Website duonghoanguyenhue.vn carries 360-degree images of Nguyễn Huệ Flower Street. Screen grab from website

HCM CITY -- For the first time the beauty of Nguyễn Huệ Flower Street, usually HCM City’s most visited place during Tết (Lunar New Year), can be enjoyed online at duonghoanguyenhue.vn.

According to the organisers, engineers have used 360 VR Tour technology to bring the beauty of the flower street to users.

The use of advanced technologies at the street has created a new platform for the city's tourism.

The street, with the theme ‘Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh - Hiện Đại - Nghĩa Tình’ (HCM City - a Modern and Humanitarian City) this year, portrays the metropolis as a pioneer and leader in helping build and develop the country.

Besides hundreds of kinds of flowers, ushering in the Year of the Buffalo are 26 statues of the animals.

Besides hundreds of kinds of flowers, ushering in the Year of the Buffalo are 26 statues of the animals.

The entrance features a display comprising a family of movable buffaloes.

The organisers said due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s flower street would be open daily at 8am-5pm until February 15.

Another annual attraction in the city during the festival, the Tết Book Fair, this year with the theme ‘Knowledge Brings the Future Closer,’ has opened on Mạc Thị Bưởi, Nguyễn Huệ and Ngô Đức Kế streets in District 1, and will also go on until February 15.

The fair displays around 20,000 books on various topics from major publishers and distributors.

Visitors to these places need to follow the Ministry of Health's measures to prevent COVID-19, as well as its 5Ks message in Vietnamese: Khẩu trang (facemask), Khử khuẩn (disinfection), Khoảng cách (distance), Không tụ tập (no gathering), and Khai báo y tế (health declaration). — VNS

Visitors check body temperature and wash hands before entering the Nguyễn Huệ Flower Street. Photo from vnexpress.vn