This year’s holidays fall in the same week, enabling longer breaks and driving a surge in domestic travel, with accommodation searches rising sharply.
Data from travel platform Agoda showed searches for domestic stays in late April and early May jumped 81 per cent year-on-year, with Vung Tau recording a 101 per cent increase, the highest nationwide.
Located around two to three hours by road from Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau is a convenient option for short 2-3 day getaways, requiring minimal planning and no flights.
Rising temperatures across the country, with some areas nearing 40 degrees Celcius, have also boosted demand for coastal destinations. Easy-to-access seaside locations like Vung Tau are increasingly favoured for cooling off and relaxing.
Industry observers say travellers are prioritising familiarity, flexibility and cost efficiency over long-haul or complex itineraries. Vung Tau’s diverse accommodation and developed tourism services have reinforced its appeal.
The destination has also drawn attention with the return of helicopter sightseeing tours, offering aerial views of the coastline, Can Gio mangrove forests and central Ho Chi Minh City.
Operator Vina Group said it currently offers four flight packages lasting 15 to 60 minutes, priced from about VND 2.9 million (USD 110) to over VND 18 million, with services mainly running at weekends and expected to expand during peak season.
Travel firms said Vung Tau’s rise reflects a broader shift in Vietnamese travel habits towards shorter, more practical trips with reasonable costs.
Other coastal destinations also recorded strong growth in search demand, including Nha Trang (up 96 per cent), Danang (89 per cent) and Phan Thiet (72 per cent). Dalat was the only non-coastal destination in the top five, benefiting from its cooler climate.
Data from Traveloka also showed rising demand for short domestic flights, up more than 40 per cent year-on-year, with routes such as Hanoi-Danang, HCM City-Phu Quoc and Hanoi-Hue among the most searched.
Meanwhile, Ninh Binh saw search volumes nearly triple, while coastal destinations including Nha Trang and Vung Tau recorded increases of over 40 per cent, underscoring a broader shift towards nearby, accessible travel options.
