HO CHI MINH CITY, May 4 — Vietnam’s largest city, Ho Chi Minh City, is segmented into 12 districts, with District 1 at its epicentre. While District 2 is a mainstay for tourists, it is climbing up the popularity ranks with the hipster crowd as well as the expatriate and middle-class communities.
Even though the District 2 enclave caters to the well-heeled, the standard of living is a little lower than District 1’s, according to Vietnam Online. The introduction of premium residential projects by foreign investors and several international schools has also helped raised the profile of this sleepy town.
Separated by the Saigon River, District 2 is only 10km from District 1. This translates into a 20-minute taxi ride. Once your taxi clears the bridge, the view transforms vastly. Where District 1 is sardine-packed with honking cars, taxis and motorbikes, District 2 has little to no traffic.
Even though the peace is welcomed, getting a taxi to get around can be a challenge as we found out the hard way. A metro project is underway to link all the districts together. Scheduled for completion in 2020, this will make District 2 more accessible.
Unlike District 1’s garish malls, the shopping here is more quaint and designed for discerning tastes. British-born Anupa Horvil, owner of Anupa, a fashion boutique for women, opened her second shop in District 2 because she wanted to move “away from the hustle and bustle of a noisy city”. She has a main shop in District 1 that also sells handcrafted leather accessories, scarves, handbags, shoes and clothes.
“District 2 is peaceful and very green. Less traffic makes it a pleasure to walk around. Most businesses here are tucked away in lovely locations, which gives the district a very chillax ambience,” said Horvil.
“New restaurants and shops that have opened in the past year have amazing and unique concepts that help to transform District 2 into a destination of its own.”
A river runs through it
A preferred activity at District 2 is to dine by the Saigon River. Both Bistro Song Vie and The Deck offer great views, great grub and a spot to hang out on lazy afternoons. The Deck is a standalone restaurant, while Bistro Song Vie is a restaurant located in luxury boutique hotel, Villa Song Saigon. The colonial architecture of Villa Song and its location next to the languid Saigon River make it a choice location for honeymooners.
When you’re done with lunch, or brunch, take a leisurely stroll around the river bend. As with any new, middle-class residential project, there are some beautiful antique and interior-decoration shops. The Villa Royale Antiques & Tea Room serves cakes and TWG tea in a bona-fide antique shop. The owner told us that he only carries antiques from Europe, though it would have been nice to see some local antiques.
Across from Villa Royale is an interesting shopping concept — a cluster of shops selling a variety of creative offerings like fashion, art and home decor. This is where we found Horvil’s boutique. Also located in the compound is Asian Hideaways Gallery, an art gallery opened by a group of four photographers from Europe.
One of the owners, French photographer Sylvain Marcelle, said the gallery caters to tourists as well as new residents. The photographic masterpieces feature mostly Vietnamese landscapes.
Retro lovers looking to deck their homes will love Diabolo Square, the anchor tenant in this retail cluster. The shop collects furniture, lighting, tableware and home textiles made in Vietnam for the hipster crowd. Other must-visit home decoration shops include the modern furniture shop/cafe/bistro Kokois and The Warehouse by Thai Cong, which has a florist, boutique furniture gallery and cafe all under one roof.
Getting bendy
When you’re done shopping and cafe-hopping in District 2, make a pit stop at a spa. Nestled in Thao Dien are myriad spas that offer traditional Vietnamese massages.
The Thao Dien Village offers spa packages from S$50 (RM155). Ladies can get the full suite of services from facials to waxing in a lush setting.
For a different kind of bending, don’t miss Saigon Outcast. Started in 2012 and built out of repurposed shipping containers, it is now an office space, venue for marketing events, weekend markets and a cultural hotspot. For weekly events, visit its website, saigonoutcast.com.
District 2 is a nice getaway from the city centre for returning visitors. And, if for nothing else, come to Ho Chi Minh’s District 2 for its authentic Saigon village ambience, said Horvil. — TODAY
