Ao dai photoshoots abound at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum for National Day

Since early August, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum has been bustling with people taking photos in ao dai from morning till late afternoon to commemorate National Day on 2/9.

The scene at 4 PM outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Parking attendants in the area said the crowds have been consistent every day, even during the week. Especially after 5 PM, many people come after work to capture photos with the afternoon sun and sunset.

On the afternoon of 11/8, despite the sweltering heat, people were still eager to take photos to celebrate National Day.

The southern part of Ba Dinh Square is currently under construction for a 30,000-seat grandstand for the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day (A80). As a result, most visitors are taking photos in front of the Mausoleum, mainly focusing on the area near the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building.

Hoang Thi Huong, a Hanoi resident, said she wanted to wear the traditional ao dai to express her love for the country during the National Day celebrations.

Nguyen Thu Hien, a Hanoi resident, was still elated after attending the "national concert" on 10/8. She said her feelings of pride were rekindled seeing people in ao dai posing with the national flag. Hien said she also hired a photographer at the Mausoleum during the Liberation Day holiday (30/4) but wanted more photos for National Day.

Many foreign visitors were delighted, waving to those taking photos.

Nguyen Huu Huy and his wife (in the white ao dai) traveled from Bac Giang to Hanoi specifically for a photoshoot at the Mausoleum, planning to post the photos on 2/9. Huy said that these days, people from afar want to come to Hanoi to capture photos expressing their patriotism.

"Seeing the national flag everywhere makes me feel excited," he said.

Related services like vendors selling flags, stickers, and scarves printed with the national flag have also become more common. Small flags cost around 15,000 VND each, while scarves range from 50,000-70,000 VND.

According to many tourism experts, Hanoi is expected to be the top destination during the four-day National Day holiday thanks to the series of events commemorating the 80th anniversary. Currently, many hotels in Hoan Kiem, Cua Nam, Ba Dinh, Ngoc Ha and areas near Ba Dinh Square are fully booked for 2/9, the day of the parade.

Gregoyre, a French tourist who arrived in Hanoi two days ago and happened to pass by the Mausoleum, said he was surprised by the Vietnamese people's patriotism.

"I didn't know you were about to celebrate National Day, but the atmosphere here is great," he said, adding that he was impressed by the traditional ao dai.

Lai Van Thanh, a photographer, said demand for photoshoots at the Mausoleum has tripled or quadrupled since early August. Each day, Thanh receives two or three bookings, all around this area.

"There's no time to rest, shooting from morning till evening, then editing photos all night," he said.

According to reports, hiring a photographer for a session costs around 1,5-2 million VND. Additionally, clients need to prepare their ao dai and makeup, usually taking half a day to complete the photoshoot.