dia Channel . Vo Van Kiet continues to weave westward along the channel . The further up this road you ride , the more often you ’ ll see the crumbling remains of old warehouses . These were ( and , in some cases , still are ) used to store produce shipped up the channel from the fertile lands of the Mekong Delta , to be sold in the markets of Saigon . Turn right onto Nguyen Tri Phuong Street and left onto Tran Hung Dao . This is Chinatown , and even at this late hour it ’ s still throbbing with activity . However , the later you get here the better , because there are a lot of hidden architectural gems and fascinating minutiae on roads like Tran Hung Dao : the less traffic there is , the more freedom and time you ’ ll have to take it all in , without hundreds of vehicles rushing around you .
Route : Districts 5 & 10 : Chinatown , ‘ Herb Street ’, Temples , Night Flower Market
Vo Van Kiet continues to weave westward along the channel . The further up this road you ride , the more often you ’ ll see the crumbling remains of old warehouses . These were ( and , in some cases , still are ) used to store produce shipped up the channel from the fertile lands of the Mekong Delta , to be sold in the markets of Saigon . Turn right onto Nguyen Tri Phuong Street and left onto Tran Hung Dao . This is Chinatown , and even at this late hour it ’ s still throbbing with activity . However , the later you get here the better , because there are a lot of hidden architectural gems and fascinating minutiae on roads like Tran Hung Dao : the less traffic there is , the more freedom and time you ’ ll have to take it all in , without hundreds of vehicles rushing around you . Back on Nguyen Van Linh heading west , the road passes under the red arches of Ong Lon Bridge . Bear right after the bridge , along the lush boulevards of Binh Chanh District . Trung Son traffic circle boasts some great night-time eating spots , not least several large , open-air goat restaurants : look for the signs saying : Dê ( goat ). Continue north on Duong Ba Trac Street until it crosses , once again , the Nguyen Van Cu Bridge . After the superior infrastructure of District 7 , the roads here can seem narrow , slow and busy . Get back onto the Vo Van Kiet Expressway , heading west towards Chinatown ….
The MAG Vung Tau 17