An In-Depth Guide to Saigon's Cholon, Saigon/HoChiMinh City, Vietnam

Most visitors to Ho Chi Minh City are familiar with the French boulevards and glass skyscrapers of downtown Saigon, but few ventures into District 5 and 6 where the historic neighborhood of Cholon can be found.

Established in the late 1700s by Chinese setllers, Cholon is a city within a city that feels like you have been teleported to another era. The air is thick with the scent of roasted duck, medicinal herbs and heavy perfume of incense coils. As you navigate the narrow alleys of assembly halls and traditional temples, every corner of Cholon reveals a story of the Chinese merchant spirit that never sleeps.

This guide will walk you through the key sites which can be visited while you are exploring this destination. Hence, without further ado…

Established in 1928, this monumental market was funded and built by Quach Dam, a wealthy businessman of Chaoshan origin who arrived in Vietnam with nothing. It serves as the undisputed “Commercial King” of Cholon, acting as the primary wholesale hub that supplies goods to most of Southern Vietnam.

The architecture is a stunning tribute to Chinese culture, featuring a “Bagua” (eight-sided) floor plan designed to invite prosperity and harmony, topped with intricate “East Asian” yellow roof tiles. An interesting fact about its construction is that Quach Dam’s family specifically requested that a shrine be built in the center of the market to honor him; today, visitors can still see his bronze statue and pay respects in the central courtyard. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).