Old apartment buildings in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, have been creatively repurposed from residential spaces into vibrant commercial hubs, featuring local businesses, cafes, vintage shops, and creative spaces while preserving architectural elements like skylight courtyards and narrow staircases, demonstrating how urban communities can adapt historical structures for contemporary use rather than demolition.
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Hidden Inside These Old Apartments in Vietnam… 🇻🇳Added:
how how well kept this is. Wow, so windy. So close.
>> It's beautiful city.
>> Yes.
>> Have a look.
>> Hi guys. Like any other city. Today we will take you to a city walk. But the places that we're going today actually we never been. So it's just a exploration day and it's going to be hidden gem.
>> Okay guys, let's go.
>> Okay. Uh we are standing in front of the staircase. So we are going to go up into this uh apartment.
>> This is cool. Little doggy. Hello.
>> Oh yeah. Hi.
>> This is what I love about these uh it's like old apartments with the old like French stairs, right? That was just by the Americans, right?
>> Uh it was built um in 1951, 1952. We're just coming up these stairs to the first floor. But it's actually an old elevator used to be here and back in the day. You can actually, if you look up, I can see the holes in the roof.
That's crazy.
>> Yeah.
>> The old caging, but it's obviously to protect protect you from falling over cuz like look at that. So obviously they had the old door here.
>> You can see the old button where they used to must have been to call it the electrical button.
>> That is crazy.
>> Old cable. Old cable. What do you call it? Elevator. That's crazy.
>> Yeah.
>> So, they have like a >> Oh my god.
>> skylight courtyard.
>> Oh my god. Ricky.
>> Hello.
>> So nice here. Hey.
>> Wow.
>> Like look up at that. Look at Have a look to show Let how beautiful this is.
>> This is real old historical apartments.
>> Yeah. This architecture is so retro >> kind of like art deos, you know.
>> But look how beautiful this shop.
>> Wow.
little apartments. It's so beautiful in here.
>> Wow, it's a bridal shop like Taylor or something and the tailor for Seuss.
Wow, >> look how well maintained this is. It's so beautiful. Hey, like that skylight courtyard is so nice. Like look at that.
>> Oh my god, this is a very interesting spot to come guys.
>> It's beautiful.
>> Wow. It's mix between residents and also businesses. As you can see, there's apartment here for rented for. So I guess inside they must be very nice.
>> So obviously these would have been old apartments but now people's obviously rented them and changed them into little like coffee shops and stuff.
>> Yes. So unlike other city when you come to any city you will go to a shopping mall to shop but here in Saigon you actually go to these old apartment to shop and today we're going to show you that.
>> How cool is that? Look at that guys.
>> Look at that skylight courtyard is beautiful.
>> Oh my god. This is how architecture at in that time in the 50s and 60s. They kind of like simple but very um very conventional.
>> Look how well maintained it is. Look how beautiful.
>> I can take this do sunbathe here.
>> Yeah. You go and do yoga in the middle.
>> Oh yeah. People here they take care of this place very well. This very clean.
>> Wow.
>> Let's see what else this place has.
Let's go.
Second floor.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Second floor. More fashion shop.
>> Oh, so much light in here.
>> Oh, wow.
>> So guys, that's where we were just before. Just down there.
>> Wow.
If you want a photo shoot, these are the spot.
>> Yeah. Good to come and take photos.
What's that over there? Um, >> it's like um Oh, wow. So, shop.
>> Look at these. It' be really cool.
actually have an apartment here, right?
>> Oh my god, this is like a couture area.
It's like highend.
>> Oh, they're in there. I don't know what they're doing.
>> Like, did you see the design area design? Take a closer look.
>> Yeah, there's a picture there, too. Look at the cool little design outside. They have a nice setup here. All the plants and stuff. Hey.
>> Wow.
It's like a couture guy.
>> It's beautiful. But look at all the little pots and stuff.
>> M >> over there. This is Yeah, that's a >> You need a coffee. A good tattoo and a vacation. What is that?
>> It's a coffee, I guess.
>> No, but it's Look, is it closed >> tattoo?
>> Coffee and cigarette. It must be um wonder what they're opening time.
>> I think they closed.
>> That looks so vintage in there. Wow.
