As the clock ticks down the last hours of 2018, everyone is eagerly planning on where to visit or what activities to join to welcome the New Year.

Together with people across localities in Vietnam, most Ho Chi Minh City residents will enjoy four days off from Saturday this week, with New Year’s Eve falling next Monday, while some may only get a one-day rest on the first day of 2019.

Whether your holiday is long or short, there are several options within and near Ho Chi Minh City to fit your relaxing plan.

Busy places in the southern metropolis are popular among young people as they help save time of traveling for family and friend gatherings.

Most crowded and fun places with the most services are in District 1.

Holidaymakers can shop all day at such shopping malls and department stores as Vincom, Takasiyama, Diamond or the popular shopping center Saigon Square on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street that is visited by many tourists.

Children play a game on Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

If visitors feel tired after hours of walking, they can head to the massage shops located on different streets in the urban area, with the most famous and crowded address being the four adjacent houses on Nguyen Hue Street, which provide several dozen new rooms.

In the evening, the Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street will turn into a gathering place for families and friends, where they can stroll and have a coffee, or see their children play roller skating or visit a bookstore.

In addition, Anh Sao Bridge in District 7, Binh Quoi tourism area in Binh Thanh District, fishing areas in the outer districts of Nha Be and Hoc Mon, Suoi Tien Theme Park in District 9 and Dam Sen Cultural Park in District 11 are also chosen by many young people for open and airy space right in Ho Chi Minh City.

In the meantime, the tourist areas in Ho Chi Minh City’s neighboring provinces of Binh Duong and Dong Nai, which only take about one to two hours of driving, can add more destinations to visitors’ choices.

For instance, Giang Dien Waterfall tourism area in and Buu Long tourism area in the southern province of Dong Nai, and Thuy Chau tourism area in the southern province of Binh Duong offer a green and spacious space with many interesting services and entertainment activities.

People watch and play with cats at a cat-themed coffee shop on Nguyen Trong Tuyen Street, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The cold air and blooming flowers in the romantic resort city of Da Lat is also an interesting choice for those who have more than one day to spare and are willing to travel a little too far.

This is a beautiful time of the year to travel to Da Lat, the capital city of the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, as many kinds of flowers such as cherry blossoms, wild sunflowers, and sunflowers are blooming.

In addition, many newly emerged entertainment spots in Da Lat that serve the purpose of taking good photos also attract young Vietnamese visitors.

Unfortunately, this New Year’s holiday is an unfavorable period of time for travel and vacation to provinces in the south-central coast due to unpleasant weather.

Meanwhile, Vung Tau, a coastal city some 90 kilometers from the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, and Phu Quoc Island and Nam Du Island off the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang are advisable destinations for those who love the sea.

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