LILLEDESHAN BOSE HAS YOUR NOCTURNAL GUIDE TO ENJOYING THIS EXOTIC CITY THAT POSITIVELY SIZZLES WITH EXCITEMENT. PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICO GONZALES

If you’re visiting Ho Chi Minh City — still called Saigon by everyone but the travel agents — watch out for your toes. There are about 10 million motorbikes in Vietnam, and it seems most of them are housed in this city of seven million — yeah, you do the math. So when you’re walking through the frenetic streets of HCMC, negotiating cyclos, food stands, coffee vendors, motorbikes and various pedestrians should be your main concern.

Keep your feet safe, however, and you’ll be able to explore a nightlife that’s young, brash and excitingly diverse. Thirty years after the war, Vietnam is rediscovering all the different ways there are to party. And in Ho Chi Minh City, there are so many places you can hit in one night — from the swankily decked out, French-inspired cafes you’ll find only after going through unobtrusive alleys, to discos crammed so full, you have to squeeze yourself through a sweaty, dancing crowd just to get a drink. It becomes very easy to forget that Vietnam is a socialist republic, and that a midnight curfew on karaoke bars and discos has been in effect since 2002.

Overall, nightspots in HCMC can be categorized by their clientele. Vietnamese locals like glitzy, shiny hotspots; expats frequent more Westernized venues. And touristy places cater to, well, tourists. There’s always an indelible, electric swirl of activity in the city once the sun sets. From makeshift sidewalk bars to backpacker lounges, you can hit the bars running — with or without the curfew. Just make sure to be mindful of your toes.

If you want to… dance all night
According to Linh Phan, who hosts the popular indie-electro dance party, Everyone’s A DJ every last Saturday of the month at Cyclo Bar (163 Pham Ngu Lao, D1), locals like to hit places like Lush (2 Ð Ly Tu Trong, D1, tel: +84 903 155 461), which caters to a trendy, fashionable crowd. “You go to be seen and drink bottles of liquor… dancing comes second.”

Volcano (148 Cong Quynh, D1) is one of the bigger dance clubs in HCMC, and it erupts with garish neon lights and mirrors. The club has two rooms — a bigger one plays relentless techno and house on laser-lit disco floors, and a second one is a hip-hop glass encasement. Both are packed on weekends.

If you want to… groove to live music
Acoustic Bar (6E1 Ngô Thòi Nhiêm, D3, tel: +84 (8) 3930 2239) has a house band that performs Western music nightly, for locals and expats alike. You can’t miss it; there’s a Volkswagen beetle driving up a wall outside the venue. On weekends, come at around 7.30pm if you want to get a seat. Filipino rock band Blue Jean Junkies toured HCMC a few months ago, and bassist Miggy Matute recommends Sheridan’s Irish House (17/13 Le Thanh Ton, D1, tel: +84 (8) 823 0793) for an intimate, laid-back night.

“The nightly live music is a nice little treat as well as opens up endless possibilities as to where the night may take you,” Miggy says. The authentic Irish pub also has an equally authentic Irish folk outfit, Awen. Speaking of Pinoy music, An Nam (52 Truong Dinh, D3, tel: +84 (8) 3932 2037) is a cafe bar with a resident Filipino band that caters mostly to Vietnamese locals.

If you want to… drink, listen to music and dance a bit
An unobtrusive entrance leads into a courtyard of a former opium refinery, where restaurants and bars cluster into a genteel hub. Vasco’s Bar (74/7M Hai Ba Trung, D1, email: camargue@hcm.fpt.vn) has high ceilings, a ground floor and a balcony, but it’s the bar area where bands and DJs perform that draws crowds. Cage (3A Ton Duc Thang, D1) is similarly hard to find, but its vibe — accented by Indochine-fusion decor, a big dancefloor and the random cage — is perfect for chilling or dancing. Try their Asian tapas such as the roasted duck spring rolls and stuffed pumpkin flowers.

If you want to… chill with your friends
Pham Ngu Lao is probably one of the cleaner and safer backpacker districts in Southeast Asia. Rumor has it that undercover police are everywhere, so walking home late at night doesn’t feel dangerous. In the midst of a boisterous tourist bustle is Le Pub (175/22 Pham Ngu Lao, D1, tel: +84 (8) 837 7679), a well-appointed joint with red walls and dark wood furniture. Le Pub serves Western food coupled with cheap drinks and good music. It’s a good meet-up place if you don’t feel like dressing up. If you do feel like flashing your Rolex and wearing your Manolo Blahniks, go to the more upscale Zan Z Bar (41 Dong Du, D1, tel: +84 (8) 3822 7375). Apart from serving fusion cuisine, you can also let yourself go and get tipsy on imported Belgian beers like Chimay.

If you want to… have a warm, intimate night
Saigon is like a surprise gift: you never know what kind of charming spot you’re going to find behind a dark alley, or up a hidden staircase. Intimate meals are best served at places like Hoa Tuc (74 Hai Ba Trung, D1, tel: +84 (8) 3825 1676), where lovely Vietnamese fare is served with an hub. Vasco’s Bar (74/7M Hai Ba Trung, D1, email: camargue@hcm.fpt.vn) has high ceilings, a ground floor and a balcony, but it’s the bar area where bands and DJs perform that draws crowds. Cage (3A Ton Duc Thang, D1) is similarly hard to find, but its vibe — accented by Indochine-fusion decor, a big dancefloor and the random cage — is perfect for chilling or dancing. Try their Asian tapas such as the roasted duck spring rolls and stuffed pumpkin flowers.

If you want to… chill with your friends Pham Ngu Lao is probably one of the cleaner and safer backpacker districts in Southeast Asia. Rumor has it that undercover police are everywhere, so walking home late at night doesn’t feel dangerous. In the midst of a boisterous tourist bustle is Le Pub (175/22 Pham Ngu Lao, D1, tel: +84 (8) 837 7679), a well-appointed joint with red walls and dark wood furniture. Le Pub serves Western food coupled with cheap drinks and good music. It’s a good meet-up place if you don’t feel like dressing up. If you do feel like flashing your Rolex and wearing your Manolo Blahniks, go to the more upscale Zan Z Bar (41 Dong Du, D1, tel: +84 (8) 3822 7375). Apart from serving fusion cuisine, you can also let yourself go and get tipsy on imported Belgian beers like Chimay. 

If you want to… have a warm, intimate night

Saigon is like a surprise gift: you never know what kind of charming spot you’re going to find behind a dark alley, or up a hidden staircase. Intimate meals are best served at places like Hoa Tuc (74 Hai Ba Trung, D1, tel: +84 (8) 3825 1676), where lovely Vietnamese fare is served with an