Thu Thao, a resident of Hanoi’s Nghia Do Ward, said her family planned a trip to Lo Lo Chai Village in Lung Cu Commune, Tuyen Quang Province, but struggled to find accommodation on December 26 as most hotels and homestays were already fully booked.
Travel agents quoted prices up to twice the normal rate, warning that remaining rooms were scarce. “A standard room usually costs around VND 600,000, but it is now more than VND 900,000 (about USD 34) because bookings are so close to the holiday,” Thao said.
A visitor pose for a photo in Lo Lo Chai Village.
Nguyen Thuat, an administrator of a local tourism community, said most accommodation in Lo Lo Chai and the former Ha Giang area, now part of Tuyen Quang Province, is fully booked. During peak season, many travel agencies reserve rooms in advance and raise prices when demand spikes, he added.
Homestay owners said they have not changed publicly listed prices, but cannot control mark-ups by intermediaries. On booking platforms such as Agoda and Booking, several properties no longer show availability for April 1-4, 2026.
Popular destinations including Dong Van, Meo Vac and Lung Cu have reported no remaining rooms, although some travellers can still book through intermediaries at prices 30-50 per cent higher. The long New Year holiday, combined with the blooming of cherry blossoms, has driven demand.
Similar trends are seen in Moc Chau in Son La Province, and Sapa in Lao Cai Province, where occupancy has exceeded 80 per cent. At Moc Chau, budget rooms are priced at VND 900,000-1.5 million (about USD 34-57) per night for three to four guests, while higher-end rooms start from VND 1.5 million, up VND 200,000-300,000 from normal days.
A visitor pose for a photo with the plum blossoms in Moc Chau
In Sapa, room rates during the holiday range from VND 1-3 million (about USD 38-114) per night for two people, including breakfast, lower than peak summer prices. At Garrya Mu Cang Chai, all 110 five-star rooms have been fully booked, with rates from VND 5.5 million (about USD 209) per night.
An overview of the Garrya Mu Cang Chai in Lao Cai Province.
Ha Quoc Trung, head of the Tourism Management and Development Division at the Lao Cai Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said authorities have inspected accommodation and dining services and required transparent pricing to prevent unreasonable increases.
Visitor numbers to Lao Cai during the New Year holiday are expected to rise 10-15 per cent year on year, driven by events such as the Mong Khen Festival and Snow Festival. Major destinations include Van Chan, Mu Cang Chai, Y Ty and Sapa, where occupancy at large hotels has reached 85-95 per cent, peaking on January 2, 2026, he said.
