Cho Lon, literally "big market" in Vietnamese, refers to Ho Chi Minh City's historic Chinese district. Spanning districts 5 and 6, it forms one of Southeast Asia's oldest and most expansive Chinatowns, heir to over two centuries of Sino-Vietnamese presence. Ornate pagodas, market halls, apothecary workshops and clan temples compose a dense urban fabric, both mercantile and religious in character.

Why Visit Cho Lon

The district is considered Vietnam's Chinatown and maintains a distinctive cultural identity, separate from Saigon's colonial center. Visitors come for several reasons:

• Observe exceptional religious heritage, with a rare concentration of Cantonese, Fujianese and Chaozhou pagodas.
• Explore an emblematic wholesale market, Binh Tay Market, and its network of specialized streets (textiles, traditional medicine, religious articles, gastronomy).
• Understand the contribution of the Chinese diaspora to modern Vietnam: craftsmanship, cuisine, architecture, and community life.
• Venture beyond the typical District 1 circuits to explore a more popular neighborhood, where street life maintains a particular intensity from morning to evening.

District History

The origins of Cho Lon date back to the late 18th century. Around 1778, a group of Chinese immigrants from the Pho islet (Cu Lao Pho, near Bien Hoa) and My Tho settled along the Ben Nghe creek to escape the political turmoil of the era. They established a bustling market there, which would take the name "Big Market" and give its name to the entire district. This settlement marked the birth of what would become Vietnam's Chinatown.

Throughout the 19th century, Cho Lon developed as an autonomous commercial city, distinct from Saigon. Under French colonial administration, the two entities eventually merged in 1931 under the name Saigon-Cholon. The district prospered through the rice trade, river commerce, and a dense network of Chinese congregations (bang) organized by geographical origin. Each community built its own temples, schools and hospitals, many of which survive today.

After 1975, part of the Chinese population left the country. The economic reforms (Đổi Mới) starting in 1986 restored the district's role as a major commercial hub in Ho Chi Minh City.

What to See in Cho Lon

Binh Tay Market

Built in the 1920s at the initiative of Chinese merchant Quách Đàm, Binh Tay Market is the district's commercial heart. Its Sino-French architecture, interior courtyard and clock tower make it an instantly recognizable landmark. It remains above all a wholesale market, supplying shops throughout southern Vietnam with textiles, dried goods, utensils and confectionery.

Thien Hau Pagoda

Dedicated to the goddess of the sea Thien Hau, protector of sailors and merchants, this 19th-century Cantonese pagoda is one of the neighborhood's most frequented sanctuaries. Its suspended incense spirals, ceramic friezes adorning the roof and bas-reliefs tell the religious imagination of Chinese migrants who arrived by sea.

Other Temples and Pagodas

• Quan Am Pagoda, dedicated to the goddess of mercy, remarkable for its lacquered doors and layered courtyards.
• Nghia An Hoi Quan Pagoda, a place of worship for the Chaozhou community, dedicated to General Quan Cong.
• Tam Son Hoi Quan Pagoda, more discreet, frequented by women praying for fertility.
• Cha Tam Cathedral, where President Ngô Đình Diệm took refuge before his arrest during the 1963 coup.

Thematic Streets

Cho Lon is structured by specialized streets worthy of exploration on foot: Hai Thuong Lan Ong street concentrates traditional Chinese medicine apothecaries, with stalls of dried herbs; Luong Nhu Hoc street is dedicated to paper lanterns, particularly lively approaching the Mid-Autumn Festival; areas around Binh Tay Market group textiles and wedding accessories.

Practical Information

• Location: Districts 5 and 6 of Ho Chi Minh City, approximately 5 km west of District 1.
• Duration of visit: allow half a day to a full day depending on your pace and the number of pagodas visited.
• Best time: morning for market bustle, late afternoon for pagodas, during lunar festivals (Tet, Mid-Autumn) for a particularly vibrant atmosphere.
• Dress code: shoulders and knees covered to enter pagodas.
• Fees: access to the district and pagodas is free or very modest; Binh Tay Market is free.

How to Get There

From central Ho Chi Minh City (District 1), several options allow you to reach Cho Lon:

• By taxi or ride-hailing: 15 to 25 minutes depending on traffic, the simplest solution. Favor metered companies (Vinasun, Mai Linh) or apps like Grab.
• By bus: Line 1 connects Ben Thanh Market to Binh Tay Market, economical and used by locals.
• On foot from Cho Lon Bus Station: once there, the district is easily explored on foot, with main temples grouped within a few hundred meters.

Nearby Attractions

If you extend your stay in southern Vietnam, several sites complement a Cho Lon visit well:

• The Cai Rang floating market, in the Mekong Delta, a natural extension for those interested in Vietnamese market life.
• Buu Long Mountain, near Bien Hoa, whose Chinese community is historically linked to Cho Lon's founding.
• Ba Den Mountain, in Tay Ninh province, for a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City.

Planning Your Trip

Cho Lon integrates naturally into a Ho Chi Minh City and southern Vietnam stay. To build a tailor-made itinerary blending urban heritage, Mekong Delta and coastal sites, consult our Vietnam travel suggestions.