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“Guys, just follow my lead & slowly cross the road with me: the cars and motorbikes will just weave sầu their way around you…”
…so said our frikết thúc Quan who showed us how to navigate the crazy traffic of the streets of Saigon. Honestly, you"ve sầu not been to Saigon until you"ve sầu tried to lớn 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 và know you will too! It"s definitely a must for LGBTQ travellers visiting South East Asia và we"ve got you covered in our comprehensive sầu gay travel guide right here.
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Covered in our travel guide show
1What"s the difference between Saigon & Ho Chi Minch 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 Minc City
6Gay clubs in Ho Chi Minc City
7Gay events in Saigon
8Gay saunas/spas in Saigon
9Gay restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City
10What to bởi vì in Ho Chi Minch City
11Planning your trip to lớn Saigon
12Gay map of Ho Chi Minch City
What"s the difference between Saigon & Ho Chi Minch City?
So we hear you asking, what"s the actual difference between Saigon và Ho Chi Minch City? Is it the same place?
Short answer – yes! The thành phố has actually gone by many different names in its long & complicated history, reflecting different groups that have sầu controlled it through the years. It was named “Gia Din” until the French conquest of the 1860s, when it was named Sài Gòn – & westernized to lớn be “Saigon”. After the ‘Fall of Saigon‘ at the kết thúc of the Vietphái mạnh war, the thành phố was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in honour of the late North Vietnamese president, Mr Ho Chi Minc.
Nowadays the name Saigon is still used khổng lồ refer to lớn the đô thị centre around District 1, while Ho Chi Minc City generally means the entire modern đô thị with all its districts. But don"t be surprised lớn still find places (especially hotels) named after Saigon as people often use the names interchangeably.
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Saigon or Ho Chi Minch City? We"ll just go with what the beer says…!
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 lớn LGBTQ rights, Vietphái mạnh has never had any anti-gay laws & 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 lớn be on the safe side. As gay friendly as Vietphái nam 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 & clubs in all of Vietphái mạnh. It"s also trang chính to a large và thriving LGBTQ community comprised of both expats and locals. The gay scene of Saigon is constantly changing and evolving; bars/clubs open and cthua trận all the time, which we"ve kept up lớn 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 Minc City
There isn"t an official gay neighbourhood in Ho Chi Minch 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 trang chủ lớn 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 lớn 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 và Psi mê Ngu Lao streets, while still being cchiến bại to lớn all the major sights.
Pool tiệc ngọt gay fun in Saigon!
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 lớn dealing with LGBQ travellers anyway, & there are also a handful of hotels that also cater specifically lớn queer travellers, which we"ve sầu mix out here:
01
The Reverie Saigon
District 1
There"s a beautiful outdoor swimming pool on the 6th floor, which looks out over Saigon & features plenty of comfy spots to lớn lounge. The large fitness centre also gives you the chance to lớn work up a sweat while looking out over the pool or the đô thị through panoramic windows. For some relaxation và pampering the spa chăm sóc sức khỏe và làm đẹp has a huge menu of treatments khổng lồ enjoy, from massages to toàn thân wraps, facials, body scrubs & massages. They also offer a lãng mạn couple"s packages.
There are no less than FIVE different places lớn 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 (& decor) while Cafe Cardinal has the best French desserts & pastries. If you can manage to lớn roll yourself outside, the rest of the thành phố will be waiting for you!
Cheông chồng availability
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 snachồng while lounging in the sun, or perhaps a romantic sunmix cocktail. There"s also a large fitness centre with lots of amenities khổng lồ keep yourself looking good. The Xuan Spage authority uses traditional Vietnamese rituals và ingredients, with treatments based on resources from the Mekong Delta – the perfect way to relax after sightseeing.
While you"ll be able khổng lồ easily explore the restaurants và 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 & verandah where you can enjoy Italian cuisine. Square One on the mezzanine floor combines French & Vietnamese dishes for chất lượng flavours as well as a cellar door for wine tasting. And that"s not even mentioning the two bars, pastry boutique & lounge where you can have sầu afternoon tea!
Chechồng availability
The bedrooms are very clean & cosy. To save sầu money you could book a room without a window, although it"s still very affordable lớn stay in one with a balcony and/or a pool view. Even though the khách sạn 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 & able lớn assist you in organising excursions or activities lớn vày in the đô thị.
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Guests can enjoy a big (free!) Búp Phê breakfast next to the pool each morning, with many western and Vietnamese dishes to lớn sample, from traditional Vietnamese pho, to lớn good old babé và 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 & body toàn thân wraps.
