In 2026, Vietnam is certain to form a historic long holiday from late April into early May, and bookings for tours and flights by domestic and foreign tourists are rapidly accelerating. At popular resorts such as Phu Quoc Island, Nha Trang, and Da Nang, hotel vacancies have nearly vanished, and some flights are already reported sold out. For those considering a Vietnam trip from Japan too, this holiday is a travel opportunity not to be missed, but it's becoming a situation where building the itinerary you want is difficult without early booking.
What is the 2026 long holiday: a golden week of up to 9 days
The centerpiece of the 2026 holiday in Vietnam is the consecutive break from April 25 to May 3, where the "Hung Kings Festival" and "Reunification Day and May Day" overlap perfectly. Specifically, April 25 to 27 falls around the public holiday for the Hung Kings Festival, April 30 is Reunification Day (one of Vietnam's most important holidays, commemorating the reunification of north and south), and May 1 is the May Day holiday. Combining the weekends before and after, you can achieve up to 9 consecutive days off, making it an unprecedented long break dubbed the "golden week" within Vietnam too.
This holiday period is a highly attractive travel window not only for Vietnamese travelers but for foreign tourists too, and bookings are moving markedly earlier than in 2025. According to travel industry figures, "in a typical year the real booking rush starts in early April, but in 2026 many major hotels were already nearly fully booked as of March."
Popular destinations: Da Nang, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Quy Nhon
The five areas where bookings are most concentrated are as follows.
Phu Quoc Island,: An international resort island in the south. With clear waters and a full lineup of resort hotels, it enjoys immense popularity with families and couples alike. In 2026,the expansion of Phu Quoc Airport was completed,greatly improving reception capacity and making it more accessible. But bookings poured in even faster, so hotels during the holiday remain nearly sold out.
Da Nang and Hoi An: The gateway to central Vietnam. With My Khe Beach's long sandy shore and the World Heritage Hoi An old town adjacent, you can combine a beach resort with cultural sightseeing. It's very popular with Japanese too, and the fact that direct flights operate is another draw. Most beach hotels during the holiday are sold out, and bookings are said to be starting to flow to inland resorts.
Nha Trang: A resort city in the south-central region. In recent years, luxury hotel openings have come one after another, starting withHyatt Regency Nha Trang,greatly raising its standing as a resort. With beautiful beaches and abundant marine activities as draws, bookings are surging, centered on families.
Quy Nhon and Phu Yen: Both areas, where tourism development is still relatively undeveloped, have rapidly drawn attention in the past few years as "hidden-gem resorts." With the appeal of untouched coastlines and the atmosphere of quiet fishing villages, their popularity is surging among domestic Vietnamese travelers who want to avoid crowds.
Vietnamese reactions: "It's too early this year, but it can't be helped"
On Vietnamese social media, posts about travel plans for this holiday have surged since early March. Voices come one after another, such as "When I looked for a Da Nang hotel in March, there were hardly any good rooms left" and "It's the first time I've seen Phu Quoc flights fill up within February."
Among office workers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the talk of the workplace is "adding paid leave on April 29 or 30 to take 9 days off," and travel agents' chat groups are said to be flooded with inquiries. A travel agency in Ho Chi Minh City says, "Bookings started coming in from February, and as of the end of March the April holiday packages are nearly sold out," testifying that the movement far exceeds the usual pace.
On the other hand, many complaints of "everywhere is too expensive" are also heard. Early-booking discounts have often already ended, and last-minute bookings are starting to run 1.5 to 2 times the usual price in some cases.
The impact on Japanese tourists and advice
If you're considering a trip from Japan to Vietnam, you need to plan on the premise that late April to early May will be extremely crowded. Keep the following points in mind.
Secure your flight right now: Direct flights between Japan and Vietnam (Tokyo and Osaka to Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Hanoi) see demand concentrate in this period.Vietnam Airlines' new routesare increasing too, but flights during the holiday tend to sell out early. If you're considering a trip at all, we strongly recommend starting with flight searches and a tentative booking.
Secure hotels early with free-cancellation plans: Hotels at major resorts are already running low, but by using free-cancellation plans you can at least hold a room for now. Once your itinerary is set, decide whether to switch to a non-refundable early-discount plan or proceed as is.
Keep alternative destinations in view: If Phu Quoc, Da Nang, and Nha Trang prove difficult, there's also the option of nearby sightseeing based at a hotel in Quy Nhon, Phu Yen, or Ho Chi Minh City. There are many areas where you can have a Vietnam-like experience while avoiding the crowds.
Leave room to enjoy the local food and culture: During this holiday period in Vietnam, various cultural events are held around the country.Gourmet events like the Saigon Food Culture FestivalFood events like this are also planned, so you can enjoy local experiences, not just make the rounds of tourist spots.
Summary: if you're going to move, now is the last chance
The late-April-to-early-May holiday in Vietnam in 2026 is seen as certain to become a travel rush on an unprecedented scale. If you want to stay at a popular resort, the ironclad rule is to book "right now." Vacancies at major hotels have already been dwindling rapidly since March, and once April arrives, options are likely to be greatly limited.
For travelers from Japan, Vietnam remains popular as a destination with relatively high value for money, even in the recent weak-yen environment. If you want to make the most of this long holiday to savor the thrill of a tropical resort, we strongly recommend starting your flight and hotel searches today.
Reference:Vietnam News – Early tour bookings surge for 2026 Hung Kings and April 30 holidays、Travel and Tour World – Vietnam sees strong holiday travel demand for April 2026 long break