Can't see though. But it's so beautiful.
Honestly, it' been so nice to have an apartment. I'd love an apartment. One of these cool places like so nice. Wonder if there any more shops up here at the top. The coffee.
>> Yeah, this these apartment would stand the the test of time, right?
>> Yeah.
>> It's feel like so different in why you are on the street with like very hustling, busy, noisy vibes. But then here is so tranquil.
>> It gets brighter as you Wow.
>> Oh, that's awesome.
>> I definitely come back here for like a full photo shoot.
>> This is nice. Nice and bright up here. I >> Wow.
>> Like look at that there. Have a look down at that. So now guys, we're on the third floor. So you can get a better look at the skylight courtyard.
>> The shape the shape. How do you call that shape?
>> That's a weird It's almost like a di hexagon shape.
>> Not perfectly, but a little bit funny.
Yeah, it's a funny kind of angle here.
>> These are all the meter.
Water meter.
>> Check your water meter.
>> Yeah. Yeah. So good.
>> I fourth floor.
>> Maybe we can see the rooftop.
>> Oh, there's actually another I thought there was four. There's You can go right up.
>> Oh, yeah. This is fourth floor.
>> This is all they >> They do the wiring cables and >> the wind here is amazing.
>> Wow.
>> And now it's getting fresh air. I wonder what that little spot is up there.
>> Oh, did you see Vexco, Ricky? Wow, that's Vexco.
>> Oh, there's like like a little rooftop apartment like on its own.
>> See like over there.
>> Oh, yeah.
Uh before we called that on the top we call this is the watch room.
>> Watch room. Yeah. In in you know in the war time we always have >> top floor. the floor like people can go up and watch what is going on like helicopter >> uh maybe bombing something like that.
>> I'm still blown away by how how well kept this is like this.
>> Wow. Can you see? Can you see Ricky?
Come come come.
>> Look at this. This is so cool.
>> Wow.
>> Wow.
>> Fourth floor. I want to go check this last one to say.
>> Oh my god. Wow. Wa, so windy.
>> Look at that. That would be a cool >> Oh. Oh, >> that would be a cool apartment there.
Imagine up here and you have this little apartment right in the corner. Look, even got a digital >> Oh, you think it's a condo there?
>> Yeah, it's a condo for sure.
>> Wow.
>> So, sorry we we don't want to trespassing, but we just like in the core corridor.
This is amazing.
>> Look at the old rustic roof. Like you can see all the building construction better from here.
>> That's cool.
>> Look at that.
>> That's so amazing. Like you can see the all the way they built this here is so crazy. That's cool. It's like a little penthouse on top.
>> Wow, guys.
It's doesn't look modern, but this rustic scene view is amazing. This is what you want in the city.
>> Wow. Look at that.
>> This is in the central of the city, right?
>> Yeah.
>> Imagine you have a condo here. Right here.
>> I know. That'll be That would be like the pimp. It's so cute. It'll be so nice actually to just be up here and have a little apartment just right at the top of these old historical apartments, you know. Look at that. It gives you a better view of how the design is. The rooftop.
>> Wow. Wow, that guy is probably in there chilling out. So good.
>> People actually taking care of this building. It's amazing. It's very clean.
>> Yeah, look how clean it is.
>> Yeah, >> we just do a research. Actually, they one condo here with no uh furniture.
>> Yeah, just >> 10 millions.
>> So about $380 US >> a month.
>> So cool. If you had one of these guys, you know, honestly, there's probably some of them here. Have them already renovated because it'd be so nice to have a little apartment. 10,380 right in the middle of D1.
>> Yes.
>> District one guys, the center of the chaos.
>> If you know like this if the cost of living in the central >> Yeah. D1. Yeah.
>> Yeah. The district one of the city.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> You will see like this is very 10 millions a month. It's like with a big house, right?
>> Yeah.
>> It's like uh I think 40 something middle square. Yeah. So, it's not bad if you had a little one one bedroomedroom studio. It would be awesome.
>> Okay, we're walking to the next location.
Look at this beautiful street.
Woo! So, it's going to be another hidden gem. Another old apartment nearby. We're just going to walk there. Look at this beautiful city.
Yes. And again, the apartment earlier, can you believe it's just right in this corner of the city?
