Thong Nhat and Bach Thao parks will not charge any entrance fee from the beginning of 2016 in a move to attract more visitors to public recreation centres.

The 42ha Thong Nhat Park in Hai Ba Trung District is a popular leisure destination of Hanoians.

The city directly manages five parks, which are Bach Thao, Hoa Binh, Thong Nhat and Thu Le, besides Tuoi Tre, among which Bach Thao, Thong Nhat and Thu Le still charge an entrance fee.

The three parks earn a total annual income of more than VND2 billion (US$95,000). Thu Le Park collects about VND2 billion ($95,000), Thong Nhat Park about VND30 million ($1,400) and Bach Thao about VND20 million ($952).

Spread over about 42ha in Hai Ba Trung District, Thong Nhat Park has been a popular leisure destination of Hanoians ever since it opened in 1958.

Bach Thao Park, spread over more than 10ha in Ba Dinh District, is considered to be the green lung of the city with several hundred varieties of trees, many of them ancient ones.

VNS