People flocked to downtown areas of Hanoi, HCMC and other cities across Vietnam to join New Year’s Eve firework shows and countdown events Sunday night.

Bangkok, Hanoi, Jakarta (GMT+7) vnexpress

• 0h10 Fireworks light up HCMC skies
  Fireworks explode above the Saigon River tunnel in HCMC at midnight to welcome the new year. Photo by Thanh TungThousands of people gather at the Bach Dang Port to see the fireworks. Photo by Thanh Tung
• Fireworks paint the sky in red. Photo by Thanh TungNguyen Van Long (R), from Binh Tan District, takes his entire family out to watch the fireworks. Photo by Thanh Tung
• 0h00Fireworks explode in HueFireworks explode over the sky in Hue. Photo by Vo ThanhThousands of people watched as fireworks exploded at midnight on Hung Vuong Street in the center of Hue.Vo Thanh Sang, 34, who was among the audiences with his wife and son, said: “I felt content about my work and my family last year. I hope work will get smoother in the new year.”People capture the firework explosion with their cell phones in Hue. Photo by Vo Thanh
• 0h00Hanoi couples exchange new year kissesA couple in Hanoi kisses each other as the clock strikes midnight. Photo by Giang HuyAnother Hanoi couple marks their new year with a kiss. Photo by Giang Huy
• December 31/2023
• 22h25Can Tho launches fireworks show
  Fireworks explode in Can Tho City in the Mekong Delta. Photo by Huy PhongThe Mekong Delta city launched 1,000 fireworks at the central stadium for 15 minutes starting at 9:30 p.m. to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Can Tho being a central city, and to celebrate New Year’s Eve.Nguyen Thanh Tung, 40, a Vietnamese national in Australia, said it had been over 10 years since he last returned to his hometown to celebrate the new year. He said many new skyscrapers had been built, and travel between Can Tho and HCMC has become much more convenient, taking only two hours on the expressway.
• 22h20Music heats up Sword Lake in Hanoi
  Thousands of people dance to the music at Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi. Photo by Giang HuyMusic performances are available at the countdown event in Hanoi. Photo by Giang HuyAround the pedestrian streets near Sword lake, thousands of people watch spontaneous music shows. Photo by Gia Chinh
• 21h50People faint at Hue music shows
  Tens of thousands of people have been drawn to the countdown musical performance in Hue. Photo by Ngoc ThanhPeople who fainted at a music show in Hue are taken to hospital. Photo by Vo ThanhNew Year music shows in Hue have attracted tens of thousands of people. Roads intersecting with Hung Vuong were fully crowded, with some people fainting and were taken to the hospital.
• 21h20Da Nang’s dragon breathes fire, water
  The dragon statue that runs along Da Nang’s iconic Dragon Bridge breathes fire in front of around 1,000 audiences. Photo by Nguyen DongMany children take a shower as the dragon breaths water. Photo by Nguyen DongA hotel in Da Nang is lit up with a”Happy New Year” banner. Photo by Nguyen DongIn Da Nang, the rains subsided at around 8 p.m. and people have traveled to the Bien Dong Park for the countdown event and music shows. Downtown roads towards the sea, like Le Duan and Nguyen Van Linh, were congested.During Christmas and this New Year’s Eve, Da Nang estimated to receive 261,000 visitors, a 35% increase from the same period last year. 138,000 visitors were foreigners.Vietnam welcomes 2024 in grand paradesThe dragon (bridge) breaths fire in Da Nang. Video by Nguyen Dong
• 21h10Hanoians flock to shopping malls ahead of new year
  The dining area of a shopping mall in Hanoi is full. Photo by Ngoc ThanhThe largest shopping amll in Ha Dong District, around 20 km from Hanoi center, was packed with people coming for shopping, dining and playing indoor games.People gather for a countdown event at a shopping mall to the east of Hanoi. Photo by Ngoc Thanh
• 20h50Musical performance in HCMC walking street
  Vietnam welcomes 2024 in grand paradesPeople dance along a musical performance on Nguyen Hue walking street in HCMC. Video by Thanh Tung
• 20h30Vung Tau welcomes new year by the sea
  Many locals and tourists gathered in coastal parks in Vung Tau beach town in the last night of the year, which was breezy at 28 degrees Celsius at 8 p.m. While many sat along the beach, others took a walk and some jumped into the water for a swim.People gather at a park by the sea in Vung Tau to wait for the new year. Photo by Truong HaTran Phu Street in Vung Tau is decorated with neon lights. Photo by Truong Ha
• 20h30Nha Trang people wish for a better year
  A family of South Korean tourists take photos at the 2/4 Square in Nha Trang. Photo by VnExpressMost of the people in Nha Trang have gathered at the 2/4 Square to celebrate the New Year starting around 7:55 p.m. Traffic police officers are present at the site, banning motorbikes on a 300 m section on Tran Phu Street.Locals said New Year celebrations this year were not as bustling as last year’s.Le Xuan, 38, said this holiday, many of his friends chose to travel to Da Lat instead of staying in Nha Trang as they wanted to “experience the cold for the new year.””This year, due to precarious economic situations, my family did not travel far, only hanging around the city. We will watch the fireworks at midnight. I hope everything will go well in 2024,” he said.
