In this guide · 15 sections
- Where to go
- The gay bars
- Thi Bar, 224 Đề Thám
- Frolic Bar, 151 Đề Thám
- ChinChin Bar, 75 Hồ Tùng Mậu, first floor
- Frolic Station, 102 Cống Quỳnh
- LEZZY, 92 Đề Thám
- Azure, 65 Ngô Thời Nhiệm, old District 3
- Mainstream, with a queer following
- Closed or changed
- Practical notes
- FAQ
- Is there a gay district in Ho Chi Minh City?
- Which night is busiest?
- Is there a lesbian bar?
The honest summary: Ho Chi Minh City has five gay bars and one newer club, most of them in two small pockets of the old District 1. There's no gay village, and much of the scene happens in saunas instead (see our saunas page). Checked in November 2026 against venue sites, Google, Nomadic Boys (September 2026), The Gay Passport and Resident Advisor.
Where to go
The Đề Thám end of the backpacker quarter has Thi Bar, Frolic Bar and LEZZY within walking distance of each other. Hồ Tùng Mậu, near the river, has ChinChin Bar. Frolic Station is on Cống Quỳnh, between the two. Old district names still work with drivers, even though the city abolished districts in 2025.
The gay bars
Thi Bar, 224 Đề Thám
Thi Bar calls itself an LGBTQIA+ friendly place on its own site, and Nomadic Boys says it's owned by a French-Vietnamese gay couple. There's live music from about 22:00, according to The Gay Passport. The site says 19:00 to 04:00, while The Gay Passport has 02:00 on weeknights and 04:00 on Friday and Saturday.
Frolic Bar, 151 Đề Thám
Frolic Bar is the dance option. The Gay Passport lists a Saturday drag party called Unzipped and a Sunday go-go night, while Nomadic Boys lists a Saturday disco and a Wednesday girls' night, so check the Facebook page for the current week. The Gay Passport has it open from 20:00 to 03:00.
ChinChin Bar, 75 Hồ Tùng Mậu, first floor
ChinChin Bar took over the old Republic Lounge. Nomadic Boys says almost every gay man in the city ends up here eventually, and lists Wednesday boys' nights and Friday drag, with opening Wednesday to Sunday. The Gay Passport lists a Friday and Saturday after-party at 150,000 VND.
Frolic Station, 102 Cống Quỳnh
Frolic Station had a soft opening in July 2026. Resident Advisor has listed Silver Circuit, KINK and a Dopamine Weekender in October, with a 150,000 VND door for that one. Treat it as a party venue and check what's on first.
LEZZY, 92 Đề Thám
LEZZY is a shisha and cocktail lounge, and its own site is aimed at queer women and mentions drag nights. It's one of the few places in the city built around women.
Azure, 65 Ngô Thời Nhiệm, old District 3
Azure is a gay pool bar, listed daily from 13:00 to 22:00 with go-go shows and a men-only Friday. Entry is about 100,000 VND on listings. A dated review shows it trading in April 2026, and we found nothing newer, so look at its Instagram first.
Mainstream, with a queer following
Elixir Lounge Bar is gay-friendly but, according to Travel Gay, mainly straight. POC POC Beer Garden has weekend drag shows according to Nomadic Boys, the only source we found for them. Apocalypse Now is a long-running general nightclub that some gay guides call gay-friendly; many reviews mention sex workers there.
Closed or changed
Muscle Bar Saigon and Taboo are marked permanently closed on Google. Whiskey & Wares, The Tipsy Unicorn, Papa Cafe and Z9 have also gone. Travel Gay's page for PRIDE Cafe is titled closed. Republic Lounge is now ChinChin Bar. Lists that still name these are out of date.
Practical notes
Pride Drives, a local LGBT tour operator, says drag in Saigon is usually a one-off event rather than a fixed weekly show, so confirm any drag night on the day. Rights groups report that authorities pressured venues into cancelling LGBT events in 2025, which is another reason to check late. Police also run late-night bar inspections, sometimes with drug tests, so carry a copy of your passport. Grab is the easy way between the two pockets.
FAQ
Is there a gay district in Ho Chi Minh City?
No. There are two small clusters of bars in the old District 1, and the saunas are spread across other parts of the city.
Which night is busiest?
Guides concentrate their listings on Friday and Saturday, but schedules change. Check the venue's own page for this week.
Is there a lesbian bar?
LEZZY on Đề Thám is the only current venue we found that's aimed at queer women. Nomadic Boys also mentions Les Come Out, which runs parties for lesbian and trans women without a fixed venue.
Last verified: November 2026