The downtown section of District 1 is easy to navigate using our Utopia map:

Comments from Utopians:

"Some activities and places for gays: Bitch Party (monthly); 61 Bar at 61 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, Dist 1; Windows 3 Café at Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, most crowded on Sun mornings; Papa Café gather in the evenings." -- SomebodyDuke, May 12, 2011

DISTRICT 1

• BITCH
  098-809-9511, email. BITCH is a monthly gay party with a different theme every month and possibly different locations. Cool music, hot guys. Dancers, fashion shows and live performances. The staff are nice, not pretentious. Drink prices are very reasonable. Check their website for upcoming events, times and place.
• Godmother Saigon Bar (mixed)
  129 Cong Quynh St, Dist 1, Utopia Map, 3832-4589, email. Gay-friendly bar located in the center of the backpacker area of Saigon. A lively, friendly atmosphere with a DJ playing most nights and live music at other times. Also serving delicious food at reasonable prices. Utopia Member Discount

  Comments from Utopians:

  "61 Club at 61 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, Dist 1 is 100% gay." -- Samuel392, May 28, 2011

  
  OTHER AREAS

• GQ Club Lounge Bar
  101 Suong Nguyet Anh St, email. Gay club.

  Comments from Utopians:

  "New gay club! GQ Club. Many cute guys are there." -- Samuel392, Nov 7, 2011

DISTRICT 1
• Apocalypse Now (mixed)
  Thi Sach St. 2B-2C (see map), Dist 1, 825-6124, FAX 910-0476. The majority of the audience are straight, rich young Vietnamese. Some female prostitutes. About 10% of the crowd is gay (beware of hustlers) and they tend to stay in just one corner area indoors or sometimes the outdoor patio area. Two dance floors, plus an open-air garden café. Entrance fee is arbitrarily applied, but usually free for foreigners. Packed with a young crowd (very frat house), under 25 and, often, loud and drunk. Open daily from 8pm until late.

  Comments from Utopians:

  "Apocalypse Now (where else would you find a place with THAT name?) is very active, but it's also very unnerving. There are security guards EVERYWHERE. I'm familiar with bouncers at the entrance, but this lot are at the door and at just about every corner of the interior. Between them they are positioned so that at least one, often two or three, of them can see you regardless of where you go. They're all in uniform, too. I am a curious guy so when I enter a place for the first time I like to walk around and see what's where, especially to find the toilet and entrance from anywhere inside. Also interesting to see the bars and décor. I'd walked from the front room to the courtyard at the back when I was approached by one of these guards, shown a table and a chair in the front room close to the bar, and told to sit there and stay there! Some woman sat with me also upon instruction but she wasn't much of a conversationalist. It's not a gay place, at best it's gay friendly. I saw a lot of straight couples there." -- Brian, Apr 30, 2011

  "I like Apocalypse Now. The place has indoor and outdoor zones. We can sit, talk and drink outdoors. Free entry for foreigners. Drink prices are reasonable. But, too much security (feel like I'm in a war barracks bar)." -- euroasia, Mar 1, 2011

• Villa
  2/F 131 Dong Khoi St (see map, on a corner across from Gucci and the Sheraton Hotel, above Gloria Jeans). Ten minutes from Pham Ngu Lao area by taxi. Gay disco. Small and very, very loud gay disco, with a tiny dance floor and good music.

  Comments from Utopians:

  "There is no indication from the street, so I just wandered up the stairs and went in. Absolutely bizarre! Completely dark, as in no lights inside at all aside from some dim lights at the bar and the DJ box. It was so dark that the bar staff are equipped with torches! And they have a very strange idea of beer there. Not the usual lagers available at other places, but some strange sweet pink substance that tasted more like a very artificially sweetened cool drink than a beer. And it was practically deserted. I managed to make out about four individuals, but it was almost impossible to say if they were couples or singles or even if they were guys or girls. VERY loud music as well. Really odd place!" -- Brian, Apr 30, 2011

  "I was at Villa last night with my friends. The place is too small and the music was very, very loud. I not even talk to my friends who sat next to me. The lighting was horrible, like a thunderbolt. After one drink we left. The owner should change this." -- euroasia, Mar 1, 2011

DISTRICT 3
• Paris Dong Phuong
  22 Ba Huyen Thank Quan P6, Dist 3, 930-2796. Crowded with cute gays who come to sing.

  
  TAN BINH DISTRICT

• Nang Xanh Café Bar (mixed)
  Phan Xich Long St, Tan Binh Dist. Gay karaoke and café. Popular for singing and dancing from 9pm-midnight.
• The Time Café (Café Thoi Gian) (mixed)
  28 Tan Xuan St, Tan Binh District (near the Thing Nhat Hospital). Popular with gays from 8pm-midnight.