Thu Thiem

Saigon is a large, heavily populated city. I have visited, driven through, worked in, or lived in almost all the districts of the city. Thu Thiem however is an exception. For years I have watched the bikes streaming off the ferry and entering the flow of traffic on Ton Duc Thang. For years I have gazed at the old SANYO advertising board over the river and wondered what lurks behind. In my mind, it was a row of old sheds and not a lot else. So one Sunday when passing and with little else to do I ducked onto the small ferry, paid my 1,500 VND fee, and finally took a look at Thu Thiem.

Of course, it mostly looks like the rest of the city, and the first route I took was an anti climatic road leading to the bottom of the Saigon Bridge. That ain't nothing new. Eventually, heading back into the heart of Thu Thiem, I found what I was looking for, or at least what I suspected was here.

To me, this was amazing. After resigning myself to the fact that Saigon is a chaotic jungle full of choking fumes and ruined by traffic, I find this -- a peaceful countryside lane within ten minutes of District 1.

The road led to the Saigon river, and a view out over District Four and Seven and their various ports.

Of course this little hidden corner of the city, so far protected by water, will soon be opened up massively by the East-West highway project (including the tunnel under the Saigon River). A bridge from Binh Thanh to Thu Thiem will be finished by TET, and eventually will link to the highway, another bridge linking from Thu Thiem to District 7.

Here's the highway under construction, looking back to District One and the tunnel under the river.