Before COVID-19 turns Ho Chi Minh City’s famous ‘backpacker street’ into grocery street

Many businesses on Ho Chi Minh City’s popular Bui Vien Street in District 1 have been put on hold for months as the southern metropolis has been hit hard since the beginning of the fourth virus wave on April 27.

To make ends meet and pay rent, owners of bars and discos on the street have transformed their venues into vegetable shops as a flexible business model to survive the ongoing COVID-19 suspension order.

Since October 1, the city has eased its coronavirus social distancing restrictions to allow takeaway food and drink providers, traditional markets, wholesale markets, shopping centers, and convenience stores to resume operations.

However, non-essential services and businesses, such as beauty salons, karaoke venues, discotheques, pubs, bars and massage parlors, as well as ware and lottery ticket peddling remain closed.

Before COVID-19, Bui Vien had long been a famous entertainment hub where foreign tourists could find affordable hotels to stay and a wide range of entertainment activities at numerous restaurants, bars, discotheques, and massage parlors open through the night.

Since August 20, 2017, part of the street which stretched 850 meters long from the Bui Vien intersection with Tran Hung Dao-Nguyen Thai Hoc Streets to Cong Quynh Street had been turned into a pedestrian street on weekend nights.

At the time, several businesses along Bui Vien said that their revenue had increased 50 percent thanks to the vehicle ban.

The street had not only gathered foreign tourists but also been a venue for youngsters to enjoy nightlife in Ho Chi Minh City.