District 1: Best area to stay in Ho Chi Minh City
Post contents
Best Area to Stay in Ho Chi Minh City for expats who love food, nightlife, shopping
This area makes up whole District 1 and all the way South to the Saigon River Ben Van Don street (District 4). You will be in short distance to the main sights in District 1 and have plenty of transportation options.
There are also familiar restaurants in Ben Thanh market but I strongly encourage you to skip these tourist traps and head a bit further west to Dong Khoi street for restaurants and bars more typical of what you’d find in Ho Chi Minh.
Highlights
- Iconic historic places: Ben Thanh market, Nortre Dame, HCMC Post, Independence Palace
- Financial hub: Bitexco Tower Office, SunWah tower, Metropolitan Tower, Vietcombank tower, Techcombank,…
- Shopping and market: Saigon Centre, Takashimaya, Annam, marketm,…
- Hotel: Park Hyatt, Sheraton, Caravelle, Time Square, Pullman, Hilton,…. (all five star hotels are in District 1)
- Best apartment building: Vinhomes golden river (Vinhomes Bason), Sailling Tower, Horizon, Icon56, Millennium, Treosor, Royal,…
You also like
Pros
District 1 makes where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City for the first time easy. It’s perfect for those doing a lot of sightseeing. Apartments in District 1 make it super easy to see shows and walking. It’s also great for food lover people, just steps away from countless restaurants and best bars in Ho Chi Minh City. It’s also very touristy so if you were hoping to get local on your staying, this isn’t the neighborhood for you.
Cons
Central areas are surrounded by busy streets, sometimes congested with bikes, cars and street traffic. If you’re concerned about noise and/or are a light sleeper, think about a different neighborhood, at least 200m away from the main road or crossroads.