Bùi Viện Street

Bùi Viện Street is a small street in Bến Thành, Ho Chi Minh City.^[1] This is the city's famous nightlife street with many small bars and beer gardens, specializing in affordable tourist goods and services.^[2]

Bùi Viện Street

Bùi Viện Pedestrian Street, Backpacker Street (Phố Tây)
East entrance gate on Trần Hưng Đạo Boulevard
Native name	Đường Bùi Viện, Phố đi bộ Bùi Viện (Vietnamese)
Former name(s)	Bảo Hộ Thoại Street (1950–1955)
Namesake	Bùi Viện
Type	Pedestrian street
Length	652 m (2,139 ft)
Location	Bến Thành, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Coordinates	10.767421°N 106.693979°E / 10.767421; 106.693979
Major junctions	Phạm Ngũ Lão – Đề Thám – Bùi Viện (International crossroads)
East	Trần Hưng Đạo Boulevard
West	Cống Quỳnh Street

The street starts at Y-junction of Trần Hưng Đạo Boulevard in the east, next to crossroads of Trần Hưng Đạo – Nguyễn Thái Học, intersects with Đề Thám and Đỗ Quang Đẩu then ends at Cống Quỳnh street in the west.^[1] The area including streets of Bùi Viện, Đề Thám, Phạm Ngũ Lão and Đỗ Quang Đẩu is popularized as 'International Crossroads' (Ngã tư Quốc Tế) in the past and 'Backpacker Quarter' (Phố Tây ba lô) in modern times.^[2]

History

Before 1949, this was the trail of Tân Hòa village. In 1950, the State of Vietnam named it as Bảo Hộ Thoại Street. Until 1955, the government of South Vietnam renamed it into Bùi Viện Street, named after the Vietnamese reformer and diplomat of the late 19th century Bùi Viện, and it has been kept until now.^[3]

In South Vietnam period, the area of Phạm Ngũ Lão, Đề Thám and Bùi Viện street was nicknamed as 'International Crossroads' (Ngã tư quốc tế), as it was home to many print shops and newsrooms, also there was some popular theaters around this area like Nguyễn Văn Hảo, Hưng Đạo (now is Công Nhân [vi] and Trần Hữu Trang Theatre [vi], respectively) with many coffee shops that celebrities or even locals usually come so celebrities can be easy to be spotted here, everyone gossips to each other and journalists can easily collect news here.^[4][5]

• 
  Bùi Viện Street at night in 2013, before renovation
• 
  Bùi Viện street life in daylight
• 
  An orange tabby cat lying on the alley of the street

In 2017, Ho Chi Minh City was implementing the construction of Bùi Viện Street into a walking street. The entire route is being renovated and upgraded with sidewalks, roadways, lighting systems, and drainage.^[6][7] Bùi Viện Walking Street officially opened on August 20, 2017 and is the second pedestrian street in Ho Chi Minh City, after Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard, vehicles are prohibited on Saturday and Sunday in the time of 7 P.M til 2 A.M of the next day same with Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard.^[8][9]

Bùi Viện Street in 2017, look towards to Bitexco Financial Tower and Bến Thành Tower, shortly after renovating into pedestrian street

Criticism

• 
  Bùi Viện street with chaotic lights and noise from all the bars at night in 2023
• 
  A woman doing fire breathing on the street

Despite expecting to be the "Khaosan Road of Saigon", Bùi Viện Street has faced growing criticism for its chaotic atmosphere and deteriorating cultural identity. Once envisioned as a vibrant hub for international tourists, it has devolved into a noisy, overcrowded area dominated by loud bars, encroached sidewalks, lack of the local culture restaurants, and the illicit activities like sale of laughing gas or sex industry (less happens in recent years). The overwhelming sound pollution and lack of authentic experiences have driven away both locals and quality tourists, earning it the unfortunate nickname “poison street” (phố đầu độc).^[10]

See also

• Phạm Ngũ Lão Street