Last updated December 2016 | Words, photos and film by Vietnam Coracle
This post was last updated 6 years ago. Please check the comments section for possible updates, or read more on my Updates & Accuracy page.
INTRODUCTION | GUIDE | MAP | RELATED POSTS
If you’re visiting Saigon and not lucky enough to be staying at one of the smarter hotels with a pool, or if you’re an expat looking to escape the heat and clamour of the city, Saigon has plenty of decent and inexpensive public swimming pools to choose from. Apart from a few notable exceptions, changing rooms are fairly basic, but water quality is pretty good (although it can vary from season to season, because all the pools are outdoors). Avoid weekends and holidays, as public swimming pools can get very crowded during these times. The biggest obstacle to enjoying Saigon’s public pools is the convoluted system of opening hours: make sure you check the times carefully in this guide before heading off for a swim. (Note: on weekends, some pools only sell tickets for one hour slots: if you arrive halfway through a session, you may have to wait until the next one begins). Another annoyance is swimwear regulations: some pools only allow men to wear ‘speedos’ (no swimming shorts). On this page I’ve listed, reviewed, and mapped 13 public swimming pools in Saigon.
There are plenty of good public swimming pools to choose from in Saigon (this one is Phu Tho Pool)
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GUIDE: 13 PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS IN SAIGON
Below I’ve listed and reviewed 13 public swimming pools in Saigon. These pools are not listed in order of personal preference. For specific details – such as opening times, ticket prices, addresses, cleanliness, pool sizes, and regulations – click on a name from the list to read my full review:
1: Yet Kieu Pool: District 1
2: Van Thanh Pool: Binh Thanh District
3: Phu Tho Pool: District 11
4: Lam Son Pool: District 5
5: Rach Mieu Pool: Phu Nhuan District
6: Anna Sanctuary Pool: District 7
7: Ky Dong Pool: District 3
8: Lao Dong Pool: District 1
9: Hai Quan Pool: Binh Thanh District
10: Lan Anh Pool: District 10
11: Dai Dong Pool: Binh Thanh District
12: Cong Hoa Pool: Tan Binh District
13: Van Don Pool: District 4
MAP:
13 Public Swimming Pools in Saigon:
View in a LARGER MAP
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VIDEO:
Public Pools in Saigon: (Note: this is an old video; it only includes 5 of the pools in this list)
Watch on YouTube
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1. YET KIEU POOL
Address: 1 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 1 [MAP]
Opening Hours: weekdays: 5am-7am, 11am-1pm, 4pm-6pm | weekends: 5am-7am, 2pm-6pm
Price: big pool: 20,000vnđ | small pool: 15,000vnđ
I lived five minutes’ walk from Yet Kieu pool for 4 years, but I rarely swam there because of its irritatingly irregular opening hours. However, now that I’m aware of exactly what times the pool is open to the public, I have to say it’s a fantastic place to swim. There are two pools – 50 metres and 25 metres – both of which are divided into swimming lanes. The people who come to Yet Kieu come to swim, not to play around in the water or sunbathe next to the pool, so this is a great place to do some laps. The changing rooms and showers have been renovated and they are now easily the best quality of all the cheap public pools. Both pools are sheltered from the sun by enormous sails of white of canvas. Entrance is cheap and water quality is pretty good. The only downside is that, because the opening hours are so mean, most swimmers get funneled into the lunchtime slot; there’s a fair amount of traffic in each swim lane.
Yet Kieu Swimming Pool
2. VAN THANH POOL
Address: 48/10 Dien Bien Phu, Binh Thanh District [MAP]
Opening Hours: daily 6am-7pm
Price: weekdays: 60,000vnđ | weekends: 70,000vnđ
This is as close as you can get to a resort-style pool in Saigon (with the exception of Anna Sanctuary) without staying in a plush hotel, or paying the extortionate non-guest fees for the privilege of using their pools for the day. Van Thanh pool is part of a large tourist park by the same name. The pool is located behind the tennis courts, and surrounded by lush trees and foliage. The kidney-shaped pool is just about large enough to swim laps, and there’s a roped-off shallow end for kids. The changing rooms and showers here are excellent. The poolside café is nice enough, and there are plenty of wooden sun loungers to relax around the pool. This really is a refuge from Saigon; here you’re more likely to hear birdsong than beeping motorbike horns. The relaxed atmosphere makes this a favourite place for expats wanting to escape the city for a couple of hours. During the day it’s quiet, but from mid-afternoon it starts to get busier, when expat families living in the nearby apartment complexes descend on the pool after work or school. It’s not very local, but it is very nice.
