Behind pagoda gate

Following the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day, Hue continues to see a surge in visitors during the April 30 - May 1 holiday, with occupancy rates at many accommodation establishments are near full capacity. The influx has pushed the tourism sector and businesses to ramp up efforts to ensure both service quality and flexible management of operations, heading to the goals of enhancing visitor experiences and reaching industry development.

Whether by fate or extraordinary circumstance, within just 42 days, one tank company had the honor of participating in the liberation of all three major cities in southern Vietnam: Hue, Da Nang, and Saigon. The tracks of their tanks stretched over a thousand kilometers from A Luoi (Hue) to the Independence Palace, where they smashed through the gates and raised the victorious revolutionary flag atop the building, signaling total victory. That unit was Company XT4 of the heroic 203rd Tank Brigade.

More than half a century since the homeland’s liberation (March 26, 1975 – March 26, 2026), Hue’s urban landscape has undergone significant transformation, marked by newly widened roads, bridges spanning rivers and lagoons, modern urban zones, and an increasingly synchronized technical infrastructure system.

On the morning of April 30, Thuan An sea-gate overpass - the longest sea-crossing overpass in Vietnam’s Central Region officially opened to traffic.

On the occasion of April 30 - May 1 holidays marking Reunification Day and International Workers’ Day, young people in Hue and tourists are drawn to vibrant check-in spots decked out with the colors of the red flag with yellow star, vintage coffee shops, and heritage-rich spaces steeped in local identity. Beyond an opportunity for “checking-in”, these destinations offer a chance for the young to find balance, recharge, and enjoy the holiday in a way that is both reflective and vividly expressive.