The Book Street in Ho Chi Minh City reopens soon

In Saigon, restaurants have reopened for take-aways. Vehicles have filled the streets. Office people have returned to their workplaces on the first Monday of October.

But the clearest proof that Saigon is on track to return to its full glory is the imminent reopening of one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions – the Book Street.

Here’s what you can expect.

HCMC Book Street opens doors after 4 months of suspension


This photo was taken before the 4th wave of the pandemic
Image credit: Đường Sách TPHCM

On 28th May, the Book Street announced its temporary closure following the urgent mandate of local authorities on account of an alarming surge of locally acquired infections. 

Now that many businesses in Saigon, except recreational ones such as bars and nightclubs, have resumed operations, the Book Street is also following suit.

On 4th October, the management of HCMC Book Street made an official statement on its Facebook page. 


Staff members at a bookstore inside the Book Street tidying their bookshelves
Image credit: Zing

The text said that all its staff members are rushing to prepare for the reopening of the street after 4 months of suspension, such as tidying dusty shelves, fixing broken furniture, and installing obligatory equipment such as body temperature monitors.


First glimpse into the soon-to-reopen Book Street
Image credit: Zing

The moment the Book Street is well-equipped in accordance with Covid-19 health protocols, it will announce its exact reopening date. 

Speaking of health protocols, here are the mandates that will be imposed once the tourist attraction reopens. 

The Covid-19 vaccination mandate will come into effect at the venue


Image credit: Đường Sách TPHCM

Among the first tourist attractions in the city to announce imminent reopening, Book Street has announced its check-in requirements.

First of all, anyone checking in Book Street must make health declarations, either on your mobile app or on paper, depending on the decision of the management. 

Secondly, you must show proof that they’ve been fully inoculated from Covid-19. In particular, to be considered fully inoculated means that your second dose of vaccine has been administered at least two weeks ago, for those who go for 2-dose vaccines.  


Image credit: Đường Sách TPHCM

If you have been vaccinated, check your vaccination statuses on either the Tiêm Chủng Covid website or Sổ Sức Khỏe Điện Tử app. Take a screenshot of your vaccine card and display it on your phone when needed. 

Before going in, visitors will also have their body temperature measured.

Be advised that you must mask up and maintain social distancing at all times.

We can finally pick out and flip through freshly printed books again

Time flies. It’s hard to believe that over four months have passed since we last visited a book-selling venue in person and bought whichever books we fancied. During the restrictive period, many of us couldn’t even order books online and had to resort to ebooks and Kindles. 

Now that Book Street has announced its reopening, we can finally come together to make merry over the written word, flip through freshly printed books and read them together, or simply take photos to commemorate the new beginning of a city landmark.

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Cover image adapted from: Đường Sách TPHCM

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