Da Lat, Sa Pa, Vung Tau draw Tet crowds

On the first three days of the new lunar year from Tuesday to Thursday, Da Lat in the Central Highlands received 66,900 visitors of which 58,300 rented hotel rooms, up 139 percent against last year.

Of the visitors, 1,700 are foreigners while 1,600 stayed overnight, up 30.8 percent.

While hotels are fully occupied, the total number of visitors to Da Lat this Tet holiday, which lasts until Sunday, could reach 75,000, said Le Anh Kiet, head of Da Lat Culture and Information Department.

Due to many visitors, the town’s center, as well as routes leading to Da Lat, have suffered heavy traffic jams.

Traffic jam in downtown Da Lat, February 4, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Trung Tri

A local named Thanh Lam said in order to reach Da Lat, it took her 30 minutes to travel 1.5 kilometers (less than one mile) by car from Duc Trong, a district bordering the town.

A visitor named Hoang Ty said after he arrived in Da Lat on Thursday, he had spent three hours to find a room as nearly all hotels are filled up.

Ly Nam Long, another visitor, who also reached the town early Thursday, said in the evening he had not been able to visit any places in Da Lat due to traffic congestion.

The same situation has been reported in the beach town of Vung Tau that borders Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Vung Tau Tourist Supporting Center, an estimated 51,000 hit the beach on Thursday alone.

Crowds fill up a beach in Vung Tau Town on February 3, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Truong Ha

Nguyen Van Hung, a tourist from HCMC, said now that everybody has been vaccinated and the pandemic situation has been better control, it is time for people to travel again.

In the northern mountainous town of Sa Pa, more than 25,000 visitors arrived between January 29 and February 3, occupying more than 90 percent of rooms in town, and 100 percent of capacity at three-five-star facilities.

Lao Cai Province, home to Sa Pa, expects to draw 70,000 tourists during the Tet holiday, up more than 50 percent from the previous year.

People wait in line to buy tickets for a train ride up mount Fansipan in Sa Pa, February 4, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Trung Hieu