Rivergate Apartments · 151-155 Bến Vân Đồn, District 4
Ho Chi Minh City
Your stay
Vietnamese law requires every guest to be registered with the local authorities and building management, and the building will not grant access without this.
Please send a photo of your passport (or Vietnamese ID) and visa to our WhatsApp before you arrive.
Grab is the easiest option, priced up front with no negotiation. Taxi meters are fine too; stick to Vinasun or Mai Linh. Copy the Vietnamese address at the top of this page and show it to your driver.
The apartment may still be in cleaning before 4pm. Earlier access is possible at these rates:
A quick five minutes before you leave helps our team turn the apartment around for the next guests.
The bedding set is a queen sized air mattress with 2 pillows, a blanket, a bed sheet, 2 towels and 2 face towels. Message us to arrange any of these.
Already stocked
Shampoo, body wash, toothbrush and toothpaste, a comb, cotton buds, and a body towel plus face towel per guest, all set up before you arrive.
Bottled drinking water and G7 instant coffee for every registered guest, ready when you check in.
Every apartment has a washer and dryer, with detergent kept stocked for you.
One spare pillow per bed. Units with a sofa bed also get a spare blanket for it.
Please read
Rivergate Apartments
Security is staffed 24 hours at the main lobby, with CCTV throughout the building. There's a mailbox on the right as you enter the main lobby. Your unit's digital door lock code is sent in your check-in message; you won't need a physical key or keycard.
The hot water switch is on the wall just outside the bathroom door. If it's off when you arrive, turn it on and give it a couple of minutes to heat up before you shower.
Usually down the hallway on your floor, but the exact spot is confirmed in your check-in message since it varies by unit. Please don't leave bags outside the apartment door; it attracts insects in the heat.
Straight out the door
Walking times from the Rivergate lobby on Bến Vân Đồn. Nothing here needs a taxi.
Step out and face Bến Vân Đồn
You're on the riverside, a short bridge away from District 1. The lobby itself has a small row of shops built in.
Right downstairs
Our favourite is the xôi gà chiên, sticky rice with fried chicken. This is also where luggage storage is available after check-out, see Arrival & departure above.
Right in the Rivergate lobby
Three convenience stores and a small supermarket built into the building itself, plus a pharmacy. Everything you need for a quick top up without leaving the building.
Open 24 hours (WINMart shorter hours)Along Bến Vân Đồn
Local wet market and street food stalls, good for cheap, authentic Vietnamese breakfast and produce. Cash only, arrive in the morning for the best selection.
Busiest early morningVĩnh Khánh, District 4
Famous seafood street: snails, grilled prawns, crab, all cooked at plastic-stool sidewalk stalls. Loud, cheap and one of the best food experiences in the city after dark.
Liveliest from 6pmAlong the Ben Nghe Canal
A quieter stretch along the water with views back across to District 1. Good for an evening walk once the heat drops off.
Cross the bridge into District 1
The backpacker nightlife strip: loud, neon, cheap beer, pedestrianised in the evenings. Walkable, though most guests grab a Grab back late at night.
Liveliest 8pm to lateWorth the trip
Grouped by area, with travel time from the apartment.
The brunch spot guests come back for. Fluffy pancake stacks, a long menu of Western and Vietnamese fusion plates, beautiful pastries and very photogenic drinks. Open 8am to 10pm. Busy at weekends, so go before 10am if you want a quiet table.
The famous koi fish café. Order a drink and the koi will swarm right up to your table looking for food pellets. A proper novelty and a nice spot to sit regardless. Further out than the rest of this list, worth the trip once.
Widely rated among the best northern style phở in the city. Clean, rich broth and tender brisket. Order the quẩy dough sticks on the side. Open 6am to 9:30pm.
Singaporean Hainanese chicken rice done properly, with the fragrant garlicky rice that makes the dish. A few doors from Phở SOL, so easy to pair on the same trip. Open 10am to 9:30pm.
Spicy Huế style beef noodle soup, right downstairs of the Millennium building. Casual, popular with residents nearby.
Michelin Bib Gourmand hủ tiếu, the Cambodian style noodle soup. Modern, air conditioned, open almost around the clock at 7:30am to 1am.
Mediterranean and steakhouse plates in a smart room with big windows. The nicest option on this list for a proper dinner out. Open 11am to 2pm and 5pm to 11pm; book ahead in the evening.
Genuinely good Mexican food with a rooftop level and city views. Birria tacos, elote and a proper salsa bar. Open 11am to 11pm.
Taiwanese style bao and small plates, lively and young in the evenings. Good for sharing several dishes across a table. Open 11am to 10pm.
The banh mi guests ask about most. Stacked thick with cold cuts and pate, expect a queue.
Michelin Bib Gourmand crispy pancakes stuffed with pork, shrimp and bean sprouts, cooked in an open kitchen out front.
