Mr Local G.
Google
Even if you’re not planning to buy anything, it’s a comfortable place to stroll, take photos, or simply sit and soak in the atmosphere.
The book street is more like a convention of secondhand bookstores rather than a market of stalls, giving it a more clean feel and grounded setting of security. Some shops are even indoors, and the cleanliness of the location is well maintained, devoid of overflowing trash bins or foul smells.
The shops sell a wide range of media, including books, postcards, paintings, comics, novels, stationery, toys, board/catd games, etc. Price are pretty cheap and some stores also offer discounts.
About 6 - 8 cafes are scattered along the street and plenty of seating options are available in the cafes or at public benches. It was nice to catch a sip or bite while people-watching. Lined with trees above and decorated with colorful hanging flags and paper displays, the street is shaded, relaxed, and easy to walk through.
We were also lucky to visit during a small book event, where an author was introducing a new release, which added to the community-oriented and cultural vibe of the area.
One thing for visitors to note is that because the book street consists of many separate shops rather than a single large bookstore, finding a specific category (such as cooking books) may require walking through the entire street (rather than browsing one dedicated section for food books).
Additionally, many of the books are in Vietnamese, so for tourists, it can take some effort to find titles that are both interesting and linguistically accessible.
Finally, I'd recommend visiting the area in the morning or evening before the peak afternoon hours and sun.
