Halloween Night along Bui Vien Street @ Ho Chi Minh City [Vietnam]

31 October is known to be Halloween and judging from the decorations put up along the night entertainment establishments along Bui Vien Street; I knew it's a given we would have to walk through on the actual night to feel the pulse and vibrancy of this festival. 

Even before we stepped in, there were already street vendors offering services for face painting that charged from a low of 30,000 dong (less than S$2) to a max of 150,000 dong (less than S$10)! As I have hyper sensitive skin, despite the thickness, I usually wouldn't sign up for such services.

Masks would be the preferred option! 

Finally walking into Bui Vien Street; even though we passed through almost on a daily basis throughout the six days in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), the atmosphere on Halloween was different. It was more crowded and the vibe was electrifying! 

You must also note that Halloween in 2022 fell on a Monday, typically the dullest day for night entertainment. As usual, the music boomed loudly; to the extent I could hear them throughout the night even when I was in my room at Vien Dong Hotel. 

Dancers were also out in full force; this would be scenes you don't get to see in conservative Singapore, although the above were decent and even child-friendly compared to what you could get at Phuket's Bangla Street at night! 

The costumes of festival goers that night! Most impressive would be hell boy although it could definitely improve by having a larger horn! I am surprised not to see any virus-related costumes which appeared to be popular in other countries. 

Wanting to get in action? You can still get some Halloween accessories from the street hawkers. Some would also go from table to table to sell their wares. 

Gosh, someone brought along their pet snake! Is this for show or a means to get some money for photo-taking? Likely the latter, I think.

One thing that stood out were the number of children / teenagers who were also out to make a living. I am all supportive for young people to work at an early age for extra income and experience, but not at the expense of  their education and the risk of being exploited. 

It's also kind of sad when you see children left on the streets while their parents were working; a less than ideal situation yet sometimes, the better solution instead of leaving the kids to be locked in at home. 

End of our 320-meter walk. 

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Click here for my 6 Days Itinerary in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) - Pearl of the Far East @ Vietnam