Nightlife in Ho Chi Minh Guide - 12 Best Saigon Night Experiences

Sometimes, when you go to a new place, all you want is going to explore specific attractions, get to recommended entertaining places and join in inspiring activities in this location. 

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, is a perfect place for you to do it, especially in the evenings. If you are wondering what to do and what the best places to enjoy the best experiences of nightlife in Ho Chi Minh are? The following guidelines will help you find out your own answers.

1. Have Fresh Beer on Pham Ngu Lao and Bui Vien Street

Fresh beer, aka Bia Hoi in Vietnamese, is a type of draught beer in Vietnam. This drink is loved by residents in the north of Vietnam. And the same goes for locals in Ho Chi Minh City, a southern city. Along Pham Ngu Lao Street in District 1, the scene of drinking beer is so popular. There are so many places for locals and tourists alike to enjoy this drink in Saigon, from high-quality restaurants, night clubs, pubs to street food stalls, so it is not surprising that you will easily see both foreigners and local Vietnamese enjoying the fresh beer on the streets. 

When it comes to Saigon nightlife, Bui Vien street and Pham Ngu Lao Street in District 1 are “heaven” for foreigners. With so many bars, pubs, clubs along the street, you can enjoy your own trip totally in a night. 

2. Get a Cocktail at a Rooftop Bar

Standing at the rooftop of a skyscraper, taking a selfie picture with your friends or relatives, and enjoying the panorama of the whole scene are activities giving the most exciting feelings for experiencers. And this experience will be more interesting in the evening. In Ho Chi Minh City, there are so many places that can satisfy your needs.

• Chill Sky Bar

Highlights: 26th-floor view,  craft cocktails, sunset and night views.

Location: AB Tower, 76 Le Lai, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: 5:30 pm – 2 am every day

• Saigon Saigon Rooftop Bar

Highlights: 10th-floor view,  classic spot, and live music

Location: Caravelle Saigon, 19-23 Lam Son Square, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: 11:00 pm – 3 am every day

• Level 23 Wine Bar at Sheraton Saigon

Highlights: 23rd-floor view, delicious cocktails, panorama views

Location: Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, 88 Dong Khoi, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: 12:00 pm – 3 am every day

• M Bar at Hotel Majestic Saigon

Highlights: 8th-floor view, live music, river views

Location: 1 Dong Khoi, Ben Nghe, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: 4:00 pm – 1 am every day

• SKYXX Garden & Lounge

Highlights: 20th-floor view, Mixology cocktails, live music

Location: 33 Le Duan, Ben Nghe, Ho Chi Minh City 

Opening hours: 5:30 pm – 1:30 am every day

3. Try Your Luck at  A Casino

Nightlife in Ho Chi Minh City brings a wonderful experience with rooftop bars, nightclubs, beers, etc. and casinos. Why not? Although gamers are playing on computer screens, the services and hospitality of casinos can make you think differently. This will be one of the most exciting moments in your life. Try your luck in the following places:

• Grand Club

Highlights: complimentary cocktails, perfect get-away

Location: 8 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening Hours: 24-hours daily

• M Club

Highlights: beautiful and classic furniture, modern technology

Location: 1 Dong Khoi, Ben Nghe ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening Hours: 24-hours daily

• Club V e-gaming

Highlights: regular prizes, Membership Program, food service for gamers

Location: 148 Tran Hung Dao, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening Hours: 24-hours daily

• Chat Slots Gaming Center

Highlights: free drinks, video poker

Location: 76 Le Lai, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: 24/7

• Palazzo Club

Highlights: No free drinks or beer, Professional Membership Service

Location: 80 Dong Du, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: 24/7

4. Cruise along Saigon River

Sai Gon River in Ho Chi Minh City, like Huong River in Hue City, is a must-visit for all visitors when being in the city. The river is flanked by both modern buildings and rural villages. For a new visitor, cruising along the river, especially at night, is the best way to enjoy the beauty of the whole city. If you have more time, the tours connecting to Cu Chi Tunnel are the best choices. Find the best options here:

5. Chill out Ben Thanh Night Market

Opening Hours:  after 18:00 every day

Address: Le Loi, Ben Thanh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh

Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City is a symbol and one of the most famous places where you can buy almost anything you want. You can exchange your needs with the vendors from sunrise to sunset every day. The morning market often starts at 6 am and the night market is slower. For the officers or low-income workers, the night market is along Phan Boi Chau Street and becomes a popular place from 19:00 until 24:00. The price is not fixed at all, so you must bargain with the sellers to have a good price.

6. Have Fun in Apocalypse Now

Apocalypse Now Ho Chi Minh is a famous and must-visit bar as well as a dance club in the center of District 1. 

Built from 1991, this bar and dance club gives the customers a variety of drinks such as wines, cocktails, beers, etc. You can have a price off when you come here at happy hours (8 pm -10 pm daily).

Unlike the other clubs in Ho Chi Minh, this opens until 4 am and female DJs here are so beautiful and sexy. They can dance and sing pop, rock, jazz, etc. However, the price here is so much higher than other clubs and bars. But, the quality of service and drink in this place can satisfy the most fastidious people.

Opening Hours:  7:00 pm – 04:00 am every day

Address: 2B-C-F Thi Sach, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City 

7. Watch Live Music at Bars

Nightlife in Ho Chi Minh is so different from its beauty in the morning. If you want to know more about the difference in this city, live music bars or clubs can help you experience the whole nightlife beauty. Five recommended music bars below can be useful for you.

• Acoustic Bar

Highlights: Classic, rock music, no food served

Opening Hours: 6:00 pm – 0:00 (live music from 9:00 pm, except on Sunday) 

Address: 6E1 Ngo Thoi Nhiem, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

• Sax n’ Art Jazz Club

Highlights: Jazz music, free added to  first drink, quite expensive

Opening Hours: 7:00 pm – 0:00 (live music from 9:00 pm)

Address: 28 Le Loi, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

• Hard Rock Cafe

Highlights: Rock music, delicious cocktails, good serving

Opening Hours: 11:00 – 24:00 every day, Weekends 11:00 – 02:00 (Live music from 21:00)

Address: 39 Le Duan, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

• Yoko Bar

Highlights: rock and acoustic jazz-pop music, great view.

Location: 22A Nguyen Thi Dieu, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening Hours: 7:00 pm – 0:00 (Live music from 9:00 pm)

• Seventeen Saloon

Highlights: Rocks music, a Filipino live  band 

Opening Hours: 7:00 pm – 02:00 am (live music from 9:00 pm) 

Address: 103A Pham Ngu Lao Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

8. Go to Overnight Coffee Shops

If you are a new visitor who wants to explore the beauty of Saigon at night or a busy worker wants to have a peaceful atmosphere to enjoy, the following cafe shops with 24/7 service with high-speed wifi can be useful for all of you.

• Snob Coffee

Highlights: The cafe is spacious, has a good range of drinks and relaxing music. There is Free iMac for guests to use. 

Location: 147A Tran Hung Dao, Cau Ong Lanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: 24/7 

Price: VND 30,000 – 65,000

• Thuc Coffee

Highlights: There is a 24/7 service and extra seats on the pavement for guests.

Location:  These are all in District 1:

• 156B Pasteur Street
• 182 Pasteur Street
• 48-50 Huynh Thuc Khang Street
• 37 Ly Tu Trong Street

Opening hours: 24/7 

• Den Da Coffee

Highlights: regularly updated menu, many kinds of drinks, and unique toasts

Location: 182 Pasteur, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Price: VND 25,000-55,000/drink, from VND 27,000 for food

• Open Tea Club

Highlights: comfortable sleep 24 / 7, various kinds of drinks 

Location: 1st floor, 39 Ly Tu Trong Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Price: VND 25,000 – 60,000 / drink

9. Watch a Show at Saigon Opera House

In a modern city like Saigon, everything belonging to old traditions, including folk stories, cultural shows, folk songs are becoming exciting to the visitors. Live culture shows are among of them.