Over 70 years running. Dry hủ tiếu with a tomato based sauce and pâté chaud pastry, or the soup version with shrimp, quail egg and liver.
Traditional southern chè since 1968: chè thưng, chè chuối, chè thái.
Individual hot pot, so no fighting over what goes in the broth. Good option for a group, just across the bridge in District 1.
A genuinely unique dining experience, eating entirely in the dark. Book ahead.
Vietnamese in a central location, surrounded by other good options if the group can't agree.
Japanese-Italian fusion pizza, burrata and salmon miso cream on the menu. A break from Vietnamese food if you want one.
French style tacos, wrapped burrito big and stuffed with fries and sauce. Filling and a bit different from the usual delivery order.
Korean fried chicken, double fried and glazed in soy garlic or spicy sauce. Get the wings.
Flame grilled peri-peri chicken, about as close as Saigon gets to Nando's. Order it with the rice and slaw sides.
Thin, crispy smash patties stacked high with melted cheese. A favourite for a late night order.
Fresh baked bagels. The bacon, egg, jalapeño and cheese is the one to get, a solid breakfast delivery order.
Smash burgers and fried chicken. Noticeably better fresh off the grill, so worth dining in rather than ordering delivery if you can.
Tiger bread sandwiches, properly stuffed with world inspired fillings. A step up from the usual banh mi run.
About as close as you'll get here to an Australian style kebab box, generous and messy in the best way.
Customisable healthy bowls, grilled meats, salads and rice that still taste like a proper meal. Good order when you want something lighter.
B3 floor, Vincom Center Đồng Khởi, 72 Lê Thánh Tôn. A full food court plus sit down restaurants and hotpot, all air conditioned in one building. The easy answer when nobody in the group can agree, or when it's raining. Open 10am to 10pm.
65 Lê Lợi, District 1. Takashimaya's basement has a food hall, and there's a further spread of sit down restaurants on the upper floors, alongside the mall's luxury and mid range shopping.
The official Ho Chi Minh City selection, from street stalls to fine dining. Use the price filter to set your budget; plenty of entries come in under 200,000đ a head.
Browse the Michelin listAfter dark
Want to do Saigon nightlife properly? Kae runs Connect Saigon, the go to for VIP club tables, bar hopping, dinner reservations and full nights out planned end to end. Bucks and hens parties, birthdays, big group bookings, he sorts all of it, along with massage and spa recommendations if you'd rather keep it low key.
District 1 & beyond
Most of these are within 15 minutes of the apartment.
Bitexco Tower, 49th floor. Not the city's tallest deck, but the best positioned: you look straight down onto Ben Thanh Market, the Saigon River bend and the old colonial quarter. Go around 5:30pm for sunset into city lights. Tickets around 240,000đ, or skip the fee entirely by having a drink at EON Heli Bar on floor 52.
The site where the war ended in 1975, tanks and all. 1960s architecture preserved almost untouched, including the underground command bunker. Ticket counter 8am to 3:30pm, palace closes 4:30 to 5pm. Around 40,000đ, or 65,000đ with the exhibition. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours and go in the morning to beat the heat.
French colonial post office from 1891, still a working post office rather than a museum piece. High vaulted hall, old hand painted maps on the walls, an easy 15 minute stop. Open 7:30am to 6pm, Sunday until 5pm. Buy a postcard at the counter and send it home; it genuinely still works. Early morning or just before closing avoids the tour groups.
Red brick French Gothic landmark from the 1880s, directly across from the Post Office. Under restoration until around 2027, so interior access is limited, but the square and exterior are fully open. Best light before 9am or after 4pm. Sunday 9:30am Mass is held in English.
28 Võ Văn Tần, District 3. Photographs, military hardware and personal artefacts documenting the Vietnam War from the Vietnamese side. Powerful and heavy, the Agent Orange exhibit especially, so it is not for everyone, but widely considered essential. Open 7:30am to 5:30pm, last entry 4pm, around 40,000đ. Budget 1.5 to 2 hours.
The city's oldest and most central market: souvenirs, clothing, produce and a food court with cheap, solid Vietnamese eating. Open 6am to 6pm, with street food stalls outside running late. Bargain hard, start at about half the asking price. Busiest and hottest 10am to 3pm.
97A Phó Đức Chính, one of the closest attractions to the apartment. A wealthy Chinese-Vietnamese family's 1929 mansion turned art museum, and the yellow and green colonial building is honestly the main event. Champa sculpture through to modern lacquer painting. No air conditioning, so go morning or late afternoon. Daily 8am to 5pm, around 30,000đ.
65 Lý Tự Trọng, the former Gia Long Palace. French neoclassical building covering the city's history from the colonial era through reunification, with a preserved wartime bunker underneath. Quieter and far less touristed than Independence Palace. Daily 8am to 5pm, around 30,000đ, about an hour.