Van Thanh Swimming Pool
3. PHU THO POOL
Address: 215A Ly Thuong Kiet, District 11 [MAP]
Opening Hours: daily 5.30am-11.30am, 1.30pm-6.30pm
Price: big pool: 20,000vnđ | small pool: 15,000vnđ
A fair distance from downtown Saigon, but close to Cholon (Chinatown), Phu Tho is a gigantic swimming pool that’s often entirely empty during the daytime on weekdays. Set back from a burgeoning Saigon thoroughfare, the Olympic-sized pool is divided into lanes and surrounded by a spectators’ stadium. From the stands, you can see the Phu Tho racecourse, just behind the pool. Get here for the 1.30pm session and you might have this clean, calm, sun-filled, off-the-beaten-track pool all to yourself. Some very serious young Vietnamese swimmers practice here: if you’re lucky you might see them doing laps and be able to study their stroke. Entrance is cheap, changing rooms are OK, but rules are strict: you must wear tight-fitting swimwear (‘speedos’).
Phu Tho Swimming Pool
4. LAM SON POOL
Address: 242 Tran Binh Trong, District 5 [MAP]
Opening Hours: (closed Mondays) Tuesday to Sunday: 6.00am-11.30am, 1.30pm-6.00pm
Price: 25,000vnđ
When I lived in the area, I swam at Lam Son pool daily. It’s a big, quiet, local, and cheap public pool. The main pool is located in the open-air (on the rooftop of an all-night karaoke bar). This is an Olympic-sized 50 metre giant, but there’s also a 25 metre pool, and a shallow children’s play pool on the ground floor. There’s no seating around the main pool, but there’s plenty of space to spread your towel out in sun and read a book. The water in the Olympic pool is clean and there are at least half a dozen swimming lanes, one of which is for women only. The water in the smaller pools can get murky, especially on weekends when crowds of children play for hours in the water. In general, all the pools at Lam Son are very quiet during the day, and even on weekends it’s relatively peaceful. Come near the end of the morning session or the beginning of the afternoon one, and you should have the place largely to yourself. Unfortunately, the changing rooms and showers here are grubby to say the least; change poolside instead. Note: the pool is closed all day Monday, and the entrance to Lam Son is set back from the main road; look for a blue sign saying: CÂU LẠC BỘ BƠI LỘI LAM SƠN.
Lam Son Swimming Pool
5. RACH MIEU POOL
Address: 1 Hoa Phuong, Phu Nhuan [MAP]
Opening Hours: (closed Mondays) Tuesday to Sunday: 5.30am-10am, 2pm-7.30pm
Price: 20,000vnđ
Located on the rooftop of a big sports complex, the excellent pool at Rach Mieu is in the open air and very big. There’s an Olympic-sized 50 metre pool and a 25 metre shallow pool for kids. There are several lanes for lap swimming in the main pool and a separate lane for women. From the pool, there are views over the Thi Nghe Channel and downtown Saigon, but there isn’t really anywhere to sit down and relax. Because this pool is closed at lunchtime, there’s no quiet time to swim. Both the big and small pools can get crowded early in the morning and from the start of the afternoon session at 2pm. The best time to come is around 9am; an hour before the morning session finishes at 10am. Pool regulations state that all men must wear tight-fitting swimming trunks (‘speedos’): you will not be allowed to enter if you have loose-fitting swim shorts. Regulations also forbid any photography; I had to swim here on three separate occasions before I could sneak this snap of the pool. Changing rooms are OK, but grumpy staff detract from what is an otherwise good pool. Note: the pool is closed all day Monday.
