Bar gay ở sài gòn
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“Guys, just follow my lead and slowly cross the road with me: the cars and motorbikes will just weave their way around you…”
…so said our friend Quan who showed us how to navigate the crazy traffic of the streets of Saigon. Honestly, you"ve not been to Saigon until you"ve tried to cross over one of the main roads or taken a scooter ride through the busy jungle of moving vehicles; it"s something you won"t forget in a hurry!
Saigon is a lot of fun. It"s busy, frenetic, has super feisty locals, manic traffic and delicious street food. The gay scene is also pretty good, with a large LGBTQ community of both expats and locals.
This is one place we quickly fell in love with and know you will too! It"s definitely a must for LGBTQ travellers visiting South East Asia and we"ve got you covered in our comprehensive gay travel guide right here.
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Covered in our travel guide show
1What"s the difference between Saigon and Ho Chi Minh City?
2How safe is Ho Chi Minh City for gay travellers?
3The gay neighbourhood of Ho Chi Minh City
4Gay hotels in Saigon
5Gay bars in Ho Chi Minh City
6Gay clubs in Ho Chi Minh City
7Gay events in Saigon
8Gay saunas/spas in Saigon
9Gay restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City
10What to do in Ho Chi Minh City
11Planning your trip to Saigon
12Gay map of Ho Chi Minh City
What"s the difference between Saigon and Ho Chi Minh City?
So we hear you asking, what"s the actual difference between Saigon and Ho Chi Minh City? Is it the same place?
Short answer – yes! The city has actually gone by many different names in its long and complicated history, reflecting different groups that have controlled it through the years. It was named “Gia Din” until the French conquest of the 1860s, when it was named Sài Gòn – and westernized to be “Saigon”. After the ‘Fall of Saigon‘ at the end of the Vietnam war, the city was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in honour of the late North Vietnamese president, Mr Ho Chi Minh.
Nowadays the name Saigon is still used to refer to the city centre around District 1, while Ho Chi Minh City generally means the entire modern city with all its districts. But don"t be surprised to still find places (especially hotels) named after Saigon as people often use the names interchangeably.
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How safe is Ho Chi Minh City for gay travellers?
We found Vietnam as a whole to be quite welcoming towards us as a gay couple. In relation to LGBTQ rights, Vietnam has never had any anti-gay laws and although gay marriage is not yet recognised, the outright ban on it was lifted in 2015.
One thing we would mention is just to take caution with public displays of affection and perhaps avoid them to be on the safe side. As gay friendly as Vietnam is towards foreigners, attitudes nonetheless are quite conservative and there are still no anti-discrimination laws in place to protect you should anything happen.
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While Hanoi hosts the main gay events, Ho Chi Minh is where you will find the best gay bars and clubs in all of Vietnam. It"s also home to a large and thriving LGBTQ community comprised of both expats and locals. The gay scene of Saigon is constantly changing and evolving; bars/clubs open and close all the time, which we"ve kept up to date in this guide.
Find out more in our interview with local boy Quan from Saigon about gay life in Vietnam.
The gay neighbourhood of Ho Chi Minh City
There isn"t an official gay neighbourhood in Ho Chi Minh City, but most of the queer hangouts can be found in and around District 1, which is also the most touristic area. District 1 is home to the city"s major museums, fine dining and exciting nightlife, as well as most of the international 5-star hotels.
If you"re travelling on a budget, you"ll want to check out the area on the fringes of District 1, which has become known as “the backpacker district”. There are plenty of affordable gay friendly accommodation options around Bui Vien and Pham Ngu Lao streets, while still being close to all the major sights.
Gay hotels in Saigon
All the places we stayed at in Saigon had no issue about hosting us a gay couple. As a rule of thumb, international chain hotels are accustomed to dealing with LGBQ travellers anyway, and there are also a handful of hotels that also cater specifically to queer travellers, which we"ve set out here:
01
The Reverie Saigon
District 1
There"s a beautiful outdoor swimming pool on the 6th floor, which looks out over Saigon and features plenty of comfy spots to lounge. The large fitness centre also gives you the chance to work up a sweat while looking out over the pool or the city through panoramic windows. For some relaxation and pampering the spa has a huge list of treatments to enjoy, from massages to body wraps, facials, body scrubs and massages. They also offer a romantic couple"s packages.
There are no less than FIVE different places to dine in the Reverie. Romeo and Juliet Restaurant (or R&J as it"s often called) serves authentic Italian dishes in a stunning space with Italian mosaics, elaborate candelabras and a collection of differently styled dining chairs. There"s also the Royal Pavilion for exquisite Chinese cuisine (and decor) while Cafe Cardinal has the best French desserts and pastries. If you can manage to roll yourself outside, the rest of the city will be waiting for you!
