West Street of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City revived after the epidemic

After 2 consecutive years of closure due to Covid-19, Ta Hien, Luong Ngoc Quyen (Hanoi) and Bui Vien (HCMC) streets are crowded with tourists every night.

At 10 p.m. every day, especially on weekends, the intersection of Ta Hien Street – Luong Ngoc Quyen (Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi) is crowded with international and domestic tourists flocking to have fun and eat.

This area is known as the “international crossroads”, or “Western Street” because it is an entertainment and entertainment destination for many foreign tourists. Due to the impact of Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021, this area is “emptier than before” because there are no visitors. From March this year, Vietnam fully opened to international tourism, and the neighborhood gradually became bustling again.

Western guests and I sit and eat at restaurants on Luong Ngoc Quyen Street.

“We first came to Vietnam. Hanoi is beautiful, feels very light, ancient. Later, we will continue to go to Hoi An, Da Lat and Ho Chi Minh City”, Emily (right) and her friend Vikrant reward. Hanoi beer, share.

A group of young people from Ho Chi Minh City sit and eat on Ta Hien street. “The first time we went to Hanoi, in addition to visiting tourist attractions, we also did a food tour, eating as many dishes in the capital as possible,” said Hoa Tien, a member of the group.

Ms. Vuong Ngoc Linh, owner of a restaurant on Ta Hien Street, is inviting guests to view the menu. “Two years of being affected by the epidemic, the restaurant’s income is much lower, only 40% compared to before. This time, it has just started to have more customers, so the income has also increased, but it has not been successful,” Ms. Linh said.

Some young people took advantage of taking pictures at the street known as “International Crossroads”.

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On the night of August 28, Bui Vien Street (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) was full of visitors. Along the nearly 700-meter-long street, colorful lights of all kinds, along with loud music, to invite eating and drinking – in contrast to the deserted scene in March 2020, when many shops had to stop operating because of Covid – 19.

Bui Vien Street has long been called “Western Street”, attracting a large number of foreigners to visit, the busiest in the evening with many bars, discos… operating until the night. In August 2017, this place was renovated the second pedestrian city after Nguyen Hue Street.

A corner of Bui Vien street is full of people and tourists.

In October 2021, when Ho Chi Minh City relaxed the distance for the new normal, many bars and restaurants on this West Street had to switch to selling vegetables, meat, groceries… to earn income.

Gustavo Romero (centre) from Spain with friends playing on the street.

Mr. Nguyen Viet Lam, owner of a restaurant on Bui Vien Street, said the rent on West Street is from 30 to 40 million VND per month. During the stressful business epidemic, he had to pledge and borrow from many places to maintain. Now that the epidemic has been temporarily controlled, he finds that the business “is gradually getting better”.