The Saigon River is the main artery of Ho Chi Minh City that is bordered by modern skyscrapers with a constant flow of boats going up and down stream.
The Saigon River starts in the city of Lộc Ninh near the border of Cambodia and stretches 256 km through Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) before reaching the South China Sea north of the Mekong Delta. In Ho Chi Minh City, the river reaches a depth of 20 meters with a width ranging from 225 to 370 meters. The river is large enough for the operation of small ships, boats and yachts which are constantly seen moving up and down the river.
The Saigon River has shaped the city’s history, culture and economy and is a prominent feature for some of the city’s top locations such as Bach Dang Park in District 1, Nha Rong Warf in District 4 and Vinhomes Central Park in the Binh Thanh District.
Along the river bank
I always enjoy spending time on or near water and taking a walk along the Saigon River bank is a pleasant experience and provides a different prospective than other places in the city.
Boats on the river
The Saigon River is always lively with a variety of boats and ships moving along the river from early morning, throughout the day and into the night. Some of the more interesting boats that I have seen are shown in the following photos.
Floating Restaurants
One of the more enjoyable ways to experience the Saigon River is on a floating restaurant. Some floating restaurants like the Elisa are stationary but many others cruise the river while serving dinner.
Dinner cruise
There are several options for nighttime dinner cruises on the Saigon River. These dinner cruises serve Vietnamese cuisine with traditional music dance performances along with a romantic views of the city at night as the lights reflect off the water surface.
Nighttime on the river
Most big cities take on a different personality as they transition from daytime into nighttime. This is easily seen along the Saigon River at nighttime. The bright lights of the city give the Saigon River a completely different look than during the daytime.
The Dust on My Shoes
The Saigon River is primarily used as a shipping transport but several of the Districts in Ho Chi Minh City have capitalized on the river by turning the river into a tourist attraction and building riverside parks to enjoy. Some rivers are better seen during the day or after dark. My feeling is that the Saigon River nice during the daytime but I think it is more attractive at night when the colorful lights of the city are reflecting off the water.
Rivers by themselves are not a noteworthy attraction to visit but when a river passes through a city it turns an otherwise ordinary setting into a pleasant setting to enjoy. Make sure to check out the local river when visiting cities that have them.
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