Updated October 2026
Is Thao Dien worth visiting if you are staying in District 1? Yes — if you want a slower, greener half-day and you plan it for daylight. Thảo Điền is also where NOTE – The Scent Lab keeps its largest perfume studio, at 34 Nguyễn Duy Hiệu, open 08:00–18:00 daily: you spend 120 minutes blending your own perfume, from $25.92 for a 10 ml bottle (VAT included), and you reserve the seat on the9base.com.
This piece is written for the traveler based downtown, looking at a map and wondering whether to cross the river. Not a full guide to the neighbourhood — our sister site has those — but an honest answer to the question you are actually asking: should I spend half a day of my trip over there, and if so, how?
Is Thao Dien worth visiting from District 1?
Thao Dien is worth it if District 1 has started to feel loud and you want a quieter, leafier half-day with good cafés and one unhurried activity. It is not worth it if you have only one day in Ho Chi Minh City and have not yet seen the centre. Plan it as a daytime trip: the neighbourhood is at its best in daylight, and our studio there closes at 18:00.
The difference hits you the moment you step out of the car. In District 1, the city presses in — horns, heat, a thousand conversations. In Thảo Điền the streets are calmer, the trees are bigger, and you can hear a gate close two houses away. It is a riverside neighbourhood east of the centre, popular with the city’s expat community.
That calm is the whole reason to go. If what you love about travel is the noise and the crowd, stay downtown — our District 1 walking tour will fill your day. If you are craving a pause, cross the river.
Who should go to Thao Dien, and who should skip it?
Go if you have three or more days in the city, if you are traveling as a couple or a small group who want a calm afternoon, or if you simply need a break from the centre. Skip it if your time is very short, if you want to be out late (plan evenings back in District 1), or if your trip is built around landmarks rather than neighbourhoods.
Good reasons to go
You are on your third day and the centre is starting to blur. You want a long brunch that does not feel rushed. You would like to make something rather than see something, in a room that is bright and quiet. You are with someone who finds downtown overwhelming.
Good reasons to stay downtown
It is your first and only day. You want to be on Nguyễn Huệ after dark. You would rather do your perfume session near your hotel — in that case, our two District 1 studios at 42 Nguyễn Huệ (Floor 2) and 26 Lý Tự Trọng (Floor 3) are open until 22:00. Our comparison of perfume workshop studios in Saigon helps you choose.
How do you get from District 1 to Thao Dien?
The simplest way is ride-hail or taxi: show the driver the full address, 34 Nguyễn Duy Hiệu, Thảo Điền, and both Grab and Xanh SM cover the area. You can also take Metro Line 1, which runs from Bến Thành through the Opera House station and stops at Thảo Điền station on the way east. Whichever you choose, leave a little buffer so you arrive before your session starts.
Metro Line 1 opened on 22 December 2024. From the centre, the stations run Bến Thành, Opera House, Ba Son, Văn Thánh, Tân Cảng and then Thảo Điền. The first three stations are underground; after that the line runs on an elevated track, so the ride doubles as a look at the city from above.
Our sister site r-workshop.space has a step-by-step Thao Dien metro guide covering tickets, the stations and the walk from the platform. If you are carrying shopping bags or traveling in the midday heat, ride-hail is the more comfortable option.
What is the best way to combine Thao Dien with a day in the centre?
Split the day in three: see the centre in the morning, cross to Thảo Điền for lunch and a 120-minute activity in the afternoon, then return to District 1 for the evening. This uses each side of the river when it is at its best — downtown for landmarks and nightlife, Thảo Điền for a slow, green middle of the day.
Morning — the centre while it is cooler
Start with the landmarks of District 1 before the heat builds: the post office, the Opera House area, Nguyễn Huệ. Our 3-day Ho Chi Minh City itinerary shows how to space these out if you have more time.
Midday and afternoon — Thảo Điền
Cross the river for a long lunch, then sit down for a perfume session at 34 Nguyễn Duy Hiệu. The studio is open 08:00–18:00, so an early-afternoon session leaves you time to wander a little afterwards before heading back.
Evening — back to District 1
Return to the centre for dinner and the walking street at night. Our guide to Nguyen Hue at night suggests how to shape the evening depending on who you are with.
What is the Thảo Điền perfume studio like?
It is our biggest room and our quietest: a long blending desk with up to 15 seats per session, a cabinet of more than 30 raw materials across nine scent families, and a small boutique corner with finished bottles. It is a working studio, not a showroom — bright, calm and easy to spend two hours in. Sessions are taught in Vietnamese and English.
