Ho Chi Minh City night sparkles in unprecedented river festival

The sound and light party on the Saigon River paints a splendid city during the first Ho Chi Minh City River Festival in 2023.

From August 4 to August 6, the first Ho Chi Minh City River Festival 2023 will bring to residents and visitors eye-catching performances and unique cultural - entertainment - artistic - sports activities along the river.

Ho Chi Minh City residents and tourists have the opportunity to participate in and watch water sports activities such as paragliding, jet surfing, flyboarding, etc.

Nguyen Khanh Vu Khoa, a freelance photographer in Ho Chi Minh City, had the opportunity to capture the impressive scene of the Saigon River sparkling at night. With experience in taking many photos of Ho Chi Minh City, Vu Khoa said that taking photos of this festival is more challenging than normal night scenes, requiring the photographer to use a professional camera, large aperture lens and wide opening to ensure image quality.

This photographer suggests beautiful shooting angles from high-rise buildings, rooftop cafes or rooftops to capture the bustling atmosphere on the streets. “Using drones at these events is almost impossible, because the organizers and authorities strictly manage drones to ensure security and safety,” he said.

From morning to night, visitors will see colorful paragliders flying in the sky of Ho Chi Minh City.

Known as the city that never sleeps, Ho Chi Minh City during the holidays becomes even more sparkling and splendid in the lights of bustling tourist boats going back and forth...

…sometimes, the banks of the Saigon River resound with the admiration of locals and tourists at the skillful performances of extreme water sports athletes. The acrobatics combined with sound and light effects make it impossible for tourists to take their eyes off.

Flyboard - an extreme sport introduced to Vietnam in the early 2010s - from the Nha Trang sea area spread to many provinces and cities, stirring up the festival atmosphere on the Saigon River. Flyboard players are likened to "supermen" doing somersaults in the air. They have to wear a device consisting of 2 thrusters on their feet; a jet engine sucks water through a pipe connected to a jetski (water motorcycle) to "blow" people into the air.

Nha Rong Wharf lights up, adding color to the colorful picture of the Ho Chi Minh City river festival.

Capturing the impressive moments throughout the river festival, Anh Vu Khoa looks forward to watching the art program “The River Tells Stories” on the evening of August 6. This live show is expected to become a typical tourism product of Ho Chi Minh City, with the stage located at Saigon Port.

A brilliant fireworks display concluded the festival on the evening of August 6.

Ho Chi Minh City is promoting the development of riverside tourism, aiming to become a river city with a rich identity. Currently, the city has 20 tourist tours being exploited on the river. Short-range boats depart from central wharves such as Bach Dang wharf, District 1, Binh Quoi wharf, Binh Thanh district, Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal. Medium-range boats go from the city center to Cu Chi, Can Gio. Long-range boats connect with the provinces of the Southwest, Southeast and to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Laodong.vn