In recent days, trees lining Truong Sa and Hoang Sa streets have begun shedding their leaves, covering pavements and grassy areas in yellow and creating a seasonal backdrop rarely associated with HCM City.
The annual leaf fall typically lasts two to three weeks, briefly transforming the familiar canal-side roads. Many young people have arrived early in the morning to take photographs before the area becomes crowded.
Dang Thi Ngoc Anh, 26, who has visited the area several times during the leaf-changing season, said early morning offered softer light and fewer crowds, making it easier to capture the autumn-like scenery.
Huynh Lam Ngoc Han, 20, brought an umbrella as a prop after seeing photographs of the area widely shared online.
Recent rain has also brought cooler mornings, adding to the seasonal atmosphere along the canal.
As the day progresses, crowds grow and popular spots covered with fallen leaves quickly fill up, leaving later visitors to wait or walk farther along the canal to find quieter locations.
The leaves turn from green to yellow and orange before falling, creating a brief autumn-like backdrop that draws visitors dressed in seasonal colours for photographs.
Anh Thu and Bao Ngoc arrived at the canal from 5 am after preparing their outfits and make-up for an 'autumn in Saigon' photo shoot. They said they had hoped to travel to Hanoi for autumn photographs but instead decided to create their own seasonal setting in HCM City.
Tuoi, a sanitation worker in the area, said the leaf fall had increased her workload, with several bags of leaves collected every one or two days, though the yellow leaves had become a popular backdrop for young visitors taking photos.
