With the persistent hot weather prevailing in Ho Chi Minh City, outdoor workers and residents without air conditioning are seeking refuge from the heatwave by taking their breaks under bridges and large trees around the city.

Vo Minh Cuong, a 38-year-old worker from Thu Duc City, under Ho Chi Minh City, who works at the construction site of a building project in District 1, discovered a space under the nearby Ba Son Bridge where he could have a short nap after lunch.

The area under the bridge seems like a different world where the weather is cooler than that on the bridge thanks to winds from the Saigon River.

Cuong noted that many workers and ride-hailing drivers often take advantage of this area to catch a quick nap.

Hanging a hammock near Cuong’s, Nguyen Van Thuan, a 25-year-old driver from Thu Duc, said expressed his fondness for the area, humorously remarking that the breezes from the river provided better cooling than air conditioners.

He added that he frequents the spot six days a week to take a break at noon.

Many people in the southern metropolis complained that fans seem useless, while using air conditioners results in high electricity costs.

Many people have no air conditioners, so they have to rest in the shade of trees. 

Huynh Chi Khanh, a 21-year-old student in Tan Binh District, and his friends rushed to Gia Dinh Park in Go Vap District after school to escape the heatwave.

Khanh said they frequently visit coffee shops with air conditioning, but occasionally still feel stifled and uncomfortable.

But maintaining this habit can be quite costly, he admitted, as they cannot afford the costs for drinks at a coffee shop every day.

They are also afraid of heatstroke when stepping out of coffee shops after sitting inside for a while.

Lam Quoc Phong, a 37-year-old white-collar worker from Thu Duc City, also has lunch at a park instead of in his office.

Besides university students and poor laborers, many people with spacious houses prefer enjoying the cool atmosphere in parks.

As a case in point, Quynh Thi Kim Tuyet, a 62-year-old resident in Binh Thanh District, and her friends often bring tables and chairs to the bank of the Saigon River to take a rest at noon.

Tuyet said she could not stand staying at home during the hottest part of the day. Fans do not help, while air conditioners cannot be turned on all day.

The corrugated iron-roofed house of 80-year-old Pham Thi Ngoc in Binh Thanh is scorching at noon.

She said she has been living in Ho Chi Minh City since she was 25 but has yet to experience a year that is hotter than this.

She often seeks shelter under the trees along the Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal in Binh Thanh District.

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