Rach Mieu Swimming Pool
6. ANNA SANCTUARY POOL
Address: 4 Phan Van Chuong Street, District 7 [MAP]
Opening Hours: daily 7.30am-7.30pm
Price: weekdays: 100,000vnđ | weekends: 120,000vnđ
It may be far from central Saigon, but it’s hard to imagine a more sumptuous pool than the one at Anna Sanctuary & Spa. Located at the southern end of the Crescent Promenade, this pool is, as a friend who recommended it to me remarked, a ‘gem’. This part of District 7 is extremely affluent; it’s a world away from downtown Saigon. Accordingly, the pool at Anna Sanctuary is unlike any other in this list: a long, grey-stone infinity pool – the undisturbed surface reflecting the tropical foliage that grows in abundance in the riverside gardens – surrounded on three sides by a white-painted villa. While lying back in the poolside loungers, enjoying a drink from the pool bar (no alcohol is available), and taking in the aromas of frangipani flowers and essential oils, it’s easy to imagine you’re in a luxury beach resort on the central coast. It’s a gorgeous setup; the perfect antidote to the noise and pollution of Saigon. Towels are included, changing rooms and showers are excellent, and at 25m the pool is long enough for swimming laps. With all this in mind, the 100,000vnd ticket price represents value for money.
Anna Sanctuary Swimming Pool
7. KY DONG POOL
Address: 40 Ky Dong, District 3 [MAP]
Opening Hours: (closed Fridays) Saturday to Thursday: 6.00am-5.45pm
Price: weekdays: 18,000vnđ | weekends: 20,000vnđ
Ky Dong is another pool where I swam every day when I lived in the area. The main pool is only 25 metres long – half the size of the Olympic pools in this list. However, at 18,000vnđ entrance, this is one of the cheapest pools in the list, and it’s also one of the quietest. What’s more, the pool is open all day without any breaks. From Monday to Thursday, between 11am and 2pm, there’s usually very few people here at all. There are a couple of lanes for swimming laps, and a women’s only lane too. The kids’ pool is a good size, and very shallow with a couple of small slides. If you want to read a book in the sun, there are deck chairs for hire poolside for 10,000vnđ. Any swimming attire is accepted. Try to avoid weekends and late afternoons on weekdays, when it gets crowded with families and awful music is played over loud speakers. Showers and changing rooms are pretty basic. Note: the pool is closed all day Friday.
Ky Dong Swimming Pool
8. LAO DONG POOL
Address: 55B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 1 [MAP]
Opening Hours: daily 6.00am-7.00pm
Price: 25,000vnđ
Right in the middle of central Saigon, Lao Dong pool couldn’t be in a better position. Surrounded by the giant tropical trees of Tao Dan Park, and overlooked by the clubhouse of the former French colonial Cercle Sportif, this should be an excellent pool. However, there’s something sad and even seedy about this once grand pleasure pool. The ticket booth is like entering a prison, and the changing rooms are pretty bad. The pool is big but water quality isn’t great. There’s only one lane divider, and it doesn’t reach the end of the pool: swimmers have to make a 180 degree turn in order to swim back around. The pool is surrounded by a grand colonnade, which hints at its former grandeur. It’s not so bad, I suppose, but like so many old buildings in Saigon, it feels like it’s waiting to be demolished.
Lao Dong Swimming Pool
9. HAI QUAN POOL
Address: 12B Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh District [MAP]
Opening Hours: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays: 5am-7am, 11am-2pm, 5pm-8pm | Wednesdays, Saturdays: 5am-7am, 11am-8pm | Sundays: 5am-8pm
Price: 30,000vnđ
Located on the banks of the Saigon River (although you wouldn’t know it), Hai Quan pool belongs to the Vietnamese navy school. However, the pool is open daily to the general public, and the only sign of the navy is the occasional chorus of rousing trumpets from the schoolyard. This is another pool that I used to come to every day when I was living nearby. The main pool is Olympic-sized and entirely allocated to lane-swimming. There’s a 25 metre pool for children and families too, but the water is pretty slimy. A few years ago, a corrugated iron roof was constructed over the main pool. Personally, I love swimming in the open air, but most Vietnamese people avoid the sun as much as possible. Sometimes the main pool can become quite dirty and the whole complex could do with a clean up. There’s a rather drab cafe and some chairs, but it’s not a nice environment to linger. Changing rooms and showers aren’t great; it’s best to change poolside or at home. A new system of annoying opening times makes swimming here a bit more complicated than in the past. But lunchtime on weekdays is still fairly quiet. Weekends, early mornings and evenings can get crowded. Swimming classes sometimes take up most of the main pool on weekdays. Note: this pool is set back from the main road, behind a big multi storey restaurant.
