Int'l tourists explore U Minh Thuong forest, gravitate to Phu Quoc during Vietnam's National Day break

At the national park in the namesake commune, international and domestic visitors enjoyed the natural scenery and explored its melaleuca forest ecosystem on peatland, the park's management said on Wednesday.

Truong Be Diem, a park staff member and tour guide, said visitors had arrived over the past few days to take motorboat trips through the forest.

They caught glimpses of birds, bats, monkeys, crocodiles and some rare wild animals at the park, Diem said.

International tourists were particularly interested in motorboat trips through the natural melaleuca forest ecosystem on peatland, she added.

The boat trips give visitors a chance to experience the distinctive wetland ecosystem while taking in the forest scenery along the waterways.

Meanwhile, Phu Quoc Special Zone, an island often dubbed the 'pearl island,' remained a major draw for international tourists during the holiday.

The provincial tourism department estimated that Phu Quoc welcomed more than 116,400 tourists during the five-day break, including more than 26,200 international visitors, up nearly 50 percent year on year.

International tourists took part in various activities, including taking photos along streets decorated with Vietnamese national flags, practicing Vietnamese calligraphy, making paper flowers and wearing traditional Vietnamese costumes.

They also watched fireworks shows at Hon Bridge, also known as Kiss Bridge, in An Thoi Ward.

Across An Giang, more than 580,135 tourist arrivals were recorded during the five-day holiday, up 40.3 percent year on year, according to the department.

The total included 26,812 international visitors, up 48.2 percent from a year earlier.

The province's tourism revenue reached nearly VND880.5 billion (US$33.8 million), up 72.3 percent year on year, while average hotel occupancy exceeded 62 percent during the period.

Despite rain and thunderstorms that limited some outdoor activities, tourism in An Giang showed signs of improvement during the holiday, said Bui Quoc Thai, director of the provincial tourism department.

Besides Phu Quoc and U Minh Thuong, tourists also visited Ha Tien, Hon Son, Nam Du in Kien Hai Special Zone and the Bay Nui (Seven Mountains) area, Thai said.