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As you can see, the outdoor pool is a haven of relaxation and sophistication. The provided pool service means you can have a drink or snack while lounging in the sun, or perhaps a romantic sunset cocktail. There"s also a large fitness centre with lots of amenities to keep yourself looking good. The Xuan Spa uses traditional Vietnamese rituals and ingredients, with treatments based on resources from the Mekong Delta – the perfect way to relax after sightseeing.
While you"ll be able to easily explore the restaurants and cafes surrounding the hotel, there are also plenty of fine dining options within the building. Opera is the main restaurant, comprising the main dining room, bar and verandah where you can enjoy Italian cuisine. Square One on the mezzanine floor combines French and Vietnamese dishes for unique flavours as well as a cellar door for wine tasting. And that"s not even mentioning the two bars, pastry boutique and lounge where you can have afternoon tea!
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The bedrooms are very clean and cosy. To save money you could book a room without a window, although it"s still very affordable to stay in one with a balcony and/or a pool view. Even though the hotel is located in a busy part of town, known for its noisy nightlife, the hotel itself is very quiet. The staff are exceedingly friendly, helpful and able to assist you in organising excursions or activities to do in the city.
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Guests can enjoy a big (free!) buffet breakfast next to the pool each morning, with many western and Vietnamese dishes to sample, from traditional Vietnamese pho, to good old bacon & eggs. Beautiful Saigon also has its own in-house spa, where you can relax with different types of massages, or treatments such as waxing, pedicures, body scrubs and body wraps.
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The staff are super friendly, helpful and chatty with everyone. They will tell you all about the history of Saigon as well as giving recommendations for things to do, see and where to eat nearby. The hostel is also right next to the huge Ben Thanh market, which has a food section as well as lots of options for buying souvenirs or gifts to take home with you.
We love how the interior of the hostel looks like an ultra-modern New York loft, with balconies looking down over the courtyard and potted plants everywhere. Even the dorm rooms are beautifully designed with privacy curtains, plenty of storage space, lamps inside your bunk and gorgeous shared bathrooms. Walking inside Prei Nokor is like stepping into another world!
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Gay bars in Ho Chi Minh City
We loved the gay scene of Saigon. There is a large and active LGBTQ community here along with a handful of gay bars to check out. Most of them can be found on the lively De Tham Street, in the heart of the backpacker area:
The Tipsy Unicorn
The Tipsy Unicorn is one of our favourite gay bars in Saigon. It"s a great place to start a night out and it"s where all the local gay boys come to watch RuPaul"s Drag Race episodes. Look out for their daily 2 for 1 Happy Hour cocktail deals between 4-7pm. We also love their trivia nights which get can get super camp and quite rowdy! The Tipsy Unicorn is open daily from 4pm until 2am and is located at 37 De Tham Street.
Thi Bar
Located in the Bui Vien backpacker"s area, Thi Bar is owned and run by a French-Vietnamese gay couple. It attracts a mixed crowd who come to enjoy the live music. Friday and Saturday are the main gay nights where the local gay lads alternate between The Tipsy Unicorn and here before heading over to Republic later on. Located at 224 De Tham Street, Thi Bar is open every day from 5pm until 1-2.30am.
Papa Cafe
Papa Cafe is more of a restobar that turns into one of the hottest gay hangouts later in the evening, particularly at weekends. We love their karaoke nights – lets just say that Vietnamese gay guys are very passionate about belting out their live Diva tunes! Upstairs is the more uber-cool chill-out lounge area to hang out with friends. Papa Cafe is open every day from 7am-midnight and is located at Cong Truong Quoc Te, right next to the Turtle Lake traffic roundabout.
Whiskey & Wares
Owned by two cute American guys, Whiskey & Wares is a bar that attracts a mixed crowd of locals, expats and LGBTQ travellers. Obviously they serve some excellent whiskey varieties here, but they also sell craft beers and delicious Vietnamese-inspired cocktails, which were responsible for lots of Seby hangovers… The owners and staff are so friendly they make you feel like you"re hanging out at home – that is, if your home was decorated in a cool industrial-style! Located at 196 De Tham Street, Whiskey & Wares is open every day from 5pm until around 1.30am.
