From Hoan Kiem Lake to the Saigon River, people flocked to public spaces to count down the final moments of 2025.
By 8:30 p.m. on December 31, the main streets of downtown Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City were packed with tens of thousands of people who arrived early to secure spots for firework viewing and New Year’s Eve festivities.
In Hanoi:
Crowds flood Trang Tien and Dinh Tien Hoang streets at 8:00 p.m.Sisters Thao Thi Dinh and Thao Thi Lan arrived at Hoan Kiem Lake as early as 6:30 p.m. to secure a good view of the fireworks.A large stage was set up in Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square for the annual cultural performances and the traditional countdown to midnight.By 8:30 p.m., streets surrounding Hoan Kiem Lake were completely packed.The Ly Thai To Park area was also overflowing with people, mostly young crowds waiting for the fireworks by the lake.Hang Dao Street and other parts of the Old Quarter near Hoan Kiem were similarly crowded by 10:00 p.m.At the intersection of Dinh Liet and Cau Go, barricades were installed to manage the crowd near the performance stage.Many groups of young people had to cheer from afar as they couldn't get close to the stage.My Duyen shared that this was her first time attending a New Year’s countdown. “I was told it would be extremely crowded, so I came early. I got here around 6:00 p.m.,” she said.Mr. Jameson, a tourist from Germany, and his wife held hands as they made their way through the sea of people to avoid getting separated. “We’re really excited to welcome the new year. The atmosphere here is incredible,” he said.At 11:00 p.m., the intersection of Hang Bac, Dinh Liet, and Ta Hien was gridlocked with people.
In Ho Chi Minh City:
Downtown Ho Chi Minh City saw a similar turnout. Families and groups of young people gathered near the Saigon River to wait for the fireworks display.Streets like Nguyen Hue, Le Loi, and Ton Duc Thang were tightly packed.Traffic around Notre Dame Cathedral was gridlocked for hours.By 8:00 p.m., Bach Dang Wharf Park was already filled to capacity.In front of a stage on the Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, many young people sat sipping drinks while enjoying live music and dance performances.Ayush Zeb and his family from India came to Vietnam for a two-day holiday. Although fireworks weren’t scheduled until midnight, they arrived early to get a good viewing spot for the big moment.
Vietnamnet.vn
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