The event featured nine diverse experience zones, including a water festival, folk games, a food court, a beer festival, and art performances. From 10 a.m., the atmosphere became vibrant as thousands of people continuously arrived to participate in the outdoor activities.

A highlight of the program was the display of about 300 giant kites, designed to resemble marine creatures such as whales, dolphins, octopuses, and manta rays, simultaneously soaring into the sky. This created a spectacle that many likened to a "flying ocean" over the Can Gio sea.

Hundreds of kites with vibrant colors and diverse sizes filled the festival sky. Many kite designs, mimicking marine life, reached lengths of up to 30 meters, creating an impressive scene that drew visitors to admire and photograph.

Kim Thu, 67 years old, from Gia Dinh ward, arrived at the festival with her family at 9 a.m. and expressed her surprise at the scale and lively atmosphere.

"I did not think Can Gio would host such a large festival with hundreds of giant kites flying in the sky", Ms. Thu said. According to her, she previously perceived Can Gio as merely a mangrove forest with a sparse population. Now, with convenient roads, she considers it a suitable place for retirement with her children and grandchildren.

A family poses for a check-in photo with kites at the festival.

Aside from the artistic kite display, the water games area was the most popular zone at Paradise Summer Fest. From early morning, long lines of people waited to participate in the active and interactive water activities.

Children eagerly played water games like slides and soap bubble shooting. By midday, the food court became one of the busiest areas of Paradise Summer Fest.

The festival's food court gathered over 30 stalls, offering many specialties from Vietnam's three regions, such as squid cakes, steamed rice rolls, beef noodle soup, and pho, alongside familiar street foods. During peak lunch hours, many stalls were bustling with customers lining up for food and drinks.

Among them, fast food and beverage stalls attracted the most customers due to their quick service, which was convenient for visitors to refuel between outdoor activities.

Instead of participating in outdoor activities, many families chose to rest in shaded seating areas, where children could engage in creative activities like painting and plaster statue coloring in a cool environment.

To accommodate the large number of attendees, the organizers arranged dozens of resting tents throughout the festival area. The tents were equipped with chairs, cooling fans, and drinking water, creating a space for visitors to relax between outdoor activities.

Many families with young children chose to rest here before continuing to the game zones and water festival. Some groups of young people also utilized the tent areas, enjoying food and watching performances throughout the day.

In addition to fun activities, visitors also participated in interactive games, enjoyed local cuisine, and immersed themselves in the music atmosphere that lasted until evening. The event attracted many young families and groups of friends to experience the first weekend of june.

Bui Thoa (left), from Trung My Tay ward, said she chose Can Gio as a weekend destination because she wanted a natural space that was not too far from the city center.

"Previously, we often went to Vung Tau or Ho Tram. This time, seeing the festival, we brought our children to experience it. The kids loved the water games area and the artistic kite zone the most", Ms. Thoa said.

According to the organizers, Paradise Summer Fest is one of the opening activities for a series of summer events in the Can Gio area, aiming to create more entertainment venues for Ho Chi Minh City residents and tourists during the peak travel season.

After activities from morning to afternoon, Paradise Summer Fest offered a beer festival and outdoor music programs. The event concluded with a fireworks display at 7:30 p.m.

Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio anticipates welcoming 40 million visitors annually, driving significant demand for commercial lodging, shophouses, logistics, and rental properties to serve the high-quality experts and workforce at the Can Gio international transshipment port. The project plans a 122 hectare entertainment complex based on a "multi-park resort" model. This includes a festival park, a water park, an urban safari, a snow zone, and several large-scale entertainment complexes. This urban area will also feature two 18-hole golf courses, advised by Tiger Woods and Robert Trent Jones II, targeting high-end leisure and sports tourists.

Tuan Anh

Photo: Quynh Tran