HCMC's largest expat hub Thao Dien named among world's coolest neighborhoods

"Thao Dien is a walkable, tree-lined neighborhood packed with restaurants, spas, and cool boutiques," the magazine described.

Located in the eastern part of the city, formerly District 2 and now part of Thu Duc City, Thao Dien is home to over 20,000 residents, mainly expats. This affluent area is also dotted with luxury bars and restaurants that stay open until midnight.

For food lovers, Time Out editors recommend visiting Bakes, a creative Vietnamese-French-owned bakery, or the Michelin-recognized Tre Dining, an open-terrace restaurant offering tasting menus that blend classic Vietnamese flavors with premium ingredients.

In the morning, visitors can start their day with a classic salted foam Vietnamese coffee at Hue Cafe Roastery before enjoying a bowl of pho at the Pho Bac Hai stall, Time Out suggested. They can then stroll along Xuan Thuy Street to shop for local ceramics or visit the world-renowned Vietnamese chocolatier Maison Marou for a cup of hot cocoa.

Notre-Dame-du-Mont in France was named the world's coolest neighborhood, followed by Mers Sultan in Morocco and Pererenan in Bali, Indonesia.

To compile the annual ranking, Time Out surveyed its experts and editors to identify the coolest neighborhood in their respective cities. The list was then narrowed down and ranked based on criteria such as food, drink, arts, culture, street life, community, and unique local flavor.