Many foreign visitors enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival atmosphere in Vietnam, buying typical items as souvenirs before returning home.
At 5pm on September 29, Hang Ma Street ( Hanoi ) was crowded with people passing by, taking pictures and enjoying the Mid-Autumn Festival atmosphere. Many tour operators for foreigners added this street to their programs so that tourists could experience the atmosphere of the full moon festival in August in Vietnam.
Caspar and Marion, German nationals, arrived in Vietnam on September 26 for their honeymoon. They were excited when their tour guide took them to Hang Ma Street, constantly taking photos to record the atmosphere they had never seen before.
Caspar said he was "happy to come to Vietnam this time", seeing the bustling atmosphere on the streets, the happy faces of the locals and the bright lights everywhere. Caspar planned to buy moon cakes and Marion would buy a lantern as a souvenir.
From left to right: Caspar, Marion and tour guide Binh on Hang Ma street on the afternoon of September 29. Photo: Quynh Mai
Ms. Phan Thanh Binh, the couple's tour guide, said that on this occasion she led many foreign visitors to experience the Mid-Autumn Festival atmosphere in Hanoi and all had the same feeling as Caspar and his wife. According to the female tour guide, foreign visitors are especially interested in traditional elements - things that have been lost in modern life.
"I want to show tourists how Vietnamese people cherish traditional values so they feel like they have returned to ancient times," Binh said.
Like Caspar and Marion, Kristina, a Slovenian tourist, spent a lot of time taking pictures of the colorful and happy scene of children on Hang Ma Street. When she arrived in Vietnam on September 28, Kristina tried mooncakes and found them to be so delicious that she bought three more - one green tea flavor and two traditional flavors.
"The cake is like a work of art, with a unique flavor. I regret not finding a place that teaches foreigners how to make moon cakes," she said.
Kristina shows off three moon cakes she bought on the afternoon of September 29. Photo: Quynh Mai
In Ho Chi Minh City, Sierra, an American tourist, excitedly lit lanterns and experienced the lantern procession with her mother on Nguyen Hue walking street (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) on the evening of September 28. She said this was her first time in Vietnam and did not know that Mid-Autumn Festival was a big festival for Vietnamese people.
"In my hometown, not many people know about the Mid-Autumn Festival. I think this festival is more popular in Asian countries. Today, I got to try moon cakes, make lanterns, and now carry lanterns. My mother and I both find these activities very interesting," Sierra said.
The American female tourist commented that the mooncakes were "unique and attractive" and liked the mixed baked cake flavor the most. Sierra regretted not being able to experience the lantern procession on the full moon day of August, because "the atmosphere would have been more exciting".
Levon, a Dutch tourist, also "felt lucky" to have come to Ho Chi Minh City for the first time and right before the Mid-Autumn Festival. Levon was introduced to the lantern district in District 5 by a local friend, so he went there to take pictures.
"I have traveled to many places but this lantern district is unlike any other place in the world . It is crowded, full of sounds and colors. In the bustling scene, what impressed me most was not the lanterns but the warmth and hospitality of the people in this city. Wherever I went, I felt welcomed, everyone was friendly," Levon said.
Kiriti, an Indian tourist who spent about 36 hours in Ho Chi Minh City, decided to add the lantern street to her itinerary when a local friend introduced her to the Mid-Autumn Festival.
"There are many unique lantern models for sale here, different from the images I often see on the Internet. If my friends come to Vietnam at this time, I will definitely introduce everyone to come here," said the female tourist.
According to Kiriti, this is an interesting festival but not popular with international tourists. If it weren't for her local friend's introduction, she would have missed it because "she couldn't find much information" on travel websites. She thinks Vietnam should promote more about traditional festivals. On the evening of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Kiriti and her best friend went to Da Nang to find a place similar to Ho Chi Minh City's lantern street to enjoy the festival atmosphere.
Liam Olson and Hudson Clancy arrived in Phu Quoc from Australia three days ago and the last day of their trip unexpectedly "became memorable when it fell on the Mid-Autumn Festival".
"The resort is decorated in many colors, we were impressed by the giant lanterns. What I liked most was writing wishes on the lanterns," said Liam. Liam commented that the mooncakes were "delicious and unique but you will get bored if you eat too much" when he first enjoyed them.
A representative of a resort in Phu Quoc shared that during the Mid-Autumn Festival week, foreign tourists mainly went to South Korea and China because these countries were on a long holiday. Ouyang Xiaoxi, from China, said she felt at home because the resort had many familiar activities such as welcoming the full moon, releasing flower lanterns, and eating moon cakes.
"The lanterns hanging along the walkways make me feel the festive atmosphere. At night, there is live music and moon cakes. I buy more moon cakes here to bring back to China as gifts for my family and friends because the packaging is eye-catching and the filling is delicious," Ouyang said.
Nguyen Tu - Van Khanh - Bich Phuong - Quynh Mai
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