We head out and about in Ho Chi Minh City every now and then, there are some good spots. One of them, Vasco's closed last week but is apparently opening up again next week at a new location. Twas a good party. Expats in HCMC seem to congregate at just a few, and it won't take you long to find them if you look anywhere except the backpacker area of Pham Ngu Lao. Well, they can be found there in the very early hours of the morning when all else succumbs to curfew, but it's not very nice. And there have been occurences of bag snatching and also, terrifyingly, drink spiking in recent days. I don't recommend it at all.... During the day, it's the easiest place to book travel and tours, find things like Jaegermeister and travelling friends, but apart from that it's just an area overridden with tourists and hawkers.
Of course with a bit of class you are going to get higher prices, but it's usually worth the extra. Some good spots are Pacharan, on the corner of Le Loi and Hai Ba Trung, which is a Spanish bodega with tapas and has a happy hour from 5-7. It has a sister bar in Phnom Penh on the river. Xu is on Hai Ba Trung just further down. Refinery is a before both of them on Hai Ba Trung and will be the new home of Vasco's. Q bar is near Pacharan and used to be a hub of expat activity, but recently it has become a little seedy with ladies of the night and those who seek their company. The staff can also be fairly rude.... Lush is a club on Ly Tu Trong that is loud, colourful and there's a lot to look at, but it is quite crowded and closes at erratic times. Warda is a nice bar with a middle eastern theme, off Mac Thi Buoi. Juice and Black Cat also have cocktails after 5, and you should be able to find plenty of others if you look hard enough :)
There are also frequent events that bring the Saigonistas together in large mobs, and you can find them if you put an ear to the ground in popular cafes, in the local magazines Asialife and the Word, and also Facebook can be handy. Just be open, talk to people, make friends. It's a welcoming town! More thumbnails ...
| 
