Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard

Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard is a boulevard in District 1, downtown Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Being one of Saigon's oldest thoroughfares, the boulevard has undergone several transformations; it is currently a famous pedestrian street in the city.
The boulevard stretches from Lê Thánh Tôn Street, right across from Ho Chi Minh City Hall, to Tôn Đức Thắng Boulevard.

History

The boulevard was originally a canal known as Kinh Lớn, which linked the former Citadel of Saigon to Saigon River. In the first two decades after the French conquest of Saigon, the canal remained an important waterway, as the central market was then located on its bank. The two quayside streets along the canal were designated by n° 18, before they were officially named Quai Charner and Quai Rigault de Genouilly in 1865. Due to the pestilential odors emanating from the canal, local residents had soon requested that it be filled in. However, it took eighteen years of discussions for this to be achieved in 1886–1887. The resulting wide thoroughfare was henceforth named boulevard Charner.
From 1926, the boulevard had two wide central avenues separated by a thin strip of grass, which was ordered by the former Saigon mayor Rouelle. In 1955, it was renamed Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard by the South Vietnamese government.

Nguyen Hue pedestrian street

In October 2014, the government of Ho Chi Minh City decided to convert the middle lanes of the boulevard into a pedestrian square. The project was completed on April 29, 2015. During weekend evenings, the entire boulevard is pedestrianized.

Buildings

Numerical odd or even order, odd for West side and even for the East side, starts from Bạch Đằng Quay

Address	Alternative name	Image	Primary user and notes
No. 1 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Ho Chi Minh CIty Customs Department		Other gates are on 21 Tôn Đức Thắng and No. 2 Hàm Nghi Boulevard
2-4-6 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Hotel Majestic Saigon Expansion		Outdoor digital billboard
3–5–7–9–11 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard			BenThanh Tourist Office, Cholon Tourist Office
13–15–17 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard
8 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Vietnam International Finance Center Headquarters		Formerly known as Osic Building then Vạn Thịnh Phát Office Service Center
10 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Vinatex Building
19–25 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Bitexco Office Building		Sai Gon Joint Stock Commercial Bank Office
35 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Harbour View Tower		ADVisory Company, Bangkok Bank, Payoo Cooperation
37 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Ho Chi Minh City State Treasury
55–57 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Amigo Grill Restaurant
63 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Saigon Prince Hotel		Previously was Duxton Saigon Hotel
87 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	The Gangs Restaurant
99–101 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Saigon Garden Mall		Starbucks, The Coffee Beans
115 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Sunwah Tower		All Nippon Airways, Air China, Chubb, Citibank Vietnam, Emirates, KPMG, Maybank, Sunwah Group
117–119–121 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	BIDV Tower		On hold, currently used for parking
123 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	McDonald's Restaurant
127-129-129A Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Fiditourist Office Building
133 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Kim Đô – Royal Hotel Saigon
135 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Saigon Tax Trade Centre		Demolished; wait for renovation. Temporaily using for outdoor events
141 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Rex Hotel / Rex Arcade		Burberry, Cartier, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Paul & Shark, Rolex, Versace
22–36 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Saigon Times Square		The Reverie Saigon Hotel, The Hour Glass, Deloitte
42 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	42 Nguyễn Huệ Apartment
44 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Trung Thủy Building		Vietinbank, Asia Commercial Bank
56–66 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Palace Saigon Hotel		Calibre Charner Coffee, Highlands Coffee
68 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Vietcomreal Building
68A Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Oscar Saigon Hotel
72 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard			Eximbank Trading Office
98-100-102 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Saigontourist Travel Service Office		Sky Zone Beer Garden
110 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Ho Chi Minh Monument
116 Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard	Union Square Saigon		Bulgari, Dior, Fendi, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Saigon, Starbucks

Public transportation

Buses

Being a tourist street, tourist buses are commonly seen on the Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard.

Metro

The Line 1, Ho Chi Minh City Metro crosses beneath Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard. The nearest station, the Opera House station has many exits to the boulevard.

Nguyen Hue Flower Street

Nguyen Hue Flower Street, or natively known as Đường hoa Nguyễn Huệ, is the common name of Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard during the lunar new year festival. During the festival, the street is decorated for the occasion and are exclusively for pedestrians. The tradition started in 2004, which previously known as Flower Market Nguyễn Huệ.
During the 20th century, the street is commonly a marketplace for trading flowers during the end of the lunar years. Vendors would come from the port at Bạch Đằng Quay. As such, during these years, the street is a common attraction for citizens to sightseeing and enjoy the Tết atmosphere.
After 2003, the city relocated the flower market to 23 Tháng 9 park. In 2004, the city started the tradition to set up flowers decoration on the street, designated as a sightseeing area during new year times. Since then, the name Nguyen Hue flower street is born. The street during this time is for pedestrians, and transportations are forbidden on the street.
In February 2015, the boulevard was under construction, so the Flower Street event was held on the nearby Hàm Nghi Boulevard. Following the boulevard's conversion into a pedestrian street, the tradition continues, with flowers decorated during the new year time. Motorbike routes continued to be blocked, but this time with additional nearby streets like Lê Lợi. During Tet 2023, in addition to the Flower Street, a book street event was held on Lê Lợi Boulevard.
The Nguyễn Huệ flower street are considered to be a culture and tourist event during the new year time, attract many citizens, tourists, as well as home-coming overseas Vietnamese.