Overall9.7/10Among the 5% best cities for wellness
Good to know
Good to Know
- Long-term gym contracts (6-15+ months) at chains like California Fitness & Yoga get progressively cheaper per month, so short-stay nomads often pay a much higher effective monthly rate than the advertised long-term price — always ask for the short-term/day-pass rate specifically.
- Thao Dien (District 2) is the expat-heavy hub for higher-end boutique gyms and fitness studios, while District 1 and District 3 have a mix of budget local gyms and international chains.
- Many local/budget gyms (Body Fix, C'Gym, HD Gym, Fit24) offer day passes well under $10, making it easy to gym-hop without committing to a membership while scouting the city.
- The New Gym chain does not offer day passes and membership at one branch does not carry over to other branches of the same chain — check this before signing up if you plan to move around the city.
- Recovery culture (sauna + ice bath) is a newer, growing niche in HCMC compared to Bangkok or Bali, with only a couple of dedicated named venues found rather than a saturated market.
- English-language mental health care is concentrated in District 1, District 2 (Thảo Điền), and District 3 — outside these areas, expect Vietnamese-language-only services.
- A license displayed at a traditional medicine or acupuncture clinic isn't always a reliable indicator of quality; hospital-affiliated or university-affiliated clinics tend to be a safer bet than informal storefronts.
- NAD+ IV and vitamin drip therapy at licensed hospitals/clinics is a legitimate, regulated wellness service and generally cheaper here than in the US or Europe for the same protocol.
- Self-administered 'research peptides' (BPC-157, TB-500, etc.) are widely available online in Vietnam but are unregulated for human use — there's no clinical oversight, and quality varies enormously by supplier, so this carries real personal health risk regardless of its legal grey-zone status.
- If you need urgent psychiatric help, go straight to an international hospital emergency department — Vietnam does not have a single nationwide mental-health crisis line comparable to Western countries.
Recovery Centers
Dii Sauna & Icebath
- Type
- Dedicated sauna and cold-plunge recovery venue
- Booking
- Sessions and passes are booked online via a class-schedule/booking system; walk-ins accommodated based on availability.
- Location
- District 1 (Tan Dinh Ward), about 15 minutes from Tan Son Nhat Airport
- Offerings
- Finnish-style sauna run at roughly 85°C paired with an Australian-made cold plunge/ice bath around 5°C; sessions typically run about two hours and include complimentary tea, towels, and slippers
- Nudity Norm
- Described as a tech-free space welcoming all ages and genders together; standard practice is swimwear.
Body Expert Systems
- Type
- Ice bath and breathwork wellness studio
- Booking
- Membership packages available; sessions bookable directly.
- Location
- Saigon (central HCMC)
- Offerings
- Ice bath therapy combined with guided breathwork sessions, plus online coaching for longevity and performance
Private Wellness Clubs
Saigon Sports Club
- Type
- Members-oriented fitness and combat-sports club considered among the highest-end clubs in the city, Thao Dien area
Gyms And Fitness Chains
California Fitness & Yoga (CFYC)
- Type
- Large international-style club chain, multiple branches (incl. Vincom malls, Hung Vuong)
- Amenities
- Cardio and strength machines, group classes, pools and spa amenities at some branches
- Notes
- Pricing varies significantly by branch and contract length; long-term contracts (6-15 months) are pushed hard and get much cheaper per-month rates than short stays.
Pricing
- Day pass
- ₫500,000
- Monthly Membership
- ₫2,600,000
Elite Fitness
- Type
- High-end five-star national gym chain
- Amenities
- Spa, pool, sauna, group classes, personal training
- Locations
- Vincom Dong Khoi (District 1), Vincom Mega Mall Thao Dien (District 2)
Pricing
- Monthly Membership Range
- ₫2,500,000
Anytime Fitness
- Type
- 24/7 international chain
- Amenities
- Cardio and strength machines, functional zones, private showers, keycard 24-hour access, worldwide reciprocal access
- Locations
- Tan Dinh Ward, District 7 (Midtown/The Signature), District 9 (Vincom Grand Park)
- Pricing Note
- Rates are branch-specific; contact local branch directly for current pricing
Gorilla Gym
- Type
- Boutique gym in Thao Dien (District 2)
- Notes
- On the pricier end for a boutique gym; known for giving free hard-boiled eggs and bananas to members and day-pass guests.
Pricing
- Day pass
- ₫200,000
Body Fix
- Type
- Neighborhood gym
Pricing
- Day pass
- ₫100,000
- One Month
- ₫900,000
- Six Month
- ₫3,500,000
- Three Month
- ₫2,400,000
- Twelve Month
- ₫6,000,000
The New Gym
- Type
- Popular Vietnamese 24/7 gym chain, multiple branches
- Amenities
- Air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, filtered water, group classes (Zumba, dance, combat, yoga)
- Notes
- No day passes offered; membership at one branch does not grant access to other New Gym locations.
Fit24
- Type
- Budget-friendly chain
- Notes
- Generally more affordable than the big international chains; circuit-training class focus at branches like Fit24 Hoang Sa (District 1).
C'Gym
- Type
- Local sports-complex gym
- Notes
- Parking costs an extra 5,000 VND; part of a larger sports complex with a security guard on site.
Pricing
- Day pass
- ₫80,000
- One Week
- ₫300,000
- One Month
- ₫650,000
HD Gym
- Type
- Budget gym, District 3
Pricing
- One Month
- ₫475,000
- Fifteen Visit Card
- ₫400,000
Curves
- Type
- Women-only fitness chain
- Locations
- Six locations across District 1, District 5, District 10, Tan Binh, and Phu Nhuan
Mach's Gym
- Type
- Bodybuilding/strength gym, District 1
- Notes
- Founded by Vietnamese bodybuilding champion Pham Van Mach; focused on serious physique training.
