Bird Cafe in Tao Dan Park, Saigon in Vietnam

Tucked behind Reunification Palace, Tao Dan Park is a little green oasis bang in the heart of downtown Saigon (Ho Chi Minh). If you head there in the morning – the earlier the better but no later than 9am – you will see Vietnamese men of all ages (but predominantly elderly), who come to the park to show off their prized birds, enjoy the morning air and socialise with friends over a cup of freshly brewed Vietnamese coffee.

Earning the park the nickname of Bird Cafe, it’s an engaging scene and incredibly tranquil by Saigon standards.

The men chat and the bird gossip…