>> Yeah. Hidden away. So that that sign up there was the sign up just in the middle of the sky cord.
>> Yeah. There >> we were at the top there.
>> Yeah. We were right on the top.
>> That's cool.
>> Can you believe it?
>> Hey, see now how how uh they even got the ice cream machines now going. Revive. I might get a revive. Hey, let me see.
can use uh let me see you can get a revival get a drink of this I haven't Vietnam's really come up >> oh I wonder can I uh that's the thing guys you can pay by QR code in Vietnam >> oh yes got the VN pay let me see >> wow >> double check I need a drink it's so hot some revive >> oh they have a energy drink coconut >> what do you say once you confirm with the bank let's see how But how quick it comes out. I've never used this being in Vietnam, but it's so convenient to go to the store.
>> Yeah.
>> There we go. 26.
Woo.
>> Just like that.
>> Revive. Let's go.
>> I don't know if you guys have ever drank this before, but it's like a electrolyte electrolyte drink with vitamin B6. Well, so good.
>> Oh, you got to be careful when it drops.
that let the gas out of it.
>> Yes.
>> So the Saigon Center is a common uh shopping mall. So everyone will come here for shop.
>> Yeah. Look at the size of this intersection.
>> So good.
>> Big intersection of Ho Chi Min City.
>> Mix between um historical spots, old spot. You will see like modern shopping mall. The front of the Hindu temple. There you go.
This city is very diverse. So, we have a lot of religion, but the main religion is still uh Christianity and Buddhist.
>> That's cool. Just right in the middle of day one.
>> Yeah, >> I think it's going to rain now. This is now it's getting close to rainy season.
So, within like 5 minutes, you could be just drenched out. So >> mostly people pass by these area, they have no idea what's in the alley.
>> Yeah. What's hidden behind those alleys?
That's the thing.
>> Nobody Nobody knows.
>> It's like you need to go off the the these main footpaths and just go down like look at that even in there.
>> Did you Can you see it? That's a little tiny alley >> and they Yeah.
>> That's a very famous hotel.
>> Oh, they got hotel here as well. Yeah.
>> Yeah. But actually we we will enter uh a alley nearby here.
There you go, Ricky.
>> Wow.
>> So we got up in here.
>> Yeah, that's the entrance.
42 Street.
>> So you go down a little bit.
>> Straight.
>> Yeah. Go straight. Go down.
>> So there's two entrance. This one >> and that's the the front the front area and this is the back area.
>> Can you believe?
>> I know. I can even This is a a shopping area for Gen Z, for young people.
>> It's so deceiving. That's the thing.
>> It's so deceiving when you come off the main street.
>> Yeah.
>> Like how far back these these little alleys and hems all lead to.
>> Can you see >> staircase here?
>> Yeah.
>> That's where you should come down and explore.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah. Look at this here. Like look at this out the back. There's nothing happening out here, but >> Oh, there's like a taste of Saigon.
What's that?
>> Uh, I think it's a restaurant. Yeah, restaurant.
>> Look at this old complex.
Very old, but look at these old bicycle.
>> Old bicles sitting just cool.
>> Look at this >> old tiles.
>> Yeah. 100 years old, guy. This apartment.
>> Well, it looks pretty busy up here. It's very busy.
>> Wow. What? Look at the look at the amount of shops.
>> So, it's basically all turned into shops, cafes.
>> So, here if you this look at all the local brand in Vietnam and very famous brand. So, the side there is shop and shop >> vintage.
>> Yes.
>> Casey loves these places.
>> I know. I love it.
accessories, clothes, >> vintage shopping and thrift shopping in Vietnam's so big now.
>> And it's trending urban shift. Is this another one?
>> Uh, it's a local brain.
>> Look at the bird cages up there.
>> It's a fashion place. It's for women, girls. Girls, if you go to Saigon, you have to come here for shopping. Don't go to the shopping mall. No. If you the city is for this kind of thing.
>> Look how far down it goes. Like it's crazy that these are all tucked away in the alleyways of Vietnam.
>> You have no idea the entrance will lead you to these kind of cool places.
>> Like this little this little thin like entrance.
>> Yeah.
>> This little skinny entrance. And then it like leads all the way back here.
