Local Interest
South of Hong Bang Street, zigzag across Lao Tu Street and onto Nguyen Trai Street, passing on the way, Quan Am Pagoda and Thieu Hau Temple, respectively. Both of these 19th century Buddhist sanctuaries are closed at night but are well illuminated. Stop for a drink at the night vendor right outside Thien Hau Temple, with its intricately carved and splendidly detailed facade just a few metres away. Back on Hong Bang Street, the road name changes to An Duong Vuong just as it passes by the 1920s Jeanne D’ Arc Church on the left. From here, it’ s a straight shot, via Tran Phu Street, all the way to the Night Flower Market in District 10. Turn left off Tran Phu before the Equatorial Hotel, and find your way to the bottom of Ho Thi Ky Street. This narrow road is a bustling street food area, but late at night it’ s transformed into a colourful hive of activity, as flowers arrive by the truckload from the highland city of Dalat. The later you get here the better – the flowers don’ t really start to flood the street until well after midnight. But, even if you arrive early, there are still plenty of flower stalls and street food to keep you occupied, and, of course, you can always just come back again later …
Take a late night drink in front of the intricate exterior of the 19th century Thien Hau Temple
Route: District 1: Backpacker area, Notre Dame, Dong Khoi, Walking Street
The night flower market in District 10 starts late but brightens up the Saigon night
Head east from the Night Flower Market towards District 1. Nguyen Trai Street offers some late night snacks in the form of noodle soups: try the hủ tiếu Nam Vang at Nhân Quán( A68 Nguyen Trai). Enter Saigon’ s famous backpacker district via Do Quang Dau Street. You’ ll know you’ ve arrived by the number‘ girlie’ bars lining the streets. The area – known as Pham Ngu Lao – has long had a seedy side, but in recent years it’ s gentrified, especially along Bui Vien Street, which is where most of the late night action takes place. The bars are smarter, food and drink is better, and the crowd – a youthful mix of Western backpackers, Northeast Asian independent travellers, and trendy Vietnamese – is the most diverse in the city. Bui Vien gets going late and stays up all night: the street is thronged with revellers into the small hours. Find a bar and soak up to atmosphere. Back on the road, ride the famous traffic circle in front of Ben Thanh Market before hitting Truong Dinh Street, which ploughs straight through Tao Dan Park. Lined with enormous tropical trees, there’ s also a spooky sculpture garden here that’ s worth a quick look. Turn right onto Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. One of the city’ s major thoroughfares, this street is choked during the daytime but gloriously empty at night. As it passes behind the back of the Reunification Palace gardens, the air is damp and scented with night-blooming flowers. At night, the palace itself is in darkness; only the gates are illuminated.
Bui Vien Street in the backpacker area; just getting going at 1 o’ clock in the morning
The tree-lined course of Truong Dinh Street as it passes through Tao Dan Park
The MAG Vung Tau 19