In recent days, traffic stalled for hours at hotspots including Tham Ma Slope and Ma Pi Leng Pass. A February 20 report said visitor numbers surged from the third day of Tet, with occupancy at 100 per cent and services operating at full capacity.
Mai Trang, a visitor from Hung Yen Province, said her group took nearly six hours to travel from Ha Giang Ward to Dong Van due to heavy congestion. At the Nho Que boat pier, visitors reported waiting more than 30 minutes for their turn to board.
According to Nguyen Phong Son, deputy director of Tu San Agriculture and Tourism Cooperative, which operates boat services on the Nho Que River, more than 7,200 travellers were recorded on February 20 alone, compared with an average of just over 5,000 per day during the recent New Year holiday.
He said infrastructure, including roads, parking areas and shuttle services, had struggled to cope with the sudden influx, though authorities and cooperative staff coordinated traffic and ensured safety.
As roads gradually cleared, many tourists found themselves unable to secure accommodation. Social media travel groups were flooded with requests for spare rooms or shared stays, with limited responses.
Van Anh, a visitor from Hanoi, said her group had not booked in advance and was unable to find rooms in Meo Vac, Dong Van or Lung Cu. “We called numerous homestays but all were full,” she added.
A local tour operator said February 21 was expected to mark the peak of arrivals, leaving virtually no vacancies despite some visitors offering higher rates.
Sinh Di Gai, head of Lo Lo Chai Hamlet, said all 63 lodging providers were fully booked through February 24, with no availability expected before February 26. Only lower-grade rooms remained during the holiday, priced at VND 600,000-900,000 (USD 22.8-34.22) per night, similar to standard homestay rates in normal periods.
Local authorities said they had worked with Lung Cu Commune to stabilise prices and monitor listings to prevent overcharging during the Tet holiday.