7 Lam Sơn Square. French colonial theatre from 1900, built to echo the Petit Palais in Paris, and one of the city's most photographed buildings, especially lit up at night. No general public access; the interior is only seen by attending a performance. The AO Show, acrobatics set to Vietnamese village life, runs most evenings from around 800,000đ.
73 Mai Thị Lựu, Đa Kao. A 1909 Taoist temple thick with incense smoke, intricate carvings and a turtle pond out the back; a completely different atmosphere from the French colonial buildings elsewhere on this list. Open around 7am to 6pm, free, donations welcome. Dress modestly, shoulders and knees covered.
A network of Viet Cong wartime tunnels about 1.5 to 2 hours outside the city. Best done as a half day tour with hotel pickup, around $15 to $40 USD with entry included. Book through Klook, Viator or GetYourGuide rather than turning up independently. Pairs naturally with the War Remnants Museum, though that is a lot of heavy history for one day.
Fashion, malls & groceries
Pick the trip that suits the weather and the budget.
Nguyễn Trãi is the street for local labels, about 6 minutes away by taxi across the bridge. Prices are fixed in these boutiques, so no haggling needed. The pick of them:
Known for affordable clothing and good street food, less touristy than Bến Thành.
A whole apartment block converted into stacked floors of cafes, each with its own view over Nguyễn Huệ walking street. Worth a wander even if you just pick one at random.
The closest quality mall. Japanese department store, international brands, an excellent basement food hall, and a free rooftop garden on level 6 with a skyline view.
Cinema, arcade, big food court on B3 and The New Playground streetwear floors below. The most useful all rounder in the centre.
Newer, calmer and noticeably more upmarket than the District 1 malls, with barely any tourists. Emart supermarket on the ground floor, a cinema, and a good spread of restaurants upstairs. Worth the trip if you want quality without the crowds. Open 10am to 10pm.
In the expat neighbourhood across the river, with brands you won't find in the city centre, a large supermarket downstairs and two floors of restaurants at the top. Right by the metro station.
The air conditioned bargaining market. Clothing, bags, sportswear. Start at around 30 to 40% of the asking price and be prepared to walk away.
Premier mall in District 7, over 200 stores across six levels including Uniqlo, H&M and Mango, a food court and a CGV cinema. Lakeside setting, a relaxing trip if you're out that way.
The best imported and gourmet grocer in the city. European cheese, charcuterie, olive oil, proper bread, wine, Western pantry staples. Expensive by local standards, but it's where you go when you want familiar ingredients. Open 7am to 9pm. There's a smaller branch in the basement of Saigon Centre.
Enormous Korean hypermarket with an excellent food court attached. Strong on Korean and Japanese products, fresh seafood and household goods. Open 7:30am to 10:30pm.
Big Korean hypermarket with a cinema and kids' zone attached. A good one stop trip if you're stocking up properly or buying gifts to take home. Open 7:30am to 10pm.
Japanese hypermarket and mall, roughly 4,200 square metres of groceries, ready to eat meals and a food court with Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean options. The furthest of these, but the widest Japanese product range in the city.
If something goes wrong
Tell us too, so we can help you get sorted.
There's a pharmacy built into the Rivergate lobby, fine for anything minor: stomach upsets, painkillers, rehydration salts, antihistamines, plasters, sunscreen. Staff will happily work through Google Translate.
CarePlus International Clinic, 66 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa, District 1, about 6 minutes away. English speaking doctors, international standards, on site pharmacy and lab, and they take walk ins. Open 8am to 5pm Monday to Saturday, closed Sunday. Phone 1800 6116.
Training
Saigon Royale, about 12 minutes on foot, or a quick taxi. Convenient option right in the neighbourhood if you don't want to cross the bridge into District 1.
4 Phạm Ngũ Lão, about 5 minutes by taxi across the bridge. Compact, no frills and genuinely well equipped. Day passes around 170,000 to 180,000 VND including a towel, and roughly 800,000 VND for a month. Open 6am to 10pm.
514B Huỳnh Tấn Phát, District 7, about 12 minutes by taxi. One of the best combat sports facilities in Vietnam: Muay Thai, boxing, MMA, CrossFit and Hyrox classes, plus a full gym, pool, sauna and restaurant. Classes run in English and Vietnamese and beginners are welcome. Open 6am to 9pm.
Useful
There's an ATM around the block, near Volkswagen Khánh Hội on the way to McDonald's. Withdrawal limit is roughly 2,000,000 VND per transaction, though this can vary by bank.
Gold shops and dedicated exchange counters give noticeably better rates than the airport or hotels, and they are quick. Two we send guests to:
Need data the moment you land? 7-Eleven sells eSIM top ups if your phone supports it, the quickest fix. Want a physical SIM instead? There's a VNPT shop on the corner near the Honda dealer, roughly 5 to 10 minutes on foot.
A reliable spot nearby for a massage after a day of walking. Book ahead in the evening; walk ins often wait.
See the spaWe're here
Message us any time. We usually reply within the hour during the day.