To the east of Ho Chi Minh City is another outskirt district, connecting the city with the provinces in the north and east. Learn more about this district – District 9 – in our guide and discover the fun activities you can enjoy here.
Map of District 9’s Attractions:
District 9 Overview
District 9 was an outskirt of Thu Duc District in the past, and since January 2021, it has become part of Thu Duc City as part of Ho Chi Minh city urbanization plan. It was also the area receiving constant attacks from the armies of the US and former Southern Vietnam’s government. After years of destruction from the war, District 9’s economy still hasn’t recovered fully, and it stays a rural area despite its convenient location.
Located in the east of Ho Chi Minh City, District 9 is the gateway to Bien Hoa, the city of Dong Nai Province, via Hanoi and Dong Nai River waterways. Besides, the district’s authority also plans to take advantage of its vast natural beauty and turns District 9 into a hi-tech cultural and ecological tourism center. In the area of 113.62 square km, about 1.5 times that of District 1, there are 13 wards, over 125,000 households, and many enterprises, universities, and research institutions in Saigon Hi-tech Park.
The arrangement of functions of District 9’s neighbors has made the establishment of this park possible. To the north and east of the district is Dong Nai Province – the industrial area with many factories of all kinds, while its west side is the college town – Thu Duc District and the south side is the new expat town – District 2. Di An Town, Binh Duong Province, which is another industrial area, is also only a 30-minute drive from the hi-tech park. This establishment has brought more investment and business to the district such as inns and transportation for both the foreign and local workers.
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How to Get to District 9
It is roughly 20 km from District 1 to get to District 9. With such a long distance, the public bus is one of the locals’ common choices to travel there. You can catch bus 19 from Ben Thanh Station to Suoi Tien Theme Park or the Saigon Hi-tech Park. The bus fare costs VND 6,000, but it will take approximately 1.5 – 2 hours. Another option is the taxi, which would cost you about VND 250,000 – VND 300,000. The motorbike is not recommended as there could be many traffic accidents on the Hanoi Highway, which is the fastest road to District 9 from the city center.
Attractions in District 9
An important landmark of District 9 is Bot Day Thep (Barbed Wire Station). This location was built as a telegram transmission station of the French, but it also had a secret basement to prison people here. Anyone who were the suspects of joining the revolutionary movements would be caught and brought here by the French soldiers. Many Vietnamese had died in this station because of the imprisonment and torturing.
Buu Long Pagoda
District 9 is also the home of many old pagodas and temples from the 18th, 19th centuries like Phuoc Tuong, Thoi Linh, and Buu Thanh Temple. A newer Buddhist architecture but attracts a lot of visitors for its rare design in Vietnam is the Buu Long Pagoda, built in 1942. This pagoda’s architecture reflects that of Angkor Wat and Chams culture, like those from Thailand with golden conical roofs. It is located inside the Historical and Cultural Park, on the area of over 110,000 square meters.
Another religious destination that is famous among the locals is the Tam Linh Viet Temple. This temple is a private construction of a celebrity-comedian in Vietnam, dedicated to the gods and founders of the art. Every year on the 12th of the eighth month of Lunar Calendar, at this spiritual place for artists and performers, especially those in Southern Vietnam, there is a big ceremony to pay respect to the gods and to ask for their blessing in one’s artistic career. The temple is also opened to visitors on every Sunday, the 1st and 15th day of every month in Lunar Calendar. Besides these places, there are Catholic churches across the district and the Hung King’s Memorial Temple where many of Ho Chi Minh’s citizens come to pray on Hung Kings Festivals.
Suoi Tien Park
On its way to development, District 9 does not fall short of entertainment areas. One of them is Suoi Tien Park, the most well-known man-made park for many years. This park is most suitable for family picnics and day trips. There are waterpark and recreational areas with cultural themes like national heroes and mythical creatures. On the Hung King Festival, there is also a ceremony held in the park, attracting a lot of local visitors.
Check out the list below for more details of attractions in District 9.