Hai Quan Swimming Pool
10. LAN ANH POOL
Address: 291 Cach Mang Thang Tam, District 10 [MAP]
Opening Hours: daily: 6am-8.30pm
Price: 45,000-60,000vnđ
Lan Anh is a resort-style pool surrounded by deck chairs. It’s designed for lounging in the sun and dipping in the water, rather than for swimming. Decent food and drink is served poolside and there’s even a pool bar. Lan Anh is popular as a chilled hang-out for Saigon expats on weekends and holidays. However, it’s much more relaxing to come here in the middle of a weekday, because the pool gets seriously busy whenever kids aren’t in school. Changing rooms and showers aren’t great and the price is high. My advice: if you’re looking to chillax by a pool, choose Van Thanh over Lan Anh every time.
Lan Anh Swimming Pool
11. DAI DONG POOL
Address: 25A No Trang Long Street, Binh Thanh District [MAP]
Opening Hours: (closed Mondays) Tuesday to Friday: 5.30am-11.45am, 1pm-6:30pm | Weekends: 5.30am-12.15pm, 1pm-7pm
Price: 18,000vnđ
Dai Dong is another of Saigon’s rooftop pools, similar to Rach Mieu. Off a busy road, this pool came as a surprise to me as I’d lived near it for 2 years without knowing it was there. Entrance is cheap, changing rooms and showers are basic but clean, and the open air pool is good. The main pool is divided into swimming lanes, and there’s a small pool for kids too. The water quality in the big pool is pretty good, but it’s rather unusual because it’s a square-shaped pool: somewhere between 25-50 metres in length. Women can wear any swimwear they like, including bikinis (except in white), but men must wear tight-fitting shorts or ‘speedos’. Note: the pool is closed all day on Monday.
Dai Dong Swimming Pool
12. CONG HOA POOL
Address: 364 Cach Mang Thang Tam Street, Tan Binh District [MAP]
Opening Hours: daily 5.30am-7pm
Price: 17,000vnđ
Another unexpected pool off a busy main road, Cong Hoa Swimming Pool is located near the top of Cach Mang Thang Tam, one of Saigon’s busiest thoroughfares. There are two pools here, both of which are just under 25 metres in length. The water needs a clean, and indeed work was just starting on this when I visited, so hopefully by the time you read this the water quality should have improved. At 17,000vnd a ticket, it’s one of the cheaper pools in this list. Changing rooms and showers are fine and swimming lengths here during the middle of the day is quiet and relaxing. It’s not a beautiful pool – there’s a lot of concrete, pealing plaster, and bare walls – but it’ll do for a local pool if you’re living or staying in the vicinity. Note that women can wear any kind of swimwear, but men must wear tight swim shorts or ‘speedos’.
Cong Hoa Swimming Pool
13. VAN DON POOL
Address: 122 Khanh Hoi; 28 Tan Vinh, District 4 [MAP]
Opening Hours: (closed Mondays) Tuesday to Sunday: 5.30am-7am, 7.40am-9.10am, 9.30am-11am, 1.40pm-3.10pm, 3.30pm-5pm, 5.20pm-6.50pm
Price: 18,000vnđ
Remarkably similar to Rach Mieu pool, Van Don also sits atop a sporting complex. It also shares the same silly regulations as Rach Mieu, and grumpy staff, and irritating open times. Once again, men are not allowed to swim in loose-fitting shorts: you must wear tight ‘speedos’. However, unlike Rach Mieu, Van Don pool is nice and quiet at the beginning of the afternoon session. Changing rooms and showers are pretty decent, and entrance is cheap. There’s lots of space around the Olympic-sized pool to lay out in the sun on your towel. Note: the pool is closed on Mondays.
Van Don Swimming Pool
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Hi Tom, thank you for this very clear description which contains everything what is needed. Just want to share my experience here. I come about 4 times a year to Vietnam for professional reasons and stay usually about one week. I have been looking for swimming pools to do my workouts since I practice triathlon (so a hotelpool of 10 or 15 m won’t do). I have now tried several times Phu Tho pool in district 11 (number 3 in your list). Since I rent a motorbike it is rather easily accessible, about 15 minutes drive from district 3 where I usually stay. I have been there on different times of the day: between 5.30 and 7 am, the pool is full of people (count about 8 – 12 people per lane), with no fast lanes or slow lanes and to many undisciplined people doing everything but swimming in my lane, it was not the best of all experiences; between 10.30 and 11.30 am, perfect, you have the whole pool for yourself; 1.30 pm same, you have the pool usually for yourself; between 3.30 and 5 pm (on a Friday), it was gradually getting more and more crowded (not to many people at 3.30 but very crowed from 4 pm onwards). The pool is really great (don’t forget your sunscreen though, because it is completely in the open), but you really have to chose your time carefully if you do not want to zigzag between groups of non-swimmers or slow swimmers. In my experience, the pool was rather clean as well. My last visit dates from April 24th, 2023.