Cheông chồng availability
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 lớn do, see và where lớn eat nearby. The hostel is also right next to the huge Ben Tkhô nóng market, which has a food section as well as lots of options for buying souvenirs or gifts to lớn take home with you.
We love how the interior of the hostel looks lượt thích an ultra-modern New York loft, with balconies looking down over the courtyard & potted plants everywhere. Even the dorm rooms are beautifully designed with privacy curtains, plenty of storage space, lamps inside your bunk & gorgeous shared bathrooms. Walking inside Prei Nokor is lượt thích stepping into lớn another world!
Cheông chồng availability
Gay bars in Ho Chi Minch City
We loved the gay scene of Saigon. There is a large & active LGBTQ community here along with a handful of gay bars to kiểm tra out. Most of them can be found on the lively De Tmê mệt 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 lớn 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 và quite rowdy! The Tipsy Unicorn is open daily from 4pm until 2am và is located at 37 De Tmê mệt 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 lớn enjoy the live music. Friday và Saturday are the main gay nights where the local gay lads alternate between The Tipsy Unicorn và here before heading over to Republic later on. Located at 224 De Tsay đắm 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 lớn one of the hotkiểm tra 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 sầu Diva tunes! Upstairs is the more uber-cool chill-out lounge area lớn hang out with friends. Papa Cafe is open every day from 7am-midnight & is located at Cong Truong Quoc Te, right next khổng lồ the Turtle Lake traffic roundabout.
Whiskey và Wares
Owned by two xinh đẹp American guys, Whiskey và 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 và delicious Vietnamese-inspired cocktails, which were responsible for lots of Seby hangovers… The owners và staff are so friendly they make you feel lượt thích you"re hanging out at trang chủ – that is, if your trang chủ was decorated in a cool industrial-style! Located at 196 De Tđắm đuối Street, Whiskey và Wares is open every day from 5pm until around 1.30am.
The Tipsy Unicorn guys are certainly on point with their branding!
Gay clubs in Ho Chi Minc 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 sầu phối 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 thành phố eventually ends up at! We suggest heading here around 11pm or midnight when it starts khổng lồ get going. On Thursday và Friday evenings they have sầu hilarious drag shows which you have lớn see at least once! Oh – và did we forget the cocktails? They"re pretty damn tasty and super unique, especially the cumquat mojitos! Republic is located at 274 De Tsi Street và is open every day from 7pm-3am & 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 kiểm tra their Facebook page lớn see what"s coming up while you"re in the thành phố.
Les Come Out
Another excellent organisation that organises lesbian & trans-inclusive sầu parties. It was created by the ‘Amazing Race 5" contestants Nic & Lisa Truong-Marchetkhổng lồ. They aim lớn provide safe spaces for the local LGBTQ community and we totally high five them for this! Be sure khổng lồ kiểm tra out their Facebook page for details of the lakiểm tra upcoming events.
Gay events in Saigon
In terms of official gay events in Ho Chi Minch City, there"s really only VietPride in August. We"ve sầu 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 lớn 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 và 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 Đất Nước Thái Lan but is also celebrated by the many Buddhists in Vietphái mạnh. In Saigon, the entire gay community gets involved lớn take part in the “Tnhị water festival Songkran” which is like a huge street-wide water fight và organised by Saigon Outcast.
National Day (September)
National Day or Independence Day is a national holiday in Vietphái nam which celebrates the declaration of independence of Vietphái mạnh after WWII as well as commemorating the passing away of Ho Chi Minch. 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 & 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 giới 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 lớn see all the lanterns glowing, and don"t forget lớn 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 khổng lồ make the first move sầu, but these saunas are also a good way to lớn just relax & make some new friends.
NaDam Spa
NaDam Spa is one of the biggest và most well-known gay saunas in the city, with truly stunning Vietnamese architecture. There are wooden walkways above sầu a pond filled with koi and numerous leafy plants everywhere. Facilities include a steam room, dry saumãng cầu, a wet area with rain showers & two bathing pools, one with Jacuzzi jets & mas sa fountains. This is a gorgeous spot lớn relax & maybe have some fun! Located at QL13, Hiep Binh Ckhô nóng 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 lượt thích a beer garden than a saumãng cầu. There"s a steam room, sauna, cinema, Jacuzzi & private cabins, as well as a nice rooftop where you can Laser in the sun. De.soi9 Sauna is located at 24 Dinc 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 saumãng cầu which holds regular themed days for bears, students etc. Spread out over two floors there"s a sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi và even a private play space called “The Tiger Cage Area” – phwoar!!! The SixtyNine Zone is located at 39/3 Psay mê Ngoc Thach Street và is open every day from 11am-11pm.