2027 Reunification Day

Reunification Day on April 30 marks the fall of Saigon in 1975, when North Vietnamese tanks broke through the gates of the Independence Palace and ended the Vietnam War, leading to the formal reunification of the country the following year; it is also known as Liberation Day of the South. It is a public holiday, and combined with Labour Day on May 1 it forms one of Vietnam's major breaks, often stretched to four or five days when it meets a weekend. Ho Chi Minh City is the centre of celebrations, with flags and banners along the main streets, fireworks over the Saigon River and, in milestone years such as the 50th anniversary in 2025, a large parade past the palace, now the Reunification Palace museum. Many Vietnamese use the break for beach trips to Đà Nẵng, Nha Trang, Phú Quốc or Vũng Tàu, so flights, trains and hotels sell out early and prices peak. Book several weeks ahead. This countdown ticks to midnight Hanoi time on April 30.