• 19h45Hue people await countdown ceremony
  Thousands in Hue pour out the street for New Year’s EveOn the last day of 2023, weather of Thua Thien-Hue is cool, and many people have gone down Hung Vuong Street of downtown Hue to wait for the New Year. The countdown event will feature music shows, including EDM performances.There will also be a fireworks show at the city. Restaurants on Vo Thi Sau and Chu Van An streets have been full of customers.At 8 p.m., the music show began, but people had been at the site an hour prior. Barricades have been erected around the area to maintain safety, while authorities have been in pace to re-route traffic.
• 19h40Crowds gather at Hanoi’s Sword Lake
  People gathered in downtown Hanoi starting 7 p.m. for entertainment and waiting for New Year’s Eve. Cau Go-Dinh Tien Hoang area quickly became full of people waiting for the countdown event at the Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square.Thousands gather at Cau Go-Dinh Tien Hoang intersection to watch music shows. Photo by Giang HuyThe temperature is at 22 degrees. Monitoring stations of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment revealed that air quality has improved considerably compared to two days ago.Several families said they wanted to go out early to avoid crowds.New year decoration on Dinh Tien Hoang Street. Photo by Giang HuyRoads like Hue and Hai Ba Trung saw increased numbers of vehicles. Parking lots along Hang Bai and Ly Thuong Kiet streets have also been rendered full, with several vehicles being parked directly on the roads.Young people gather on Dinh Tien Hoang Street. Photo by Giang Huy
• 19h35Saigon River park is packed
  People have crowded up at the park along the Saigon River in Thu Duc City, where a musical stage has been put up to serve the countdown party.People gather at the Saigon River park in Thu Duc City. Photo by Quynh TranAll roads leading to the park have been congested.Many people have already secured their places on streets in the Thu Thiem area to watch the fireworks.People cross the Ba Son Bridge to enter the park along the Saigon River in Thu Duc. Photo by Quynh TranPolice officers have been deployed to Ba Son Bridge to circulate traffic, as many people crossed it to enter the Saigon River park for the countdown party.
• 19h30Saigonese enjoy favorable weather
  People began to flock to downtown areas starting 7 p.m., with several streets like Le Duan, Dong Khoi, Ton Duc Thang congested. Parking lots have also been rendered full.People flock to the Nguyen Hue walking street in District 1 for music shows. Photo by Thanh TungAt a parking lot in the basement of a building on Dong Khoi Street, people have also parked vehicles con the sidewalks, but spots have also run out from 6 p.m.Hoang, 30, saif he had to spend an hour to look for a parking space.”Now I have to look for a lot, a kilometer away, then walk back to the walking street.”HCMC’s weather is favorable for entertainment activites, despite a rain in the afternoon.
• 19h15In Hanoi, the countdown event began at 7:30 p.m. at the Cach Mang Thang Tam Square near the Hanoi Opera House, with the participation of several artists like My Linh, Blacka, DJ Quintino and JustaTee.In several other localities like Da Nang, Hue, Nha Trang, Da Lat and Vung Tau, other ceremonies and celebrations are also available to welcome the New Year.
• 19h00Firework shows at two HCMC locations
  The southern metropolis will launch fireworks for 15 minutes, from 12 a.m. to 12:15 a.m., at the beginning of the Saigon River tunnel in Thu Duc City and the Dam Sen cultural park in District 11.Large numbers of vehicles are seen on Ton Duc Thang Street, HCMC’s District 1. Photo by VnExpress/Dinh Van