Top 6 fascinating nightlife in Vietnam for the night owls

Whatever the personality you are, or whether you are on a budget or willing to spend as you please, Vietnam at night has got you covered for a plethora of options from night parties to romatic dinner on cruise. Read on to find out more about the best places where you can taste the Vietnamese fascinating nightlife.

1.    Hoi An – The popular Ancient Town in Vietnam

Like a painting, the old town Hoi An radiates charm and beauty which captivates many travelers. When the sun sets, the old town changes to its glittering outfit of  colourful lanterns, flickering candles, and traditional folk performances. Trendy bistros, boutique cocktail bars, live music clubs, and artistic lounges come to life. 

Thu Bon river in Hoi An at night

Credit to @ cherrielynn

Though not on the scale of Saigon or Hanoi, Hoi An has a major advantage. The highlight of this ancient town at night is Hoi An Night Market. Located over the river from Nguyen Hoang Street, the market opens every evening from 5–11pm. With more than 50 stalls, it sells everything from street food to clothes. This is a great place to buy the silk lanterns for which Hoi An is famous, many tourists buy Hoi An lanterns as souvenirs or for home decoration. 

Kukun Hoian bar and club

After the night market and bars close down, many people head to the beach where the wildest parties are hosted. Just so you know, Kukun hoian is a complex of entertainment with a conventional bar, a DJ and outdoor seating with beach view to accommodate all the wildest party til sun rise.

2.    Hanoi – A blend of antique and modern

Hanoi is the Capital of Vietnam with a history of thousands of years. It’s the political centre and culture heart of Vietnam. Many travelers opt for Hanoi as a must-visit place in their Vietnam tours because of its advandtage. Hanoi is called the interesting blend of the old and the new, of the tradition and the modern. There is never a dull moment in Hanoi. Once the sun has set, the nightlife of this vibrant city is teeming with all kind of fun activities. Whatever the personality you are or the budget you have, Hanoi’s got you covered!

For those who are party junkies, Hanoi has three major areas – Ta Hien Street (aka Beer Street) in the Old Quarter, The West Lake Area:
-    Housing more than 200 street-side bars that serve beer, Ta Hien Street represents the quintessential Hanoi nightlife. The area is widely popular due to the cheap beer that it serves from only 10,000vnd (~ 0,5usd). It always gets crowded after dusk with locals, backpackers and tourists.  

Ta Hien beer street

-    The West Lake Area has a number of upscale bars and clubs, some are the most expensive ones in Hanoi. Bars and clubs here are built on their own unique concept. They serve many types of craft beer - local and imported, wine, offers a romantic lake view and some have comedy Saturday nights, DJ performances.

A bar at the west lake area

For those who wish to avoid the vibrant party scenes at night, here are great alternatives for you:
-    Hanoi water puppet theatre: An evening enjoying the traditional Vietnamese art of Water Puppetry is a good option for those who love to discover Vietnamese culture. The performances use the puppets to perform over the water to recreate Vietnamese folklore and legends.

Hanoi water puppet

-    Hanoi opera house: located near Hoan Kiem Lake, it hosts various performances, including traditional folk music, international concerts, Vietnamese opera, and ballets. This is the biggest theatre countrywide built in 1911 with an impressive colonial architecture. 

Hanoi opera house

Hanoi night market

Street music performance

-    Hanoi night market:  On every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the whole stretch of road from Hang Dao Street to Dong Xuan Market in the Old Quarter becomes a pedestrian-only zone for shopping.  Hanoi Night Market is like a grand mixture of colours, sound and smell. Plenty of vendors/traders will set up their shop to display goods for sale. You can get a good item at very cheap price, but remember: “Don’t dare to haggle”

Read more: Guides for shopping at Hanoi night market

3.    Sleepless nightlife of Ho Chi Minh City

There is never a dull time in this dynamic city, especially at night. When the sun has set, it takes this city to a whole new level of amazing and bustling with a plethora of options for all kinds of people. Here are some things to do in Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) at night:
-    Rooftop bars: Saigon’s view from the rooftop skybar is breathtaking. With plenty of options, each bar has their own styles, to name some:  Chill Skybar (having dance floor), Skyloft by Glow, Breeze Skybar (French fresco architecture). The crowd that frequents these bars are ranging from expats to tourists and locals.

Rooftop bar in Saigon

-    Cheap beer at Bui Vien Street: This is the backpacker zone of Saigon. This street is equivalent to Ta Hien beer street in Hanoi. Both sides of the street are lined up with small plastic chairs with plenty of groups having beers, eating finger foods, and chit-chating. 

Bui Vien beer street

-    Having a romatic dinner of a cruise along Saigon river: This option is perfect for those who want to escape from the honking cars and the crowd of Saigon. Spend some of leisure time to enjoy a romatic dinner while cruising down the Saigon river and contemplating a gorgeous view of Saigon at night. This activity will make your Saigon tour more memorable. 

Cruising on Saigon river

Read more: Discover Saigon mordern life at your own pace

-    Try some street food: When it gets dark, street food vendors in Saigon come out scattered around the city. Most dishes here are so good at around a dollar, only a dollar. Try to eat food in local style by sitting on the sidewalks and enjoying a hot bowl of porridge or a cup of iced coffee.  

A paradise of street food

-    Do some shopping: Selling a myriad of things from Vietnamese seafood and clothes to souvenirs, Ben Thanh night market is a must visit for all the shopaholics. From 7:00 PM - 12:00 AM the area becomes a pedestrian-only zone, so you can shop leisurely, but beware of pickpockets. Again, feel free to haggle with the vendors for the items you want.

Stay tuned for the Part 2 of “Top 6 fascinating nightlife in Vietnam for the night owls”