Ho Chi Minh City Launches New Cho Lon Night Street Soon
Binh Tay Ward in Ho Chi Minh City is set to introduce its brand new Cho Lon Night Street on December 1st. This initiative aims to significantly boost local culture and tourism while establishing a dynamic public hub for both residents and visitors.
The local People's Committee anticipates that this night street project will become a major draw, enhancing the profile of Binh Tay Market and serving as a cultural gathering point in the historic heart of Cho Lon, home to a large Chinese-Vietnamese community.
Tran Duc Tho, vice-chairman of the Binh Tay Ward administration, confirmed that the city has already given the project its initial approval.
The night street is scheduled to commence trial operations on December 1, with an official grand opening slated for January 1, 2026.
Spanning an area of 1,510 square meters, the venue will host food trucks and carts strategically positioned within designated functional zones.
Daily operating hours are planned from 6:00 pm until midnight (12:00 am).
Ward officials expressed optimism that the launch coinciding with year-end festivities will provide an immediate boost to local tourism. They envision the Cho Lon Night Street as a nexus for cultural exchange, commerce, entertainment, and culinary exploration, all revolving around the architecturally significant Binh Tay Market.
The street layout will carefully integrate the rich cultural and social heritage of Cho Lon to add depth to the tourism experience.
Street Layout and Zoning
The designated area covers the sidewalks of four streets surrounding Binh Tay Market:
- Nguyen Huu Than
- Thap Muoi
- Le Tan Ke
- Tran Binh
Le Tan Ke and Tran Binh Streets will be primarily reserved for motorbike parking to support the night street activities.
On Nguyen Huu Than and Thap Muoi Streets, the eight-meter-wide sidewalks will be clearly demarcated into functional strips:
- 1.5m near residential areas for self-managed parking.
- 1.5m designated for pedestrian movement.
- 3.5m allocated for street stalls.
- 1.5m along the curb for customer access.
Nguyen Quoc Duong, chairman of the Binh Tay Ward administration, emphasized the need for focused promotional efforts, noting that Binh Tay Market is already a significant tourist magnet.
"The night street will help promote the entire area and the market itself while creating a signature feature for the newly established ward. Its activities will support local tourism and help small merchants earn a stable income," he stated.
The ward administration has planned a sequence of follow-up events designed to gradually evolve Binh Tay Market from a traditional setup into a more modern and visitor-friendly destination, learning from the challenges faced by previous night market models in the vicinity.
To kick things off, the first Southern Vietnam Folk Food and Cake Week is scheduled from December 4 to 10, featuring 40 booths in total, comprised of 30 food stalls and 10 traditional cake vendors.
