Bạch Đằng & Thủ Thiêm Riverside Parks: A Local Guide

Twice a day, at dawn and again at dusk, the best free show in Ho Chi Minh City plays out along two ribbons of parkland that stare at each other across the water. One belongs to District 1: the Bạch Đằng promenade. The other, newer and far bigger, sits on the Thủ Thiêm bank opposite. Between them they have become the spot where young Saigon comes to unwind. Here is how to enjoy each side, what is actually worth your time, and how to hop across.

At a glance. Bạch Đằng park: No. 2 Tôn Đức Thắng, District 1, roughly 23,400 square metres, about five minutes on foot from Đồng Khởi. Thủ Thiêm park: eastern bank, opened December 2023, nearly 20 hectares, open daily around 6am to 10pm. Both are free. Come late afternoon into the evening.

Bạch Đằng: the near side

For most people, Bạch Đằng is where the river introduces itself. The park stretches for more than a kilometre along the western bank at the foot of District 1, at No. 2 Tôn Đức Thắng, five minutes from the heart of Đồng Khởi and right behind the Nguyễn Huệ pedestrian street. Its landmark is hard to miss: a six-metre statue of the general Trần Hưng Đạo, one arm flung out toward the water, standing guard here for decades.

Mornings belong to joggers and tai chi circles. The place only truly wakes at dusk. By five o’clock the breeze picks up off the river, snack carts trundle out, someone is usually strumming a guitar, and families settle in to watch the lights come on across in Thủ Thiêm. This is also the working heart of the river: the main jetty where most people catch the water bus, and where the dinner cruises slip their moorings after dark. For the bigger story of how the whole waterfront is being reborn, see our guide to the Saigon riverfront.

Thủ Thiêm: the far side, and the busier one

Cross the water and you reach the bank locals treat as their own outdoor living room. The riverside park at Thủ Thiêm opened on 23 December 2023. It covers close to 20 hectares and runs about 600 metres, from the Ba Son bridge down to the river tunnel, laid out in thirteen zones: broad community lawns, a stone garden, a fountain, and a riverside Love Bridge among them.

Because it faces the downtown towers head-on, the crowds peak at sunset, when everyone turns to watch the skyline light up. The lawns are wide and made for sprawling. People arrive with mats, iced coffee and takeaway dinners, and simply stay. In a centre this dense, open sky and a long horizon over the Saigon River are rare things, and this is where you find them.

The sunflower field and the photo corners

What sends Thủ Thiêm trending online is a seasonal sunflower field, roughly 5,000 to 6,000 square metres of blooms turned toward the water and Bạch Đằng beyond. It is only one of the park’s thirteen zones, sitting alongside the Love Bridge, the fountain and the stone garden. But it is the most photographed corner by far, so at golden hour, expect company.

The plantings are seasonal and rotate through the year, with the biggest displays timed to festivals. So rather than assume the sunflowers are out, it is worth a quick local check before you make the trip. For soft light and thinner crowds, aim for early morning or the hour before sunset.

D-Joy: the activity zone by the water

Since 11 May 2024 the park has also had D-Joy, a two-hectare zone packed with more than twenty things to do. It is aimed squarely at younger visitors and families: pickleball courts and drone racing, plus street carnival acts, giant kite-flying and a run of food stalls. Enough to swallow a whole afternoon without noticing.

D-Joy runs as a pop-up, so the line-up shifts with the seasons. Travelling with restless teenagers, or after something more than a stroll? This is the part to head for, and it slots neatly around an evening on the grass once the sun drops.

Tết at the riverside

Around Lunar New Year the Thủ Thiêm bank turns into one of the largest spring flower markets on the eastern side of the city, its themed displays and stalls running for the week or so before the holiday. If your trip lands near Tết, that is a stroke of luck, because there are few more local ways to feel the season. Our Tết 2027 guide covers what else is happening around town.

Crossing between the two banks

For now the parks are close but not yet joined. From District 1, a taxi across the Ba Son bridge or through the river tunnel puts you on the Thủ Thiêm side in under fifteen minutes. The nicer option is the water bus, which calls at both Bạch Đằng and Thủ Thiêm and turns the crossing itself into part of the outing.

A third way is on its way. A coconut-leaf pedestrian bridge is going up to link the two parks directly, and once it opens you will cross on foot in a few minutes. We follow its progress in our pedestrian bridge update, and cover the boat option in the water bus guide.

Best time to visit, and a few practical notes

• Best hours. Late afternoon into early evening, with the finest light between five and half past six. Prefer calm? Go early, when it is cool and quiet.
• Best season. The dry months, roughly November to March, give the steadiest evenings.
• What to pack. A mat, water, something for the sun, and a little cash for snacks. Both parks have basic parking and restrooms.
• With kids. The lawns are open and safe to run on, and D-Joy is built for busy families. Just keep an eye on little ones near the water’s edge.

Frequently asked questions

A quiet base a short walk from the river

The Myst Đồng Khởi is a 108-room boutique heritage hotel in the calmest corner of District 1, five minutes on foot from the Saigon River and the Bạch Đằng promenade. Inducted into the Michelin Guide Hotels and Stays selection and named 2025 World Luxury Hotel Awards Country Winner for Vietnam, it is an easy place to come home to after an evening on the grass.

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