The flower festival takes place yearly to coincide with the New Year. Thousands of people gathered around Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi to enjoy the flower displays, with blooms such as such as marigolds, gladiolas and tulips, and soak up the New Year’s atmosphere.

*** Many big streets in Ho Chi Minh City, such as Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Dien Bien Phu, Vo Thi Sau, Ly Tu Trong, Dong Khoi, and Le Thanh Ton were crowded with people. Thousands of spectators gathered in the centre of the city to watch music and dance performances and the sparkling street lighting.

*** Thousands of citizens and visitors flocked to the centre of Da Lat City to welcome New Year. At the centre of the Flower City, a ‘tortoise tower’ made with thousands of daisies was laid, as a symbol of Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake, attracting a large number of visitors and leaving them with deep impressions of the nation’s capital.

*** In the central province of Quang Nam, the Saigontourist company held a New Year’s gala for more than 1,000 international guests who are on a visit to Hoi An. A five-star cruise ship, the Costa Classica, carrying 2,000 passengers and crew on board docked at Tien Sa port on January 1. Visitors from Italy, Spain, the UK and Germany visited Ngu Hanh Son (Marble Mountain), the Ancient Capital of Hue, the Hoi An Ancient City and the My Son relic site.

*** The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in the central city of Da Nang received 150 visitors from Japan at Da Nang Airport. This is the first flight from Japan to Da Nang, officially inaugurating a direct air route from Fukuoka to Da Nang. These guests will visit some of the city’s tourist sites and then Hoi An Ancient City in the central province of Quang Nam, Hue City, Hanoi and Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province.