In the northern mountainous provinces, Sa Pa and the UNESCO Global Geopark of the Dong Van Karst Plateau emerged as the two most popular destinations, thanks to their spectacular scenery and distinctive local cultures.
In Sa Pa, local authorities organised a wide range of cultural activities, which attracted large numbers of residents and visitors alike. Amid the misty backdrop, traditional festivals, handicraft demonstrations, brocade costumes, and performances of xoe dances, khen music, and antiphonal singing by ethnic minorities created a vibrant atmosphere.
Taking part in a traditional banh day pounding activity at the H’Mong community house, Nguyen Van Tien, a visitor from Bac Ninh, said: “The cultural space of the ethnic communities is what draws me back to Sa Pa. Even though this is my fourth visit, everything still feels fresh and full of excitement.”
Occupancy rates at three-star-and-above accommodation facilities in Sa Pa exceeded 95% from a week before New Year’s Day. At Sun World Fansipan Legend, the cable car system operated at full capacity to serve visitors eager to hunt for clouds in temperatures ranging from 7 to 14 degrees Celsius.
In Mu Cang Chai Commune, the wild peach blossom festival attracted crowds with parades, H’Mong khen performances, and displays of OCOP products, agricultural produce, and traditional crafts.
According to Tran Son Binh, Deputy Director of the Lao Cai Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the province aims to welcome around 11.3 million visitors in 2026, including 1.8-2 million international arrivals, with tourism revenue projected to reach 51.1 trillion VND, an increase of about 9.67% compared with 2025.
During the New Year holiday, visitor numbers to the Dong Van Karst Plateau rose sharply. Travelling to the northernmost region of the country, tourists not only admired the raw, majestic beauty of the jagged limestone mountains but also immersed themselves in cultural activities, festivals, and traditional folk games organised by local authorities.
Notably, this period coincided with the peak bloom of cherry apricot blossoms, which painted roads and popular attractions such as the Lo Chai cultural tourism village and the Lung Cu National Flagpole in shades of pink.
Nguyen Thanh Hoai, a visitor from Ho Chi Minh City, shared: “I had seen many images of Lung Cu, but only when I arrived did I truly feel the beauty of this land. The cherry apricot blossoms in full bloom against the majestic rocky mountains and the fresh air create a powerful attraction. On the morning of January 1, attending the flag-raising ceremony at the Lung Cu National Flagpole and seeing the national flag flutter in the wind filled me with immense pride.”
To diversify visitor experiences, Lung Cu Commune organised the 2026 Cherry Apricot Blossom Festival, which opened on the morning of January 3. On the occasion, the commune also launched a smart tourism model and introduced a new tourism product: horseback riding to explore the country’s northernmost land. It is estimated that Lung Cu will welcome around 30,000 visitors during the New Year holiday.
In the early days of the year, the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho hosted a river culture festival. In addition to recreating the traditional floating market culture combined with folk songs, the festival featured lively boat races and flyboard performances.
Tran Tan Xuan, a visitor from Da Nang, said: “Watching sailing races and flyboard performances on the river for the first time was truly impressive, no less exciting than events held at sea. The sunrise over the Hau River, with shimmering sunlight and colourful sails, made the Mekong river landscape even more captivating.”
Many community-based tourism villages and eco-tourism sites also refreshed their offerings. At the Con Son community tourism village, visitors can watch flying snakehead fish, frog circus performances, and tour fish rafts farming rare and specialty species from the Hau River.
Cao Ngoc Thanh, a visitor from Dong Nai, said: “My family really loves the cool, fresh atmosphere here, with lush fruit trees, friendly and hospitable locals, and traditional dishes that carry the distinct character of the river region.”
In Phu Quoc, widespread room shortages were reported, from beachfront resorts to hotels in the central area. Many southern island resorts with room rates above 7.6 million VND per night had been fully booked since late December 2025.
In the budget segment, guesthouses priced at 300,000-500,000 VND per night in Duong Dong were also fully occupied, with only a few properties located 5-15 kilometres from the island centre still having vacancies.
Phu Quoc authorities have required tourism businesses to publicly list prices, review entrance fees, and strictly prevent overcharging visitors.
“Our goal is to build Phu Quoc into a high-quality and trustworthy destination. Visitor satisfaction is the most reliable measure of sustainable business performance,” said a local official.
A 24/7 tourist support hotline has been established to promptly receive and thoroughly address all service-related complaints.
The year 2025 marked spectacular growth for Phu Quoc tourism, with more than 8.1 million visitors, including over 1.8 million international arrivals, generating nearly 44 trillion VND in revenue. Currently, the island’s airport handles an average of around 100 flights a day, half of which are international routes bringing foreign tourists for sightseeing and holidays.
On the first day of 2026, a flight from Incheon landed at Phu Quoc Airport, carrying the year’s first “first-foot” visitors.
Kim Min-soo, a Korean tourist, said: “The warm welcome and a 1 million VND voucher given right upon landing made me extremely excited for this holiday.”
