Life - May 1, 2019 | 05:43 am PT

Vietnam tourist spots turn crowd-pullers during extended weekend

The 5-day break saw some popular vacation spots across Vietnam overflow with people.

As the National Reunification Day (April 30) and Labor Day (May 1) were preceded by the last weekend of April this year, the nation enjoyed a five-day holiday.

With temperatures hitting scorching highs, people flocked to beaches, pools and other places to escape from the heat.

From the north to the south, the holiday crowds jammed the country’s tourist hotspots.

Sea of humanity in Sam Son Beach 

Sam Son Beach in the central province of Thanh Hoa received around 600,000 tourists between April 27 and 30, local authorities said.

The team of lifeguards could get no rest throughout the day as hundreds of thousands of people packed the beach.

First exploited for tourism by French colonialists in 1907, Sam Son has been a favorite vacation destination in the north. The town boasts long beaches and beautiful mountains.

Crowd of mountainous proportions in hill station 

The normally quiet and peaceful town of Da Lat in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong experienced a huge influx of visitors during the holiday.

A photo of Da Lat’s night market taken at 8p.m. of April 28.

People of all ages and walks of life were out in force.

Da Lat has been a popular hillside resort since the French colonial era, but this year, the number of visitors soared to mountainous proportions. 

Video of Da Lat in the first days of the national holiday.

Dense crowds in Cuc Phuong forest

The road leading to the northern park is jammed from time to time.

The hordes of visitors to the Cuc Phuong National Park this year were lucky that it was the butterfly season in the forest, and millions of white wings flitted around.

There were places in the forest away from the madding crowd for people experience some proximity to nature. 

Humans overrun Saigon Zoo 

Many families who did not leave Saigon for the break flocked the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens. 

"Here we have large green trees for the family to cool off and many kinds of animals for the kids to see," said Thanh Vy, a mother living in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City. "The zoo is close to our home, so it was a convenient place to visit during the holiday."

The Saigon Zoo and Botanical gardens became a picnic spot for thousands of families, some of whom brought along hammocks to relax in.

Several families also pitched tents in the Saigon Zoo and Botanical gardens.

As the holiday ends on May 1, traffic jams are expected on roads and highways leading to Hanoi and HCMC as the holiday goers make their way back.

VnExpress/Phong Vinh, Kieu Duong, Dinh Tung