There's even a coffee shop in there. I wonder should we go up to the top?
>> Yeah.
>> Let's go explore the top.
>> Yeah, let's go. Hey, see you guys like a cafe here and there. And look at these stairs.
Like look at >> you have to be careful. This you have to >> I think you can touch it. Can you see >> you will hit your >> This is Yeah. Look at that. So close.
>> So funny.
>> So guys, make sure you're in Vietnam you go down these alleys cuz this is where everything is hidden away. Look at that.
Look at all the the signs here.
Look >> what >> look at the far I don't know if you guys can see but look how far down that goes >> inside 100 years old apartment.
>> What is this? Like a little clock show.
Look at all the watch faces.
>> This is the motor booth. It's like a photo booth.
>> Yeah.
>> You get in there and take a picture.
Yeah.
>> I think we're going to go that way.
>> Look at the design too, though. The doors.
>> Yeah.
Okay, let's go. A lot of businesses here you guys a lot. So we will go to this perfume house, fragrant house. Very very uh famous here. It's a very niche local brand fragrant and they make collection that like very represent the Asian scent, the Vietnamese culture, the Asian Asian culture. So it's a customized >> and this is a Saigon made clothes shop.
All Saigon Vietnamese own brand, right?
>> The Vietnam's looking like and the Vietnam is coming up guys with a lot of cool clothing designs.
>> Look, look at this. Look at this vintage shop.
>> Yeah, vintage here.
>> So amazing.
>> So guys, if you're in Vietnam, make sure to come down and check out this area.
We'll put the link in the description so you guys can come here. And this is forward perfume.
>> I'm pretty sure this place is where you can customize your perfume, >> right? It says here, >> are you excited?
>> Let's go.
Let's go, guys.
Wow.
Oh, smells so nice in here. Look at all the little >> Hello.
>> Are these like the testers or what?
>> English. Yes. Yes. We are an original niche perfume brand from Vietnam. We have perfume also with candles. You can smell just it up. Smell it like this. No perfume.
>> Oh, that's how you sample. That is your >> Oh, the samples.
>> Yeah. So, you will smell on the smells amazing in there.
>> This our signature collection just like the tea. We also got the zodiac side.
>> And this is your tea ceremony collection. Uh the tea ceremony is that over there over there.
>> Look at the amount of perfume. Can you c you can customize them as well, right?
Or no, >> we have postpone that service.
>> Ah, okay. No worries. Yeah.
>> Only we always start.
>> Oh, that's cool. It's already made up.
>> So, this collection is a zodiac annual uh zodiac collection.
>> Oh, yeah. You can see that's awesome.
>> Dragon, horse, rat.
>> Where's the dog?
>> The year of the dog. Is it over here?
Yeah.
>> Is it?
>> Oh, yeah. This is here.
>> Oh, here it is. There.
>> So, this is how you smell it. They have the sample here.
>> Smells nice. Hey.
>> Oh, wow.
>> Oh, it's a sweet note.
>> Oh, yeah. It's very nice. It says like complimentary and harmonious. Strong, supportive in both emotions and destiny.
Tiger horse dog.
>> It's cool.
>> Look at the >> Look at the fancy this is.
>> Yay.
So they they they don't do the customized anymore. They already just pre-made ones.
>> Yeah, they have their own collection already.
>> There's a lot. E >> yeah, this is dessert collection.
>> Oh, so they they're made from the dessert. What?
>> Yeah, the same is like sweet dessert. Uh Asian dessert.
>> Vanilla.
>> Okay. Guess guess what is it? What what's the dessert?
>> Could be Italian. Can you even tell?
Okay, let me >> Can you tell?
>> My nose is a little bit.
>> It's the bun. Do Do you remember the the yellow bun? Right. Yellow.
>> Is that like leather? A little What's in that? Is that like the little gift box?
>> Yeah. This is how they going to This is their packaging.
Peep tea.
>> Nice. Which one are you getting, Casey?
>> So, these are the candles.
>> Look at the cool candles.
>> All handmade.
Okay, we just got out from the shop.
Ricky doesn't like perfume or fragrance so much. I'm the one into perfume, but not him. So, okay, we explore more. Wow, look at this.
