Renting in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

District 3 sits beside District 1, and together they are the busy heart of the city. It is largely residential, with many French-style villas from the colonial period, when District 1 was the business quarter and District 3 was where officials and wealthy families lived.

Time Out named District 3 one of the 50 coolest neighbourhoods in the world in 2019. Its streets mix colonial villas, pagodas and local life a short ride from the offices of District 1.

The consulates of China, Japan and Thailand are here.

Landmarks

• Tân Định Church (Nhà thờ Tân Định): The "pink church" at 289 Hai Bà Trưng, mainly neo-Romanesque, completed in 1876.
• Xá Lợi Pagoda (Chùa Xá Lợi): The largest pagoda in the city.
• Vĩnh Nghiêm Pagoda (Chùa Vĩnh Nghiêm): Beside Công Lý Bridge on Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa, the road straight to the airport.
• Saigon railway station (Ga Sài Gòn): The country's largest rail hub, with trains north along the coast.

Shops, health and schools

• Healthcare: Raffles Medical has a clinic at 285B Điện Biên Phủ, open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 6 pm and on Saturdays from 8 am to 5 pm. Bình Dân General Hospital provides specialist surgical care.
• Consulates: The consulates of China and Japan are in District 3, and the Royal Thai Consulate is at 77 Trần Quốc Thảo.
• Universities: The University of Economics, the University of Architecture and Saigon University all have campuses here.

Getting around

• Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa runs from here straight to Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport, whose Terminal 3 opened in April 2025.
• Metro Line 2 is being built along Cách Mạng Tháng 8 street through the district.

Good to know

• Metro Line 2 is under construction along Cách Mạng Tháng 8, so expect roadworks on that street until it opens.