B: We begin today with a deeply moving message from our listener Armando Francisco Higuera del Reyo in Mexico. Reflecting on Vietnam’s Great Spring Victory of 1975, he wrote: “The powerful driving force behind the Great Spring Victory of 1975 was the harmonious combination of the people’s resilient spirit of resistance, the brilliant leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam headed by President Ho Chi Minh, and the broad support of international friends. The cause of national reunification left behind an immortal heroic example that illuminates nations worldwide. In the flow of human history, that achievement will forever be remembered.”
A: Thank you very much, Armando, for your thoughtful reflections. 2026 marks 51 years since national reunification. For Vietnamese people, national reunification day, April 30, 1975, is not only a historical milestone, but also a symbol of peace, reconciliation, and the aspiration for national independence.
B: German listener Lutz Winkler says he especially enjoys our “Discover Vietnam” feature because it helps him learn more about Vietnamese traditions and culture.
A: Thank you, Mr. Winkler. Vietnam has 54 ethnic groups, each with unique customs, music, architecture, cuisine, and festivals. Even Vietnamese people themselves continue discovering new aspects of their own culture when traveling from region to region.
B: This week, many listeners including Bunluong from Laos share their interest in summer festivals in Da Nang and Quang Ninh.
A: Well, summer is festival season in Vietnam. In Da Nang, one of the biggest attractions is the annual international fireworks festival along the Han River. Teams from many countries participate, transforming the city into a huge open-air celebration with music, food events, and street performances.
B: Meanwhile, Quang Ninh Province, home to the world-famous Ha Long Bay, hosts beach festivals, seafood fairs, traditional boat races, and tourism weeks during summer. Evening carnivals and concerts attract thousands of visitors.
A: In addition, the province has restored tours to communities living on Ha Long Bay, including the Cua Van and Vung Vieng fishing village. Since March, traditional duet singing performances in the Cua Van area have been revived, offering visitors deeper cultural insights into the lives of local fishermen. Another listener from Laos, Phetmaly, asked about the most beautiful bridge in Vietnam.
B: Beauty is subjective, of course, but many people mention the iconic Dragon Bridge in Da Nang, famous for its dragon-shaped design and weekend fire-and-water performances.
A: Others admire the elegant Golden Bridge, held up by giant stone hands in the mountains above Da Nang.
B: In February, Golden Bridge was named as one of the 19 most beautiful bridges in the world by London's iconic Time Out magazine. The work is placed No 4 in the honoring table. In its February article, Time Out writes: "The weathered stone hands holding Vietnam’s Golden Bridge may hint at historical significance, but this tourist attraction was made for the social media age…
A: The 150m walkway, known locally as ‘Cau Vang’, opened in 2018 and floats around the mountainous Ba Na Hills resort overlooking the city of Da Nang. A cable-car ride transports visitors to the bridge-as-tourist-attraction, located roughly 1,000m above sea level, alongside kitschy attractions like a roller coaster and French-inspired villas.”
B: Its design as a mountain-top pedestrian walkway rather than a traditional river-crossing bridge offers a distinctive experience and contributes to the structure’s unique identity.
A: Golden Bridge’s unique architecture along with amazing surrounding nature, European-styled buildings and entertainment areas has quickly fascinated visitors since its opening. It has consistently appeared in international architecture and travel publications, becoming one of Da Nang’s most recognisable symbols.
B: In 2018, it was featured by CNN Travel as one of the best travel photos of 2018 and listed among the World's 100 Greatest Places by Time magazine. In 2020, it was selected as one of the 28 most stunning bridges in the world by the American news site Insider.
A: In 2021, the bridge topped a list of the new wonders of the world by the UK’s Daily Mail newspaper and was honored as a leading new tourist attraction by World Travel Awards.
B: Time Out's 2026 special honor reaffirms the bridge’s powerful appeal and highlights the central coastal city’s increasingly strong presence on the world tourism map. It also proves Da Nang's destination development strategy rooted in creativity and iconic design.
A: And speaking of Da Nang’s growing reputation as a world-class destination, the city is also home to some of Vietnam’s most beautiful coastlines. That’s a perfect lead-in to our next story, as our regular listener, Vicentiu Gheorghe from Romania, wants to hear about famous beaches in Vietnam.
B: Vietnam has more than 3,000 kilometers of coastline, so there are many beautiful beaches. Among the most famous are those in Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc.
A: In recent years, Phu Quoc has gained international recognition for its turquoise waters, coral reefs, and spectacular sunsets. Meanwhile, the beaches of central Vietnam are especially popular for water sports and luxury resorts.
B: We could spend hours talking about them, so Vicentiu, we’re looking forward to welcoming you back to Vietnam someday for a trip to experience them yourself.
A: From India, listener Najimuddin asks how many political parties there are in Vietnam.
A: Under Vietnam’s current political system, the Communist Party of Vietnam is the only leading political party of the state and society, as stipulated in the Constitution.
B: We also received a special letter from Bidhan Chandra Sanyal in India regarding Party General Secretary and State President To Lam’s recent state visit to India.
A: Mr. Sanyal highlighted the Vietnam-India Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, cooperation in defense, trade, digital technology, and maritime security, as well as cultural links symbolized by the Vietnamese leader’s visit to Bodh Gaya.
B: Thank you for your excellent summary and insights. Finally, Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi informed us about a quiz contest organized by the PBSW Listeners Club in India focusing on Vietnam and the Vietnamese top leader’s visit to India.
B: Thank you, Mr. Chakrabarty, for sharing this wonderful initiative. It’s always inspiring to see listener clubs helping promote international understanding through radio listening and cultural exchange.
B: In the last minutes of our Letter Box today, we’d like to acknowledge correspondence from Peter Ng of Malaysia who listened to our broadcast on the frequency of 9840 Khz on March 15 and Fumitomo Hokamura of Japan who sent us several reception reports for our programs on the frequency of 12020 khz.
A: We’d like to thank Tanjim Tanini and Safia Setu of Bangladesh who sent Eid-ul-Adha greetings to our team and listeners worldwide.
B: Thank you both very much. Our warm wishes also go to all Muslim listeners around the world celebrating Eid-ul-Adha. May the holiday bring peace, happiness, and prosperity to you and your families.
A: Thank you all for being with us on this week’s Letter Box.
B: Keep writing to us at the English Service of VOV World. Until next time and Goodbye!
