Rush to book rooms and visit Hanoi on National Day September 2

There are less than 3 weeks left until the National Day holiday on September 2, which is also the last long holiday of 2025. Hanoi has suddenly become the center of domestic tourism , leading the list of most searched destinations by Vietnamese tourists on the Booking.com platform, making the market for booking rooms and tours in the capital bustling and somewhat overloaded.

According to Booking.com data, from August 29 to September 3, 2025, Hanoi is the most searched domestic destination, surpassing coastal localities that have always attracted tourists such as Da Nang, Nha Trang or Phu Quoc. The reason, according to travel agencies, comes from the resonance of many factors: the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's National Day, a series of large-scale festivals and cultural events, and cool autumn weather, the best time to explore the old town and historical sites.

PHOTO: LE NAM

Ms. Phuong Thao, a representative of a travel company in Hanoi , said: "The number of customers booking accommodation services in Hanoi has increased dramatically compared to the same period last year. My company is an inbound tourism business that welcomes foreign guests to Vietnam, the main market is European guests. Normally, September is the low season, but this year, knowing that Vietnam is celebrating the 80th anniversary of National Day, many guests also chose to fly to Vietnam to experience it; there are guests of Vietnamese origin returning to attend this national festival."

A quick survey of some online booking platforms shows that many hotels around Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter have reported that they are fully booked for the period from August 31 to September 2, or only have high-end rooms available with prices 20-40% higher than normal days.

Ho Chi Minh City tourists still have difficulty finding rooms early

Not only tourists from the North, many people in Ho Chi Minh City and the South also choose Hanoi as their destination this time. Mr. Nguyen Van Minh (Gia Dinh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) shared: "I planned to take my family to Hanoi from the beginning of August, booking air tickets was quite easy, but finding a hotel room near the center was very difficult. Affordable places were all sold out, the rest were all luxury hotels, the price was almost double".

This situation also happens with groups of young people. Ms. Tran Thi Mai (Thu Duc City) said that the group had to split up and book two different hotels because they could not find a place with enough rooms for the whole group: "We planned to stay close to each other for convenience when going out at night, but in the end we had to accept staying 2 km apart because we had no other choice."

Faced with high demand, many travel companies and hotels have launched combo packages of air tickets + hotels or package tours, directing customers to suburban resorts such as Ba Vi, Soc Son, Tam Dao to reduce accommodation pressure in the central area.

PHOTO: LE NAM

Not only attractive for its series of festivals, Hanoi in autumn also attracts tourists with its streets covered with yellow leaves, the scent of new rice and typical cuisine. Places such as the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Hoan Kiem Lake, walking street and Dong Xuan night market are expected to be the focal points to welcome visitors.

"We want to enjoy the festive atmosphere and culture of Hanoi on National Day. Even though we know it will be crowded, we are still excited because the feeling of being part of the crowd during a historical event of the country is very special," said Ms. Le Thu Hang (a tourist from Hue).

Travel agencies recommend that visitors book rooms, air tickets and food services as early as possible to avoid being sold out or experiencing sudden price increases. At the same time, they should consider choosing accommodations in areas close to the center but less crowded, or combine traveling to the suburbs for a complete experience.

In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to travel time between tourist attractions because during the holidays, the number of vehicles entering the center of Hanoi will increase sharply, causing local congestion, especially around Hoan Kiem Lake and the streets where festivals are held.