Saigon's nightlife has come on in leaps and bounds in the past few years -- the centre is adorned with stylish lounge bars, live music venues and nightclubs where it's possible to party until dawn.

For early starters there's no better place than Level 23 at the Sheraton Hotel. The Bar is set on the 23rd floor of this posh Saigon hotel. Arrive for sunset, a pricey cocktail and one of the best views of the city -- it really is a spectacular sight, seeing the sun set on the pastel colours of the city before you.

Most District One bars will have a happy hour from around 17:00-20:00 -- including the London-themed The Underground on Dong Khoi St, a good place to sharpen pool skills. For Aussies, perhaps a pint in Blue Gecko would suit, seeing as the bar has numerous sports screens with a strong focus on sports from Down Under. For something more refined, try The Refinery -- tucked away in a quaint courtyard, but bang in the middle of town, this swanky restaurant has a mellow patio area outside decorated with leafy plants, a perfect place to relax a little before dancing the night away.

For those who prefer to start their evening with some live music, try funky Cuban tapas bar La Habana. Nightly performances are found here from 20:30-23:30. Carmen is an extremely popular Vietnamese live music venue and is packed to the rafters every night. Come here to sample the atmosphere and some seriously good musicians playing all kinds of music, from 21:00 nightly. If headbanging appeals, Vasco's has a live band every Friday evening. The band are housed in the small bar area, but there's also a large courtyard and outside bar to escape the noise. One extremely popular place with Vietnamese party-goers is Seventeen Saloon. Upstairs the Filipina cover band blow the crowd away with their rock and pop music -- by 22:00 this place is rocking.

If lounge bars are more the style you're after, check out the new Alibi Club. A comfortable interior is just as relaxing as the terrace overlooking the street where you can sit, drink, and chat away the evening as Saigon passes you by. Another option is the super trendy Manna. It has a large veranda overlooking the street below and attracts a classy cross-section of the population, not least for the expensive but wide ranging selection of cocktails -- dress to impress.

A great location for both early and late night drinks is Q Bar. Located in the shadow of the city Opera House and opposite the Caravelle Hotel, Q Bar gets busy after midnight -- on weekends, it's packed. Inside is a small maze of rooms and bars open until around 03:00. Late night options in the Dong Khoi area are few and far between -- other than Q Bar, you could try the infamous Apocalypse Now. The club is half-dance floor, half-bar, half-garden patio. The DJ thumps out dance music all night as locals and tourists alike bust their shapes in the hope of impressing someone. One might notice an unusually high percentage of local girls in here -- that's no coincidence.

Momo is a new addition to Saigon's post midnight scene. It is only a few doors down from Apocalypse Now. The bar is fairly compact, but with the sound system booming and the laser lights flashing across the two rooms, it makes for an intimate party atmosphere. The party continues until three in the morning.

A more stylish club is Lush. Very busy at weekends as expats crowd the place after a week's work, Lush is reminiscent of those small yet popular dance clubs found back home. An open-plan room houses the bar on the ground floor, and a seating/viewing gallery upstairs. Noisy, raucous and crowded, this has to be the most popular place to do a late night two-step in the close vicinity. Heart of Darkness is subtlety hidden away behind a black exterior -- this place attracts a mix of young and old, and plays everything from dark hip hop to funky dance depending on the night and the DJ.

Apocalypse Now - 2D Thi Sach St. T: (08) 825 6124. Daily 19:00-02:00
Alibi Club - 11 Thai Van Lung St. T: (08) 822 3240. Daily 08:00-24:00
Carmen - 8 Ly Tu Trong. T: (08) 829 7699. Daily 17:00-24:00
Heart of Darkness - 17B Le Thanh Ton. T: (08) 823 1080. Daily - 16:30-Late
La Habana - 6 Cao Ba Quat. T: (08) 829 5180.Daily 10:00-24:00
Level 23 - Sheraton Hotel-88 Dong Khoi St, (08) 827 2828. 16:00-24:00 Mon-Fri, 16:00-01:00 Sat & Sun.
Lush - 2 Ly Tu Trong St
Manna - 26 Ho Huan Nghiep St.
Momo – 6AB Thi Sach St. Daily: 19:00-03:00
Q Bar - 7 Lam Son Square. T: (08) 823 347. Daily 17:00-Late
Seventeen Saloon - 17 Ton Duc Thang St.
The Underground - 69 Dong Khoi St. T: (08) 829 907. Daily 10:00-24:00
The Blue Gecko - 31 Ly Tu Trong St. T: (08) 824 3483
The Refinery - 74/7C Hai Ba Trung. T: (08) 823 0509. 11:00-23:00 Tue-Sun