The central bank revised up the Vietnam dong-U.S. dollar exchange rate to a new high on December 21 while the dollar price quoted by local banks nearly touched the upper limit.

Parents and kids can indulge themselves in a variety of festive activities at The Grand Ho Tram Strip to commemorate Christmas and ring in the New Year until early January.

The Novotel Phu Quoc Resort’s culinary team will put on a Christmas Eve seafood BBQ dinner featuring grilled seafood, a selection of meat, salads, fruits and a live music band. 

Bank loans for the property sector are estimated at some VND150 trillion (US$6.7 billion) this year, a 14.2% pickup from a year earlier, according the HCMC Real Estate Association (HoREA).

The Lotte Legend Hotel Saigon is preparing many programs for the festive season, with highlights being Xmas and New Year countdown parties. 

Hotels and restaurants under the umbrella of Saigontourist are hosting festive programs that include cuisine, entertainment activities and music performances with price promotions.

Saigon Choir, a classical ensemble of elite singers from HCMC Conservatory of Music, will welcome the upcoming holiday season by performing “Luminous Night” concert.

An exhibition named “Life is a game” inspired from traditional folk games of children by Vietnamese artist Nguyen Da Quyen and Danish photographer Christopher Skouenborg takes place at an ancient house in HCM City’s Binh Thanh District.

Those who visit Hanoi during this time of the year should savor cha ruoi, a specialty made from sand worm widely available in the sea.

American rapper and producer T-Pain will have a gig at Envy Club on December 18.