New Year’s Eve in Ho Chi Minh City centers on the Nguyen Hue countdown and midnight fireworks. January 1, 2027 is a holiday, good for a day trip.

The fireworks sites for December 31, 2026 are usually announced in early December. Until then, last year’s plan below is the best guide to where the crowds, the closed roads and the late trains will be.

On December 31, 2025, Metro Line 1 alone carried 90,034 passengers into the city center for the New Year events. That number tells you most of what you need to know about the night: the whole city heads for the same few streets, and the plan that works is the one that gets you there early and home without a car.

What happens on New Year’s Eve in Saigon

There are two main events: a countdown concert on Nguyen Hue walking street and fireworks at midnight. On December 31, 2025, the city ran the countdown on Nguyen Hue from Le Loi to Ton Duc Thang, with the main stage between Ton Duc Thang and Mac Thi Buoi streets from 19:00 to midnight. Booths, DJs and bands filled the street in the days before.

The fireworks ran for 15 minutes, from 00:00 to 00:15 on January 1. The city first announced 4 sites on December 8, 2025, then expanded to 6 sites, 3 high-altitude and 3 low-altitude. Expect a similar announcement for New Year’s Eve 2026 in early December; this guide will be updated when it comes out.

If you are in town earlier in the holidays, our guide to Christmas in Ho Chi Minh City 2026 covers what to do on December 24-25.

Where to watch the countdown and fireworks

Pick your spot by how much crowd you can handle. Nguyen Hue puts you at the concert but packed shoulder to shoulder; the riverside gives you the fireworks with a little more room.

Spot	What you see	What to expect
Nguyen Hue walking street	Countdown concert and fireworks	Packed shoulder to shoulder; people arrive from late afternoon to hold a spot
Riverside by the Saigon River tunnel	High-altitude fireworks	More room than Nguyen Hue; riverside cafes take reservations only, so book days ahead

At last year’s countdown, the high-altitude show near the Saigon River tunnel and low-altitude fireworks from the roof of Saigon Marina IFC were the two displays closest to the center. Local reports from that night describe people arriving from late afternoon to hold a spot on Nguyen Hue, and riverside cafes accepting reservations only. If you want a table with a view, book it days ahead.

Getting around on December 31

Leave the car and the scooter behind; walk, or take the metro. During the countdown and fireworks, the city closes or restricts traffic on the central streets: Nguyen Hue, Le Loi, Ton Duc Thang, Ham Nghi, Dong Khoi and Pasteur near the river. Ride-hailing cars get stuck at the edge of the closed area, and Ton Duc Thang was already jammed by 19:30 last year.

Metro Line 1 is the easiest way in and out. On December 31, 2025 it ran from 05:00 to 23:00, then added late trains from 00:30 to 02:00 on January 1, and rides were free all day on January 1, 2026. Ben Thanh station is a short walk from Nguyen Hue. Check the December 31, 2026 schedule in late December, since hours change each year.

If you are staying around Bui Vien or De Tham, Nguyen Hue is within walking distance, which is the simplest plan of all.

What to do on January 1, 2027

January 1 is a one-day public holiday in Vietnam, and in 2027 it falls on a Friday. Under Article 112 of the Labor Code, workers get the day off, so many locals have a long weekend from January 1 to 3. Shops, restaurants and sights stay open; this is not Tet, when much of the country closes.

After a late night, a half-day trip is the gentle option. The Rice Tour’s Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour leaves at 08:00 from 195 De Tham Street and is back around 14:00-14:30, leaving the afternoon for sleep. If you went to bed early, the Mekong Delta day trip returns around 17:00-17:30. Dates, pickup and booking times for the whole holiday weekend are in the New Year’s Day 2027 tours guide.

One caution for road trips on January 1: roads out of the city are busy as locals leave for the long weekend. On January 1, 2026, the approach to the Saigon-Trung Luong expressway, the main road to the Mekong, had long queues near the Dong Tam junction. Cu Chi, in the other direction, is the lighter choice that morning.

New Year’s Eve tips for Saigon

• Decide where you will stand at midnight before 20:00, because moving through the crowd after that is slow.
• Eat dinner early, before 19:00, while restaurants near the center still have tables.
• Carry a small bag only and keep your phone in a front pocket in the crowd.
• Agree on a meeting point with your group; it is easy to lose each other once the streets fill up.
• Bring a light layer; last year the night was cool by Saigon standards.
• Book any January 1 tour by the morning of December 31; The Rice Tour asks for 24 hours’ notice.

Starting the New Year with The Rice Tour

The Rice Tour runs private day trips to Cu Chi and the Mekong every day of the New Year weekend, with no more than 5 guests in a 7-seat van and no shopping stops. Pickup is at 195 De Tham Street, a few minutes’ walk from Bui Vien, so if you count down in the backpacker area you can walk to the van the next morning. Here is the street around it, by day and by night:

The Bui Vien area, steps from The Rice Tour pickup point at 195 De Tham.

FAQ

Where are the New Year’s Eve fireworks in Ho Chi Minh City?

The sites for December 31, 2026 are usually announced in early December. Last year there were 6 sites, including the Saigon River tunnel entrance and Dam Sen Park, with fireworks from 00:00 to 00:15.

Where is the New Year countdown in Saigon?

On Nguyen Hue walking street. Last year the main stage ran from 19:00 to midnight between Ton Duc Thang and Mac Thi Buoi streets.

Is the metro running late on New Year’s Eve?

It did last year. Metro Line 1 ran until 23:00 on December 31, 2025, then added trains from 00:30 to 02:00 on January 1. Check the December 31, 2026 schedule in late December.

Is January 1 a public holiday in Vietnam?

Yes, a one-day holiday. In 2027 it falls on a Friday, so many locals have a three-day weekend, while shops and sights stay open.

Can I do a day trip on January 1 after a late night?

Yes. A Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour leaves at 08:00 and is back around 14:00-14:30, which suits a late New Year’s Eve.

Which roads are closed on New Year’s Eve in Saigon?

Last year the city closed or restricted Nguyen Hue, Le Loi, Ton Duc Thang, Ham Nghi, Dong Khoi and Pasteur near the river during the countdown and fireworks.