Nguyen Hue Walking Street: Your Guide to Saigon's Vibrant Heart | Vietnam Purple Travel Guide

(map, reviews, website)

Located few feet from Bitexco Tower, Nguyen Hue Walking Street (often called Nguyen Hue Promenade) is one of Ho Chi Minh City’s most popular public spaces and cultural hubs. Stretching from the Saigon River to the historic People’s Committee Building, this wide pedestrian boulevard is a lively urban gathering point that hosts some of the city's most important festivals, art exhibits, and public celebrations.
Very few guidebooks or travel blogs even mention it – but we found it to be a very good use of our time due to the beautiful exhibits. And we think you will like it too – just look at the photos we took below.

Nguyen Hue Promenade - A Modern Pedestrian Boulevard in the Heart of Saigon

Nguyen Hue Walking Street was officially opened in 2015 after being transformed from a busy traffic corridor into a spacious, landscaped pedestrian-only zone. The promenade is 2,200 ft (670 m) long and 210 ft (64 m) wide, flanked by stylish cafes, high-rise buildings, shopping centers, and historical landmarks like the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Hall, the Rex Hotel, and the famous Cafe Apartment Building (42 Nguyen Hue).
The street is fully open to pedestrians, making it one of the best places in the city for a leisurely walk, casual photos, or evening entertainment. Interactive light displays, fountains, benches, flower beds, and free Wi-Fi make the experience even more enjoyable.

Here are some photos that we took:

Festivals, Exhibitions, and Events at Nguyen Hue Promenade

Nguyen Hue Promenade is one of Ho Chi Minh City’s primary event venues. The promenade regularly hosts:

• Tet Flower Festival (each Lunar New Year), featuring elaborate floral displays, cultural art installations, and thousands of visitors dressed in traditional ao dai.

• Public exhibitions, such as art installations, national day celebrations, and historical photo displays.

• Live music performances, youth parades, and dance contests, especially on weekends and during city-sponsored events.

• New Year’s Eve celebrations including fireworks, live concerts, and light shows.

Thanks to its central location and open design, Nguyen Hue Walking Street is the preferred space for major festivals in Ho Chi Minh City, where both locals and tourists gather in massive numbers to celebrate Vietnam’s most important cultural moments.

Things to Do on Nguyen Hue Walking Street

• Admire the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Building - A stunning French colonial structure at the top of the promenade (closed to the public, but great for photos).

• Visit the Cafe Apartment at 42 Nguyen Hue - This quirky, multi-level building features dozens of independent cafes, boutiques, and studios with great views of the street.

• Enjoy street food and ice cream - Street vendors and pop-up carts often line the edges of the promenade offering snacks, drinks, and local desserts.

• Watch public performances - On weekends, street musicians, dance groups, and entertainers often perform near the central fountain.

• Take night photos - With its illuminated buildings, colorful LED fountains, and busy nightlife, the promenade becomes a photographer’s paradise after sunset.

Here at Backpack and Snorkel Travel Guides, we promote self-guided walking tours.
But we realize that not everybody likes to walk by themselves in a foreign city. So, just in case that you rather go with ab guide: NO PROBLEM! Please see the GuruWalk and Viator tours below.

Where do you want to go now?

Author: Rudy at Backpack and Snorkel

Bio: Owner of Backpack and Snorkel Travel Guides. We create in-depth guides to help you plan unforgettable vacations around the world.

Other popular Purple Travel Guides you may be interested in:

Like this Backpack and Snorkel Purple Travel Guide? Pin these for later: