Tourist hotspots overrun by weekend holiday crowds

Popular tourist destinations were flooded with visitors during the three-day Hung Kings festival, the first national public holiday after the government announced Covid was past its peak.

Crowds flood the three-kilometer-long Bai Sau, a popular beach in Vung Tau near Ho Chi Minh City, at 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Several tourists said there were so many people they had to wait for their turns to enjoy the beach.

The Health Ministry last week announced the Covid-19 pandemic had winded down in the country with drops in infections, severe cases and deaths. It said the pandemic has been brought under control.

Photo by Truong Ha

The area near the famous night market in the Central Highlands resort town of Da Lat swarms with visitors on Sunday night.

Also known as Am Phu (Hell), the market opens from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m., and sells food and drinks, clothes, souvenirs, and others.

Families take their children to Thu Le Park to the west of Hanoi on Sunday.

Entry prices for visitors from 1.3 meters tall is VND30,000 and VND20,000 for others. Parking fees are VND10,000.

Visitors sit inside an international passenger port that serves cruise tours to Ha Long Bay, famous for its limestone karst mountains rising from emerald waters, in northern Quang Ninh Province, around two hours east of Hanoi.

People gather at Van Lang Park in Viet Tri Town in northern Phu Tho Province to watch a 15-minute high-altitude firework show on April 9.

As the pandemic has been put under control, the government has allowed Phu Tho provincial authorities to set off fireworks to commemorate the mythical founders of Vietnam, the Hung Kings, on their death anniversary.

Traditionally, a mass ceremony is organized at the Hung Kings Temple at Nghia Linh Mountain, attracting hundreds of thousands of revelers from across the country.

Vehicles flood major streets in Viet Tri Town on Saturday night as hundreds of thousands of people flock to Phu Tho to pay tribute to the Hung Kings.

Visitors gather in front of Ngo Mon Gate, the main entrance to the Imperial Citadel in Hue, to take photos on Saturday.

VnExpress Marathon Hue, a major sport and tourism event that has attracted nearly 4,000 runners, took place on Sunday and over 70 percent of accommodation facilities in downtown Hue have been fully booked while tourist attractions like the Imperial Citadel, Truong Tien Bridge and royal tombs were crowded.