Customers enjoy a Christmas party in District 1’s Rex Hotel last year

What a night out on Xmas eve will get you in Ho Chi Minh City.

For Christmas this year, most hotels are upgrading their buffets to gala dinners. Activities accompanying the buffets include variety shows, Santa Claus distributing Christmas present and raffle ticket draws.

In the downtown area, the five-star Rex Hotel (141 Nguyen Hue city St., Dist. 1) will launch a gala dinner on Christmas Eve (December 24) from 7 p.m-12:30 a.m., with a buffet, a variety show and a lucky draw. Tickets are US$75 for an adult and $40 for a child, including wine and soft drinks.

The five-star Majestic Hotel (1 Dong Khoi St., Dist. 1) will celebrate Christmas with a gala dinner from 7:15 p.m. until midnight on December 24. The buffet goes with a cocktail welcome on party and a variety show that includes live music, dancing and the performance of martial arts. Participation costs an adult $66 and a child $33, with free flow of wine, soft drinks and mineral water.

Most hotels in Cho Lon, the city’s Chinese quarter, such as Thien Hong (52 Tan Da St., Dist. 5), Bat Dat (238 Tran Hung Dao B St., Dist.5) and Dong Khanh (2 Tran Hung Dao B St., Dist.5) will celebrate Christmas with buffets of Vietnamese and Chinese dishes, live music and gifts. Adults are charged VND200,000 ($11.80).

Among the theme parks, Van Thanh (48/10 Dien Bien Phu St., Binh Thanh District) and Tan Cang (A100 Ung Van Khiem St., Binh Thanh District) will entertain customers on Christmas Eve with a buffet and a variety show, give gifts to children and award prizes to customers winning the lucky draw. Adults will have to pay VND200,000 to join the event.

In particular, the Saigon Ship Restaurant (Bach Dang Quay, Dist. 1) will be where people welcome Christmas while crusing the Saigon River from 7 p.m.-11 p.m. on December 24. The ship will do the Bach Dang Quay-Ben Nghe Port-Bach Dang Quay route between 9:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. during the gala dinner. Cost per customer is VND300,000 ($17.60).

Reported by Tien Dat