The sunset view
The city by day, then lit up.
Lê Minh Phát — CC BY-SA 4.0 · lightwrite — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Werner Bayer — CC0 · Ngô Trung — CC BY-SA 3.0
Saigon Skydeck is the observation deck of the Bitexco Financial Tower, the skyscraper that has defined the city's skyline since it opened on 31 October 2010. The tower rises 262.5 metres over 68 floors; the architect Carlos Zapata drew its shape from a lotus bud, Vietnam's national flower, and on completion it was the tallest building in the country. The deck is on the 49th floor, about 178 metres up, wrapped in glass that looks out on every side over the Saigon River and its bridges, Nguyen Hue boulevard, the old districts and the new towers across the river in Thu Thiem. From outside you can see the helipad jutting from the 52nd floor, the first helipad in Vietnam that is not on a rooftop. Go shortly before sunset to see the city by day and then as its lights come on. For more height, Landmark 81 SkyView sits in the city's tallest tower, but Bitexco's place in the middle of District 1 puts the view closer to the landmarks.
The city by day, then lit up.
Its bridges and Thu Thiem's towers.
Jutting from floor 52.
Bitexco Financial Tower, 2 Hai Trieu Street, District 1
Nguyen Hue Walking StreetA broad pedestrian boulevard running from the riverfront to the yellow-and-white3 minutes walk4.8
Saigon Central MosqueThe best-known mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, on Dong Du Street in the heart of Dis6 minutes walk4.6
Ben Thanh MarketSaigon's best-known market and one of the oldest surviving buildings in the city9 minutes walk4.2
Museum of Ho Chi Minh CityA grand colonial mansion of 1890 that tells the story of the city, and one of th9 minutes walk4.3
Saigon Central Post OfficeA working post office in a grand colonial hall, built between 1886 and 1891 besi13 minutes walk4.3Landmark 81 is much higher, while Saigon Skydeck in the Bitexco tower sits in the middle of District 1, so it looks down more closely on the river, Nguyen Hue and the old city's landmarks.