Gay clubs in Ho Chi Minh City
The main gay club in Saigon is Republic. There are also a few gay events that take place every few weeks or months at different locations throughout the city. We"ve set the main ones out below:
Republic Lounge
We love the gay scene of Saigon mainly because of Republic. It"s a super fun night out where almost every gay in the city eventually ends up at! We suggest heading here around 11pm or midnight when it starts to get going. On Thursday and Friday evenings they have hilarious drag shows which you have to see at least once! Oh – and did we forget the cocktails? They"re pretty damn tasty and super unique, especially the cumquat mojitos! Republic is located at 274 De Tham Street and is open every day from 7pm-3am and until 5am on Friday and Saturday nights.
Full Disclosure Entertainment
Full Disclosure Entertainment organises super fun gay parties in Saigon every month. Our favourite is ‘Yaaaas" – lets just say that as pop music geeks, we can never get enough of Britney, Beyonce and Lady Gaga on the dancefloor! Make sure you check their Facebook page to see what"s coming up while you"re in the city.
Les Come Out
Another excellent organisation that organises lesbian and trans-inclusive parties. It was created by the ‘Amazing Race 5" contestants Nic and Lisa Truong-Marchetto. They aim to provide safe spaces for the local LGBTQ community and we totally high five them for this! Be sure to check out their Facebook page for details of the latest upcoming events.
Gay events in Saigon
In terms of official gay events in Ho Chi Minh City, there"s really only VietPride in August. We"ve also included some other fun events that are definitely worth checking out if you"re there at the right time of year.
VietPride aka Saigon Pride (August)
While VietPride began in Hanoi, it now takes place in cities across the country, including Saigon. A big parade marches down Nguyen Street with thousands of participants waving rainbow flags. There are also lots of gay parties, film screenings and other activities surrounding the Pride celebrations, so keep an eye on the Facebook page if you want to know all the details for the next one.
Tet – Vietnamese New Year (February)
Tet is the name for Vietnamese New Year, which takes place based on the lunar calendar and is the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture. Celebrating the arrival of spring, Tet usually falls in January or February. During Tet, Vietnamese families make traditional foods and also decorate their homes with beautiful flower displays.
Songkran (April)
Songkran is the Buddhist New Year, which is most known for being celebrated in Thailand but is also celebrated by the many Buddhists in Vietnam. In Saigon, the entire gay community gets involved to take part in the “Thai water festival Songkran” which is like a huge street-wide water fight and organised by Saigon Outcast.
National Day (September)
National Day or Independence Day is a national holiday in Vietnam which celebrates the declaration of independence of Vietnam after WWII as well as commemorating the passing away of Ho Chi Minh. Taking place on the 2nd of September every year, you"ll be able to see lots of lit-up signs, flags, flower displays, a parade and even fireworks at night.
Mid-Autumn Festival (September/October)
The mid-autumn festival, also known as Trung Thu, celebrates the end of the harvest season and is the second most important festival in Vietnam after the Lunar New Year. The best way to celebrate Trung Thu in Saigon is in the Phu Bin lantern-making village, one of the few villages in the city that still make glass paper lanterns for the festival. It"s beautiful to see all the lanterns glowing, and don"t forget to try some delicious traditional moon cakes.
Gay saunas/spas in Saigon
There are a surprising number of male-only spas and saunas in Saigon, where you can go for some discrete cruising action. Vietnamese guys are usually pretty shy so you might need to make the first move, but these saunas are also a good way to just relax and make some new friends.
NaDam Spa
NaDam Spa is one of the biggest and most well-known gay saunas in the city, with truly stunning Vietnamese architecture. There are wooden walkways above a pond filled with koi and numerous leafy plants everywhere. Facilities include a steam room, dry sauna, a wet area with rain showers and two bathing pools, one with Jacuzzi jets and massage fountains. This is a gorgeous spot to relax and maybe have some fun! Located at QL13, Hiep Binh Chanh Ward, NaDam Spa is open every day from midday until 10pm.
De.soi9 Sauna
De.soi9 is not your typical sauna, but definitely a lot of fun! Down a quiet alley in the heart of Saigon, there"s a lush garden that makes the place feel more like a beer garden than a sauna. There"s a steam room, sauna, cinema, Jacuzzi and private cabins, as well as a nice rooftop where you can laze in the sun. De.soi9 Sauna is located at 24 Dinh Tien Hoang Street and is open daily from 1pm-10pm.
The SixtyNine Zone
Run by the same people behind De.Soi9 Sauna, The SixtyNine Zone is a popular gay sauna which holds regular themed days for bears, students etc. Spread out over two floors there"s a sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi and even a private play space called “The Tiger Cage Area” – phwoar!!! The SixtyNine Zone is located at 39/3 Pham Ngoc Thach Street and is open every day from 11am-11pm.
