Should you stay in District 1 or 3 Ho Chi Minh City?

District 1 and District 3 are the two most popular districts to stay in Ho Chi Minh City, especially for first-timers, and those who want to stay in the heart of the city.

In this article, you will compare district 1 and district 3 to help you to decide which district is better for your visit. I will analyze their location, accommodation options, shopping, nightlife, and food based on my first-hand experience.

Is it better to stay in District 1 or 3 Ho Chi Minh City?

In my opinion, District 1 is generally better than district 3 if you want to be located in the heart of action, close to everything, including major attractions, nightlife spots, shopping malls, markets, and restaurants.

District 3 is generally better than district 1 if you want a more of a local atmosphere, and more reasonably priced accommodations, while still being close to the city’s popular points of interest, which are mostly located in district 1.

Both District 1 and District 3 are located next to each other, and both have central areas and local areas. District 1 contains a large central area, whereas District 3 contains only a small central area.

I would recommend first-timers staying in central areas of district 1 and district 3. These are the Nguyen Hue/ Dong Khoi area, the Bui Vien Walking Street area, and the Ben Thanh market area in district 1, as well as the War Remnant Museum area in district 3.

The most central area of district 3 offers a convenient location but it’s still less central and quieter than the central areas of district 1, so if you want to be within easy walking distance to nightlife, shopping, food, and iconic sights, stick to Central District 1.

I recommend staying in Central district 3 if you want a relatively central location, quieter atmosphere, a bit cheaper accommodations, and don’t mind a bit of walking or a short Grab taxi ride to a major attraction.

The local areas of district 1 are the Da Kao and Tan Dinh ward. The local areas of district 3 are the Nhieu Loc area and Ban Co ward. If you want more local experience, cozy family-run guest houses and homestays, you can consider staying in these local parts of district 1 and 3.

Best hotels in District 3:

Best hotels in District 1:

Location & Getting there

District 1 is located on the left bank of Saigon River, around 9km from Tan Son Nhat airport. It borders district 3, Saigon River, Nhieu Loc – Ben Nghe Canal, district 4, and district 5.

District 3 is located right next to District 1, around 6km from Tan Son Nhat airport. When traveling by taxi from the airport to District 1, you will pass through District 3 first. District 3 borders district 1, Nhieu Loc-Ben Nghe canal, and district 10.

From the airport, you can easily use Grab taxi to get to either district 1 or 3. There is a designated Grab taxi area, so you can easily get one to the city. Nam Ky Khoi Nghia street runs through both district 1 and 3. This street connects the city with the airport.

There are also plenty of traditional metered taxis and touts trying to get customers. If you use these services, make sure to agree on the prices before getting on the car. The price from the airport to either district 1 or 3 is around 200-300 thousand vnd.

There are public bus connections between Tan Son Nhat airport and the city center, so if you’re on a budget or just want to experience local transport, you can try this option.

District 1 vs District 3 Accommodation

Both district 1 and district 3 have a wide range of accommodation for all budgets. You can easily find good 5-star hotels, budget backpacker hostels, and homestays in both areas.

In general, district 1 has higher concentrations of high-end 5-star hotels. If you’re after a luxury stay, I would recommend staying in the area around Nguyen Hue and Dong Khoi street in district 1.

District 3 also has a handful of high-end hotels in the area bordering the Nguyen Hue/ Dong Khoi and Ben Thanh area of district 1. However, there are fewer options than in District 1.

If you want a backpacker atmosphere with lots of choices for cheap hostels and guest houses, you can stay somewhere in and around the Bui Vien Walking street area.

Mid-range 3-star and 4-star hotels can be found easily in both district 1 and 3. They are scattered around the neighborhoods.

See more:

District 1 or District 3 for Shopping

District 1 is generally the better place to go in Ho Chi Minh city for shopping. Most major shopping areas are located in district 1.

But, district 3 also has all shops and convenience stores for daily necessities. You can take a short Grab taxi from district 3 to distinct 1 to visit traditional markets and shopping malls.

If you want to explore modern air-conditioning shopping malls, make sure to check out Vincom Dong Khoi, Union Square, and Takashimaya in district 1. You can find good mid-range and luxury products in these malls.

For traditional market experience, don’t miss out on the Ben Thanh Market in Le Loi street and Central Market on Pham Ngu Lao street. These are fun places to do bargain shopping. You can find cheap souvenirs, T-shirts, suitcases, and everything at these markets.

