Cholon
The Chinese quarter of Saigon, a separate city until the two grew together in the mid 20th century and often called the largest Chinatown in the world by area. Its streets are packed with assembly halls, temples, herb shops and wholesale markets.
- Where
- Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 10.7515, 106.6605
Get the Cholon stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Cholon. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Ho Chi Minh City volume with your photos and a note.
Near Cholon
Thien Hau Temple 0.2 km
A Chinese temple on Nguyen Trai Street in Cholon dedicated to Mazu, goddess of the sea, and officially the assembly hall of the Cantonese community. Giant coils of incense hang smouldering from its ceilings.
Binh Tay Market 1.1 km
The largest market in Cholon, a wholesale hub built around a courtyard under tiled Chinese roofs. Before 1975 it was called the new Cho Lon market, to set it apart from the older one it replaced.
Dam Sen Park 2.9 km
An amusement park of 50 hectares in the west of Saigon, most of it lakes, trees and gardens. Rides and shows sit among the greenery, and it has long been a family day out for the city.
Mariamman Temple 4.5 km
A Hindu temple to the goddess Mariamman, built in the late 19th century by Nagarathar traders from Tamil Nadu. A colourful gopuram rises over the street near Ben Thanh Market, and many Vietnamese come to pray here too.
War Remnants Museum 4.6 km
A museum on Vo Van Tan Street in central Saigon given over to the First Indochina War and the Vietnam War. Aircraft, tanks and artillery stand in the courtyard, with photographs and documents in the halls.
Ben Thanh Market 4.7 km
One of the oldest surviving buildings in central Saigon and a symbol of the city, its clock tower facing a busy roundabout. Inside are stalls for food, cloth and souvenirs, and after dark the streets around it turn into a night market.
Independence Palace 4.8 km
The former home and workplace of the president of South Vietnam, designed by the architect Ngo Viet Thu and now a public hall and museum. Its rooms, from the state chambers to the basement command centre, are kept much as they were in the 1970s.
Vinh Nghiem Pagoda 4.9 km
The first pagoda in Vietnam built in the traditional style but in concrete, spread over 6,000 square metres in District 3. Its seven storey tower rises 40 metres, and its Peace Bell was a gift from a monk of Entsuji Temple in Fukushima.
More hidden gems in Ho Chi Minh City
Questions
Where is Cholon?
Cholon is in Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Thien Hau Temple (0.2 km), Binh Tay Market (1.1 km), Dam Sen Park (2.9 km).
How do I get the Cholon stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Cholon and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Ho Chi Minh City volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Cholon before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Ho Chi Minh City volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.