(Expats In Hanoi - vnFind24h) - During the September 2nd holiday, Ho Chi Minh City organizes various art, entertainment, and tourism programs to serve tourists and residents.

     According to the activities designed specifically for the holiday from September 1st to September 4th, announced by the Department of Tourism on August 30th, all programs have free admission, except for city tours organized by local travel companies, which cost around 300,000 VND per person. Below is the schedule of programs and activities that tourists can refer to planning their holiday activities.

1. Photo exhibition

     Time: August 17th - September 6th

     Venue: President Ho Chi Minh Statue Park and Nguyen Hue Street

     The exhibition has taken place before the September 2nd holiday. During the holiday, visitors can still visit the artworks. This exhibition aims to commemorate the 78th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19th, 1945 - August 19th, 2023), the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (September 2nd, 1945 - September 2nd, 2023), and the 78th anniversary of the Saigon Uprising for power (August 25th, 1945 - August 25th, 2023). The displayed artworks are related to the historical victory in the autumn of 1945 and the development of the country since the days of peace until now. The exhibition stretches from Ngo Duc Ke Street to Ton Duc Thang Street; Dong Khoi Street (in front of the Department of Culture and Sports, opposite Chi Lang Park).

2. Sky lantern release

     Time: September 2nd-3rd

     Venue: Nguyen Thien Thanh Street, Thu Duc City

     This activity takes place for two days during the morning hours from 6-9 am, and in the from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. On the evening of September 2nd, there will be a sky lantern and firework program. The sky lantern performances on September 3rd will only take place in the morning. Depending on the weather conditions, the timing of the activities may be temporarily suspended or adjusted accordingly.

3. Sports performance

     Time: September 2nd

     Venue: Walking street on Nguyen Hue Street

     The performance will feature lion dance teams, drumming performance groups, and demonstrations of martial arts such as Vovinam, Wushu, traditional martial arts, and Taekwondo. The program starts at 6 pm and ends at 7:15 pm, taking place from Ton That Thiep Street to Huynh Thuc Khang Street.

4. Art program

     Time: September 2nd

     Venue: Walking street on Nguyen Hue Street

     The art program is divided into 3 parts. From 7:30 pm to 9 pm, there will be an art program commemorating the 78th anniversary of the August Revolution, the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and the 78th anniversary of the Saigon Uprising for power. From 9 pm to 9:15 pm, there will be a live broadcast of a large fireworks display. From 9:15 pm to 10:15 pm, the art performances will continue. This program will be held at the intersection of Nguyen Hue walking street and Ngo Duc Ke Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1.

5. Fireworks display

     Time: September 2nd

     Venue: Area near Saigon River tunnel entrance, Thu Duc City, and Dam Sen Cultural Park, District 11

     The fireworks display takes place on the evening of September 2nd, lasting for 15 minutes, from 9 pm to 9:15 pm, and simultaneously at the two locations. The area near the Saigon River tunnel entrance will showcase high-altitude fireworks, while Dam Sen Cultural Park will have low-altitude fireworks. This activity receives the attention of a large number of people every year. To secure a good view, it is recommended to arrive 30 minutes in advance.

6. Saigon Tour - Listening to the Architecture's Stories

     Time: During the holiday

     Venue: Explore architectural buildings

     This is an urban tour organized by many travel companies in Ho Chi Minh City in collaboration with the Department of Tourism. The tour costs 300,000 VND and lasts half a day. Tourists start the journey by visiting the President Ho Chi Minh Statue Park at Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street, District 1. Then they will visit the People's Committee headquarters and the City Theater. These are two prominent French architectural landmarks in Ho Chi Minh City with many historical stories revolving around them. The final activity of the tour is a double-decker bus ride to admire the city.

7. Shopping at affordable prices

     The Department of Tourism stated that the September 2nd holiday is also a peak season for promoting tourism and shopping. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade has announced thousands of products with promotional prices, allowing tourists to shop at low prices at commercial centers throughout the city during the holiday.

8. Other activities

     In addition to the events and tourism products designed specifically for the September 2nd holiday, Ho Chi Minh City offers various other urban activities for tourists to experience. Notable among them are new river tours that started operating in early August. Five tours can be mentioned, including the Nhiêu Lộc - Thị Nghè urban tour, Binh Quoi tour, Củ Chi, Cần Giờ (starting from Bach Dang Wharf), tours connecting to other provinces in the Southeast and Southwest regions or to Cambodia. These tours mainly take place during the day. Tourists can contact travel companies in the city to book tours. Additionally, visitors can visit the pedestrian streets and food streets to indulge in local specialties and immerse themselves in the multicultural ambiance of the city.