What you will find in Da Lat and Sa Pa this long weekend: huge crowds

By Vy An   April 23, 2017 | 08:00 pm PT
What you will find in Da Lat and Sa Pa this long weekend: huge crowds
Da Lat was packed during the spring festival earlier this year. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Nguyen
If you are just starting to plan your holiday, good luck finding an affordable room or air ticket.

Almost all hotels in two favorite destinations Sa Pa and Da Lat are reportedly fully booked for the four-day Reunification and Labor Day holiday. Quang Binh, the cave paradise in central Vietnam, is also expected to see huge crowds.

Many late planners told VnExpress that rates of a few remaining rooms have doubled, but now they don't have choices.

“I just had to accept the new rate because all other hotels had sold out. I did not want to cancel my vacation plan,” said a woman from Hanoi who is set for a trip to Sa Pa. Hotels in the highland town said they were fully booked around one week ago.

The town has announced a fireworks show on Sunday.

Sa Pa and Da Lat were late last year named among the best destinations for 2017 according to TripAdvisor travelers. The towns' climate and green scenery offer a cool respite from Vietnam’s year-round hot weather, while their ethnic culture is also an attraction.

Quang Binh Province, a rising destination for cave exploration, is also poised for a good holiday season, a stark contrast from last summer when its tourism industry was hit by the Formosa toxic spill disaster.

A readers survey by VnExpress, which has received 5,600 responses, shows more than half intend to stay home during the holiday. But 30 percent will travel to their hometowns and 14 percent go on a vacation.

National carrier Vietnam Airlines has added 175 flights on domestic routes, anticipating a 15 percent in air travel demand compared to last year's holiday. Rail companies will also schedule dozens of extra trips to destinations such as Nha Trang and Phan Thiet.

The four-day break will end on Tuesday. As most of southern Vietnam is going through one of the hottest summers in years, there will certainly be huge crowds in places that can offer some relief from the intense heat.

The next and last long weekend of the year will be in early September for the Independence Day. Tourists are advised to plan ahead.

 
 
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