Updated October 2026 — refreshed for New Year’s Eve 2026 (the night into 2027), with last year’s official fireworks details, our three Saigon studios and current prices.
New Year’s Eve in Saigon means crowds on Nguyen Hue Walking Street and fireworks over the Saigon River at midnight. NOTE – The Scent Lab is a perfume workshop in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: before the countdown, spend 120 minutes blending your own perfume at one of three studios, from $25.92 for 10 ml (VAT included), booked at the9base.com/booking.
The humidity wraps around you like a second skin. Below The Cafe Apartment, Nguyen Hue Walking Street is already filling — families with sparklers, couples in matching outfits, backpackers who arrived three hours ago and already look like they belong. The air carries charcoal smoke from a bánh tráng cart, jasmine from a flower vendor and something electric: the collective anticipation that only exists on the last night of the year.
This is not a quiet New Year’s Eve. Saigon doesn’t do quiet. But on the second floor of 42 Nguyen Hue there’s a studio where the street becomes a soundtrack in the background, where you sit with rows of glass vials and a workshop instructor who asks: what did this year smell like to you?
Where are the New Year’s Eve fireworks in Saigon?
For New Year 2026, Ho Chi Minh City’s main high-altitude fireworks were launched at the Saigon River tunnel entrance on the Thu Thiem side, from 00:00 to 00:15 on 1 January. The riverside end of Nguyen Hue in District 1 faces that spot, which is why the crowds gather there. The official plan for the night of 31 December 2026 is usually announced in December, so check local news before you go.
Last year the city also ran displays outside the old city centre, so “fireworks in Ho Chi Minh City” can mean more than one location — the District 1 riverside is the one most visitors want.
Why is Saigon a good place to spend New Year’s Eve in Vietnam?
Saigon treats New Year’s Eve like the whole city is throwing a house party. The walking street, the riverside, rooftop bars and neighbourhood restaurants all have their own version of the night, so you can choose loud or gentle, street-level or rooftop. If you were here for Christmas in Vietnam, this is the louder sequel.
The main stage is Nguyen Hue Walking Street, the wide pedestrian boulevard that runs from the City Hall area to the Saigon River. By late evening it’s a sea of people. Rooftop bars around Dong Khoi offer a view from above, and in Thao Dien expat families gather at garden restaurants for a slower midnight toast. Our Saigon in one day guide can help you plan the hours before the party.
What does it mean to make a “New Year scent”?
A “New Year scent” is a perfume you blend around the turn of the year so that it carries that moment with you. Unlike a phone video of fireworks, a perfume brings the night back the instant you smell it again. At NOTE you make it in a 120-minute session and walk out with the bottle before the countdown.
Most souvenirs from New Year’s Eve are digital — a blurry video, a selfie with a timestamp. They sit in a camera roll and slowly disappear into the scroll. A perfume is different. A perfume ambushes you. Three months later you spray it before work and suddenly you’re back on that second floor: the blending table, your instructor explaining how sandalwood grounds a composition, the sound of Nguyen Hue rising through the windows.
That stays.
“I loved my fragrance making experience. I have a beautiful souvenir to take home and every time I smell it, I will remember Saigon.”
— herbaljo, review platform
How does the perfume workshop work on 31 December?
The workshop on New Year’s Eve is the same 120-minute session as any other day: an instructor guides you in English or Vietnamese, you blend your perfume in layers, and you leave with a serial-numbered bottle. Book ahead — 31 December is one of the busiest days of the year in Saigon. Our studios keep regular hours (Nguyen Hue and Ly Tu Trong 09:00–22:00, Thao Dien 08:00–18:00); any holiday change is posted on the9base.com/stores.
The studio works with 30+ raw materials across nine scent families, and each session sets out three of them. You start by smelling, discovering what draws you in, then build top, heart and base notes, testing and adjusting until it feels like yours. Every decision is yours. You choose the size — 10 ml $25.92, 20 ml $47.52, 30 ml $58.32 or 50 ml $69.12, all including 8% VAT (full pricing) — name your blend, and your formula is kept on file; refills are 20% off.
“Booked this for our HCM trip with friends. The workshop is really fun. You’ll learn a lot about perfume making and the different notes.”
— Departure38705345666, review platform
How should you plan New Year’s Eve in Saigon around a workshop?
Book a late-afternoon session, have dinner in District 1, then walk to the riverside before the crowds peak. That way you finish the workshop as the city lights up, eat before the streets fill, and reach a good spot for midnight. Here is a simple timeline.
Late afternoon — your workshop
Choose the studio that fits your night. 42 Nguyen Hue (2nd floor, The Cafe Apartment) puts you right on the walking street — The Cafe Apartment is a 1960s building where each unit houses a different cafe or shop, and you can watch Nguyen Hue transform below as stages and vendors set up (our Cafe Apartment guide). 26 Ly Tu Trong (3rd floor, District 1, regular hours 09:00–22:00) is a short walk from the centre. 34 Nguyen Duy Hieu in Thao Dien suits you if you’re celebrating on that side of the river.
Early evening — dinner in District 1
Your perfume is sealed and labelled. Eat before the streets fill — our District 1 walking tour covers the main dining streets. Your new perfume is in your bag. You keep opening it to smell it. Everyone does.
