Saigon backpacker street is getting ready to reopen

Food stalls, nail salons and beer clubs on Bui Vien Street, Saigon’s backpacker area, are cleaning up and awaiting the government’s order to reopen.

On Wednesday afternoon, soon before the government decided to ease social distancing measures in HCMC after the city went 18 days without new infections, Bui Vien Street in District 1 turned busy with many shops getting a cleanup and renovation after more than a month of closure. @ VNExpress

But establishments like karaoke parlors, bars, cinemas, and Internet cafés continue to remain closed.

Related: Vietnam’s HCMC and Hanoi stop social distancing, start living with the pandemic

Employees at a beer club fix chairs as they prepare to reopen. @ VNExpress

In mid-March the city closed all amusement venues like cinemas, massage and karaoke parlors, beer clubs, and discotheques.

To Van Quy is hired to repair tables and chairs at a shop. He said he receives quite a lot of orders to decorate and repair signboards and others in the backpacker area. @VNExpress

A worker at a karaoke parlor checks music systems. @VNExpress

A worker cleans the glass doors of a bar. @ VNExpress

Saigon has 180 bars and beer clubs and around 500 karaoke parlors, cinemas, massage parlors, and Internet cafés.

Linh Phuong, the owner of a pub, cleans the sidewalk in front @ VNExpress

Since the city has had no new cases she is no longer as worried as before, she said. “Now I’m just looking forward to normal business.”

Foreign tourists in face masks walk on Bui Vien on Thursday after the city ended a 22-day social distancing campaign. @ VNExpress

Bui Vien is dubbed “Saigon beer street” and closed to vehicles on weekends. It is popular with foreign tourists for its bustle and energy, beer clubs, bars and pubs, loud music, blinking lights, and atmosphere of general cheer.

Reporting by Nguyet Nhi @ VNExpress