Saigon Nightlife: Best Clubs and Bars [2024]

Ho Chi Minh City nightlife, in Vietnam, is one of the craziest in Southeast Asia. I lived in the city for a few months and this is my report about its best nightclubs and bars.

Note that Ho Chi Minh City can also be called Saigon, HCM or HCMC. I will also give more general nightlife tips for clubbing and having fun in Vietnam.

Nightlife Tours

A good way to explore Saigon's nightlife is to join the Craft Beer and Street Food Tour or the Secret Cocktail Experience.

Summary of Saigon Nightlife

If you don't have the time to read my whole review, here is a short summary:

• Party street: Bui Vien street (just walk there and you'll see over 50 cheap bars and clubs). Bit of a tourist trap, but fun.

• Nightclubs: Bam Bam, Atmos, Loco, Barocco

• Beer gardens: Poc Poc, District K

• Rooftops: Zion, Banana Mama

• Techno/alternative nightclubs: The Observatory, Arcan, The Villa Project

• Vietnamese clubs: Empire, Canalis

• Live music: Check the Instagram page Noise Saigon

• Cocktails: 419 Bar, Snuffbox

• Craft beer: Pasteur Street

• Sports bar: Phatty's

• Best datings apps: Bumble/Tinder/OkCupid, VietnamCupid if you are not currently in Vietnam, or Seeking.com for luxury dating

Beware of dating scams! The dating scene in Ho Chi Minh City can be fun, but there have been many reports of scams. The most common is that of girls who suggest meeting in specific bars, then order expensive drinks from which they get a commission. It seems to happen especially in nightlife properties belonging to Han Group, such as Faham, Zion, Atmos.

Beware of bill scams! Always check the details of your bill at the end of the night. It is a common practice for the waiters to add drinks, laughing gas balloons, or bottles.

Nightlife Areas + Hotels

Almost all the interesting nightlife venues in Saigon are within District 1, which is also where most of the famous tourist attractions are located.

➤ If you are young and you want a wild party atmosphere (backpacker-style), then choose a hotel near Bui Vien street. This area is lively almost 24/7 with clubs, bars, restaurants and spas. It can be a bit noisy and dirty, though.

Hostels and hotels with excellent ratings in the area include Bui Vien Street Hostel (12$ per night), Duc Vuong Hotel (25$ per night), Liberty Green View (44$ per night), or the Pullman Centre (90$ per night).

➤ If you need a quieter area while still being walking-distance from bars/clubs, choose instead anywhere between Ben Thanh Market and the Opera House. The venues in that area are more upmarket and sophisticated, and they attract older locals and expats.

Here are some suggestions:

• Under 40$ per night: Sanouva Hotel

• Under 70$ per night: Paradise Hotel and Spa, Icon Saigon and Liberty Central.

• Under 100$ per night: Liberty CityPoint (my favorite with a brand new CGV cinema inside), Liberty Riverside

• More than 150$ per night: Park Hyatt, Le Meridien, Caravelle (has a bar and a casino).

Beware that some hotels in Ho Chi Minh City will not allow you to invite a guest to your room, especially a Vietnamese lady. She will either need to be part of your initial booking, or your legal spouse.

In particular, this happens in Government-run hotels (even the 4 and 5 stars properties) and family guest-houses.

If this might be a problem for you, for instance if you have a Vietnamese girlfriend or boyfriend, it's better to check ahead with the hotel.

Many Vietnamese use transit or love hotels to meet with their partners. There are hundreds of them all over the city. You can easily spot them yourself as they are advertised with a bright neon sign, usually with something like "100,000VND - 1 giờ" which means "100,000 VND per hour". They are normally open 24/7.

Top Nightclubs and Bars in Saigon

I'm listing below the main nightclubs and bars in Saigon. For a complete list, please check above my map of Saigon nightlife.

Bam Bam

Bar/club with a tropical vibe. Often packed, with barely any place to stand or dance unless you book a table. Fun and popular ladies' night on Wednesday. Upmarket and beautiful crowd.

Next door is its sister venue, Commas, a futuristic-looking nightclub with a ladies' night on Sunday.

Zion

Trendy rooftop bar and restaurant, nice view, with chill music. Very busy after 10PM.

Atmos

One of the hippest clubs in Saigon at the moment. Post-apocalyptic/underground design but expensive. Mostly a Vietnamese crowd with some foreigners. Music is usually EDM but they do have a hip-hop night.

The Observatory

The Observatory is an alternative rooftop bar/club, popular with Westerners who are living or traveling to HCMC. It can be considered an after-hour venue as their events tend to finish late in the morning. Music is mostly techno but you have other genres as well (funk, groove, etc). Entrance costs around USD 10.

Similar venues: Arcan and Villa Project

District K

Unique space, half-between a food court and a nightclub. I think the K stands for Korea as the design is inspired by Seoul and they have Korean food/Soju. More expensive than average. They've been known to filter foreigners at the door.

Loco Complex

On two floors, with a bar on the bottom and a hip-hop club upstairs. Very crowded with young people who dress Korean. Quite messy and many reports of scams (double charging, fake dates).

Similar venues: Boujee and 11:11.

Qui

This restaurant/lounge gets quite crowded in the evenings, especially on Tuesday (ladies nights), Friday and Saturday. The crowd is 30+ foreigners and Vietnamese, usually well-dressed and educated.

Similar venue: Blanchy's Lounge

Social Club

Stylish rooftop bar on top of the Hôtel Des Arts, with great music, a beautiful view and a very relaxed atmosphere. Many expats, among which many French. Best on Wednesdays for their ladies' night.

Banana Mama Rooftop Bar

Not far from Bui Vien, this is a laid-back rooftop popular with foreigners. Funky/chill music. The cheapest beer only costs USD 3 during happy hours (4pm to 6pm).

Poc Poc Beer Garden

In District 3, it is a large beer garden with many happening events (singers, DJs, dancers, shows). Very loud and somewhat messy, but fun. Best if you visit with a group and order some food/bottles. Clients are almost all locals. On the expensive side.

Bizarrely, it was listed among the best nightclubs in the world by DJ Mag in 2024. I suspect the owners paid to get that ranking.

Similar place: Warning Zone (same concept but not as sophisticated as Poc Poc, with many different branches all around the city)

Empire Club

A typical swanky Vietnamese nightclub. Only worth it if you are a group and willing to spend a lot of money. DJs play very loud Vinahouse. Many shows (dancers, singers, MCs). Impressive lighting and special effects.

Similar venue: Canalis

Chill Skybar

It used to be the top rooftop in the city, but it has lost in popularity. Still a great view though, and very classy, but too expensive for what you get (USD 14 for a cocktail).

Lush

Lush was a trendy nightclub 10 years ago, but it is no longer recommended. Half-empty on most nights.

Apocalypse Now

Also called "Apo", this infamous nightclub used to be packed every night until 4AM. Since COVID, it is not as busy as before. Many prostitutes and foreigners.