You sit at the desk and start by smelling. Each session sets out three of the nine families, and your instructor explains what each material does — what lifts a blend, what anchors it, what stays on skin at the end of the day. Then you build your own perfume, drop by drop, until it feels like yours.
“The workshop was amazing, the space and environment is very clean, comfortable and beautiful” — Relax53765253820, review platform
At the end you seal a serial-numbered bottle to take home. Your formula is saved so you can re-order it later, with refills at 20% off. The boutique corner is open to drop-in visitors too — no booking needed just to browse.
“It wasn’t just about creating a perfume — it was a whole experience that felt creative, relaxing, and honestly really special” — Culture569071, review platform
How long should you spend in Thao Dien?
Half a day is right for most travelers based in District 1 — enough for the ride over, lunch and a 120-minute session, without watching the clock. A full day only makes sense if you plan to slow right down — long café sits, a little shopping, nothing scheduled. Because our studio closes at 18:00, a session that starts by early afternoon fits most comfortably.
The temptation is to cram. Resist it. The point of Thảo Điền is that nothing there is urgent. If you would like more ideas for what to do in the neighbourhood itself, our sister site’s Thao Dien things-to-do guide goes street by street.
How much does the perfume session cost in Thảo Điền?
Crossing the river does not change the price. VAT is included, and the bottle size sets what you pay: 10 ml is $25.92 (594,000 VND), 20 ml $47.52 (1,080,000 VND), 30 ml $58.32 (1,458,000 VND) and 50 ml $69.12 (1,674,000 VND). On the9base.com/booking, pick the Thảo Điền studio; a seat can be moved free up to 24 hours ahead, and cancelling at least 48 hours ahead returns 80%.
Across our three studios, the workshop is rated 4.9 from more than 2,300 reviews. If a slow afternoon across the river sounds right, see the Thảo Điền studio and book a seat for the early afternoon.
What do people take home from Thảo Điền?
Most take home two things: a bottle they blended themselves and a memory of the quietest afternoon of their trip. The perfume does the remembering for you — months later, one spray brings back the light in that room and the walk to the car.
“I have a beautiful souvenir to take home and every time I smell it, I will remember Saigon.” — herbaljo, review platform
That is the quiet case for crossing the river. District 1 shows you Saigon. An afternoon in Thảo Điền lets you sit still in it long enough to keep something. If you would also like a ready-made NOTE fragrance to bring home, browse our online store, and follow the studio on Instagram at @note.workshop. For more calm corners of the city, see our hidden gems of Saigon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thao Dien worth visiting for tourists staying in District 1?
Yes, if you have more than a day or two and want a quieter, greener half-day. Plan it for daylight and return to District 1 for the evening.
How do I get to Thao Dien from District 1?
Ride-hail or taxi is simplest — Grab and Xanh SM both cover the area. Metro Line 1 also runs from Bến Thành through the Opera House station to Thảo Điền station.
Where is the perfume workshop in Thao Dien?
At 34 Nguyễn Duy Hiệu, Thảo Điền, Ho Chi Minh City. The studio is open 08:00–18:00 every day and holds up to 15 seats per session.
How long is the perfume workshop?
Exactly 120 minutes, guided by an instructor in Vietnamese or English, from the first scent to your sealed, serial-numbered bottle.
Is the workshop in Thao Dien the same as in District 1?
Yes. The session, the 120-minute length, the materials and the prices are the same at all three studios. Thảo Điền is the largest and quietest room; the District 1 studios stay open until 22:00.
Can I visit the Thảo Điền studio without booking a session?
Yes, to browse the boutique corner — drop-ins are welcome. To blend your own perfume, book a seat on the9base.com.
Where are NOTE’s studios in Ho Chi Minh City?
- Thảo Điền — 34 Nguyễn Duy Hiệu, Thảo Điền · 08:00–18:00 · studio details and directions
- Nguyễn Huệ — 42 Nguyễn Huệ, Floor 2 (Cafe Apartment), District 1 · 09:00–22:00 · studio details and directions
- Lý Tự Trọng — 26 Lý Tự Trọng, Floor 3, District 1 · 09:00–22:00 · studio details and directions
Information in this article was accurate at the time of writing. Transport options, opening hours and availability may change — we recommend double-checking with official sources before your visit.
You can also see prices (VAT included), book a seat and find a studio on 9base.
