The streets of Cholon at night are deserted.

Expected to boost tourism in Binh Tay ward (Ho Chi Minh City), the Cho Lon night market is still not vibrant enough. This raises the question of defining its core value, rather than simply operating it as a food street.

After nearly a month of operation, the Cho Lon night market (Binh Tay ward, Ho Chi Minh City) has few food vendors and limited customer numbers, especially on weekdays.

Previously, this night market officially opened on January 1st. The market covers a total area of ​​1,510 m2, with stalls including food trucks and pushcarts, divided into functional zones. This project had been long conceived by the former District 6.

The night market area is located on Nguyen Huu Than and Thap Muoi streets, with 3.5 meters of sidewalk used for setting up stalls. Le Tan Ke and Tran Binh streets (in front of Binh Tay market) are used as parking lots.

According to Mr. Tran Duc Tho, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Binh Tay Ward, the launch of the night market at the end of the year is expected to create a highlight and develop tourism for the newly established ward. It also aims to promote the night market as a cultural, commercial, and tourist space, with Binh Tay Market – a famous architectural landmark of Ho Chi Minh City – as its centerpiece.

"The night market is oriented towards combining with the socio-cultural values ​​of the Cholon area to diversify tourism products. Activities here also contribute to creating livelihoods for small traders," he shared with Tri Thuc - Znews .

The number of visitors at the night market during the trial phase. This is the time when the "First Southern Vietnamese Traditional Cuisine and Cake Week 2025" is taking place. Photo: Linh Huynh.

The night market operates from 6 PM to midnight daily. However, the main activity is during the trial period (December 1, 2025 - January 1, 2026), coinciding with a festival. To date, it has yet to demonstrate any significant difference, appeal, or effectiveness in terms of the user experience.

Not attractive enough

Visiting the Cholon night market on January 24th, Ngoc Lien (27 years old, Cholon ward) said that even though it was 7 PM, the number of customers was only moderate. The night market had a few pushcarts, mostly selling drinks. However, the space was airy due to its wide street, suitable for sitting for a long time and admiring the brightly lit Binh Tay Market.

"But I only stayed for an hour because the atmosphere was a bit quiet. I probably won't come back here often. I prefer the lively atmosphere of Ho Thi Ky food street," she said.

A nighttime street scene in Cholon at around 8 PM on January 28th. Photo: Truc Ho.

Nam Khoa (24 years old, Ban Co ward) also felt that the space lacked cohesion and a clear focal point to attract customers, apart from the view towards Binh Tay market. Some food carts on Thap Muoi street had more customers, but they only served drinks and had dark storefronts, failing to create an appealing atmosphere.

Meanwhile, Tuyet Linh (29 years old, from Binh Phu ward), who visited on January 28th, believes that the night market's location far from the city center somewhat limits the number of visitors, but it would be suitable for those who want to enjoy a cultural atmosphere.

The night market also makes the streets around Binh Tay Market less deserted, giving local residents more places to enjoy themselves at night. However, the food carts don't offer a wide variety of choices, while she hopes the night market will highlight Chinese cuisine.

"The Cholon area already has many street food stalls. Not to mention, Hau Giang Street is being planned as a food street. If we use the same street food model, it will be difficult to compete," Linh expressed.

Two young tourists dine at a night market in Cholon during the trial period. Photo: Linh Huynh.

Ho Chi Minh City has many night streets that combine food and nightlife, such as Nguyen Thuong Hien, Ho Thi Ky, and Thao Dien... Except for Ho Thi Ky street, which is included in tours offered by many travel agencies, the remaining streets struggle to maintain a stable customer base after a period of operation. Compared to the opening period, the Cholon night street is quieter than the others.

Ms. Ha Quach, a lecturer in Tourism and Hotel Management at RMIT University Vietnam, believes that Binh Tay ward's development of a night market is in line with the global trend of developing the night economy. This is based on two key strengths:

• Cultural heritage, traditional commercial activities, and a steady stream of daytime visitors are readily available.
• The Saigon - Cholon City Tour bus route (30 trips/day) demonstrates the level of interest from the tourism market in this area.

"Night markets are a tool to extend the length of stay, increase nighttime spending, and keep tourists from returning to the city center. Location is less important than designing products that meet customer needs. If we only focus on selling food, we'll easily fall into a rut," this master's degree holder said.

Measuring the sustainability of night markets requires a continuous process, on an annual or multi-year cycle.

What more could you ask for in the nightlife scene?

From a professional perspective, Master Ha Quach believes that the problem with Cho Lon's night market lies not in its fragmented space or lack of diverse activities, but in the absence of a mechanism to transform its identity into an experience, making it difficult for tourists to appreciate its core value.

Binh Tay Market, Chinese cuisine, and the history of Cho Lon are currently static resources, not yet dynamic experiences. While heritage-based spaces need to be organized into experiential models that tell stories and reflect local lifestyles , rather than operating as a typical "street food" route.

"The night market still has room for growth. The current quiet period is a time for reflection, adjustment, and improvement," the master's degree holder emphasized.

Nighttime street view from Nguyen Huu Than Street. Photo: Linh Huynh.

According to Dr. Justin Matthew Pang, Senior Head of the Tourism and Hospitality Management Department (RMIT University Vietnam), nighttime tourism products must transform the experience into a multi-dimensional one, not simply a place for relaxation. To achieve this, Binh Tay ward needs to focus on space and activities – the two core values ​​of a night street.

Firstly , the space should be themed around a unified theme, such as "Chợ Lớn Night - Cuisine and Bình Tây Heritage".

Secondly , clearly defined zones (Chinese cuisine, souvenir shops, game area, art performances, etc.) encourage visitors to actively participate, increasing their length of stay. This also ensures a more even distribution of visitors along the street.

Thirdly , standardizing the platform's operational elements, which strongly impact customer satisfaction and the intention to return, such as order, cleanliness, price listing, and signage, is crucial.

"When entertainment, culture, and solid infrastructure are combined, night streets can become a tourist attraction and generate sustainable revenue," the doctor stated.

Experience from Da Nang and Phu Quoc (An Giang) shows that the long-term appeal of night streets/markets comes from the harmonious combination of food, entertainment, and culture. Based on this, Cho Lon night streets can add small but stable "pieces" such as traditional music, nighttime walking tours around the market, and storytelling about Cho Lon's history... The aim is to increase the depth of its inherent heritage value .

A beverage cart on Thap Muoi Street. Photo: Linh Huynh.

Looking more closely, Master Ha Quach suggests that Cho Lon's night market could learn from the operational methods of Ho Thi Ky or Vinh Khanh streets, which are characterized by their accessible scale. Tourists can easily move around, park their cars, choose food, and immerse themselves in the atmosphere.

The most attractive aspect of the night market comes from its lively atmosphere . This is created by the lights, sounds, and the rhythm of interaction between vendors and buyers. The Cholon night market could adapt its features to suit its heritage setting, rather than simply recreating a street food model for young people.

The master's degree holder added that compared to other night markets, Cholon night market has the advantage of connecting traders from Binh Tay Market, Chinese culinary artisans, and local people. Every year, Binh Tay Market also welcomes tens of thousands of international tourists.

Therefore, building core values ​​that address "vital" elements such as entertainment, cuisine, lighting, architecture, natural landscape, local culture, performances, and the emotions of tourists will create a unique identity that is difficult to replicate.

Source: https://znews.vn/pho-dem-cho-lon-diu-hiu-post1623804.html