Major roads leading to Ba Dinh Square, Hoan Kiem Lake’s pedestrian zone, and the Temple of Literature were packed with traffic, creating gridlock as the holiday spirit took over the capital.

One of the busiest areas was Chu Van An Street in Ba Dinh District, which connects Ba Dinh Square to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. By mid-morning, the street was heavily congested, with vehicles barely moving.

Just a short distance away, the intersection of Hung Vuong and Le Hong Phong streets was similarly clogged. A line of buses parked near the Ho Chi Minh Museum bottlenecked traffic, causing significant delays.

Streets connected to Le Hong Phong, including Ngoc Ha, Doi Can, and Ong Ich Khiem, were also affected, making it difficult for motorcyclists to navigate the area.

On Hung Vuong Street, between Tran Phu and Le Hong Phong intersections, numerous buses and contracted vehicles occupied much of the road, leaving only a single lane for cars coming from Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. 

The scene was one of frustration as vehicles inched forward, while ride-hailing taxis were forced to drop off passengers in the middle of the street.

Traffic on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street was equally congested, with the jam stretching from the Ton Duc Thang - Chu Van An intersection to the area around the Temple of Literature and Kim Ma Street throughout the morning of the second day of the holiday.

Sidewalks on several streets, including Le Hong Phong, were converted into makeshift parking lots for motorbikes, leaving pedestrians to navigate through narrow gaps between parked vehicles, as the streets below remained gridlocked.

Despite the traffic, the atmosphere was festive as families and groups of friends donned red shirts bearing the national flag to celebrate the National Day holiday. Children waved small handheld flags as they joined in the festivities, embodying the spirit of the country's Independence Day.

Children are given small handheld flags by adults as they go out to celebrate, symbolizing the nation's Independence Day.

Thousands of people also made their way to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum to pay their respects, forming a long line of visitors that snaked around the square. The weather in Hanoi was mild, with temperatures reaching a comfortable 30 degrees Celsius by noon, adding to the pleasant atmosphere.

On Independence Street and Ba Dinh Square, women dressed in traditional ao dai posed for photos to capture the memory of the holiday.

Hoang Dieu Street presented a similar scene of congestion, with vehicles bumper-to-bumper on the road, while the sidewalks were filled with people taking pictures amid the trees and flowers.

The Thanh Nien Road, particularly near the Quan Thanh Temple, was also packed with people. Nearby, hundreds of visitors enjoyed the cool weather by paddle boating on Truc Bach Lake.

Finally, the streets near Hoan Kiem Lake, particularly on Hai Ba Trung Street, were clogged with traffic throughout the morning, as citizens and tourists alike flocked to the area to join the celebrations.

Bao Kien