Hi Erik,
Thank you for sharing your experience of swimming at Phu Tho pool – that’s very useful information for anyone who wants to avoid the crowds.
In general, your experience at Phu Tho is applicable to most other swimming pools in this list: the busiest times are the early mornings and late afternoons; the quietest time in the middle of the day.
Best,
Tom
I would love to visit HCMC when all restrictions are lifted hopefully within this year. I am pleased to have found your website. I am a keen swimmer and would definitely make it a point to visit the pools during my stay in HCMC. Which pools do you recommend for lap swimming, clean and less crowded ? Your reply will be greatly appreciated.
Hi Mikko,
For lap swimming the 50m pools at Yet Kieu, Phu Tho and Rach Mieu are by far the best. The only problem is that their opening hours can be strange: which means that sometimes swimmers are funneled into a short time slot, so the pool can get busy.
However, as this guide is out of date, you will need to check the opening hours when you arrive in Saigon.
Best,
Tom
Me and my girlfriend are keen swimmers and just enjoyed a really good swim at Phu Tho pool (number 3) thanks to this blog. We swam at 09.50 on a Tuesday for 1 hour and we had a lane to ourselves. The cost for the 50m pool was 25,000 VND each. Bags are stored in an area by staff who provide you with a corresponding key for your bag. Changing rooms and showers are basic/ dated but fine. No problems with pool water quality. Would highly recommend this pool for keen swimmers looking to do a good session in Ho Chi Minh; only negative was no flags at 5m points so have to turn/stroke count on backstroke. Thanks very much for this blog – been so useful for us!
Hi James,
Great to hear that you went to Phu Tho pool and enjoyed it. And thank you for the updates.
Tom
Hi Tom, since I’m staying in the airport area for a few days I dropped in to Tan Binh swimming pool today and would definitely recommend it – even as an option for people killing a few hours between flights. It’s a nice big 50 metre pool with at least four lap lanes and clean water. A very relaxed vibe indeed (at least at 10am on a Thursday) and no restrictions on shorts. The setting is pretty average for a local pool but pleasant and there is a nice bit of greenery around and lots of benches where you can sit and chill. There’s also a kiddie pool and two canteens/cafes. The lunchtime session was between 10am and 2pm.
On another note I had a bit of a chuckle reading about the crazy swimming pool rules. I had exactly the same experience trying to have a swim in Krakow, Poland. You had to buy a ticket, check your shoes in, change, shower and line up all at the right time and in the right order and the attendants are NOT nice about it. And you only got 45 minutes in the water. Even my boyfriend was baffled and he’s from there. Probably a system brought over from Russia back in the day ; )
Hi Sonia,
Thanks for the information about Tan Binh pool – sounds great.
Haha! Interesting to hear that you had similar experiences with opening times/swimwear in Poland – I’m sure there’s a Soviet-Communist connection in that somewhere 🙂
Tom
Hi Tom
Great site!
I will be shortly travelling regularly to and from HCMC for work. Everyone I have spoken to had said there were no olympic public swimming pools in HCMC, so your article and welcome and informative. I’m a keen lap swimmer so plan to swim first thing early mornings. Are you saying I need to arrive spot on opening time ie 6am at Lao Dong Pool, otherwise they won’t let me in?
David
ps. I’m also told that there are no golf courses in HCMC and that all the courses nearby HCMC are very expensive. Is this true? Any advice would be gratefully received.
Hi David,
There are a few olympic pools in Saigon, several of which are in this list. You don’t need to arrive spot on, just don’t get there at the end of a ‘session’, otherwise you’ll have to get out, buy another ticket, and get in again. However, Lao Dong is not the best large pool for lap swimming – I would consider going to Yet Kieu, Rach Mieu, or Phu Tho instead. Please note that I haven’t updated the opening times for at least 18 months so they may have changed a bit.
There are a couple of driving ranges in Saigon, and a pitch and putt somewhere in District 7, I think. There are several courses on the outskirts of Saigon, but I don’t know if they’re particularly expensive. A popular ‘golf break’ from Saigon is Ho Tram Grand.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi do you have any info about the pool depth for any of the 50m pool? I’m looking for one that isn’t too deep.
