Travel Alert: Vietnam's National Day September 2nd

This year Vietnam's National Independence Day - September 2nd - will fall on Friday, which will lead to a long holiday from September 2nd to September 4th or from Friday to the end of Sunday.

Related Guide:
What is Vietnam's National Independence Day

What does this mean to tourists:

This public holiday will mean that most offices are closed from Friday September 2nd. If you plan to apply for a visa-on-arrival, for example, do it early in advance because the Immigration Office will not be issuing any visa. This alert is especially useful for those planning to travel during the weekend of September 2 - 4. If you intend to apply for a visa to another country from Vietnam, note that most embassies based in Vietnam also witnesses this public holiday.

Cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will be left almost deserted, compared with the intimidating level of traffic experienced normally. Local residents will head to the beach or overseas for a quick vacation, some others visiting their families in the remote provinces. Therefore, it is highly recommended to avoid the beach and to stay in these cities, especially if you are a fan of parades and cultural events. Imagine that you will see a very unique aspect of these metropolitans that not many other fellow travellers have the opportunity to!

Expect high volume of traffic at the airport and bus stations at the very beginning (as early as late afternoon of September 1) and the very end (as late as September 4 evening) of this holiday. The price of air tickets and hotels may rise significantly. Know before you go!

What does this mean to businessmen:

As aforementioned, it is mandatory to take this public holiday so unfortunately, no deals will be settled during this holiday. Avoid the few days right after the holiday too, since things often get hectic and your potential partner probably will not have enough capacity to deal with the mountain of work, including your proposal. If you need some official documents from the local authority urgently, such as notarization or license, do so well in advance to avoid last-minute rush!

It's quite early to say Happy Independence Day (Vietnamese barely say that to each other on September 2nd anyway) but make sure you bear in mind these above-mentioned alert. Travel Safe, Travel Happy!