Staying in Thao Dien: Saigon's riverside expat quarter in Thu Duc

Who should stay in Thao Dien?

Thao Dien suits families, long stays, digital nomads and travellers who prefer a calm, green neighbourhood with international food to the bustle of District 1. It is also popular with visitors from Europe, Australia and North America, who find familiar food and a slower pace here. Many properties are apartments and villas with pools, kitchens and space for groups.

The trade-off is distance from the historic centre: District 1 is about 5 to 6 km away, a short metro ride or 15 to 30 minutes by car. Prices for food and drink are higher than in the rest of the city, and the neighbourhood has little traditional Vietnamese street life.

Apartments, villas and hotels in Thao Dien

The 107 properties listed in this zone are mostly apartments, in the residential towers of Thao Dien, An Phu and Thu Thiem, followed by hotels, aparthotels, villas and homestays. Many apartment buildings have pools, gyms and river views, and around a fifth of the properties in this zone have a pool. Guest ratings are the highest in the city, with a median of about 8.7 out of 10 on this site.

As a guide for 2026, rooms in Thao Dien cost about 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 VND a night, a street-food bowl about 60,000 to 100,000 VND, and a ride-hailing car to District 1 about 80,000 to 120,000 VND. Villas sleep larger groups, often with a private pool. In apartment listings, check how check-in works and whether the building's facilities are included.

What is there to do in Thao Dien?

Thao Dien is a neighbourhood for eating, drinking and slowing down: international restaurants and cafés line Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien and Quoc Huong streets, there are weekend markets and riverside bars, and the paths along the river are pleasant for an evening walk. Thu Thiem, facing District 1 across the river, has new parks and promenades with views of the city skyline.

For the historic sights of the centre, Metro Line 1 reaches Ben Thanh, next to the market, in a few minutes from Thao Dien station, and further along the line are Thu Duc and the Suoi Tien theme park. Boats on the Saigon River also link the area with District 1.

How do you get to Thao Dien?

From Tan Son Nhat International Airport, about 6 to 8 km away, the ride takes 30 to 45 minutes outside the rush hours and longer at peak times. Within the city, Metro Line 1 stops at Thao Dien and An Phu and reaches Ben Thanh in District 1 in a few minutes, for about 7,000 to 20,000 VND a ride, from 05:00 to 22:00. A ride-hailing car to District 1 costs about 80,000 to 120,000 VND.

Thao Dien itself is one of the most walkable areas of the city, with pavements and quieter streets, and motorbike taxis cover the short distances between the restaurants and the metro stations.

When is Thao Dien at its best?

The dry season, from about December to April, is ideal for the riverside bars, garden cafés and outdoor markets. During the rainy season, from about May to November, short afternoon showers are common, and the apartment and villa pools come into their own. Around Tet, in late January or February, many international restaurants stay open while much of the city closes for a few days.

What is Thao Dien like day to day?

Thao Dien has a village feel unusual for Saigon. Its streets are lined with garden walls, villas and low buildings rather than towers, traffic is lighter than in the centre, and many places can be reached on foot. Mornings start with coffee and bakeries, many of them run by foreign residents, and the day revolves around cafés, yoga studios, gyms, organic shops and international restaurants serving everything from French and Italian to Japanese and Mexican food.

At weekends, markets, pop-up events and riverside bars draw residents and visitors from across the city. The river is never far: several restaurants and bars have terraces on the water, and the paths along the bank are pleasant at sunset. In the residential towers of An Phu and Thu Thiem, life is more modern and high-rise, with malls, supermarkets and pools.

For travellers, Thao Dien is a comfortable base that combines easy living with quick access to the centre by metro. Prices for food and drink are closer to those in Western cities than to local Saigon, so many guests mix meals in Thao Dien with trips to District 1 and the street-food areas for cheaper, more traditional eating.