A rock climbing facility was opened Sunday inside Phan Dinh Phung Sport Center in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City.

“It is suitable for everyone aged four and up. It is a very healthy sport. We will have a national team in Vietnam soon so we will have competitors at international competitions.”

It has a 16-meter tall climbing wall. Its highlights include lead climbing and a difficult section with 3.75 meters of overhang.

It also has a three meter boulder wall, with everything from big hand holds for beginners to “tiny cobbles” for the hard core bouldering enthusiasts.

Routes feature a steep or negative (overhanging) incline to maximize upper body and grip strength.

The facility at 75 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, District 3 is the second that X-Rock Climbing has set up after its first venue was established in the city’s District 2 in December 2006.

More than 3,000 locals and foreigners have visited the first X- Rock venue that has about 500 regular customers, operation manager Nguyen Huu Thanh said.

Thanh said it is good exercise and it is very safe because safety equipment is provided.

After the ceremony, the first customers started climbing. One of them was a five-year-old American girl called Chloe Brackenbury who only had done a few lessons before at the original venue and she climbed three meters up the wall.

Another was a seven-year-old French girl Lucie Walton climbed halfway up. Her father Mark Walton said Lucie had practiced for about eight months.

Another climber was a 21-year-old Vietnamese girl Tran Thanh Vy who was climbing for the first time and made it to the top.

“I love it. I feel like I have conquered something important and now I really want to climb up the wall again,” Vy said.

Reported by Huu Tho