Various tours available for National Day holidays

Travel companies are offering various tours to attract more holidaymakers in the coming National Day holidays from Sept. 1-4.

Currently, domestic tours have great pricing that is more economical than those offered during the Reunification Day and May Day holidays.

In the north, tours to highland destinations are arranged in various forms such as package tour, trekking and mountain climbing. Specifically, a Hanoi - Sa Pa tour in three days two nights costs about VND2.7 million (US$113) per person and a Hanoi - Ha Long tour at a price of VND3.6 million per person.

Besides, leisure travel such as cruises on Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay VND3.2-3.8 million per head have also been chosen by many tourists.

Assessing tourism trends during the National Day holidays, director of VietSense Travel Nguyen Van Tai said that after a long summer vacation, tourists will tend to choose short-term trips.

In the north, tours to Sa Pa, Mu Cang Chai, Ha Giang and Ba Be, Ha Long, and Cat Ba will be favored by many people. These are also the products with the best pricing for customers.

Popular destinations such as Da Nang, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc have been chosen by a lot of tourists.

Nguyen Thi Huyen, director of GBest Tourism Company, said that although tourism on the occasion of Sept. 2 holidays is not as "hot" as in the summer vacation, this is still a busy time for the tourism industry.

Hanoi is also an attractive destination for tourists from neighboring provinces and overseas.

Outbound tours to Thailand, China, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan are preferred by many Vietnamese people.

Nguyen Huu Cuong, director of Trang An Tourism Company, said that while the price of domestic air tickets for many routes is quite high, tours abroad cost between VND7-10 million, so many Vietnamese tourists choose to travel abroad.

The price of air tickets for this period is two-fold even three-fold higher than in normal days.

For example, if a customer chooses to go on Aug. 31 or Sept. 1 by Vietjet on Hanoi - Phu Quoc route, the one-way ticket price ranges from VND1.6 million to more than VND2 million.

If you fly with Vietnam Airlines, the one-way fare will be VND2.4 million or more.

Phung Quang Thang, vice chairman of the Vietnam Travel Association, said that the trend of self-sufficient travel among small groups and families is still chosen by many people during this year's holiday.

"Families should plan ahead in booking services as well as calculate routes and destinations to avoid congestion and overload at some sites," Thang said, adding that tourists are recommended to select a reputable travel firm when booking a tour to avoid being scammed.

Many tourists choose to travel around Hanoi on the National Day holiday as autumn is the most beautiful season of the city.

According to the Hanoi Department of Tourism, visitors can take a night tour of Thang Long Imperial Citadel or Hoa Lo Prison relic site, tours to explore the Old Quarter, or craft villages.

In addition, there are many services at the commercial centers for tourists to both shop or experience skating at Royal City Urban Area, see the aquarium at Times City or Lotte Urban Area and look at the animal world at Hanoi Zoo or Bao Son Paradise Park.