September 23rd Park is one of the most central green spaces in Ho Chi Minh City, yet it’s often overlooked by visitors who pass straight through the backpacker area. In this guide, I will share what it’s really like to spend time here – from morning walks and shaded benches to the small pond tucked inside the park.
I will also explain what makes this park unique: the underground Central Market beneath it, its close connection to Phạm Ngũ Lão’s bus companies, and how easily you can combine it with a visit to Bến Thành Market.
Where September 23rd Park Is Located
September 23rd Park sits in District 1, stretching between the roundabout near Bến Thành and the backpacker streets of Phạm Ngũ Lão and Bùi Viện. It’s only a short walk from Ben Thanh Market, which makes it one of the most accessible green spaces in central Saigon.
Because of its location, the park doesn’t feel hidden or removed from the city. It’s surrounded by traffic, hotels, tour agencies, and bus offices, and while that might not sound peaceful, as it isn’t exactly silent, it does make the park incredibly practical, and if I’m already walking around the city centre, this is usually where I end up.
A Park Designed for Walking, Not Escaping
September 23rd Park isn’t exactly the kind of place I visit to sit for hours, as it’s long rather than wide, divided into sections by roads, and shaped by the movement of the city around it. So, for me, it works best as a walking park.
I often use it as a natural route through District 1, and instead of sticking to noisy pavements the entire time, I can cut through the shaded pathways, pass exercise groups in the morning, and slow my pace slightly without feeling disconnected from the city.
There’s a constant sense of transition here with travellers pulling luggage, locals meeting briefly before work, and people waiting for buses, making it a park that reflects movement rather than stillness, and that’s what makes it honest.
The Small Pond and Shaded Corners
Tucked inside the park is a small pond that many people walk past without noticing. It’s not dramatic or polished, but it adds a moment to pause.
Around the pond, you’ll usually find people sitting quietly, sometimes feeding fish or just watching the water. Compared to the busy streets outside the park, even this small pocket of calm feels noticeable.
The trees throughout September 23rd Park are mature enough to provide real shade, which matters in Saigon’s heat. Even at midday, you can find relief under the canopy. It may not be a lush botanical garden, but it does its job.
Central Market: The Underground Surprise
One of the most unexpected features of September 23rd Park sits beneath it, as underneath part of the park is Central Market, formerly known as Sense Market – an underground shopping area selling food, drinks, and small retail items.
The first time my girlfriend brought me there, I urgently needed to use the restroom. With complete confidence, despite my questioning of her, she guided me straight into what turned out to be a clothing shop. I realised the mistake a few seconds too late, and it’s still something we laugh about whenever we pass through.
Beyond that moment, Central Market is genuinely practical. After a long walk in the heat, you can head downstairs for air conditioning, grab a cold drink, eat something quick, or just escape the sun for a while. It’s not a luxury mall, but it is functional and straightforward, much like the park above it.
That mix of green space and underground convenience is something I haven’t really seen elsewhere in Saigon.
Pham Ngu Lao Street and Visa Run Buses
One side of the park runs along Phạm Ngũ Lão Street – a name most foreigners living in Saigon quickly become familiar with.
This street is packed with backpacker hotels, travel agencies, and bus companies. If you’re a foreigner doing a visa run to Cambodia, there’s a good chance you’ll buy your ticket somewhere along this stretch.
I’ve walked this road many times, watching travellers compare ticket prices for buses to Phnom Penh, asking about departure times, or preparing for early-morning departures. For many expats and long-term visitors, this area becomes part of a routine.
September 23rd Park sits directly beside all of that activity. You can step off the busy pavement, walk under the trees for a few minutes, then return to sort out paperwork or bus tickets. The park doesn’t separate itself from this transient energy; instead, it exists alongside it.
Morning and Late Afternoon Atmosphere
Like most parks in Saigon, September 23rd Park feels different depending on the time of day. In the early morning, you’ll see exercise groups, stretching routines, and people walking brisk laps before the heat sets in. It feels purposeful, structured, and local.
During the afternoon, the pace slows. Travellers rest on benches. Some people sit alone in the shade scrolling through their phones. Others wait quietly before heading somewhere else. By early evening, the area becomes busier again as the backpacker streets nearby begin to wake up, meaning the park never fully empties, but it shifts in tone.
I personally prefer it in the morning, when it feels less transitional and more grounded in daily life.
How It Compares to Other Parks in Saigon
September 23rd Park isn’t as enclosed as Tao Dan (link), nor as open as Bạch Đằng (link) along the river. It doesn’t have the historical weight of the zoo, and it’s not as wide and airy as Gia Định Park. (link)
Instead, it feels urban in the purest sense.
It’s shaped by bus stations, hotels, visa runs, and constant movement. The greenery survives within that framework rather than replacing it. For some people, that might make it less “beautiful” in a traditional way, but for me, it makes it real.
Is September 23rd Park Worth Visiting?
If you’re looking for complete silence, this isn’t the park for you.
But if you’re already exploring District 1 – visiting Bến Thành Market, staying near Phạm Ngũ Lão, or preparing for a bus trip to Cambodia – then September 23rd Park is absolutely worth spending time in.
It’s easy to access, shaded enough to offer relief, and practical thanks to the underground market below. You don’t need to dedicate half a day to it. Even a short walk through can change the rhythm of your afternoon.
Final Thoughts
September 23rd Park isn’t polished or dramatic. It doesn’t try to transport you away from Saigon. Instead, it sits right in the middle of everything – absorbing the noise, the travellers, the routines, and the movement.
For me, it’s a walking park. A place to think while moving. A shortcut that becomes more than just a shortcut.
And in a city that rarely slows down, sometimes that’s exactly enough.
<p>The post September 23rd Park Saigon: A Walking Park in the Heart of the City first appeared on Travelbinger.</p>