Most of live performances are organized at Saigon Opera House, a must-visit for all visitors. The tickets here are sold from 9 am to 4:30 pm. Put the following information into your show checklist to understand more about Saigon’s culture:

• A O Show by Lune Production

Highlights: 

This focuses on traditional music by talented Vietnamese artists. Performers use so many props such as woven baskets and ropes. After the show, guests can talk to the dancers.

Opening Hours: 6:00 pm & 10:00 pm daily

Price: US$28 – US$57

• The Mist Show

Highlights: Performers dress traditional costumes and rural props. The main theme is rice farming in Southern Vietnam. 

Opening Hours: 6:00 pm weekends

Price: VND 630,000 – 1,470,000

• Teh Dar: Vietnamese Tribal Culture

Highlights: The theme of the show is the lives of people from the southwest of Vietnam. The performers use so many percussion instruments.

Opening Hours: 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm in a few days in a month

Price: VND 630,000 – 1,470,000

10. Dine Along the Streets

In Saigon, street food is one of the most interesting things for tourists to experience at night. You can buy so much delicious food and drinks at a cheap price. The guide below can help you find out your favorite dishes.

• Street Nguyen Canh Chan

The unique food here is bun rieu (noodles with crab chowder), crab soup, fruits, etc.

Location: Nguyen Canh Chan Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Price: from 30,000 VND to 50,000 VND

Opening hours: 24/7

• Street Nguyen Thuong Hien

The unique food here is banh trang tron (mixed rice paper cake), hu tieu (Cambodia rice noodle soup), ha cao (shrimp dumplings), etc.

Location: Nguyen Thuong Hien Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

Price: from 30,000 VND to 60,000 VND

Opening hours: 8 am – 8 pm

• Street Le Van Sy

The unique food here is Fried Half-Dried Cuttlefish with Fish Sauce

Location: Le Van Sy Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: 8 am – 8 pm

Price:  about 100,000 VND / dish

• Street Tran Binh Trong

This street is famous for  Com Tam (broken rice).

Location: 185 Tran Binh Trong Street, Ward 3, District 5,  Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: 6 pm-midnight

Price: 30,000 VND – 50,000 VND

11. Let Loose At a NightClub

Letting loose after a hard day’s work and also on weekends is something that most of us would love to do. There is no better place to do such things than in nightclubs. whether you are looking for a place to relax whilst enjoying some drinks, to listen to some live music, or dance your night away without being judged, then you have more than enough options to do in nightclubs in Ho Chi Minh City. Here below are the best night clubs and bars in Ho Chi Minh City that are favored by locals and tourists alike :

• Lush night club

Location: 2 Ly Tu Trong, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening Hours: 8 pm – 2 am daily

• Apocalypse night club

Location: 2B-C-F Thi Sach, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City 

Opening Hours:  7:00 pm – 04:00 am every day

• O2 Gold night club

Location: 2 Ho Huan Nghiep, Ben Nghe, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City 

Opening Hours:  4:00 pm – 00:00 am every day

• Canalis night club

Location: 147 Hai Ba Trung, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City 

Opening Hours:  9:00 pm – 00:00 am every day

12. Go for a Night Drive

For a local person or a new visitor, driving a motorbike to the main roads of the city is a fantastic experience to do at night. At this time, the streets are not crowded and the wind in the air can make you feel relaxed. At night, the parks in the city are all open, so people can come and do everything they want. Or if you want to explore the best places in the city in the evening, driving is a good choice.

Regarding Ho Chi Minh City, people are always thinking about the skyscapes, modern buildings, the fast pace of life, etc. But this city also has another beauty at night that people sometimes ignore it. Hope that after reading this article, you can have another point of view about this city to have unforgettable nightlife in Ho Chi Minh.