Tonight (December 31), Ho Chi Minh City organizes a countdown program to welcome the new year 2025.
According to Lao Dong reporters, from around 6:30 p.m., many vehicles poured into the city center, heading towards Nguyen Hue walking street - where this year's countdown festival is held.
Streams of people jostle between all kinds of vehicles from motorbikes to cars, causing traffic jams and congestion to become more serious, stretching for many kilometers.
Having just escaped from the traffic jam on Ton Duc Thang Street, Ms. Mai Linh (living in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) felt suffocated when the surrounding area was too crowded with thousands of people and vehicles.
"This is my first year living and working in Ho Chi Minh City, so I wanted to experience the countdown festival here. I arrived at 6 p.m. and was overwhelmed by the crowds, many times more than I had imagined," said Linh.
In addition to the countdown event on Nguyen Hue walking street and Saigon riverside park (Thu Duc city, Ba Son bridge section), Ho Chi Minh City also organized fireworks to welcome the new year 2025 for 15 minutes, from 0:00 to 0:15 on January 1, 2025.
To serve the New Year fireworks event, Ho Chi Minh City has banned traffic on 20 streets and 2 bridges in the center from 0:00 to 0:15 on January 1, 2025. Therefore, many people passing through the event area are also struggling to change their routes.
Fireworks will be displayed at three locations, including a high-altitude display at the Saigon River tunnel and two low-altitude displays at Dam Sen Cultural Park, District 11, and Van Phuc Urban Area, Thu Duc City.
In the Ton Duc Thang street area (from Nguyen Sieu to Khanh Hoi bridge), there are also thousands of people waiting early to get a good position to enjoy the fireworks display to welcome the new year.
Mr. Duong Hong Quan (living in District 4, HCMC) and his family were present at Bach Dang wharf (District 1, HCMC) from 6:00 p.m. to wait for the fireworks display.
"Even though it was late at night, my children were so excited that they came out early to join in the exciting atmosphere here. I see that this year is as crowded as every year, everyone is eagerly waiting for the new year," said Mr. Quan.
