Relax in one of Ho Chi Minh’s best city parks where there’s a children’s playground, plenty of open space and beautiful manicured gardens.
Tao Dan Park provides travellers with a perfect location for a break from Ho Chi Minh’s busy streets. This 24-acre (10-hectare) park is home to over 1,000 trees, providing plenty of shade from the heat. If you’re feeling energetic, there are tennis courts and a swimming pool adjacent to the park which are open to the public for a small fee.
A good time to enjoy the park is the morning before the heat sets in. Stroll through the park and watch as the local residents perform tai chi. Nearby is the Buddhist temple.
Another good reason to visit the park in the morning is for the singing birds. People from throughout Ho Chi Minh City bring their birds to the park to practice their singing skills. You’ll find the birds practicing until about 8 a.m. most mornings. See if you can also find the miniature replicas of Nha Trang’s Cham Tower and Hung King Temple hidden amongst the trees.
Throughout the day, Tao Dan Park is bustling with tourists and locals alike looking for somewhere quiet. There is plenty of space to relax on the grass and enjoy a picnic, or simply chat and laze about. The playground is a good place to head if you’re travelling with children.
At dusk, the park quietens down, with people going for walks and enjoying the cooler temperatures. Once the sun goes down, the park does have a reputation for being a bit dangerous, so keep alert if you’re walking through at night.
Tao Dan Park is located in Ho Chi Minh’s District 1, the most tourist-friendly area of the city, and is always open.
