Vacationers make beeline for popular tourist destinations

Thousands of people were spotted in cable cars and trekking up Fansipan, Vietnam's tallest peak, in Lao Cai Province, on Friday.

Tourists flock to Fansipan peak, Vietnam's tallest mountain in Lao Cai Province, on September 1, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Hue

It rained slightly and was foggy early in the morning, but the rain stopped by 9 a.m., and the sun shone again.

Hoang Dao, a Hanoian walking up Fansipan, said his group of 12 began the climb early Thursday and finished at around 7 a.m. Friday.

During their trip, he encountered many other travelers, he said. And, due to the narrowness of the forest path, everyone had to stand on one side to allow people to pass.

Sa Pa Town recorded an increase in the number of visitors Friday.

According to Viettrekking Sa Pa, tables at many cafes began to fill up as early as 6 a.m.

Minh Nguyet, a tourist from Hanoi, said: "While the weather was cool and pleasant when my family arrived in Sa Pa on September 1, there were more visitors than expected this morning. My family wanted to take pictures at the stone church, but we had to wait 15 minutes."

Y Ty, around 80 kilometers from Sa Pa, also reported crowds despite the fact it is difficult to access. A majority of accommodation facilities in Y Ty were fully booked.

According to Hau Thi My, owner of A Ho homestay, which has more than 30 beds, her business was fully booked two weeks ago. On September 1 and 2 she served more than 40 guests a day.

She said it is a good sign for the travel industry and an opportunity for homestays like hers to earn some money.

Tourist enjoying meals at A Ho homestay in Lao Cai Province. Photo acquired by VnExpress

Tran Minh Thai, owner of Chong Pua homestay in Ha Giang, a mountainous province that borders China, said all rooms were fully booked a month ago. He said foreign tourists accounted for 60% of the bookings, and expected an increase in the number of international visitors to Ha Giang from now through November.

Many hotels in Dong Van and Meo Vac towns in Ha Giang Province have had to turn away guests due to a lack of rooms.

Pre-holiday forecasts said the northern mountainous region would attract huge numbers of tourists on September 2, with Sa Pa alone expected to get approximately 90,000.

The northern mountains are in the midst of a beautiful season now, with the weather being cool, and the rice crop is ripening in many places, creating stunningly beautiful landscapes.

Vung Tau on the southern coast remains a popular destination for visitors from HCMC and surrounding areas, and the number of visitors is three times what it gets on a typical day.

Vung Tau beach is crowded on September 2, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Dang Khoa

On Friday afternoon it was sunny on Bai Sau Beach in Vung Tau, and people flocked in to frolic and cool off.

"Personally, I enjoy the sea, so Vung Tau is my first choice," Ngoc Anh of HCMC said.

Visitors can rent jet skis and kayaks and get instruction in using them.

Tran Van Phuong, a lifeguard, could not take his eyes off people swimming in the distance near whirlpools that have warning signs in the form of black flags as the tide rose quickly in the afternoon.

He explained: "This holiday the sea is calm and there are few waves. But we can't be complacent because things can go wrong in an instant."

A lifeguard with bouys stand ready at a beach in Vung Tau on September 2, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Dang Khoa

Nguyen Manh Hieu's group of 10 people arrived Friday afternoon from nearby Binh Duong Province to begin a long weekend vacation.

They have rented an apartment and intend to go to markets to buy seafood to grill and make hot pots.

"We have friends who cook quite well, so self-service will save money while also being delicious," Hieu said.

According to the Vung Tau City Center for Tourist Management and Support, the town received 52,000 visitors on Friday, three times the previous day's number.

Vietnamese are enjoying a four-day break from Sep. 1 to 4 for National Day.