HCMC's best contemporary art space is in District 2 on the east side of the Saigon River. Interesting exhibitions and showcases of local artists are partnered with talks and there's a lively program of events. In the compound is a Thai restaurant operating from a shipping container enlivened with colourful street art. Check the website for upcoming exhibitions. You can reach District 2 by the new waterbus service from the city centre.
The Factory
Ho Chi Minh City
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
3.93 MILES
To understand the US invasion of Vietnam, and contextualize its devastating impact on the country's civilians, this remarkable and deeply moving museum is…
3.27 MILES
Built in 1909 in honour of the supreme Taoist god (the Jade Emperor or King of Heaven, Ngoc Hoang), this is one of the most atmospheric temples in Ho Chi…
3.5 MILES
Built between 1877 and 1883, Notre Dame Cathedral enlivens the heart of Ho Chi Minh City's government quarter, facing Ð Dong Khoi. A red-brick, neo…
6.76 MILES
Believed to be the oldest temple in HCMC (1744), Giac Lam is a fantastically atmospheric place set in peaceful, garden-like grounds. The Chinese…
3.82 MILES
Surrounded by royal palm trees, the dissonant 1960s architecture of this landmark government building and the eerie ambience of its deserted halls make it…
3.61 MILES
A grand neoclassical structure built in 1885 and once known as Gia Long Palace (and later the Revolutionary Museum), HCMC’s city museum is a singularly…
6.72 MILES
Delightfully fronted by greenery and opening to an interior blaze of red, gold, green and yellow, this is one of the most beautifully ornamented temples…
7.41 MILES
Cholon’s main market has a great clock tower and a central courtyard with gardens. Much of the business here is wholesale but it’s popular with tour…
Nearby Ho Chi Minh City attractions
1.65 MILES
Skyview is a viewing platform atop the tallest structure in Southeast Asia, a 461m behemoth located 4km north of the centre. There are certainly…
2.82 MILES
One of the first projects undertaken by the French after establishing Cochin-China as a colony was founding these fantastic, lush gardens. Once one of the…
2.89 MILES
Built in 1929, this notable Sino-French museum houses a rewarding collection of artefacts illustrating the evolution of the cultures of Vietnam, from the…
2.93 MILES
A short distance from the History Museum, this small collection is devoted to Ho Chi Minh’s campaign to liberate the south. Interior exhibits are of minor…
3.18 MILES
Dedicated to Marshal Le Van Duyet (1763–1831), this shrine is also his burial place, alongside that of his wife. The marshal was a South Vietnamese…
3.19 MILES
This small patriotic museum is dedicated to Ton Duc Thang, Ho Chi Minh’s successor as president of Vietnam. Born in 1888 in Long Xuyen in the Mekong Delta…
3.27 MILES
Built in 1909 in honour of the supreme Taoist god (the Jade Emperor or King of Heaven, Ngoc Hoang), this is one of the most atmospheric temples in Ho Chi…
3.27 MILES
This compact tree-studded square facing the Saigon River features a statue of the 13th-century Vietnamese general, Tran Hung Dao.