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At exactly midnight on the first day of the Lunar New Year, fireworks were launched simultaneously at 17 locations across the city, including four high-altitude and 13 low-altitude displays.
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Fireworks burst above the Saigon River. Photo by Thanh Tung |
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Fireworks flare above the Saigon Marina IFC tower. Photo by Thanh Tung |
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Thousands watch the fireworks along the Saigon River. Photo by Dinh Van |
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Photo by Dinh Van |
About 30 minutes before the fireworks began, people had already filled the area stretching from Nguyen Hue Flower Street to Ton Duc Thang Street and Bach Dang Wharf Park, sitting shoulder to shoulder as they waited for midnight.
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Bach Dang Wharf Park and Ton Duc Thang Street crowded with people waiting for the fireworks. Photo by Dinh Van |
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Residents gather to pray around the Ngoc Son Temple area ahead of midnight. Photo by Giang Huy |
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The Trang Tien–Dinh Tien Hoang intersection is packed with New Year’s Eve revelers. Photo by Giang Huy |
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A family plays with bubble wands before welcoming the New Year. Photo by Giang Huy |
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On the street, two people dressed as the God of Wealth hand out lucky money to those celebrating New Year’s Eve. Photo by Giang Huy |
Large crowds gathered near Tam Thang Tower at Back Beach in Vung Tau Ward to watch lion dance performances and New Year’s art shows.
Nearly 100 lions from 31 lion and dragon dance troupes performed together to the pounding rhythm of festival drums, creating a high-energy opening display. The rapid drumbeats — a familiar sound during Tet — not only stirred the festive atmosphere but also carried wishes for prosperity, peace and good fortune.
The celebration continued with an arts program, bringing audiences into a lively spring setting through song and dance performances that evoked images of the homeland and the coastal city.
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Lion dance performance in front of Tam Thang Tower. Photo by Truong Ha |
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Art performances staged in front of Tam Thang Tower. Photo by Truong Ha |
Thousands of people gathered around Xuan Huong Lake and Lam Vien Square in central Da Lat to watch New Year’s Eve performances.
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Lam Vien Square in Da Lat. Photo by Dao Hoang |
Alongside local residents, many domestic and international visitors continued streaming toward the lakeside to await the fireworks display at midnight.
"Coming to Da Lat, seeing the cherry blossoms and waiting for fireworks over Xuan Huong Lake on New Year’s Eve is such a special experience," said Nguyen Ngoc Bich, a visitor from Ho Chi Minh City.
This year, Lam Dong Province organized 19 fireworks displays for 15 minutes from midnight, including two in Da Lat at Yersin Park and the marina on Xuan Huong Lake.
Vietnam Railways, in coordination with Nhan Dan newspaper, organized a "Tet Train" farewell program to see off passengers starting their journey before the Lunar New Year.
Organizers handed out lucky money and extended New Year greetings to railway staff on duty during Tet as well as passengers aboard the final train departing Hanoi Station before midnight.
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Passengers board the final train of the Year of the Snake departing Hanoi Station. Photo by Ngoc Thanh |
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Passengers receive lucky money from the organizers. Photo by Ngoc Thanh |
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There is no empty space left around Hoan Kiem Lake as residents secure spots to watch the fireworks. Photo by Giang Huy |
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Many people arrived early and waited three to four hours before the New Year’s Eve fireworks began. Photo by Giang Huy |
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For the past four years, Mai and Nhan have come to Hoan Kiem Lake to watch the New Year’s Eve fireworks. This year they bring their two-year-old daughter Photo by Giang Huy |
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Security barriers are set up around the fireworks launch site near Hoan Kiem Lake. Photo by Giang Huy |
