The Best Gaming Cafés in Ho Chi Minh City

Gaming is a hugely popular form of entertainment, and nowhere more so than in Vietnam. So, where can you go in Ho Chi Minh City to get your fix of StarCraft or Overwatch? Below, we’ve broken down the best, cheapest and most, uh, characterful places to play games, relax and catch a professional esports match in Ho Chi Minh City.
It’s official: video games are the world’s most popular form of entertainment. After narrowly surpassing TV in 2018, interactive entertainment now rakes in more than £122 billion a year. The United States and China are still the world’s biggest markets by far (Japan, Sweden, South Korea and the UK also have strong gaming traditions), but fledgling studios and new generations of gamers are growing steadily in pretty much every corner of the globe.

Destinations Unlocked:
Let our travel expert Stefano help you find your perfect Culture tripCentralAmerica
1. Guatemala
An express adventure for those with limited time off. Prepare yourself incredible experiences. You will hike a volcano, visit mayan temples and witness a ceremony and take in beautiful colonial Antigua.CentralAmerica
2. Belize
A quick trip not too far away for those seeking a relaxing mini break. You will have plenty of free time to relax but also some awesome activities to experience the rainforest and the caribbean sea.CentralAmerica
3. Mexico
An exciting mini trip exploring the lesser known colonial towns of central Mexico. This is hte perfect trip for someone with limited time off and still wants to turn on explorer mode and do something different.SouthAmerica
1. Ecuador
A remarkable 8 days adventure through the Andes and the Amazon rainforest. The best choice for adventure seekers wishing to visit the 2 most iconic areas of South America, in only 1 week and no flights.SouthAmerica
2. Peru
An alternative itinerary to classic Peru, from Cusco to Arequipa. This itinerary is great combination of highlights Cusco and Machu Picchu with the lesser known Arequipa and Colca Canyon.Europe
1. Italy
The ultimate Italian experience from the vibrant streets of Naples to the breathtaking sceneries of the Amalfi Coast followed by Matera and down to Puglia with its golden beaches, intense flavours and fascinating destinations.Europe
2. Scotland
Embark on this great adventure starting from London all the way to Scotland with a true Scottish experience made of breathtaking sceneries, whisky tasting and ..lots of fun! Ideal for train lovers and explorers.Europe
3. Portugal
A wonderful train journey around Portugal, from the romantic city of Porto to the Douro Valley, to the beautiful Aveiro all the way to Lisbon and Sintra. The perfect trip to train, culinary and culture lovers.Asia
1. South Korea
Discover incredible temples, mountains and modern cities on this 10 day adventure. This trip is perfect for those seeking immersion in the cuisine, culture and natural wonders of South Korea.Asia
2. Thailand
From Bankgok to Angkor Wat to Ho Chi Minh City and everything in between - adventure through the heart of South-East Asia. Taste the delights, see history brought to life and unwind on a Mekong River cruise.Asia
3. Sri Lanka
A fantastic adventure that showcases Sri Lanka's fantastic landscapes, wildlife and flavours. With 3 epic rail journeys, 3 UNESCO heritage sites and time to relax, this trip has loads to offer at a great priceAfrica
1. Morocco
An epic journey across Morocco: from Casablanca to Marrakech, through the blue city of Chefchaouen to the wonders of the desert and deep to the High Atlas Mountains - this trip has it all! Ideal for true explorers!Africa
2. Egypt
From Cairo to Aswan, this trip brings the land of the pharaohs to life. You'll visit the Pyramids, Valley of the Kings and Luxor Temple and cruise down the Nile in style. This is the perfect way to explore Egypt.More importantly, gaming has become a huge part of the way that people all over the world interact, bond and compete. Now, people are even making serious money playing games. In China and Korea, esports rival traditional sports in terms of attention. When the South Korean national football team was getting ready to step onto the pitch, their coach arranged for professional StarCraft players to come give them a pep talk.
In Vietnam, gaming is still seen as more of a pastime, but public perception is changing faster all the time. The country’s tech boom, along with a generation of gamers raised in internet cafés, is seeing more and more people chasing the dream of a career in esports – as gamers, casters and developers.
