Eagerly anticipating the grand ceremony.

Tourists from all over have been flocking to Ho Chi Minh City, and locals are eagerly gathering to watch the parades and marches. Everyone is counting down to the day of the nation's momentous anniversary celebration.

Glorious days of historic April

The state-level rehearsal for the parade – a crucial event in the series of events leading up to the 50th anniversary of national reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025) – took place on the evening of April 25th, leaving a particularly special impression on the people of Ho Chi Minh City. Although it was the third rehearsal, this was the first time the parade rehearsed under a packed grandstand and marched through the streets amidst tens of thousands of people waving flags and flowers, enthusiastically cheering. A special feature of this parade was the participation of the armies of Laos, Cambodia, and China. These countries participated in the April 30th parade at the invitation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense .

Images from the rehearsal of the parade on Le Duan Street on the evening of April 25th.

PHOTO: NHAT THINH

Despite the scorching heat during the peak of Ho Chi Minh City's dry season, tens of thousands of people arrived 5-6 hours before the rehearsal, filling the streets surrounding the Independence Palace.

The central area of ​​Ho Chi Minh City truly transformed into a "furnace," not only because of the scorching heat but also because of the vibrant red flags worn by everyone. T-shirts and conical hats printed with the red flag and yellow star; flags held in hand, fluttering in the breeze; bright lightsticks; young men and women painting the flag on their cheeks and foreheads… the rehearsal took place in an atmosphere of pride and emotion.

Not only have young people enthusiastically participated in the "national concert," which has been causing a stir on social media for the past few weeks, but many elderly people, including children still in elementary school, have also arrived very early, squeezing through the crowded throngs to witness these incredibly special moments firsthand.

Images from the rehearsal of the parade on Le Duan Street on the evening of April 25th.

PHOTO: NHAT THINH

Graphics: Tuan Anh

Present at the Notre Dame Cathedral area on the afternoon of April 25th, many were impressed by an elderly woman, around 80 years old, sitting in a wheelchair, wearing a bright red outfit and a conical hat printed with the red flag and yellow star. Pushing her wheelchair was a relative also wearing a T-shirt printed with the national flag. The elderly woman, Pham Thi Thuan, 83 years old, had recently arrived in Ho Chi Minh City from Thanh Hoa province to celebrate the April 30th holiday with her children and grandchildren. Having been a volunteer youth during the resistance war against the US, Mrs. Thuan was eagerly awaiting the parade and march. Despite the hot weather and the crowded conditions, Mrs. Thuan remained cheerful, energetic, and excitedly awaited the moment to witness the soldiers and military personnel participating in the rehearsal.

"There are many young people here. I am very happy to see that you are also looking forward to and looking towards our nation's history, sharing the same pride as our generation," Ms. Pham Thi Thuan shared.

Similarly, Ms. NNThao (a resident of Thu Duc City), nearly 60 years old, is still enthusiastically planning to attend the rehearsal. Despite knowing it will be hot, crowded, and involve jostling, all these difficulties cannot dampen Ms. Thao's excitement for this unprecedented parade. "It only happens once every 50 years, a little heat is nothing. Who knows when we'll get to witness such a grand event again?" Ms. NNThao said.

Images from the rehearsal of the parade on Le Duan Street on the evening of April 25th.

PHOTO: NHAT THINH

Around 6:45 PM, a heavy downpour hit the center of Ho Chi Minh City, but it didn't dampen the spirits of the people. On the contrary, the sight of thousands of citizens, from the elderly to young children, braving the rain to watch the marching contingents created incredibly moving moments.

With soaking wet clothes and a dirty face, but still firmly holding the national flag in his hand, Hoang Bao An (11 years old, residing in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City) wiped the rainwater from his face and said: "The soldiers standing in the rain can't even cover themselves with their hands like I can, and they wear thicker clothes than me, and they can't even wear sandals like me, their shoes are probably soaked. Yet they still managed to march, so I have to be able to watch too. I've never experienced an atmosphere like this before. My mother told me to go watch the rehearsal because she was afraid I wouldn't be able to wake up early on April 30th, but I'll wake up early too. The official ceremony will definitely be much more amazing."

