What is the quickest getaway from Ho Chi Minh City’s Center? Come to Phu Nhuan District, only 10 minutes away, and you can experience and learn more about the daily life of locals as well as try different cuisines they have to offer. It is a central district, but you can still find it less hustling but no less exciting than District 1.
Map of Phu Nhuan District’s Attractions:
Phu Nhuan District Overview
Phu Nhuan name has been adopted since the 17th century to name a village of Gia Dinh Citadel (former Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City). The people who originally lived in the village were Khmer people, but later, people from all cross of life (especially people in northern Vietnam) came to the place to make a living from doing agriculture. The families of soldiers in Gia Dinh Citadel and a small Chinese community also chose to reside here, creating a mixture of different cultures.
After several centuries, Phu Nhuan is now one of the central districts of Ho Chi Minh City, bordering other districts like Go Vap District in the north, Tan Binh District in the west, Binh Thanh District in the east, and District 1 and District 3 in the south. You can easily go from one district to another via streets like Le Van Sy, Hoang Van Thu, Phan Dang Luu, Phan Dinh Phung, and Nguyen Kiem Streets. Unlike other streets in Ho Chi Minh City which are usually named after heroic figures or numbered, an area near Phan Xich Long Street has 13 streets named after flowers names as Hoa Mai (ochna tree flower), Hoa Dao (peach tree flower), Hoa Phuong (flame tree flower), and Hoa Su (plumeria tree flower).
On the total area of 4.9 square kilometers with a lot of waterways around like Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal, as the name “Phu Nhuan” suggested (which means prosperity in Vietnamese), there are a lot of business and activities in Phu Nhuan District from foods and beverage to retails, carpentry and trading.
How to Get to Phu Nhuan District
From Tan Son Nhat Airport, it only takes you about 10 minutes to Phu Nhuan District by taxi. And from Phu Nhuan District to District 1’s center, it would take another 10 minutes. For detailed taxi fares, check our guide Travel Ho Chi Minh City by Taxi.
You can also use the shuttle buses from Tan Son Nhat Airport, which have stop stations at hotels on Nguyen Van Troi Street in Phu Nhuan District.
Attractions in Phu Nhuan District
There are many temples and pagodas across the Phu Nhuan District, many of which are from the 19th century. Besides, you can also visit and admire the architecture of the tombs of many Nguyen Dynasty’s generals and other historical attractions and religious sites.
| Name | Entrance Fee | Address | Category |
| Tu Van Pagoda | Free | 62 Phan Xich Long, Ward 1 | Religious site |
| Phu Long Pagoda | Free | 58 Huynh Van Banh, Ward 15 | Religious site |
| Hue Nghiem Pagoda | Free | 187/3 Tran Ke Xuong, Ward 7 | Religious site |
| Dieu Giac Pagoda | Free | 248 Tran Ke Xuong, Ward 7 | Religious site |
| Ba Chuong Church (Three Bells Church) | Free | 190 Le Van Sy, Ward 10 | Religious site |
| Jamiul Muslimin | Free | 52 Nguyen Van Troi, Ward 15 | Religious site |
| Quan The Am Temple | Free | 90 Thich Quang Duc, Ward 5 | Religious site |
| Van Hanh Monastery | Free | 750/1 Nguyen Kiem, Ward 4 | Religious site |
| Hung Vuong Temple | Free | 261/3 Co Giang, Ward 1 | Religious site |
| Phu Nhuan Temple | Free | 18 Mai Van Ngoc, Ward 10 | Religious site |
| Truong Tan Buu Tomb | Free | 41 Nguyen Thi Huynh, Ward 8 | Religious site |
| Vo Di Nguy Tomb | Free | 19 Co Giang, Ward 2 | Religious site |
| Headquarters of Contact Delegation of General Command of Vietnam People’s Army | Free | 87A Tran Ke Xuong, Ward 7 | Historical attraction |
| Gia Dinh Park | Free | In the block of Hoang Minh Giam, Hong Ha, and Pham Van Dong Street, Ward 9 | Public park |
| Phu Nhuan Cultural Park | Free | 49 Phan Dang Luu, Ward 7 | Public park |
Eating in Phu Nhuan District
If you are a foodie, you cannot miss out on a food adventure in Phu Nhuan District. There are many famous food streets with restaurants lined up waiting for you to explore. You can find restaurants of Vietnamese cuisine as well as Thai, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Western dishes, from fancy ones to bistros, local and street style. Eating in Phu Nhuan District will not leave you hungry.
| Category | Location |
| Vietnamese Cuisines | Thich Quang Duc Street, Phan Dang Luu Street Broken rice: Banh cuon Tay Ho – 271 Phan Xich Long, Ward 2 Hue Cuisine: |
| Street Eats | Market: Phu Nhuan Market – 123 Phan Dinh Phung Street, Ward 17 Tran Huu Trang Market – 84 Tran Huu Trang, Ward 10 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Market – 34 Le Tu Tai, Ward 4 Dang Van Ngu Street Snails and Beer: |
| Cafes | Le Van Sy Street, Phan Xich Long Street, Nguyen Trong Tuyen Street |
Shopping in Phu Nhuan District
Even though Phu Nhuan District has a lot of retail and trading activities, but most of them are small businesses of the locals. You will not find any fancy shopping malls, but you can definitely buy some good items at an affordable price here. The oldest market in the district is Phu Nhuan Market which has been around since 1850 and has a lot to offer for great souvenirs and local experience.
| Category | Address | What to Buy |
| Markets | Phu Nhuan Market, Tran Huu Trang Market, Nguyen Dinh Chieu Market | Dried foods, Clothes, Accessories, and Textiles |
| Shopping Streets | Tran Huy Lieu Street, Tran Quang Dieu Street, Le Van Sy Street | Clothes, Accessories, and Cosmetics |
Nightlife in Phu Nhuan District
The night is when most people gather in beer and snail restaurants on Truong Sa Street, Phu Nhuan District after long hours of work.
It is also time for young Saigonese to go out and have food and street foods at places like Phan Xich Long Street and Phu Nhuan Market, or to shop for clothes in stores on Tran Quang Dieu Street and Tran Huy Lieu Street.
Summary of Phu Nhuan District in Ho Chi Minh City
Phu Nhuan District in Ho Chi Minh City has a lot to offer from delicious dishes from Vietnam and around the world to shopping streets, cafes, and local markets with a variety of things for you to explore. You can also visit several religious sites and attractions in Phu Nhuan District to understand more about Vietnamese culture and history. Days and nights the district is full of life with people, but it is not as crowded as District 1 to ensure you have quality leisure time.
Learn more about other districts with our guide Ho Chi Minh City Districts Overview.