The Other City: Cholon

Best Time to Visit

Early to mid-morning, roughly eight to eleven, is ideal. The market is fully awake and lively, the temples are quiet and freshly filled with incense before the midday crowds, and you beat the worst of the afternoon heat. Aim to finish before the early afternoon sun peaks, and if you are walking in the rainy season from about May to November, morning also gives you the best chance of dodging the daily downpour.

Pro Tips

• •Wear comfortable shoes you can slip off easily, since some temple thresholds and inner halls ask you to remove footwear, and dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered out of respect at every temple.
• •Carry small bills of Vietnamese dong. Entry to the market and all the temples is free, but small denominations are handy if you choose to buy incense, a hanging coil, or a snack, and vendors rarely have change for large notes.
• •Give your eyes a moment to adjust in each temple. The best carvings, the rooftop porcelain figures, and the hanging incense coils reward looking up and looking closely rather than a quick glance.
• •The whole walk is a gentle west-to-east line of about two kilometers, but the streets are dense and busy, so build in extra time and treat the ninety-minute estimate as a floor, not a target.
• •Bring water and a hand fan or small towel. The combination of tropical heat and thick temple incense smoke can feel intense, so step into a shaded courtyard to cool down whenever you need to.
• •Photography is generally welcome in the courtyards, but pause and be discreet around people who are actively praying or making offerings, and avoid pointing your camera directly at altars during worship.