District 3 is one of the most developing districts in Ho Chi Minh City besides District 1. Visiting District 3, you will be impressed by not only many office buildings and restaurants but also a great number of religious sites, unique coffee shops, and wonderful eating streets.
Map of District 3’s Attractions:
District 3 Overview
District 3 is located next to District 1 which is the center of Saigon with a total area of 4.9 square km. Four districts sharing its borders are Phu Nhuan District, Tan Binh District, District 1, and District 10. There are 14 wards in District 3 ranging from Ward 1 to Ward 14. Having been one of the major districts of Ho Chi Minh City for decades, District 3 used to be an administrative district with several headquarters of the US administration and foreign embassies during the period of the Vietnam War. District 3 today has become a commercial district, playing an important role in the development of Ho Chi Minh City.
How to Get to District 3
District 3 is within driving distance of Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN), which could take around 20 minutes to get there. If you take the taxis at the airport, it would cost about VND 65,000 to VND 85,000. You can also find buses at the airport that could drop you off in certain locations on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Dien Bien Phu, Pasteur, Vo Thi Sau, and Cach Mang Thang 8, District 3.
Attractions in District 3
War Remnants Museum in District 3
District 3 is the second most visited district in Ho Chi Minh City after District 1. The district is famous for several religious sites including local churches, Buddhist pagodas, and a pagoda of a Vietnamese ethnic community named Khmer. Most of them are budget-friendly or free-entrance attractions.
| Name | Entrance Fee | Address | Category |
| Xa Loi Pagoda | Free | 89B Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, Ward 7 | Religious site |
| Vinh Nghiem Pagoda | Free | 339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Ward 7 | Religious site |
| Phap Hoa (Lotus) Pagoda | Free | 220A Le Van Sy, Ward 14 | Religious site |
| Tan Dinh Church | Free | 289 Hai Ba Trung, Ward 8 | Religious site |
| Ky Dong Church | Free | 38 Ky Dong, Ward 9 | Religious site |
| Wat Chantarangsay (Candaransi) | Free | Hoang Sa, Ward 7, Near Le Van Sy Bridge | Religious site |
| Song Son Temple | Free | Corner of 69 Alley Nguyen Thien Thuat and 585 Alley Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Ward 2 | Religious site |
| War Remnants Museum | VND 40,000 | 28 Vo Van Tan, Ward 6 | Museum |
| Southern Vietnam Women Museum | Free | 202 Vo Thi Sau, Ward 7 | Museum |
| Secret Weapon Cellar Museum | Free | 287/70 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Ward 5 | Museum |
| Venerable Thich Quang Duc Monument | Free | 70-72 Cach Mang Thang 8, Ward 6 | Historical attraction |
| Turtle Lake | Free | The roundabout of Pham Ngoc Thach Street with Tran Cao Van and Vo Van Tan Street | Public site |
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Eating in District 3
Being located next to District 1, District 3 is another option for food-lovers with more reasonable prices. This district is widely known for various kinds of coffee shops which are ideal places for Saigonese young people to gather together on a daily basis.
| Category | Location |
| Street eats | Cao Thang Street, Nguyen Thuong Hien Street, Cach Mang Thang 8 Street, Turtle Lake |
| Coffee shops | Pham Ngoc Thach Street, Turtle Lake, Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, Vo Van Tan Street, Le Van Sy Street Gac Hoa Attic Café: 92/17 Pham Ngoc Thach, Ward 6 |
| Vietnamese foods | Ban Co Market, Vuon Chuoi Market, Nguyen Van Troi Market |
| Vietnamese beer restaurants | Hoang Sa Street, Truong Sa Street |
Shopping in District 3
Despite being not as famous for luxury shopping malls as District 1, District 3 is a shopping paradise for those loving unique hip clothes and accessories. There are several fashion stores along streets in District 3 with a variety of brands and prices.
| Category | Address | What to Buy |
| Shopping malls | RomeA Center: 117 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Ward 6 | Clothes, Accessories |
| Local Markets | Ban Co Market: 664 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Ward 3 Vuon Chuoi Market: 428 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Ward 4 Nguyen Van Troi Market: 209/32 Le Van Sy, Ward 13 | Clothes, Shoes, Bags, Accessories Vietnamese dried foods |
| Shopping Streets | Le Van Sy Street, Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, Ly Chinh Thang Street, Vo Van Tan Street | Clothes, Shoes |
Nightlife in District 3
District 3 at night is lively with many Saigonese young people gather together, enjoying Vietnamese street foods, and chill out at 24/7 coffee shops, night bars, and clubs.
Nguyen Thuong Hien is a well-known eating street due to its specialties which are a mixture rice paper (banh trang tron), snails and shellfish.
Turtle Lake has always been an ideal place for young local people to gather and enjoy street foods like Vietnamese pizza, mixed rice paper (banh trang tron), and milk tea.
Summary of District 3 in Ho Chi Minh City
Being one of the downtown districts in Ho Chi Minh City, District 3 has always been a top choice for visitors when traveling to Saigon. It is also a perfect place for many kinds of travelers ranging from coffee and architecture lovers to those showing an interest in Vietnamese culture and religions.
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