Special things only available at the Zoo on National Day September 2

(NLDO) - Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens introduces a series of unique cultural, artistic and experiential activities to celebrate National Day September 2, promising to attract a large number of tourists.

On the afternoon of August 25, Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens Company Limited held a press conference to introduce a series of activities to celebrate National Day September 2, 2025. Ms. Huynh Thu Thao, Chairwoman of the Board of Members of the company, said that this is an opportunity for the Zoo and Botanical Gardens to bring to the people and tourists many unique art, entertainment and experience programs, contributing to spreading the spirit of independence - freedom and national pride.

On the occasion of National Day September 2, the Zoo has many activities that visitors cannot miss.

The "Celebrating Independence Day – A Gathering of the Nation" festival is a special highlight, taking place from August 28th to September 2nd with over 50 food stalls, games, and traditional cultural experiences. Inspired by the festive atmosphere of the three regions of Vietnam (North, Central, and South), the festival vividly recreates folk culture within the lush green natural setting of the Saigon Zoo. Attendees will be able to immerse themselves in folk games, traditional art performances, a traditional food market, and ecological tours.

The experiences of handicraft villages are recreated in detail: from Bat Trang pottery village with the pottery making process; rice paper making village, where visitors can directly make and dry rice paper; check-in corner "Traditional fish sauce" and "Buffalo with a plow" reminding rural memories; manual rice milling and pounding activities for visitors to experience the work of ancient farmers; to Dinh Yen mat craft village and Long Khanh scarf weaving - national intangible cultural heritage. In addition, there are also activities such as making scented candles, drawing henna, face painting... Especially, during the time frame of 5:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., visitors will be given free entrance tickets.

Along with the festival, many cultural and artistic activities take place continuously. The music program with the theme "Echoes of the Country" combined with magic and circus is held from August 30 to September 2, with two time slots: morning and afternoon. The fairy garden offers a free reading space with hundreds of books; the sand play area serves children from 10:00 to 15:00.

Attractions in the Zoo are also available: Quan Nhan Huong relic site - secret base of Saigon special forces, Butterfly Garden, Flamingo Garden, Children's Zoo, Museum of flora and fauna, Capybara area

Attractions in the Zoo are also available: Quan Nhan Huong relic site - the secret base of Saigon special forces, Butterfly Garden, Flamingo Garden, Children's Zoo, Museum of flora and fauna, Capybara area... In particular, visitors can observe animal behavior and care performances: sun bears and bears looking for food, eating coconuts, eating ice cream; gibbons and water birds at mealtime; snow foxes jumping and hunting for prey; elephants getting health checks and bathing; hippos getting dental care; tigers, rhinos, crocodiles during mealtime... Some activities allow visitors to directly feed the animals, creating a close and authentic experience.

The Zoo space is also decorated with many new check-in spots such as the Book Garden - "Happy Independence Day" photo shoot area, Baobab basin - symbol of "Vietnam's rising era", Lotus Lake corner - symbol of 82 years, Le Duan gate welcoming visitors, 3-region area recreating national culture, and brilliant flower garden.

Some activities allow guests to feed the animals directly, creating an up-close and authentic experience.

In particular, the program "When the night falls" - a journey to explore the world of nocturnal animals, will continue after a 6-month trial period. The program offers the opportunity to observe the hunting habits of tigers, leopards, hyenas, listen to the sounds of insects, birds calling their flocks in the dim and mysterious space of the Zoo at night. Moments such as eyes glowing in the dark or lightning-fast pounces will bring unforgettable experiences.

In particular, the program "When the night falls" - a journey to explore the world of nocturnal animals, will continue after a 6-month trial period.

The program is held every Saturday and Sunday evening with two sessions (7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. - 9:15 p.m.), ticket price is 200,000 VND/person, limited to guests from 10 to 65 years old. After 6 months, the program has welcomed 1,361 guests, with 1,435 registrations as of August 23, exceeding the initial expectation.

Ms. Vu Thi Huong Giang, Director of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens Company Limited, said: "We prioritize the health of the animals, so we only organize a maximum of 2 shifts on weekends with 40 - 60 people/shift, not putting profit first. The important thing is to bring a unique experience, an unforgettable memory for visitors."

The above activities are expected to turn the Zoo into a unique cultural and entertainment destination in Ho Chi Minh City during this year's National Day.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/nhung-dieu-dac-biet-chi-co-o-thao-cam-vien-dip-quoc-khanh-2-9-196250825164625359.htm