International tourists flock to Pho Day: 'I trust every bowl of Vietnamese pho'

This year's Pho Day is not only a gathering place for domestic food lovers but also a cultural space, attracting a large number of international tourists from many countries such as China, Japan, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and more.

Radiant smiles were always on the faces of foreign tourists as they enjoyed pho on Pho Day - Photo: QUANG DINH

Despite differences in language, background, and culture, visitors all share a common "language" - cuisine , fully conveyed through steaming bowls of pho during Pho Day, which runs until 9 PM on December 14th.

International tourists waiting to eat corn pho - Photo: HUU HANH

You can eat pho in Vietnam forever without getting tired of it.

Amidst the bustling crowds, Marie (a British national) and her husband, having just landed in Ho Chi Minh City after a 13-hour flight from the UK to Vietnam, were on their way to their hotel when they were suddenly captivated by the aroma of pho wafting through the festival atmosphere.

"We were exhausted, but the food smelled so good we couldn't move," Marie said with a smile. And so, the couple enjoyed their first bowls of pho in Vietnam right in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, marking the beginning of their culinary exploration of Vietnam.

Mr. Muaz Taha and Ms. Ata Sarsur are from Palestine. It was their first time traveling to Vietnam, and just two days after arriving, they happened to pass by an event and were incredibly surprised and happy to see "halal" food – food suitable for the beliefs of Muslims – at the Pho S stall.

"It's hard to find 'halal' food here, food without pork. We had delicious pho, although it was a little spicy," Muaz Taha shared. - Photo: QUANG DINH

Curiosity and excitement were also evident on the faces of Ollie's family from New Zealand. The whole family was still undecided about which pho stall to choose from among the dozens of vendors at the festival.

"My family has been here for a few days now, and my parents take me to eat pho every day, but I'm still not tired of it. When we walk past and see a sign that says 'pho,' we immediately stop to check it out," Ollie shared with Tuoi Tre Online.

Unlike tourists who have just arrived in Vietnam, Marcus (a German national) has been living here for quite some time.

After enjoying a bowl of pho at Pho Minh Pasteur, he shared with Tuoi Tre Online that he had been in Vietnam for 3 months and admitted to having eaten "hundreds of bowls of pho" at many different restaurants.

Many tourists learn about delicious pho restaurants and interesting culinary activities like this thanks to their local friends - Photo: QUANG DINH

From small roadside eateries to famous pho restaurants, Marcus says each place has its own unique flavor. "I trust every bowl of Vietnamese pho," he says jokingly, implying that he hasn't had a bad bowl of pho throughout his journey.

On Pho Day, Marcus said he would try a few more bowls, considering it a rare opportunity to experience many different pho flavors. For him, eating pho is not just about satisfying hunger, but also about getting closer to Vietnamese culture.

Among the crowds attending Pho Day 2025, approximately 10% were foreigners - Photo: QUANG DINH

Locals are the ambassadors of pho.

Marcus also didn't forget to mention his Vietnamese friends – his special "culinary guides".

Roman was thrilled to be given the opportunity by the owner of Nhat Vi Pho restaurant to try making a bowl of Vietnamese pho to serve to customers - Photo: Nhat Vi Pho.

Thanks to their shared love of morning cycling, he made friends with a group of locals who took him to eat pho and discovered many other Vietnamese dishes.

He shared that without them, he probably wouldn't have known about so many delicious restaurants.

Thanks to a recommendation from local friends, Andrej and Roman are now enjoying pho in front of the Nhat Vi pho stall.

Andrej said he had been in Vietnam for about a month and pho was a dish he "never got tired of eating."

They had heard about Vietnamese pho from Germany before, but only after tasting it firsthand did they truly appreciate its unique qualities. "The first time I ate it, I didn't think pho could be so delicious," said Andrej.

Upon learning that the bowl of pho he was eating had the authentic Southern Vietnamese flavor, he said he would continue to try other types of pho if he had the chance, in order to better appreciate the diversity of this dish.

The day Pho was open to international visitors was quite crowded - Photo: QUANG DINH

Pho Day will run until 9 PM on December 14th - Photo: HUU HANH

The Pho Day 12-12 program, now in its 9th year with the theme "Elevating Vietnamese Rice - Spreading Across Five Continents," will take place over two days, December 13th and 14th, at the former Tax Department Store area, 135 Nguyen Hue Street, Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.

The program features nearly 30 famous and unique pho brands from North to South Vietnam, showcasing a diverse range of pho dishes reflecting the characteristics of different regions and local cultures.

With a price of 40,000 VND per bowl, the Pho Day festival on December 12, 2025, is expected to serve more than 20,000 servings over two days. The organizers will donate at least 10% of the pho sales revenue to the "Pho of Love" program, cooking and serving pho to people in the flood-stricken areas of Dak Lak province (formerly Phu Yen), which recently suffered damage from natural disasters.

The Pho Day 12-12 program is supported and coordinated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Cultural Diplomacy - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Trade Promotion - Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, and the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association, with the diamond partnership of Acecook Vietnam Joint Stock Company for many years, and this year with the additional support of Ho Chi Minh City Development Commercial Bank (HDBank), Cholimex Food Joint Stock Company, Saigon Trading Corporation Limited (SATRA), Suntory Pepsico Beverage Company Limited, etc.

To Cuong - Dau Dung

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/du-khach-quoc-te-do-ve-ngay-cua-pho-toi-tin-tuong-moi-to-pho-viet-20251213184719057.htm