Nguyen Van Binh Book Street

The Book Street sign under the trees · Thanh Nhan · Pexels License

A hundred-metre street beside Notre-Dame, lined with book kiosks under tamarind trees.

The book street opened in 2016 on a short stretch linking Notre-Dame Cathedral to the Central Post Office — until then, a car park. The city closed it to traffic, put up two rows of glass-and-timber kiosks for publishers with a few cafés between them, and left the old tamarinds arching overhead. The result is one of the few shaded places to stop in central District 1, and one of the very few spots in the city where people sit and read rather than pass through. At weekends there are secondhand stalls, launches and signings; on a weekday it is quiet and cool, and makes a good pause between the two landmarks either side of it.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Nguyen Van Binh Book Street?

Early morning or late afternoon, once the light slants through the tamarinds

How much does it cost to visit Nguyen Van Binh Book Street?

Free

How long do you need at Nguyen Van Binh Book Street?

45 minutes

What are the opening hours of Nguyen Van Binh Book Street?

08:00 - 22:00

Did you know

The book street opened in January 2016 along a stretch of roughly 100 metres.
It is fully pedestrianised, with publisher kiosks and cafés down both sides.
The mature tamarind trees were kept, shading almost the whole width of the street.
It sits between Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office, metres from each.

Travel tips

Slot it between the cathedral and the post office — all three are on one short walk.
Weekends are busy with events; a weekday is when it actually works as a place to read.

Source: https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/11708010270

Updated: 2026-08-16