Adults and children crowded into entertainment venues in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City.

From early morning, the Independence Palace was crowded with tourists because of its historical significance in the celebration of the April 30th victory. Outside the gate of the Independence Palace, along Le Duan and Nam Ky Khoi Nghia streets in District 1, people patiently lined up to buy tickets to visit.

By around 11 am, due to the overwhelming number of visitors, the Independence Palace had to temporarily close, much to the disappointment of many tourists from distant provinces.

Mr. Hoang Tung flew from Thai Nguyen City to Ho Chi Minh City last night with his wife and two daughters. He really wanted to take his two daughters to visit the Independence Palace because it is a special national historical site. Mr. Tung expressed regret that there were so many tourists today; he waited for nearly two hours but still couldn't buy tickets to visit.

People lined up in long queues to buy tickets to visit the Independence Palace from early morning.

At the Saigon Zoo in District 1, Ms. Thu Thuy (from Go Vap District) shared that normally, on holidays, she and her husband don't travel far, only taking their daughter to play around the city or visiting the zoo. But this morning, from 8 am, hundreds of people had already lined up to buy tickets at the zoo. Luckily, Ms. Thuy was able to buy tickets for her family.

Suoi Tien Tourist Area, Dam Sen Water Park, and Saigon Zoo are also popular destinations for city residents to visit and enjoy during this holiday. The crowds increased significantly towards the afternoon on April 30th.

According to the zoo management, during the holiday period, the number of visitors increased 4-5 times compared to normal days, so security guards, sanitation workers, and other personnel worked 100% overtime. They also coordinated with local militia and police to ensure security and order.

People flocked to the zoo early in the morning to have fun, and there was a traffic jam outside the gate with parked cars.

During special occasions, the number of visitors to the zoo can reach tens of thousands. Therefore, ensuring safety and preventing children from getting lost is also a priority for the park management.

Entertainment venues such as Nguyen Hue Street and Ben Bach Dang Park were also crowded with people visiting and having fun.

On the second day of the April 30th holiday, as midday approached, the number of visitors flocking to Suoi Tien Tourist Area increased significantly. Many families prepared food, plastic mats, tents, etc., to rest during lunchtime right at the amusement park.

At the Suoi Tien ticket counter, a large crowd lined up to buy tickets to enter the attraction. Ms. Thu Ha (a sewing machine operator) shared that she brought her family of over 10 people to visit Suoi Tien. She explained that since she usually has to work during the week, she took advantage of the holiday to gather several families and bring their children to play.

Meanwhile, Tuan Hung said that, fearing the crowds on trains and buses and traffic jams, his family decided not to travel this year, choosing instead to explore the city, find a place to have dinner, and then return home to rest.

People flock to the center of Ho Chi Minh City: