Time Out Magazine has ranked Nguyễn Thái Bình Ward in central Ho Chi Minh City among the world’s coolest neighbourhoods in 2025, placing it at number 11 alongside celebrated districts in Tokyo, London, and Paris.
Located in downtown Ho Chi Minh City near Ben Thanh Market, the neighbourhood is a dense grid of workshops, vintage markets, restaurants, bars, and creative venues.
According to Time Out, its global network of writers and editors were asked to “nominate the vibiest district in their hometown right now.” It is worth noting, however, that Ho Chi Minh City’s nomination was not made by a hometown resident, and the perspective inevitably carries a Western lens. Was it local? Not quite. Nevertheless, the area still embodies what the magazine describes as “an unshakeable proclivity for ingenuity and fun.”
Below is the recommendation from Time Out.
The Itinerary Recommended By Time Out
Nguyễn Thái Bình looks like any urban tangle of Vietnamese streets—workshops, motorbikes, and steaming bowls of soup—but it rewards those who explore beneath the surface. After dark, behind rolling shutters and historic facades, globally acclaimed restaurants and secret bars have taken root. Vintage markets and culinary hotspots offer a fresh perspective on Saigon’s layered identity.
A perfect day in Nguyễn Thái Bình:
- Morning: Beat the queues at Bún Riêu cua ốc Phan Rang for crab and snail noodle soup.
- Late Morning: Sip a latte at Hoàng Thị Cafe before wandering Lê Công Kiều Street’s antique dealers and the bustling Dân Sinh (Yersin) Market.
- Lunch: Enjoy classic family-style Vietnamese at Bếp Mẹ Ỉn.
- Afternoon: Visit the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts to explore local creative histories.
- Evening Start: Begin at Madam Kew’s, a transformed opium den turned cocktail bar, with a Pink Riot in hand.
- Dinner: Book ahead for Quince Eatery, known for its wood-fire cooking, just downstairs.
- Nightcap: Try bar hopping. Find 419.Bar through its hidden entrance behind a vintage camera cabinet, then unwind at The Arth with live saxophone beneath the railway station clock.
Plan your visit:
Visit on a Saturday to catch free chocolate tastings at Maison Marou at 3 p.m. and stay into the night when the neighbourhood’s bars reach their most electric.