The city named after President Ho Chi Minh is bustling with activity.

Not only the city's residents, but also tourists from all over the country have begun to make their way to Ho Chi Minh City to prepare for the grand celebration.

Having just arrived in Ho Chi Minh City from Tuy Hoa late yesterday afternoon (April 26th), Ms. Tran My Yen (from Phu Yen province) had an appointment with the "Association of Phu Yen natives in Saigon" to plan the details for the upcoming celebrations. Ms. Yen had been preparing for this trip for over a month, since the official parade rehearsals began. She studied and worked in Ho Chi Minh City for about 5 years, but since returning to her hometown in Phu Yen to start her career, it has been almost 6 years since she last visited the city.

Ho Chi Minh City will have fireworks displays, drone shows, and 3D mapping on the evening of April 26th.

PHOTO: NHAT THINH

"Since yesterday, everywhere we went was adorned with flags and flowers. Restaurants, eateries, and cafes we visited were all decorated with flags and flowers, and had promotions celebrating the grand occasion. The streets were still crowded, but we could clearly feel the heroic and joyful atmosphere everywhere. This return visit has been truly impressive," shared Ms. My Yen.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the number of visitors to the city has increased sharply in recent days. The city currently has over 3,200 accommodation establishments serving tourists, including more than 130 hotels ranging from 1 to 5 stars with approximately 55,000 rooms. Currently, hotels in District 1, District 4, and the Ben Nha Rong area – the hub for art performances, parades, fireworks displays, light festivals, and culinary events – have reached occupancy rates of 95-100%. The city's tourism industry anticipates that approximately 1.2-1.4 million tourists will visit Ho Chi Minh City during the April 30th holiday. The Department of Tourism is continuing to coordinate with districts and communes to update accommodation options for tourists. There is still ample room available in Ho Chi Minh City, ensuring sufficient accommodation for visitors to enjoy the peak holiday season.

3D Mapping technology demonstration at the headquarters of the People's Council and People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City.

PHOTO: PHAM HUU

Saigontourist Group, the unit tasked with logistics before, during, and after the ceremony, prepared over 800 high-quality rooms in 4- and 5-star hotels. These hotels were designed and decorated to be prestigious venues for the welcoming and appreciation program, reflecting the city's heartfelt sentiments, along with after-sales services and menus featuring delicious dishes from all three regions of Vietnam. The group also developed many meaningful sightseeing programs to welcome and serve delegates from across the country, including tours to historical sites such as the Rung Sac War Zone (Can Gio District), the Cu Chi Tunnels, and tours experiencing the modern Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien Metro Line 1 and other historical sites and relics in Ho Chi Minh City…

The "grand feast" that Ho Chi Minh City is hosting for all residents and tourists during the national holiday features many unique cultural and historical activities such as: light shows, symphony and choral performances, traditional folk music... at Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, the Ben Bach Dang park area (from Ba Son bridge to Ben Nha Rong); street art performances such as circus, magic, traditional opera, martial arts, brass band, flower boats on the Saigon River; parades of tourist boats, traditional folk music on the Saigon River, water sports programs, sailing demonstrations, water jet demonstrations, flyboarding and paragliding… On the evening of April 30th, from 9 PM to 9:15 PM, Ho Chi Minh City will have fireworks displays at 30 locations (2 high-altitude and 28 low-altitude locations) in districts, counties, and Thu Duc City.

An atmosphere of excitement and enthusiasm is spreading throughout Ho Chi Minh City and the entire country. Everyone is looking forward to the grand celebration of April 30th - a historical milestone to honor the past and look towards the nation's future.

Armored vehicles deployed to protect Tan Son Nhat Airport.

