This year’s National Day holiday is seeing Sa Pa (Lao Cai) and Mang Den (Kon Tum) emerge as the top travel destinations, with accommodation in both areas reaching near-full capacity well in advance of the holiday.
Phuong Thu from Da Nang had planned a 3-day, 2-night trip to Mang Den with her family for the National Day holiday. She booked accommodations for her family early in August. However, when her younger brother and his wife decided to join the trip, they were unable to find any available rooms.
"One week before the holiday, our family split up to search for another room in Mang Den, but everything was fully booked. I tried various booking platforms and even asked local homestay owners for help, but there were no rooms left. My brother and his wife were disappointed and had to change their travel plans," Thu shared.
Early morning moment on Mang Den Pine Road. Photo: Mang Den Tourism Association
Le Manh Hung, owner of Nang Homestay in Mang Den, confirmed that many guests had reserved rooms one to two months in advance for the 2/9 holiday.
Three weeks before the holiday, he opened reservations and all 12 rooms were immediately booked. The homestay is now fully booked from August 31 to September 2.
Bui Viet Ha, Chairman of the Mang Den Tourism Association, noted that the town currently has 1,200 to 1,300 rooms available, an increase of about 30% compared to last year.
According to the association's survey, room occupancy for the 2/9 holiday has nearly reached 100%, with only a few newly opened or lesser-known establishments still having availability.
Ha added that visitors to Mang Den this holiday are primarily from nearby provinces and cities such as Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Quy Nhon, and Dak Lak.
The cool weather, beautiful scenery, and rich local culture have made Mang Den a popular destination, with high weekend occupancy rates throughout the summer.
For the 2/9 holiday, Mang Den will host several cultural and tourism events, including music nights from August 30 to September 1, a gong competition, and a food festival to attract visitors.
"All accommodations in Mang Den have clearly listed prices, with most establishments increasing rates by only 10-20% during the holiday. We aim to ensure that visitors have a pleasant experience and are eager to return," Ha emphasized.
In Northern Vietnam, Sa Pa (Lao Cai) is another top choice for holiday travelers. During the four-day holiday, visitors can enjoy the golden terraced rice fields, participate in local cultural festivals, savor unique cuisine, attend performances by famous artists, and witness the flag-raising ceremony atop Fansipan.
A representative from Silk Path Grand Resort & Spa Sapa reported that room occupancy for the nights of August 31 and September 1 has exceeded 90%. The resort, which offers 152 rooms, had most reservations made well in advance. On September 2, the occupancy rate is expected to reach 70%.
Sa Pa is expected to welcome 120,000 visitors during the holiday. Photo: Duong Quoc Hieu
According to the Sa Pa Town People's Committee, the destination is expected to welcome 120,000 visitors during the holiday. As of August 31, hotels with two stars or more are nearly fully booked, with other accommodations reaching around 85% occupancy.
Particularly, homestays located near terraced fields are 100% booked. By September 2-3, average occupancy across all accommodation categories is expected to reach 90%.
In contrast, other popular destinations like Da Lat, though highly searched, have not reached full capacity. As of August 30, 3-5 star hotels in Da Lat reported 60-70% occupancy, while other accommodations reached 70-75%. Room rates have only seen a slight increase compared to regular days.
This holiday, Da Lat will host a music night, which is expected to attract many young travelers. Some lodging owners anticipate that guests may book rooms directly upon arrival rather than in advance.
According to the Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, the province currently has over 3,000 hotels and accommodations offering 43,770 rooms. Among these, 449 are 1-5 star hotels with over 13,000 rooms.
Data from Mustgo, an online booking platform with over 2,000 hotel partners nationwide, indicates that destinations reliant on air travel are not the top choices for Vietnamese travelers this holiday. Cities like Da Nang, Hoi An, and Phu Quoc still have many rooms available. However, places like Phan Thiet, Vung Tau, and Ha Long are expected to be busy, with high occupancy rates.
Vietnamnet.vn
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