Computers are expensive in Vietnam, and having one at home isn’t financially viable for most people. Pretty much the whole country goes to internet cafés. Most of them are dingy rooms filled with rows of screens, where you can get decent Internet and a comfy chair for less than a dollar an hour.
As gaming becomes increasingly popular and lucrative, a swathe of internet cafés are springing up targeted specifically at gamers. Kitted out with powerful machines, super-fast Wi-Fi and even more comfortable chairs, these gaming dens are some of the nicest places to while away a day playing everything from League of Legends to Overwatch and Dota 2. Gamer culture is a great way to get a look inside the life of young Vietnamese people in 2020.
InTheNet eSports Gaming Center
Cafe, Snacks
Located in the heart of District 10, InTheNet eSports Gaming Centre is a spacious café with a solid range of gaming rooms. Their standard packages start at VND5,500 (about £.20) an hour and go all the way up to…VND10,000 (£.40) for their Gold package, which gets you a top of the line gaming rig and a 27-inch screen. InTheNet also offers practice spaces for esports teams, a streaming room and a couples package for two people “who share a passion for gaming.” If you’re an aspiring game developer, InTheNet also provides a community service where young devs can meet to exchange advice and expertise, as well as potentially get their gaming startup funded. If you’re looking to meet some of the folks actually making games in Vietnam, this is ground zero.
Cyber Core Nhat Thien
Cafe, Snacks
If sleek, futuristic, minimalist design is something you’re into, then skip on down. If you’ve got a soft spot for charmingly over-the-top black and red pictures of wolves made of fire howling at a moon that may also be on fire, Cyber Core Nhat Thiet in District 10 may just steal your heart. Inside, the application of red and black piping to every possible surface is enough to melt the heart of the 10-year-old gamer in all of us. Cyber Core is a little pricier than most gamer cafes: prices start at VND7,000 (£0.25) and go all the way up to VND12,000 (£.42) per hour. Their machines are seriously beefy, however. They also separate their shop into smoking and non-smoking, which can be a lifesaver as some gamer cafés will have you marinating in a grey fog for hours at a time like so much expensive haddock.
Marines eSports Gaming
Cafe, Snacks
Filled with soft lighting, pot plants and natural wood, Marines eSports Gaming in District 4 is the trendy aesthetic foil to places like Cyber Core. It’s a halfway point between Cyber Core and a Shoreditch coffee roaster. Its major draw is the fact it’s the home turf of Marines Esports (previously GAM Esports), one of Vietnam’s top tier League of Legends teams. As well as gaming rigs, private rooms and all the coffee you could need for an all-night session, Marines is one of the best places to watch major esports events in the city.
Kingdom Gaming
Cafe, Snacks
As gaming has become more widely accepted and popular in Vietnam, there’s been a rise of a new style of gaming den: the iCafe. With its white walls, dangling filament light bulbs and natural wood, Kingdom Gaming is a gorgeous place to spend some time, regardless of whether you’re a gamer. Its high ceiling and clean palette mean its clientele aren’t your average pyjama-wearing, chain-smoking gamer gremlins. Their coffee is amazing, the staff are renowned for being very friendly, and upon stepping inside, it’s easy to recognise the fact that the usual 98-2% gender divide in gaming cafés doesn’t apply here. Pro gaming is quickly becoming a way for lots of Vietnamese women to level the playing field in a country that still has pretty 20th-century conceptions of a woman’s ‘role’. Kingdom is definitely a safe space for women who game, which is fantastic.
Kingdom Next Gen Hoa Hung
Cafe, Snacks
For a premium experience that pulls together the best that the Vietnamese gamer café scene has to offer, Kingdom Next Gen is a small chain that makes a lot of places look like amateur hour. Its interior is gorgeously turned out, with delicate lighting and glass dividing walls that make the whole place feel open. It’s one of the only spots in town where you can find gaming rigs that have 16GB of RAM and up, along with some beastly graphics cards and big, curved screens.
Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip
meet our Local Insider
Hanna

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?
I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!


Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.


KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?
Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.