Saigon Sports Club
- Type
- Combat-sports focused fitness club, Thao Dien (District 2)
- Amenities
- Boxing, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes for all levels
- Notes
- Widely regarded as one of the nicest overall fitness clubs in the city.
MMA Gym Fitness Center
- Type
- National martial-arts gym chain
- Locations
- Five locations across Ho Chi Minh City
Lien Phong MMA
- Type
- Traditional Vietnamese martial arts school
- Notes
- Teaches Vovinam, a Vietnamese martial art combining self-defense and fitness.
Yoga Plus
- Type
- Yoga studio
- Notes
- Offers Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, and Hot Yoga styles.
Yoga Pod
- Type
- Yoga studio
- Notes
- Known for a tranquil, nature-incorporated practice space.
Mental Health Resources
- Overview
- Ho Chi Minh City has a growing but still limited pool of English-language therapists, split between Vietnamese-run private practices, corporate/expat-oriented counseling centers, and international hospital psychiatry departments. Local public psychiatric care exists but is generally Vietnamese-language and delivered to local clinical standards rather than international expat standards.
- Teletherapy And Directories
- Several therapists based in Vietnam (and reachable from HCMC) offer online-only sessions, and international directories such as TherapyRoute and the International Therapist Directory list independent, often foreign-trained, therapists who work with expats by video call. Government embassy contact lists (e.g. Australian consulate) also compile vetted counselling and psychological service contacts for the city, though they explicitly do not endorse or guarantee any listed provider.
- Crisis Note
- There is no single unified national mental-health crisis hotline equivalent to services in the US/UK; in an acute crisis the standard guidance is to go directly to a hospital emergency department or an international hospital with a psychiatric unit.
In Person Options
Better Living (Dr. Trần Hữu ĐứC)
- Area
- Phú Nhuận District
- Specialties
- Anxiety, depression, emotional trauma; also hypnotherapy and timeline therapy
Saigon Psychub
- Area
- Vinhomes Golden River, Bến Nghé Ward, District 1
- Specialties
- Art therapy alongside standard talk therapy for trauma, depression, and anger management
International Center for Cognitive Development
- Area
- Saigon Trade Center, District 1
- Specialties
- Psychometric assessment, mental health diagnostics, counselling, referrals
Hero's Journey Therapy
- Area
- Techcombank Building, Tôn Đức Thắng, District 1
- Specialties
- Licensed psychotherapy for anxiety, trauma, depression, adjustment issues
Family Medical Practice
- Area
- District 2 (Thảo Điền)
- Specialties
- General practice with psychiatric/mental health referral services, English-speaking, 24/7
Biohacking Longevity Scene
- Overview
- HCMC has a visible and growing biohacking/longevity wellness scene concentrated in District 1, District 2 (Thảo Điền), and District 7 (Phú Mỹ Hưng), centered on IV vitamin/NAD+ infusion clinics, GLP-1 weight-loss prescribing, and a separate, larger self-administered research-peptide community operating mostly through online suppliers rather than physical clinics.
Glp1 Medications
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Description
- Branded GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro are registered with the Drug Administration of Vietnam and require a doctor's prescription, obtainable via consultation at international hospitals or clinics.
Pricing
- Consultation And Labs
- ₫3,000,000
- Pharmacy Price Per Pen
- ₫3,000,000
Iv And Nad Therapy
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Description
- NAD+ and vitamin IV drips are offered as licensed wellness/medical services at hospitals and clinics rather than as controlled substances.
Research Grade Peptides
- Legal Status
- Compounds such as BPC-157, TB-500, retatrutide, GHK-Cu, semax, selank, and similar 'research peptides' are not listed on Vietnam's controlled substance schedules and personal possession/use has not resulted in documented arrests or deportations. They are, however, not registered or approved as pharmaceuticals for human use, sit in a legal grey zone, and are not administered by mainstream wellness clinics — most clinics in HCMC stick to IV vitamin/NAD+ therapy and do not prescribe or inject these compounds.
- Regulatory Status
- Decriminalized or tolerated
- Scam And Risk Patterns
- The riskiest supply channels reported are informal peer-to-peer resale through Telegram groups and social-media marketplaces, where there is no batch testing, no accountability, and a high chance of counterfeit or mislabeled product. Reselling or unlicensed distribution of these compounds (as opposed to personal use) carries genuine legal exposure under Vietnam's pharmaceutical distribution laws.
- Safety And Harm Reduction
- Because these products are self-sourced and self-administered rather than pharmacy-dispensed, there is no independent quality control: purity, sterility, and correct dosing depend entirely on the individual supplier. Vietnam's tropical heat and humidity make cold-chain handling and correct storage of temperature-sensitive compounds a real practical risk if not managed carefully. Reconstitution, dosing, and injection all fall on the user, with no clinical supervision or way to verify what is actually in a vial without independent lab testing.
- Note On Pricing
- Consistent with harm-reduction practice, no pricing or sourcing guidance is provided here given the unregulated legal status of these compounds.
Cryotherapy Note
Whole-body cryotherapy chambers (as opposed to cold-water ice baths) are not well documented as a standalone named venue category in HCMC; most 'cold therapy' options found are ice-bath/cold-plunge and sauna venues rather than nitrogen cryo chambers.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
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Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.