Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [78]
De Tham and around
The following are all marked on the map "Eating & Drinking: De Tham", except for 17 Saloon, in "Eating and Drinking: Central Ho Chi Minh".
17 Saloon 103A Pham Ngu Lao. Wild West-style bar occupying two floors near the budget hotel district. Its competent Filipino band draws a mixed and enthusiastic audience. 7pm–1am.
Allez–Boo 187 Pham Ngu Lao. Bamboo and thatch decor, loud music, great food (see " Central Ho Chi Minh City") and a good selection of cocktails make this place hugely popular and it’s heaving most nights. Open 24hr.
Cyclo Bar 163 Pham Ngu Lao. This congenial place with dartboard and pool table offers draught beer and cocktails as well as comfort food such as bangers and mash and a roast on Sun. Three floors and sports on TV. 9am–late.
Eden 236 De Tham. Dim-lit and noisy, popular spot where you can find a drink and someone to talk to almost 24hr a day. 6am–late.
Go 2 187 De Tham. The winning formula from the owners of Allez Boo is packing them in at this large, two-storey bar and restaurant on the corner of Bui Ven. 7am–late.
Le Pub 175/22 Pham Ngu Lao. Tucked away down a lane off Pham Ngu Lao, this place stands out for its attractive decor, cheap beer, good selection of food and cool sounds played by the resident DJ. 7am–late.
Ho Chi Minh City and around | Drinking, nightlife and entertainment |
Discos and clubs
Ho Chi Minh City’s disco and club scene has been floundering for the last few years as midnight closing is enforced throughout the city. Apart from regular discos, there are more traditional nightclubs, where the practice of employing hostesses in slit gowns is still prevalent. In addition, some establishments continue to cater for the locals’ love of ballroom dancing – a tradition which is fading out as MTV turns local youngsters on to Viet pop and the latest Western sounds. Most clubs and discos levy a cover charge (normally $4–5), though some just charge higher prices for drinks. Again, see local listings magazines for the hottest new clubs. All the clubs below are marked on the map "Eating and Drinking: Central Ho Chi Minh", except America on "Ho Chi Minh City".
Sax ‘n Art
America 3rd Floor, 18 An Duong Vuong, District 5. Located in the same building as the Windsor Hotel, this swish disco attracts an upmarket clientele with its big dance floor, nightly DJs and impressive light show. 7pm–1am.
Apocalypse Now 2c Thi Sach. A pioneer of the city’s nightlife scene, always rowdy and sweaty at weekends with an eclectic crowd, though can be rather dull during the week. Dark and cavernous, with two dance floors and a compact garden. 7pm–late.
Bop Club 8a1/d1 Thai Van Lung. Second-floor bar with small dance floor and dance music. 5pm–1am.
Cage 3a Ton Duc Thang. The city’s newest and hippest nightclub is located in a converted warehouse in an alley down near the river, and features live bands and DJs with special events at weekends. 6pm–1am.
Crystal Club 138 Ton That Dam. This downtown disco gets packed with locals at weekends but is often quiet in the week. 9pm–1am.
Liberty 80 Dong Khoi. A largely Vietnamese crowd waltzes along to the smoochy live music in this dark upstairs club above the smart restaurant (see "Restaurants"); disco music takes over later. 8.30pm–late.
Liquid 104 Hai Ba Trung. Western and local pop both feature at this venue that draws a lively local crowd. 8pm–late.
Maxim’s 13–17 Dong Khoi. Sedate dancing at this classic downtown location. The dance hall is upstairs from the restaurant of the same name 8pm–midnight.
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Ho Chi Minh City and around | Drinking, nightlife and entertainment | Discos and clubs |
Bia hoi bars
If you can’t afford the price of a bottle of Saigon beer, you might try a bia hoi bar, where locals glug cheap local draught beer at around 5000đ a litre. These spit-and-sawdust bars tend to open in the morning and close early in the evening, though some stay open later. They crop up all over the city, but the two listed below are convenient for Dong Khoi and De Tham.
Bia Hoi – Bia Chai 20 Dong Du. See map