Saigon/Ho Chi Minh is the flower basket of the world and the tropical megacity is covered in lush foliage, towering trees, and flowering orchids. Afternoon showers keep the city refreshed and sustain the greenery. Droves of buzzing scooters meander through the metropolis while skyscrapers and luxury apartment buildings, many with rooftop pools, grace the skies.
The Southern Vietnamese are said to be more welcoming than their Northern counterparts. Some attribute it to the warmer weather whil...
Saigon/Ho Chi Minh is the flower basket of the world and the tropical megacity is covered in lush foliage, towering trees, and flowering orchids. Afternoon showers keep the city refreshed and sustain the greenery. Droves of buzzing scooters meander through the metropolis while skyscrapers and luxury apartment buildings, many with rooftop pools, grace the skies.
The Southern Vietnamese are said to be more welcoming than their Northern counterparts. Some attribute it to the warmer weather while others say it's due to previous decades of capitalistic occupation. Saigon may not be the capital of Vietnam, but it is the center of queer life in the country. Queers are out and proud more than ever, and they can be seen everywhere in cafes with rainbow flags and on their flamboyant Vespa scooters. HCMC's tolerance can be seen through the ample amount of dedicated queer spaces.
The city is divided into 24 districts, but most queer life is centered around District 1 and the districts surrounding it. (Districts 2-5 & 10 ). When looking at the map, the district's orientation may seem confusing, but once you picture it as a snail-llike spiral around District 1 the city begins to take shape (similar to Paris' arrondissements). District 1 is modern and filled with the city's top historical sights, museums, luxury shopping, and international cuisines ranging from Korean BBQ to Western brunch. This neighborhood has too many rooftop lounges, clubs, and bars to count where you can watch the epic sunsets or dance to underground DJs well into the night. The city's queer bars are scattered throughout Districts 1 and 2 and often feature drag, live music, and spectacular views. Bui Vien walking street is the center of Saigon's nightlife while D. Nguyen Hue's wide promenade features community events lined with shopping, and leads to the newly restored riverside park.
District 2 is an enclave across the river known for its quaint cafes, indie boutiques, pop-up flea markets, and affluent residents. There is also a smattering of queer nightlife venues. District 3 features historic sites such as the memorial to the monk who burned himself in protest in 1963 and Cà Phê Đỗ Phủ Coffee which harbors a hidden bunker. District 10 and some of the outer-lying districts offer male-for-male massage parlors and gay sauna experiences, like the opulent NaDam Spa which is housed in a former palace rich with koi fish and antiquities. Saigon's Chinatown (Cholon) can be seen in District 5 where steaming food stalls, 19th-century Buddhist temples, buzzing markets, and restored French Colonial buildings create a patchwork of the old city.
Day trips outside of Ho Chi Minh are popular. You'll find floating villages in the Mekong Delta and historical sites such as the infamous Cu Chi tunnels where the Viet Cong hid during the American War.