Late evening — rooftop or street level
Choose your scene: a rooftop bar around Dong Khoi (reserve ahead — they sell out), or the free, chaotic, unmatched energy of Nguyen Hue itself.
Midnight
Fireworks over the Saigon River. The crowd roars. Motorbike horns blast from every direction — Saigon’s signature applause. The air fills with smoke and someone’s perfume and the wet-earth smell of the river. You spray your new creation on your wrist. Happy New Year. You made this.
Which scents feel like New Year in Vietnam?
Jasmine, warm cinnamon, bright citrus and grounding woods are a natural palette for a New Year perfume in Vietnam — they echo the flowers, street food and celebrations of the season. All four appear in our studio’s library, though each session sets out only three of the nine scent families, so your options depend on the day.
Jasmine — the flower of the night
Jasmine releases its strongest fragrance after sunset. In a perfume it is white, creamy and intoxicating — the scent equivalent of midnight.
Citrus — the fresh start
Bergamot and lemon open a perfume with sparkle. They are the first sip, the clink of glasses, the “new” in New Year.
Cinnamon — warmth that lingers
Cinnamon is prized in perfumery for warmth, sweetness and depth — the same spice you smell in a bowl of phở. In a New Year’s perfume it adds warmth without heaviness.
Sandalwood — the note you carry forward
Sandalwood sits in the base, the part that lasts longest on the skin. Calm and creamy, it is the thing you take with you into the year ahead. For more on how this city smells, read what Saigon actually smells like.
What practical tips help on New Year’s Eve in Saigon?
Book everything early, plan to walk, dress light and keep your belongings close. District 1 gets extremely crowded in the evening and road closures are possible, so ride-hailing can be slow. Saigon in late December is warm even at night.
Book your workshop in advance. 31 December fills early everywhere in the city. Booking online lets you choose your time slot, and you can reschedule free up to 24 hours before; cancellations at least 48 hours ahead get an 80% refund.
“It was my first time. I truly enjoyed the cozy atmosphere and hands-on experience.”
— Inspire03548283877, review platform
Getting around. Plan to arrive in District 1 early and walk. A studio in the centre means you are already where the action is.
What to wear. Dress light, wear comfortable shoes, and carry a crossbody bag for your perfume bottle — you don’t want to lose your creation in the crowd.
Where to watch. The free view is from the riverside end of Nguyen Hue; for a view from above, book a rooftop bar on Dong Khoi or along the river.
If you’re planning a gift for someone who couldn’t come, a perfume workshop gift card lets them make their own scent later. Ready-made fragrances are at NOTE’s online store.
Where are NOTE’s studios?
NOTE – The Scent Lab has three studios, all in Ho Chi Minh City. Two are in District 1, within walking distance of the New Year’s Eve crowds, and one is in Thao Dien. Full details are on our studios page.
- 42 Nguyen Hue, 2nd floor (The Cafe Apartment), District 1 — Google Maps · direction video
- 26 Ly Tu Trong, 3rd floor, District 1 — open 09:00–22:00
- 34 Nguyen Duy Hieu, Thao Dien — Google Maps · direction video
The last scent of the year
A New Year’s Eve perfume bottles the ending and the beginning in the same moment. The jasmine is 31 December. The citrus is 1 January. The base note — the one that lasts longest on your skin — is what you carry forward.
Most people don’t think of perfume as a ritual. But sitting in a studio above Saigon’s loudest night, choosing ingredients with intention while the city gets ready to count down — that’s as close to a ritual as modern travel gets. And when you spray it months later, in a different city and a different season, Saigon comes back: the heat, the horns, the jasmine, the fireworks. If that’s how you want to end the year, reserve your New Year’s Eve workshop. Follow @note.workshop for moments from the studio.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is NOTE – The Scent Lab open on New Year’s Eve?
Our studios keep regular hours (Nguyen Hue and Ly Tu Trong 09:00–22:00, Thao Dien 08:00–18:00); any holiday change is posted on the9base.com/stores. Book online in advance, because 31 December is one of the busiest days of the year in Saigon.
How long does the perfume workshop take?
The workshop takes 120 minutes, the same as any other day. A late-afternoon session leaves time for dinner and the New Year’s Eve celebrations afterwards.
Where can I watch the fireworks near the workshop?
The riverside end of Nguyen Hue Walking Street in District 1 is the most popular free spot, facing the Saigon River. For New Year 2026 the main fireworks were launched at the Saigon River tunnel entrance from 00:00 to 00:15; the plan for the coming New Year is usually announced in December.
Can I create a “New Year” scent at the workshop?
Yes. Your instructor helps you choose raw materials that match a theme or mood, such as jasmine, citrus, cinnamon or sandalwood, depending on the scent families set out that day. Your formula is saved, and refills are 20% off.
Do I need any perfume experience?
No. The workshop is designed for beginners, and your instructor guides you through every step in English or Vietnamese.
How much does the workshop cost?
Prices include 8% VAT and depend on bottle size: 10 ml $25.92, 20 ml $47.52, 30 ml $58.32 and 50 ml $69.12.
