Saigon’s once-bustling streets turn quiet at night

The area around Saigon Opera House in District 1 was left deserted on the night of April 7 and not as sparkling as normal days. 

The city’s largest municipal theater has a strong gothic theme which was very popular in the late 19th century. It was designed and built in 1898 by French architects. The main feature of this work of art is an ingenious collaboration between architecture and sculpture. Today, the French colonial landmark is a center of entertainment and a popular rendezvous for wedding photo shoots.

The Continental Saigon Hotel, located on the corner of Dong Khoi Street, a busy and crowded area in HCMC, turns now empty and without lights. 

The photo collection was captured in District 1 between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. on April 7, one week after the country entered the 15-day social distancing campaign ordered by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc which prohibits gatherings of more than two people in public and exhorts people to stay at home unless truly necessary.

In Vietnam's southern metropolis, between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. is the peak time with people flocking to the streets for dating, entertainment activities and hangouts while coffee shops, bars, karaoke parlors and shopping centers are flooded by throngs of visitors. However, the social distancing order turns everything change completely. 

A man waits at the traffic light at the crossroad of Pham Ngoc Thach and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai streets, which were left deserted with almost no passers-by. 

On Nguyen Thiep Street, souvenir shops, cafes and money exchange counters were closed. The 100-meter-long road connecting Dong Khoi Street and Nguyen Hue pedestrian street used to be crowded and busy before. 

The deserted sight at the corner of New World Hotel.

Rows of shops, hotels, cafes on Pham Hong Thai Street were shut down and turned dark without lights. Previously, vehicles pouring the area at 9 p.m. daily sometimes causes traffic jams.

The usually-crowded Nguyen Hue pedestrian street had no visitors. Nguyen Hue, which runs from the City Hall to Ton Duc Thang Street along the Saigon River, has welcomed thousands of visitors every day since it turned pedestrian. The street gets particularly crowded during the weekends and holidays.  

The West Gate of Ben Thanh Market suspended night market with streets cleaned up. Typically, the night market operates from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., attracting many foreign tourists. 
 
The number of foreign arrivals in Ho Chi Minh City in Jan-March fell to 1.3 million, down 42 percent year-on-year, while tourism revenue hit VND25.5 trillion ($1.08 billion), down 26 percent, according to the municipal Tourism Department.

A street vendor runs on a deserted street.

Vietnam is considering whether to extend the social distancing campaign. Its Covid-19 count stands at 262, with 145 discharged after recovery and no deaths so far.