Ho Chi Minh City is "changing its clothes" to welcome Christmas 2025 with a series of check-in points right in the center: Diamond Plaza, Notre Dame Cathedral, GEM Center, Saigon Center, Takashimaya and the area near the Ho Chi Minh City Theater. In addition, many cafes have also decorated in various styles. Below is a suggested map with shooting tips and practical experiences from those who have experienced it.
Beautiful photo spots in the center
The route from 30/4 Park – Diamond Plaza – Notre Dame Cathedral is lit up early, creating a distinct festive atmosphere. Diamond Plaza creates a highlight with “giant gift boxes” that can be entered, increasing interaction instead of just standing outside posing.
If you want a change of pace, GEM Center is decorated in a fairytale style, with eye-catching candy-colored pastels. This is a gentle backdrop.
Teams who like modern spaces can visit Saigon Centre and Takashimaya, where the miniature landscapes are carefully invested and updated with trends.
Near the Ho Chi Minh City Opera House, the Caravelle Saigon Hotel kicks off the holiday season with a Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. The lobby is decked out in bright Christmas colors, highlighted by Teddy bears placed in public areas for people to adopt, while also spreading the message of support for VinaCapital Foundation’s Can-Clover program.
In this year’s decoration race, coffee shops are not far behind. Many diverse shooting angles are ready to serve photography enthusiasts.
"Real-life" experience from experienced people
Regarding parking at the "hot spot" Diamond Plaza, Diep Han (20 years old, student) shared: "This area is very crowded at night, the parking lot at Diamond is often full. I usually park at the Youth Cultural House. Or if you just stop by to take a quick photo, you can park at MPlaza, the side exit can lead to Notre Dame Cathedral and Book Street."
If you arrive and find “more people than scenery”, the backup plan is Ho Chi Minh City Book Street. The bookstores here decorate their facades with “cool” landscapes, and the space is more open – suitable for days when the center is overloaded.
With the cafe background, My Duyen (25 years old, office worker) said after taking pictures at Nham Coffee: "Every angle looks beautiful, but you need to time it right. It's really beautiful when the lights are on at night, but you need to know how to adjust the parameters when taking pictures to avoid burning the photo. If you want to 'take a quick photo', go during the day, before 5:00 PM is the best time."
Quick tips for getting the perfect photo set
- When crowded: prioritize Ho Chi Minh City Book Street as a backup plan, open space and many front landscapes.
- Easy time to take photos at coffee shops: daytime, before 5:00 PM (according to the actual experience of the person who experienced it).
- Diamond Plaza area is often crowded at night: consider parking at Youth Cultural House or MPlaza (according to shared experiences).
Reference schedule by cluster
- 30/4 Park – Diamond Plaza – Notre Dame Cathedral: many Christmas corners, convenient to walk between locations.
- GEM Center: sweet pastel style, suitable for light-toned photos.
- Saigon Centre – Takashimaya: modern landscape, carefully decorated.
- Area near HCMC Theater – Caravelle Saigon: festive atmosphere and lit Christmas tree.
Source: https://baonghean.vn/tphcm-mua-noel-2025-7-diem-check-in-va-meo-chup-dep-10314061.html
![[Photo] 60th Anniversary of the Founding of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvphoto.vietnam.vn%2Fthumb%2F1200x675%2Fvietnam%2Fresource%2FIMAGE%2F2025%2F12%2F05%2F1764935864512_a1-bnd-0841-9740-jpg.webp&w=3840&q=75)
![[Photo] National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man attends the VinFuture 2025 Award Ceremony](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvphoto.vietnam.vn%2Fthumb%2F1200x675%2Fvietnam%2Fresource%2FIMAGE%2F2025%2F12%2F05%2F1764951162416_2628509768338816493-6995-jpg.webp&w=3840&q=75)
Comment (0)