On the morning of 29/8, Sam Son, Thanh Hoa, experienced light rain and chilly weather. Along beaches A, B, C, D and Ho Xuan Huong street, tourism activities were quiet, with many beachfront businesses almost deserted.

In the preceding days, Thanh Hoa experienced widespread heavy rain and floods. From 22h on 26/8 to 9h on 27/8, the water level in the lower Ma river rose rapidly, exceeding alarm level 3. Sam Son's seawater was murkier than usual as floodwaters flowed down from upstream. The area continued to experience scattered showers and thunderstorms until the morning of 28/8.

Tourists swim at Sam Son beach on the morning of 29/8. *Photo: Lam Son*

Ms. Thanh Thu from Ha Noi expressed surprise at how empty Sam Son was during the holiday. Restaurants were not crowded, and ordering and service were quicker compared to the 30/4 holiday.

Mr. Thanh Binh from Ninh Binh, who arrived in Sam Son on 28/8, stated that his family had planned to stay for the entire holiday. However, the rainy weather limited outdoor activities, and they might change their plans and return earlier than expected.

In the central area, many rows of chairs and sun umbrellas were empty. On the sand, some groups of tourists strolled and took photos, but few people were swimming.

Ho Xuan Huong street at Sam Son beach was clear on the morning of 29/8. *Photo: Lam Son*

Along Ho Xuan Huong street, many hotels, restaurants, cafes, and beverage shops also saw few customers. The coastal roads were clear, without the usual crowds seen during holidays.

A representative from Bien Tinh restaurant on Ho Xuan Huong street stated that the number of visitors on the first day of the holiday consisted mainly of individual guests, with almost no tour groups. The establishment's customer numbers decreased by about 80% compared to previous holidays.

According to a leader from Sam Son ward's Culture - Society Department, the area has nearly 1,000 accommodation establishments, with current room occupancy rates only reaching about 20-30%. Some hotels offered discounts of up to 50%, but booking numbers remained low.

Closer to noon, the number of people on the beach increased slightly but not significantly. Some families rested on the shore, waiting for better weather.

During the 30/4 holiday, Thanh Hoa welcomed approximately 1,72 million visitors, with estimated tourism revenue reaching 4.330 billion VND. Sam Son alone received about 1,2 million visitors, making it one of the province's most popular destinations.

According to tourism experts, visitors tend to adjust their itineraries and length of stay based on weather conditions and travel circumstances. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting predicted moderate to heavy rain for the Northern region and Thanh Hoa during the holiday. Specifically, from 30/8 to 1/9, Thanh Hoa was forecast to experience worse weather, with moderate rain, localized heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms, and common rainfall amounts of 50-100 mm, with some areas exceeding 100 mm.

Le Hoang - Tuan Anh