A joyous 50th anniversary in Ho Chi Minh City

Locals and visitors alike are flocking to historical landmarks like Nha Rong Wharf, Independence Palace, and the War Remnants Museum. All eyes are on the grand celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the liberation of southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country.

The city's announcement of parades, fireworks, and cultural events has drawn hundreds of thousands of people planning their return to Ho Chi Minh City. Hotels near the city center have been fully booked for months, and tour operators are rolling out 'return to the roots' experiences – from jungle treks that recreate old battle zones to immersive re-enactments of wartime life.

Backstage photos and videos from parade rehearsals – fighter jet flyovers, soldiers and female troops sweating through drills – have gone viral, fueling a wave of national pride.

Nowhere else feels quite like Ho Chi Minh City during this moment. Once the final battleground of a divided nation, it now stands as the symbolic heart of reunification.

Cafés have joined in the celebration, offering drinks inspired by wartime revolutionary slogans. Flag-themed stickers and red-and-yellow banners flood shops and alleyways. Patriotism is not just visible – it's tangible!

Many families, instead of heading to the mountains or beach to escape the heat, have chosen to come to the city. They want to witness the parades in person, dressing in traditional outfits and waving the national flag, immersing themselves in the jubilant atmosphere – some bringing three generations together for the journey.

Young people – born into peace and once distanced from history by textbook pages or vague memories — are now filled with pride as they experience and witness a moment once only imagined.

The 'return to the roots' tours have gained momentum. Alongside groups of war veterans are thousands of young travelers taking part in forest marches, reliving life in old revolutionary bases, crawling through tunnels, and eating salt-and-sesame rice – just as earlier generations once endured and sacrificed.

These tours are designed not just to educate but to evoke real emotion, allowing today's youth to understand and feel a pride that cannot quite be named: the pride of living in peace.

Many are drawn to the city not just for fireworks or the thrill of helicopters roaring overhead, but to feel the past come alive – to stand in the present as history is retold before their eyes.

To accommodate the public, Ho Chi Minh City will install 20 large LED screens along central roads, and the parades will also be broadcast live on television and social media platforms.

Some will line up before dawn to secure the perfect viewing spot. Others may see nothing more than solemn commands echoing from afar.

But each person, no matter where they stand, holds a place of significance – a place within the collective memory of 50 years.

To visit Ho Chi Minh City in April 2025 is to see, to understand, and to feel fireworks not only in the sky, but in the hearts of the people – a once-in-50-years celebration.

It is a source of boundless energy, a spirit that each person can carry forward, fueling hope and strength for the bright new chapters ahead for every individual, every family, and the nation.