By the way, guys, I told you it was going to rain. I was saying that on the way here, remember? I was like, and like within 10 minutes it can be just raining. Look, even the sunshine is raining. Today I bring the uh Ricky to a very like young >> spot. The >> trying to say trying to say I'm old or something.
>> Guess he's like trying to like tell you I'm old or what?
>> No, actually the this place is for Gen Z. Gen Z people.
>> I can be A to Z, man.
>> Because this is for Gen Z.
>> Look at me.
>> That's a nice little coffee shop in there, you know.
I know.
>> How do you feel? How do you feel when you're in this 100 years old apartment and like a lot of Gen Z brain?
>> It's cool. I love I love I love going to the alleys, guys. I always say if you watch our videos, we always go to the local places. Like I love going off the main streets and down the back alleys where that's where everything is at. And it surprise you. Like I said, everything is tucked away in the alleys. Like you look at the alley at the front and it will blow your mind when you walk down and just take a just take a random turn down some alley. Don't even have to know where it goes. Just go there.
>> That's where you find the real Vietnam.
>> We still have the front of the uh apartment that we didn't go. So we should go there. This is in the front the front area.
>> Earlier we went to the back.
>> That's crazy. I thought that was like connected hallway across another side.
What?
>> Yes.
>> Oh, they have like coffee up here. Yeah, >> this is like look at that.
>> Oh my god. With >> all these shops like clothing >> crazy >> beautiful view.
>> Yeah. This is the front of the Tok Street as you can see. Yeah. But all the fashion factories is here. So people come here. All big brain uh international brand come here to make clothes.
So we are the hub fashion hub >> 100%. Just remember any clothes all all international companies come from America all over to the factories to get their clothing made in the factories in Vietnam and then they take it back to America, Australia, everywhere. So when you wear that brand of clothing, just remember that factory made it in Vietnam.
>> Do you like that style? That >> is pretty cool. Yeah.
>> You like that style?
>> That's like the old shirts. I used to wear them back in the day, too.
>> Oh, really?
>> I wouldn't wear this, though. But that's everybody to their own style, you Yeah.
>> Is this >> Oh my god. So she very >> That's cool. There they have the They have the little print print printing machine.
>> See, they even have the little like thing to clamp down the plastic lid machine.
>> Oh, it's pure. It is pure metal, too.
So this is a spot that everyone come for a little drink while they're shopping.
>> Everybody's getting bubble tea. This kid just ordered too.
>> Here we is yours.
>> Milo. Milo. Whatever.
Milo Milo. Got to get a bit of a Milo kick.
Let me give it a little mix together.
>> $1, right?
>> Yeah. 220,000.
>> Let me see.
It does look like a pistol.
>> Very sweet.
>> Sweet.
>> Sweet.
>> Milo in the rain.
>> Maybe you got to wait a little bit for the >> Yeah, there's not much liquid in it.
>> Yeah, that's why you just give it a little, >> you know, that's a technique in Vietnam.
Yeah. You just keep >> True though.
>> So, it is what you do at a coffee shop.
Yeah. You just keep popping.
Oh, so that's like a map of someone window.
That is funny.
>> I think that's a lady's house.
>> Uh maybe here.
Oh, there you go.
>> Let's watch the head.
>> What's your head on the way up to the top?
>> Oh, more sunlight here.
>> Oh, what?
>> Wow. Cool.
>> This is cute.
>> That's cool. Cool cat souvenir.
>> Oh, I know this one. It's like a design souvenir.
>> Oh, so cute.
>> That's funny. Look at this old shirt.
This is like a what do you call Charlie in the Chocolate Factory kind of style.
>> Yeah.
Shopping day with Ricky. But we didn't shop anything.
>> What's that?
>> It's so cute that you These are the fashion hub for young people. That's so good.
>> That's a catchy name.
>> Last. Yeah, Ricky L.
>> So busy.
>> That's it, guys. That's a city walk in the weekend in Ho Chiman City, Saigon.
>> Yeah, guys, if you like this video, make sure to subscribe, turn on notifications for more local content in Vietnam.
>> Yes. And don't forget to visit our merch to see more local products.
>> Get local Vietnam. See you in the next video, guys.
>> Thanks for watching.
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