Cholon — meaning "big market" in Vietnamese — is Ho Chi Minh City's Chinese quarter, occupying most of District 5 and spreading into parts of District 6. It has been the centre of the city's Chinese community since the late 17th century and remains one of the largest Chinatowns in Southeast Asia.
The neighbourhood has a distinct character from the rest of the city: streets lined with Chinese-character shop signs, herbalists selling dried seahorses and tiger balm, tea houses, dim sum restaurants open from dawn, and temples dedicated to Chinese deities. The Bình Tây wholesale market anchors the area commercially. The Nghĩa An Hội Quán Pagoda on Nguyễn Trãi Street and the Ông Bổn Pagoda are among the most atmospheric temples in Cholon. Wandering without a plan is the best approach — Cholon rewards aimlessness.