With temperatures staying high from morning to late afternoon in recent weeks, shaded streets and parks have become vital cooling spaces across the city.
Le Duan Boulevard, near the Independence Palace and April 30 Park, is lined with mature trees that form one of central HCM City’s rare green corridors, with fresh foliage casting shade across busy streets after pre-rainy season pruning.
Rows of dipterocarp and tamarind trees along major roads not only help lower temperatures but also create some of the city’s most recognisable summer landscapes.
The Truong Sa and Hoang Sa roads, which run alongside the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal, are also known for their extensive greenery stretching several kilometres.
Once heavily polluted, the canal has undergone years of environmental restoration and has become a popular public space where residents walk, exercise and escape the heat.
Hoang Van Trong of Binh Thanh Ward said “I come to the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal every day to enjoy the breeze, walk and exercise. In such a crowded city, having a green space to relax during these hot days is wonderful.”
Several older streets, including Hung Vuong, An Duong Vuong, Ngo Gia Tu, Nguyen Chi Thanh and Le Hong Phong, have retained their decades-old trees, preserving a familiar landscape associated with generations of city residents.
Large tree canopies along Nguyen Tri Phuong Street help shield commuters from heat radiating off concrete and traffic during rush hour.
In Xuan Hoa Ward, streets such as Vo Van Tan, Nguyen Binh Khiem, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia and Ba Huyen Thanh Quan are lined with tamarind trees, long regarded as a defining feature of the city.
Known for their wide canopies and dense shade, tamarind trees have become deeply embedded in local culture, appearing in poetry and in the memories of many residents.
Beneath the tamarind canopy, residents and visitors stroll at ease, escaping the intense dry-season heat.
In recent years, city authorities have expanded parks and urban greenery to meet growing demand for recreation and cooling areas, while newer boulevards such as Mai Chi Tho, Pham Van Dong and Nguyen Van Linh have been designed with additional green space to help reduce urban heat.
Officials say urban greenery is playing an increasingly important role in improving environmental quality and enhancing residents’ quality of life as extreme heat becomes more frequent.