Hi Dee,
Sorry, I don’t have any information about the depths of the pools. You’ll have to go along to a couple of them and find out.
Good luck,
Tom
Lam Son and Phu Tho has similar pool depth of consistent 2.5m, no shallow ends.
Hi Chi,
Yes, they’re both decent lap pools. Lam Son also has a separate shallow pool for kids.
Tom
Hi Tom, thanks for this incredible post. I found it very interesting and informative. I wondered if you could help me with further information? I’m hoping to narrow down what rooftop pools existed in 1973/1974 in Saigon and if all the above would be included or only some? Also hoping to gain a further insight as to whether rooftop pools would have been utilised and/or easily accessed by the local community if not hotel guests. Thanks for a great read.
Hi LJ,
I’m afraid I can’t really help you with that, as I don’t know which of these pools (if any) existed during those years. Although the Lao Dong Pool certainly did, and I would imagine that there was a pool at the Rex Hotel too.
Good luck in your search,
Tom
Haha it was a long shot! I love your site and thanks for the information. I will be telling a number of friends about Vietnam Oracle. Cheers and beers!
Hi Tom,
Many thanks for your pool summary. Incredibly helpful. I have it bookmarked for future visits.
I went to Van Don yesterday for the morning session. I see what you mean about grumpy staff! I only had time for 45 minutes so showed up at 09:45. The woman said they closed at 10:30 so I was too late. With the aid of some English speaking schoolkids, I explained that 45 minutes was fine so I’d like to swim. She would not budge. In her mind, it seemed, you had to show up at the start of the session or you could not swim.
The pool was empty, and they turned away the only customer (me). Weird.
So now I am sitting here jet lagged at 04:13am wondering if I go to the 0530 session at 0600, if I will be turned away.
Cheers,
Gordon
Hi Gordon,
Oh dear, I’m sorry to hear about that. Yes, those weird opening times always get me too. I think it’s worth going back for another try, or perhaps try a different pool.
I hope you get to have a swim this time and I hope you get over the jet lag,
Tom
I went to the Binh Thanh Pool and the one at Anna’s Sanctuary- both were lovely, thank you for the recommendation! They feel like secluded havens from the bustle of Saigon.
Hi Patricia,
Glad to hear you enjoyed the pools – I was at Van Thanh pool today too: very nice.
Tom
Thanks a lot , Tom, for sharing your experience in swimming pools surrounding here in Saigon. Your comments are very straightforwards, give me a glue where and when I should take which pool to escape the hot here.
Hi Tuan,
Thanks. I hope you enjoy relaxing at some of these swimming pools.
Tom
Thank you for this amazing guide. The whole family enjoyed a day of peace and quite thanks to you!
Hi Ninda,
Thanks. It’s great to hear you had a nice relaxing day with your family at the pools 🙂
Tom
Thanks for posting this Tom. I will be in Saigon soon, and wanted to swim. This saves me spending money on more expensive hotels.
I’m in the process of updating this post to include some more pools. Check the comments on this page for more details about Yet Kieu pool as it’s a particularly good option for lane swimming.
I hope you enjoy the pools.
Tom
Tom,
Next to Lam Son Pool on An Duong Vuon g st, there is a vina steakhouse call Tin Hung. It is the best steak in Saigon. They open at 2.30 but by 4.30 there are no more steak. Here is the address
Bò Tín Hưng
370 An Dương Vương P.4 , Q.5
2.30pm – 6pm
P.s.: dont forget to order you steak with crispy beef fat (mỡ bò). Bon apetit
Thanks. I’ll try it someday.
Hey Tom,
Great list! After all these great comments I reckon it could even be expanded to Top 10 pools!
On that note, just had a TERRIBLE experience at Rach Mieu today. I wasn’t sure if your swimwear comment was out of date; hoping they’d come to their senses I wore my normal swimshorts in, bought a ticket and headed upstairs. Just as I was about to get in the water, a lady comes running over shouting at me that I am wearing “beach” wear NOT “swim” wear. Having swum in shorts like these for, oh, say about the past 25 years or so, I was totally confused. My shorts are kind of like running shorts, not big board shorts. I don’t like to wear speedos or spandex of any kind, I’m just not that kinda guy.
