Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam

Parkson Saigon Tourist

35 Bis-45 Lê Thánh Tôn, D. 1 Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam (08) 3827 7636
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Parkson Saigon Tourist is located in the center of Ho Chi Minh City. When it was built, it was the first truly international shopping mall in the city and still today it is a popular destination for shoppers. The food court is also well visited by hungry office workers during lunch.

Parkson Saigon Tourist
Parkson Saigon Tourist
Parkson Saigon Tourist

Another dull shopping mall

Reviewed on 2014-09-10 (Updated on 2020-11-25)

I’ve basically summed it up already. Parkson is just another dull shopping mall, full of people who have attached a large part of their identity to their consumerism. And people who think that buying lots of stuff makes them happy. And people who like to flash their cash with gaudy and kitschy jewellery, clothes and make-up of questionable taste.

This is where independence comes to die. An overly-clean place full of characterless tiles and characterless shoppers, shopping for characterless brands, such as Marc Jacobs, Lacoste, Calvin Klein, and lots of others with forgettable names that I’d never heard of before. Although if I said that while I was in the place I would probably have been branded a heretic.

There’s not too much fun anyone can have in this place, especially if you’re doing your best to hold back tears as you look around and realise just how hegemonic corporate late capitalism can be.

Despite all this, it’s got a great bowling alley. So if you want to do some ten pin bowling, go there. If you don’t, never ever step food inside the place. Unless, of course, you’re a completely vacuous person who just wants to buy more stuff.