During the peak period of April 30th - May 1st, airports will implement Level 1 aviation security control. As the airport with the highest number of flights served in the country, Tan Son Nhat Airport is one of the "hot spots" that authorities are paying special attention to in terms of ensuring security and safety.

In addition to increased personnel, armored vehicles have been deployed and are now present at Tan Son Nhat Airport. According to the Immigration Department (Ministry of Public Security), the deployment of specialized vehicles such as armored vehicles is part of a plan to implement enhanced Level 1 aviation security control measures at airports during the April 30th - May 1st holiday. The measures will be in effect from April 26th (Saturday) to May 4th (Sunday). During the implementation of Level 1 enhanced aviation security control measures, aviation security forces will implement additional measures such as: increasing the frequency of patrols in public areas, strengthening control over entry/exit to restricted areas, and increasing screening of passengers.

Flights are fully booked, and ticket prices are sky-high.

According to information from the Civil Aviation Authority, at Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the April 30th - May 1st holiday period, the number of domestic takeoffs and landings on the busiest day is expected to reach 520 (a 35% increase compared to the same period in 2024), serving 95,000 passengers (a 35% increase compared to the same period in 2024). Tan Son Nhat Airport has planned to increase its flight slots to 46 flights/hour between 6 AM and 11 PM, and 36 flights/hour between 0 AM and 5 AM during this peak period.

Preliminary surveys indicate that, as of now, many domestic flights, despite high fares, are either fully booked or have very few seats remaining. Airfares are extremely high; for the Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City route, Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet offer economy class tickets ranging from 3.6 to 3.7 million VND per one-way trip. Bamboo Airways' prices range from 2.5 to 3.4 million VND per one-way trip.

Increased metro service, free bus fares.

To meet the increased travel demand during the holiday season, Ho Chi Minh City's transportation sector is implementing several comprehensive solutions: Bus stations are required to increase the number of trips by more than 6,680, and an additional 600 vehicle permits are issued for routes with high demand; the Public Transport Management Center is adjusting the metro train schedule during the holiday and plans to increase the frequency of operation from 200 to 240 trips/day, spaced 8-10-12 minutes apart (depending on peak, normal, and off-peak hours) with 9 trains operating to serve approximately 120,000 passengers/day.

The center also adjusted bus routes connecting to Tan Son Nhat Airport, such as route 109, significantly increasing the number of trips from 42 to 110 per day to serve tourists visiting Ho Chi Minh City during the holiday. Notably, 133 bus routes, including those operating within the city and inter-provincial routes, will offer free fares for passengers on April 30th, celebrating the 50th anniversary of national reunification.

Where can I park my car when going to attend events in downtown Ho Chi Minh City?

Numerous parking areas are located within a radius of approximately 1 km from the rehearsal area, making it convenient for people to walk to the parade and procession viewing site. Some suggested parking locations:

- Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cultural Center (33 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 1).

- Cao Thang Technical College (65 Huynh Thuc Khang Street, District 1).

- Hoa Lu Sports Center (2 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, District 1).

- Saigon Zoo (2 Nguyen Binh Khiem, District 1).

- Tao Dan Park (Truong Dinh Street, District 1).

- September 23rd Park (Pham Ngu Lao Street, District 1).

- Vincom Center Dong Khoi (72 Le Thanh Ton, District 1): Modern underground parking, close to the event center.

- Takashimaya - Saigon Centre (65 Le Loi Street, District 1).

- Diamond Plaza (34 Le Duan Street, District 1).

- Saigon Centre (65 Le Loi Street, District 1).

- Behind the City Theatre (7-9 Lam Son Street, District 1).

- Turtle Lake parking lot (District 3).

People traveling from Thu Duc City can park their motorbikes at metro stations such as Thu Duc, Rach Chiec, Long Binh, or Thao Dien, then take the metro to Van Thanh or Tan Cang stations. After that, they can walk to locations with large screens or stand outside the restricted area to watch.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/no-nuc-huong-ve-dai-le-18525042623360236.htm