She was absolutely adamant that I must purchase the correct “swim” wear before getting in the pool. None of the lifeguards said anything to me at all, nor the ticket lady. I went downstairs at her request and it turns she runs the swimwear store downstairs! So now I’m confused, is this just HER ploy to make money, or a genuine rule?
What happened after that was awful, basically there was nothing I could do to be allowed back into that pool! This woman was now going around briefing every staff and onlooker about the rule. Can they really force me to wear revealing skin tight clothing to swim in? I guess so! Anyway I would be thrilled if you ever considered removing it from your Top 5.
Hi,
Thanks for your comment.
Yes, Rach Mieu is obsessed with rules and regulations. They are very bureaucratic about it and this has irritated me in the past too. But the tight swim wear is and always has been a rule there. The woman was not just trying to make money from you.
I like the pool and the position of Rach Mieu pool, even if the regulations are annoying, so I won’t be eliminating it from my list of the best public pools in Saigon.
I will be updating and expanding this article as soon as I have time. For the moment, take a look at Yet Kieu pool (read the above comments). They don’t have a rule on swim wear and the pool is good.
Thanks,
Tom
Hi Tom, can you hire towels at Van Thanh pool? Great information on this site – thanks!
Hi Jan,
Thanks. I don’t think you can hire towels at Van Thanh Pool. But then again I’ve never asked. Best to bring your own if you’ve got one 🙂
Tom
Thanks, Tom
Spent a very enjoyable, relaxing day at Van Thanh yesterday – such a lovely little oasis! We took our own towels, which was good as there are none available to hire!
Jan
Glad to hear it!
Women can wear bikini?
Thanks!
Good question!
I don’t think this should be a problem at Ky Dong Pool, Lam Son Pool, Yet Kieu Pool (see info in comments on this page), and it is definitely not a problem at Van Thanh Pool. That leaves Rach Mieu and Hai Quan that I’m not too sure about, but I think it’s probably fine.
If you find you are not allowed to wear a bikini at any of these pools, please let me know and I will mention it when I update this article.
Thanks,
Tom
Hi Tom, a big thank you for the response will be trying the pools soon!
Hi Tom, I didn’t realise there was an abundance of good pools in Ho Chi Minh! Thank you very much for this valuable compilation. I have a question though; previously (in another country) I had a bad experience where my wallet was stolen when left at poolside in my duffel bag. I finally found it empty in the pool toilets. Are there storage lockers at these pools? How do you secure your belongings in HCMC pools? Thanks again Tom, for this brilliant list.
Hi Fred,
I’ve never had any bad experiences with theft at pools, but of course it does happen. At most of these pools there are lockers in which to keep your valuables while you swim. I was at Yet Kieu yesterday and they have good lockers (see previous comments for Yet Kieu opening hours and address). So you shouldn’t have a problem finding lockers at most of these pools. Locker is tủ in Vietnamese 🙂
Enjoy the pools,
Tom
Thanks for the review of the pools. Do you know if there is any pool in HCMC with a diving platform and springboards? The 10m and 5m platforms from where you jump into the water and do a few flips on the way down?
Hi Tom,
I think Phu Tho pool in District 10 may have diving boards: address 215 Ly Thuong Kiet. Also Yet Kieu might have one: address 1 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 1. I’m not entirely sure about either, but they’re your best bet.
Good luck,
Tom
hi… the pool no 3..HẢI QUÂN POOL .. is it nearby binh thanh market? cause i like to know is there any nearest public pool neaby binh thanh market.. do u have any photo like shower room.. locker room at this pool? pls reply to my email.. i like to know 🙂
Hi,
I think you mean Ben Thanh Market, right? The Hai Quan Pool is not near Ben Thanh Market. The nearest public pool to Ben Thanh Market is the Lao Dong Pool at the corner of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Truong Dinh streets in District 1.
Tom
Hello Tom. Price for Van Thanh has increased to 60k if you want to update the information. I would just add that their storage closets are a bit crammy. Thanks for all the info. My personal favourite is still the Swimming Pool at Nha Van Hoa Lao Dong, for the towering trees from the bordering park surrounding it.
Thanks. That’s the second time in a year they’ve upped their prices at Van Thanh! I like the setting of Lao Dong Pool but not the pool itself so much. I used to swim there everyday when I first arrived in Saigon.
Tom
Sorry… just checking info for Brett… the D4 pool is on So 38 – not So 8. Entrance is on Vinh Hoi.
