HO CHI MINH CITY / SAIGON -- area code (84-8)

Saigon (called Ho Chi Minh City when written, Saigon when spoken by the locals) is broad and breezy, tropical and easy-going, with just the right balance of urbanity and grittiness. The population of metropolitan Ho Chi Minh City is nearing 10 million (400,000 of whom are Utopians).

The European-flavored heart of the city stretches from the river to the Opera House along Dong Khoi St, lined with 5-star hotels, trendy coffee shops and fine dining. Many clubs that are popular with gays are also located in District 1, just a short hop, skip or taxi jump from one another other.

The downtown section of District 1 is easy to navigate using our Utopia map:


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Warnings from Utopians:

"Taxis with phone numbers 811-1111 or 827-2727 are more reliable. Their meters start at D$12,000 (D$14,000 for van) and their drivers are less likely to go a long way. Private, small taxis tend to cheat tourists with some meters starting at D$17,000." -- billylondon, Mar 3, 2007

Click here for Saigon hotels and accommodations.

Click here for Saigon bars and clubs.

Click here for Saigon discos.

• Nha Van Hoa Lao Dong (Workers' Club)
  55B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St (see map), Dist 1. The Workers Club is a huge site that has indoor and outdoor sport facilities including tennis, volleyball, table tennis, gym, basketball and a dance school for show dance. Thousands of people use the facilities. At the back of the premises is the swimming pool. Gym, pool, saunas can be very cruisy. "Foreigner tickets" can be purchased for 50 minutes use of facilities, but it seems that no one checks how long you really stay. Bring your own towel and swim wear or buy it at the shop on the right side of the entrance. Once you have the ticket, wait for the next admission time (every 30 minutes). First you'll find yourself in the shower rooms. At the end of the hall is the storage area. Plastic bags are sold to wrap your clothes and belongings in. Open daily.

Click here for Saigon karaoke.

Click here for Saigon massage and spas for men.

• Cinemas
  • Vuon Lai
    Corner of Tran Nhan Ton St and Vinh Vien St, Dist 10. Very cruisy and busy on weekends.

    Comments from Utopians:

    "Sun afternoon is very busy from 2-7pm. Entry is D$25,000. Nobody is watching the movie. People walking up and down the aisle in the dark looking for fun. Be careful of pickpockets. Better not bring anything valuable here." -- billylondon, Mar 3, 2007

• Phu Tho Sports Club
  211 Ly Thuong Kiet St, Dist 10. Next to the Phu Tho Indoor Stadium.

Comments from Utopians:

"Most of the cafés in Saigon have gays in them all the time. The trouble is they sometimes go to the coffee shops with female friends so you don't realise they are gay. I was at table of eight friends the other day. I have a friend here from the US at the moment and he meets a guy every night he is at the café. Most of the time we go to a Windows Coffee Shop but there are hundreds in Saigon and most of them will have gay guys there any time of the day. The idea is to sit and watch and you can pick them out." -- tamquat, Apr 15, 2008

DISTRICT 1

• 343 Café (coffee and snacks)
  343 Nguyen Trai, Dist 1, 920-0988, 920-0998. Outdoor area with a fountain, air-conditioned inside on two levels. TVs and video screens everywhere show music videos, movies, or sports. Menu in Vietnamese and English. Popular with gays, but the crowd is mostly young and straight. Open daily from 8am-11pm.
• Bunta (urban Vietnamese)
  136 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St (opp the Reunification Palace), Dist 1, 822-9913, 822-9914. Their slogan is "Everying is Bun." That may be true, certainly everything was delicious. Contemporary urban Vietnamese menu and lots of exotic fruit drinks in a large, clean, and air-con dining room with modern ambience.
• Café Terrace
  1/F Saigon Center, Le Loi St at the intersection with Pasteur St (see map), Dist 1. This coffee shop is popular with gays, especially those out to spot foreigners getting off work in the neighborhood (or maybe they just feel right at home in the OTT decor scheme). Indoor and terrace seating. Coffee, drinks, snacks and desserts. We spotted a gay Vietnamese celebrity singer on our tea time visit.
• Kim Café (Vietnamese, American and European food)
  268 De Tham St, Dist 1 (between Pham Ngu Lau and Bui Vien St), 836-8122. Friendly place that is popular with gays who come hhere to eat or have a coffee. Excellent food, good prices. Free delivery.

• Nam Giao (Vietnamese)
  136/15 Le Than Ton, Dist 1, 825-0261. This popular, shady, fan-cooled restaurant is behind and a block away from Ben Thanh Market, tucked down a covered alleyway. The simple photo menu offers a limited selection of excellent local specialties. The "Special Clam with Rice" turned out to have incredible, alien mouth feel -- fresh and clean, not really seafoody, with the texture of organic packing material comprised of banana flower, peanuts, shreaded rice cake, mint leaves, pork cracklings and baby clams. They'll also place a towering plate of banana-leaf-packaged mystery items in various geometric shapes which you may sample if you wish. The rectagular ones are Vietnamese wedding cakes made from coconut and rice gelatin. Avoid the others -- raw meat sausages -- unless you have a strong stomach. On our visit, half the customers (and some of the staff) tripped our gaydar.

  DISTRICT 3

• Phuong Cac Café (coffee shop)
  Bis Nam Ky Khoi Nghia 213, Dist 3, mobile: 9-327-484. This garden café has beautiful flowers and very nice decor. Music videos play on the TV. Prices are very reasonable. There is no other place in HCMC where you will meet more friendly local men and women (a few hundred) than on Sun morning between 9am and 12 noon when they gather here for breakfast. Foreigners are welcome, but the staff speaks no English and the menu is in Vietnamese only. Other days of the week, and also after noon on Sun, the café has few guests. Free motorbike parking at the entrance -- only room for 600 bikes though!

  Comments from Utopians:

  "Come to Phuong Cac Café every Sun morning. Almost all gay. But maybe they're there just for window shopping, because the cute guys always come with someone." -- alittlepig, Apr 24, 2008

  OTHER AREAS

  Comments from Utopians:

  "Hoa Cuc Vang Café, 309/3A Nguyen Van Troi, Tan Binh Dist, 274-2698 is a very nice place. Excellent fruit juice with reasonable prices, relaxing atmosphere and unique decoration (especially the very friendly, handsome and sportive waiters). I really enjoyed ths place." -- joesu, Jul 15, 2008

Click here for Saigon saunas for men.