Pham Ngu Lao - Backpacker's street

Story written by: Nyugen Ngoc Thanh Mai

Having been around for over 20 years, this town started up with small hotels and motels offering the best deals for backpackers. Each day, between 2,000 to 4,000 visitors come here to seek accommodation. Western town, as it is commonly known, is located in Saigon center on Pham Ngu Lao Street, district 1. It is here that you can enjoy the cheapest and most friendly services that Saigon has to offer.


Travellers from all walks of life gather here

In recent times, more and more budget accommodation have sprung up in the area to meet the rise in demand. Together with the many other convenient services providing stiff competition to each other, prices have been driven down significantly. For just USD10 to USD15, you can enjoy a well equipped room with air-conditioning and a private bathroom. According to the Tourism Board’s survey, 25% of the tourists coming here are consultants, doctors, lawyers while 20% are businessmen. Therefore, it is expected that service quality is maintained at a certain level despite being economical.


Economical and good food galore

This town becomes extremely lively when evening sets. The many bars and restaurants surrounding the area suddenly roar into life. After a tiring day of exploring the many sights of Saigon, nothing beats just sitting back with an ice cold beer in hand, watching the bustling traffic go by. And when the hunger pangs call, you are sure to find a convenience store or food stall just a stone's throw away.


Services at your doorstep

Interestingly, another highlight of the western town would be the sheer number of art galleries which appears at almost every street corner. Here, you can find a whole range of famous copied paintings. The best sold are the lacquer paintings picturing Vietnam villages, landscapes or girls. There is a also a well-known antique bookstore at 179 Pham Ngu Lao Street with over 10,000 books ranging from guidebooks to maps to comics.


The city comes to life at night

Another very popular service in this town is the motorbikes for rent. For less than VND100,000 and a passport, you can ride a motorbike around Saigon for a couple of hours. Moreover, services such as budget tours, open tours, internet, photography, hair salons are easily available should you need them.