Philip,
I’d like to go to the District 4 pool you mentioned but on checking the map So 38 does not intersect with Vin Hoi Street but runs almost parallel, 2 or 3 blocks away. Can you please confirm the address?
Thanks,
John H.
Hi John,
I think you should give Philip an email just in case he doesn’t get a notification for your comment. Please check your inbox – I’ve sent you his email address.
Tom
Have done this now and await a reply from Philip.
Thanks very much for your help Tom.
John H.
First, thanks for the site Tom. I’m visiting Saigon with young kids in a few weeks time, first time visitor. The information posted here is very useful.
Philip, we’re staying in District 4 and I’m therefore very interested in your suggestion. Do you have more information about the address of this pool, and whether it has a shallow section for kids or indeed a second smaller pool for children?
Hey Tom. Can I add a late suggestion?
On So 8 in District 4 is the best public pool I’ve found yet in Saigon. Rooftop 50m with VERY clean water – much cleaner than Hai Quon (which I gave up on because it was just dirty – in and out of the pool). Cleaner also than Yet Kieu (no1 NTMK).
As someone says above, I think Yet Kieu is worthy of a top5 listing. OK, so the hours aren’t best (pretty common at most pools though, yes?) but it’s a serious pool for serious swimmers – and perhaps the best changing facilities in town.
Back to D4… rooftop, crystal clear water, cheap (15k) and daytime sessions (0930-1100 / 1340-1510) are usually *very* quiet. Dedicated swim lanes too.
Hi Philip,
Thanks for the suggestions. I hadn’t heard of the pool in District 4 so I will try it out when I get back to Saigon. As for Yet Kieu – I do like it, but the opening times annoy me – I’ll try it again soon as it is quite near my house in Saigon.
Tom
Hi Philip,
Can you give me the specific address of this pool? I tried so many pool in HCM city but so disappointed about their WC/locker/changing clothes rooms. It is over dirty and make me feel no safe at all.
Hi Tom,
You should also check Yet Kieu swimming pool in Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street, near the zoo. There’re a big swimming pool for adults and a small one for both adults and kids. They also offer good swimming lessons as well. 🙂
Hi An,
Yes, thank you. I know about Yet Kieu. I like the pool, but I didn’t include it because the opening times are so anti-social: when I asked they said it was open from 5-7am, 12-1pm and 5-8pm! Do you know if it’s changed??
Tom
Hi Tom,
I haven’t been there for quite a while but I like the pool. I think the opening hours is like that because the pool is reserved for athlete training for the remaining time of the day. Hope it helps 🙂
Thank you, An. I live quite nearby Yet Kieu so I’ll try it again sometime soon. Love your icon by the way 🙂
Tom
Having been to Yet Kieu twice during closing hours now (the different weekend schedule always gets me!!) I thought I’d bother to write down all the times. So for anyone else interested, here they are:
Mon-Fri: 05.00-07.00, 11.00-13.00, 16.00-18.00
Sat/Sun: 05.00-06.00, 06.00-07.00, 07.00-08.00, 08.00-09.00, 09.00-10.00, 14.00-15.00, 15.00-16.00, 16.00-17.00, 17.00-18.00
This pool is a haven of tranquility during the weekday lunchtime slot (11-1), at other times it can get a bit too busy to keep a consistent speed.
Thanks, Imogen. That is very useful information.
Tom
Thanks for the information! I am curious to know if they offer up swimming lessons at the public pools?
Hi John,
Yes, they do offer swimming lessons at the public pools. I’m not sure of the standard. You can try calling the pools or going there to ask for more information.
Tom
Thanks Tom! I appreciate the info!
Hey Tom,
first of all i want to thank you for your effort. As a enthusiastic swimmer i would have been thankful for a list like this in some other vietnameese cities. as i wanted to do some sports while on holliday.
second i would like to suggest one more pool, which i was shown by a very helpfull guy in my hotel.
it was called “cau lac bo boi lan phu tho” in :
215 Lý Thường Kiệt, 15, 11
Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
+84 8 3864 6095
i really loved this perfect olympic sized pool. it was my home for 3 days.
Hi Christian,
Yes, there are some great and inexpensive public pools in Saigon – I’m not sure about other Vietnamese cities though. Thanks for suggesting Phu Tho Pool – I like it too, it just didn’t quite make my Top 5 🙂