| Name | Entrance Fee | Address | Category |
| Bot Day Thep | Free | Le Van Viet, Tang Nhon Phu A Ward | Historical site |
| Hung Kings Memorial Temple | Free | 207/2 Xa Lo Ha Noi (Hanoi Highway), Long Binh Ward | Religious site |
| Buu Long Pagoda | Free | 81 Nguyen Xien, Khu Pho Thai Binh 1, Long Binh Ward | Religious site |
| Thoi Linh Pagoda | Free | 191 Long Phuoc, Ap Long Thuan, Long Phuoc Ward | Religious site |
| Phuoc Tuong Temple | Free | 13/32 Tang Long, Tang Nhon Phu A Ward | Religious site |
| Tan Hoa Pagoda | Free | 115 Nam Cao, Tan Phu Ward | Religious site |
| Buu Thanh Temple | Free | 50D Nguyen Duy Trinh, Ap Ong Nhieu, Long Truong Ward | Religious site |
| Phuoc Long (Chau Doc 3) | Free | 2 Cu Lao, Long Binh Ward | Religious site |
| Tam Linh Viet | Free | Duong 5, Long Phuoc Ward | Religious site |
| Tan Duc Church | Free | Do Xuan Hop, Phuoc Binh Ward | Religious site |
| Thanh Cam Church | Free | 12 Duong 11, Ap Chan Phuc Cam, Long Thanh My Ward | Religious site |
| Minh Duc Church | Free | 10 Duong 154, Ap Cay Dau, Tan Phu Ward | Religious site |
| Thanh Tam Church | Free | 43 Tran Hung Dao, Khu Pho 1, Hiep Phu Ward | Religious site |
Suoi Tien Theme Park | Entrance: VND 120,000/adult Waterpark VND 100,000/adult | 120 Xa Lo Ha Noi, Tan Phu Ward | Amusement park |
| BCR Complex (paintball, water sports, kayak, handicraft, etc.) | VND 30,000 – VND 200,000 for activities | 191 Tam Da, Truong Thanh Residential Area, Truong Thanh Ward | Amusement park |
| Long Island | VND 100,000 | 173 Long Thuan, Long Phuoc Ward | Amusement park |
| Tam Da Lotus Lake | VND 30,000 | Tam Da, Truong Thanh Ward | Ecological recreation |
| Tu De Stork Garden | VND 100,000 – VND 550,000 for entrance and other services | 124/31 Nguyen Xien, Long Thanh My Ward | Ecological recreation |
| To have fun trips in Ho Chi Minh City, check out our authentic motorbike tours with professional local guides! |
Eating in District 9
Most of District 9’s area is dedicated to the hi-tech park, the ecological tourism center, so it is easier to find restaurants in or near these places. You can also go to the streets where many eateries gather like Le Van Viet, Do Xuan Hop, and Tang Nhon Phu to look for your favorite local foods.
| Category | Location |
| Vietnamese Cuisine | Broken Rice: Com Tam Phuc Loc Tho – 31-33 Le Van Viet, Hiep Phu Ward Tapioca Noodle Soup: Banh Canh Ghe – 26 Le Van Viet, Hiep Phu Ward Spicy Beef Noodle Soup: Bun Bo Hue – 506 Hoang Huu Nam, Long Binh Ward |
| Fast Foods | Domino’s Pizza – 196 Le Van Viet, Tang Nhon Phu B Ward KFC – 193 Le Van Viet, Hiep Phu Ward |
| Coffee Shops | Highlands Coffee – Lo I1-I2a-I2b, Duong D1, Tan Phu Ward Doc Coffee – 11 Dinh Phong Phu, Tang Nhon Phu B Ward |
Shopping in District 9
Vincom Le Van Viet
As a district quite far from the city center, there are little high-class shopping malls or stores. But visiting District 9 is a perfect chance to experience an authentic Vietnamese lifestyle and scenery.
| Category | Address | What to Buy |
| Shopping Malls | Vincom Le Van Viet – 50 Le Van Viet, Hiep Phu Ward | Clothing, souvenirs, and accessories |
| Local Markets | Phuoc Long B Market – 9 Do Xuan Hop, Phuoc Long B Ward Man Thien Night Market – 228 Man Thien, Tan Phu Ward Nam Hoa Market – 9 Tay Hoa, Phuoc Long A Ward Tang Nhon Phu A Market – Le Van Viet, Tang Nhon Phu A Ward | Dried foods, foods, clothing, and accessories |
Nightlife in District 9
Man Thien Night Market
Most of the parks and recreational areas in District 9 only open from early morning around 9 AM to 5 PM and close at night. On the other hand, businesses like the night market, shopping mall, some eateries, and street foods (like those on Le Van Viet and Dinh Phong Phu Street) are active as the sun goes down. The Man Thien Night Market is no less exciting than the one in Thu Duc, you can find a lot of items and foods for a low price, but you may want to consider their quality and safety before buying or consuming. Seeing the bustling of a market at night in a quiet area like District 9 could be an interesting experience.
A Conclusion of District 9 in Ho Chi Minh City
After significant damages from the war, District 9 is slow on its way to develop yet gradually become a center for ecological tourism and hi-tech research of Ho Chi Minh City. Without many upscale activities and attractions, the district offers a more rustic and authentic experience getting close to nature and understanding more about another side of the most dynamic city in Southern Vietnam.
Learn more of other districts in our Overview of Ho Chi Minh City Districts or Vietnam travel information in other guides.