District 3 Guide

Saigon's most Instagram-famous building, and for good reason. Built in 1876, this Roman Catholic church was painted its striking bubblegum-pink color in 1957 and has become one of the most photographed landmarks in Vietnam. The Romanesque and Gothic-revival architecture, combined with the surreal pink exterior, creates images that look almost digitally altered — they are not. The church is still an active place of worship, so visit respectfully. The best photos are taken from across Hai Ba Trung Street in the early morning or late afternoon when the light is softest. The interior features beautiful stained-glass windows and a serene atmosphere that contrasts sharply with the busy street outside.

District 3 is ground zero for Saigon's legendary cafe culture. This is where you will find tiny, family-run coffee shops that have been serving the same recipe for decades — places where the owner roasts the beans in-house and brews each cup individually using a phin (Vietnamese drip filter). The signature drink is ca phe sua da (iced coffee with condensed milk), but each shop has its own variations. Sit on a miniature plastic stool on the sidewalk, watch the world go by, and take your time. Some standout spots include Cafe Tung-like local joints on Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street and the modern-meets-traditional spaces on Vo Van Tan. This is coffee as meditation, not caffeine as fuel.

A small roundabout park centered on a fountain and turtle statue, Turtle Lake might not sound like much but it is one of District 3's most beloved gathering spots. Every evening, the perimeter fills with street food vendors selling banh trang tron (mixed rice paper snacks), grilled corn, and fresh fruit. University students, young couples, and families gather on the steps to eat, chat, and people-watch. It is an incredibly local scene with very few tourists. The energy is relaxed and social — this is Saigon's living room. The surrounding streets have excellent restaurants and the nearby Xa Loi Pagoda is worth a quick visit.

One of the few genuinely green spaces in Saigon's dense urban fabric, Le Van Tam Park is where District 3 residents come to exercise, socialize, and breathe. Early mornings see elderly residents practicing tai chi, jogging, and badminton. The park comes alive again in the evenings with families, children on roller skates, and vendors selling drinks and snacks from carts. On weekends, informal dance groups set up portable speakers and dance everything from ballroom to line dancing. It is a beautiful slice of Vietnamese community life, completely untouched by tourism.

One of District 3's most characterful streets, Vo Van Tan runs past the War Remnants Museum and deep into the residential heart of the district. The tree-lined boulevard is flanked by a mix of French colonial villas, art deco buildings, and modern Vietnamese houses. Along the way you will find some of Saigon's best independent cafes, small art galleries, and local restaurants serving authentic home-style Vietnamese cooking. The street is also home to several historic pagodas and the Fine Arts Museum. Walking Vo Van Tan from end to end gives you a time-lapse of Saigon's architectural evolution.

District 3 is where Saigon locals eat, and the food here is exceptional precisely because it does not cater to tourists. The com tam (broken rice) shops here have been perfecting their recipes for generations. The pho stalls open before dawn and close when the pot is empty. The banh mi carts use recipes passed down through families. Prices are noticeably lower than District 1 — a bowl of pho costs 35,000-45,000₫ instead of 50,000-70,000₫. The lack of English menus means you might need to point and smile, but the food more than compensates. Nguyen Thien Thuat, Nguyen Dinh Chieu, and Ly Chinh Thang streets are particularly rich food corridors.