I personally prefer Central market because it has a smaller vibe, not overwhelming like Ben Thanh market. The sellers in this market are also less pushy compared to those in Ben Thanh.

District 1 or District 3 for Nightlife

District 1, without a doubt, is the best place to stay in Ho Chi Minh city for nightlife. If you want an easy walk to the nightlife, you can consider staying in either the Nguyen Hue/ Dong Khoi area or Bui Vien walking street area.

If you want a quieter atmosphere, district 3 is a good choice. You can use a short Grab taxi ride to these nightlife spots.

Bui Vien Walking Street is the backpacker hub of Ho Chi Minh City. The 600m long street turns into a pedestrian area in the evening, so you can safely explore around without worrying about the cars and motorbike.

Bui Vien is packed with bars and night clubs with hot girl dances and night clubs. They have tables and chairs set out on the streets, so you can enjoy the drinks and people watching. There are lots of street food vendors around the area.

If you want a more sophisticated nightlife atmosphere, with high-end night clubs and bars, head to the Nguyen Hue and Dong Khoi area. If you want unique experiences and Japanese style bars and restaurants in small alleyways, head to Saigon Japan town.

Saigon District 1 vs District 3 Food

You can easily find restaurants serving local Vietnamese and international dishes in both district 1 and district 3. As the more popular touristy area, there are more options in district 1. If you want an easy distance to many eateries, district 1 is a better choice.

You can find many food options around major areas such as Nguyen Hue/ Dong Khoi, Ben Thanh, and Bui Vien area. Nguyen Hue/ Dong Khoi is the posh part of the city, so food and drink here is usually more expensive than other parts of the city.

I recommend checking out Ben Nghe Street Food, located near Independence Palace. Here, you can enjoy many different types of cuisine all in one place. There are traditional Vietnamese foods as well as many international dishes.

The food scene in district 3 has a more local atmosphere. You will find many local restaurants and street food stalls in Ban Co ward on popular streets such as Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Nguyen Thuong Hien. The Ho Thi Ky Food Street is also a good spot for foodies in the area.

Local atmosphere

District 3 has a large portion of local areas, so it generally has a more local atmosphere than district 1. However, you can find some local areas in district 1 such as Da Kao and Tan Dinh ward.

Unlike district 1, packed with tourist attractions and crowds, district 3 is quieter and home to several local attractions such as French colonial buildings, temples, and churches.

Sightseeing & attractions

Most iconic cultural and historical attractions of Ho Chi Minh City are located in district 1. You’ll find many French-colonial buildings and attractions related to the Vietnamese-American war.

The two famous destinations for learning more about the American war are the Independence Palace and the War Remnant Museum. They are located right to each other at the border between district 1 and district 2.

At the War Remnant Museum, you can explore three floor buildings and an outdoor area with military equipment such as helicopters, guns, and many photos and stories of the war.

The Independence Palace was the residential and office of South Vietnam president during the Vietnam-American War. A key moment in this historical place happened on April 30, 1975, when a North Vietnamese tank broke through its gates, ending the war.

The Independence Palace was renamed the Unification Palace. You can explore different rooms, offices, and ground bunkers, where the South Vietnam president lives and works.

The major attractions related to the French colonial period include the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon, Saigon Central Post Office, Ben Thanh market, and several old buildings on Dong Khoi street.

There are some local attractions such as the Tan Dinh Catholic Church, Jade Emperor Pagoda, and several local temples in district 1 like Vinh Nghiem pagoda, or Phap Hoa pogoda.

Getting Around

Getting around district 1 and district 3 easily by using motorbike taxis and traditional taxis. You can use riding share apps such as Grab. It works like Uber in the western countries.

You can use Grab to get from the airport to the hotel, and to get around the city. It’s a cheap and convenient way to get around and you don’t need to bargain the price with the driver.

Within a small area, you can get around on foot. Many iconic attractions of the city such as Independence Palace, War Museum, Central Post Office, and Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon are located within easy walking distance from each other.

Saigon’s weather can be very hot and walking can be very exhausting during the holiday. You can use the combination of walking and Grab taxi/ bike to explore the city.

The metro underground system runs through district 1, so you can use this public transport to get around and to travel to other districts such as Thao Dien district 2.

So you have it, my brief article about district 1 and district 3 of Ho Chi Minh City. Overall, if you first-time travelers want to be in the heart of the action, stay in the central areas of district 1 such as Nguyen Hue/ Dong Khoi, Bui Vien, and Ben Thanh market area. Part of district 3, around the War Museum, also has a relatively central location for first-timers.