In Tan Binh District of Ho Chi Minh City, there's an indoor beach café "Coffee House Vietnam" where the floor is filled with 15 centimeters of white sand and even the sound of waves plays. It's a setup where you take off your shoes, sink your feet into the sand, and savor a seaside mood with a drink in hand. Each floor has a beach or forest theme, with the sound of waves and birdsong reinforcing that atmosphere. It's drawing buzz on social media as a rare place where you can enjoy the feel of a sandy beach while in the city.
Tan Binh District, a sand café you enter after taking off your shoes
The shop is at 231 Cong Hoa Street in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City, in an area also close to the airport. Its biggest feature is the 15-centimeter-thick white sand spread across the floor. You take off your shoes, sink your feet into the sand, and enjoy a drink while burying your toes. The seaside feel, hard to believe is indoors, draws surprise from visitors.
Floors divided by beach and forest themes
Each floor has a beach or forest theme, with the sound of waves or birdsong playing to match. You can choose your spot by mood — a floor to savor the openness of the seaside, or a floor to soak in the quiet of the forest. Combining sound and the feel of sand creates a resort feel that isn't just visual.
The "sandy beach café" genre spreading in Saigon
Beach cafés that lay sand on the floor have become one popular genre in Ho Chi Minh City. For example, on Le Van Luong Street in District 7, there's a shop that brought in over 5 tons of white sand from Nha Trang and laid 20 centimeters of it, with fish tanks built under the seats so you can watch fish swim at your feet. Each shop asserts its own character by competing in staging both sandy beach and underwater.
| Item | Coffee House Vietnam | A District 7 sandy-beach café (for reference) |
|---|---|---|
| Location | 231 Cong Hoa Street (Tan Binh District) | Le Van Luong Street (District 7) |
| Sand depth | 15 centimeters | 20 centimeters |
| Staging | Wave sounds and birdsong / themes by floor | Fish swim in tanks under the seats |
Even within the same "sandy-beach café," the direction splits between building a world through sound and surprising with underwater staging. Hopping between them to compare is also a bit of fun.
Points for Japanese travelers to enjoy
The appeal of this genre is being able to savor the feel of sand and the sound of waves in the city without going all the way to a beach resort. Taking off your shoes and sinking your feet into the sand unwinds the fatigue of walking around town. Since even families can spend time as if playing in the sand, it also suits as a rest stop for families.
What to know before visiting
Since it's a shop that handles sand, you need to wash your feet and brush off the sand. Visiting in shoes that are easy to slip on and off, like sandals, is comfortable. Going through the floors of different themes makes the differences in sound and atmosphere clear. If you're after photos, aim for a quiet time slot when the sand's surface is nicely arranged.
Summary
Coffee House Vietnam is an indoor beach café that recreates a sandy beach in Saigon with 15 centimeters of white sand and wave sounds. The themes and sound staging on each floor reinforce a resort mood while you're in the middle of the city. If you're looking for a "rest with a difference" during your Ho Chi Minh City stay, take off your shoes and drop by.
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・Oasis Cafe floating on a carp pond
・A cafe to immerse all five senses (Saigon)
・Korean minimal café (Saigon)
Source:Culture Trip / Quirky themed cafes in HCMC / Kantata / Beach sand cafe with sea aquarium
