Vietnamese Lunar New Year – Tet festival

Time of Tet Festival

Tet Festival in Vietnam usually falls in late January or early/mid-February. The dates vary from year to year as it is based on the lunar calendar. Dry, bright weather is expected across Vietnam. Temperatures in the north (Hanoi, Halong Bay, Tam Coc) will be relatively cool (avg temp: 17 °C) but higher in central Vietnam (Hoi An, Danang, Hue, Nha Trang, etc.) and South Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta) (avg temp: 25-28 °C).

The celebration of Tet often lasts one week or longer, this year, Tet Festival is celebrated on February 10 and public holidays will be granted for seven days. The specific days taken will depend on how the dates fall over a weekend, and extra days may be declared holidays to bridge to weekends. 

Meaning of Tet

Other name of Tet festival is Tet Nguyen Dan which is the most important and widely celebrated public festival of the year in Vietnam. That is the occasion for Vietnamese to express their respects to ancestors and welcome the Lunar New Year with the members in the family, every family will get together to have big meals to welcome the New Year, and that is the most important event of Vietnamese.

How Vietnamese celebrate Tet Festival

Tet is the most important festival for Vietnamese, preparations for the celebration begin well in advance. They make offerings and pray at temples about the ten days before and immediately after Tet because visiting temples is considered auspicious. Many families visit the graves of ancestors in the week prior to Tet. Homes are cleaned and decorated with Hoa Mai (yellow apricot blossom), Hoa Dao (peach blossom), Kumquat tree, and many other colorful flowers. On the Tet event, we cook a lot of traditional food, Banh Chung (a sticky rice cake), spring rolls (nem ran), etc…

 On the first day of New Year, everybody, especially kids, wears new clothes and shoes to visit families and friends and receive "lucky money" in red envelopes.

Traveling to Vietnam on Tet Holiday

What does the Tet festival in Vietnam mean for tourists? Is it a particularly good time to visit Vietnam? Like you, many of our customers have doubts in mind. To help you get the right decision, here are some facts to know about Vietnam during Tet Holiday:

1. Transport: Flights, buses, and trains about two weeks before or after the Tet Holiday are often booked out well in advance as Vietnamese travel a lot this time (return home/go back to work). Be sure to book at your earliest time possible. We (www.we-travel.vn ) provides the private vehicles for customers, so there is no need to worry about short-distance transportation.

2. Accommodation: All hotels open, there is no need to worry about accommodation. However, some hotels may raise the price if you stay during the Tet holiday. 

3. Sightseeing: some tourist sites remain open during Tet, but many museums, mausoleums, indoor exhibition places and art houses will be closed for the first 5 days of Tet.

4. Restaurants: many restaurants will be closed during Tet. Therefore, so Tet may not be the best time for culinary tour fans. 

5. Shops: All most of shops will be closed for the first few days of the Tet Festival, and then will reopen after the first week. The good news is many products will be sold at a very reasonable price because most sellers want to start a smooth sales year. 

6. Banks: banks will be closed for the holiday. 

Overall, Tet might not be the best time to travel to Vietnam, however, will all these factors spoil your Vietnam holiday during Tet? Not really, here are some special parts of Tet which I believe that will attract the travelers:

- The country is vibrant and colorful during this time, and you will have a chance to learn more about the culture of Vietnam.

- Streets are quiet and light in traffic during Tet. Beaches will be less crowded - overall, Tet is a great time for those who enjoy the tranquility. 

- Streets are elaborately decorated, and everybody looks happy. Just enjoy the festive mood!

- Hotels and travel agents still work during the Tet holiday. Some hotels will have special nights or New Year celebrations.

Our Tips for Traveling Vietnam on Tet

1. Be sure to plan and book your Vietnam tour early so that tickets can be guaranteed. Booking two or four months ahead is not a bad idea. 

2. Book hotels early. There are three reasons: you can enjoy a relatively low price, avoid the risk of having no room to stay, and there are more choices if book early.

3. Since some tourist sites are closed during Tet, it's wise to plan your itinerary accordingly: visit the museums and such just before or after Tet, and relax or walk around Hanoi Old Quarter or go sunbathing on beaches during Tet. 

4. For travelers, dining at hotel restaurants is an option since most restaurants are closed.

5. If you need some currency change, do this in hotels though the exchange rate might be less than favorable. 

6. Try not to bargain because it will be considered to bring about bad luck for the whole new year. If you have to do it, be very polite.

All in all, if you're planning to visit Vietnam during or around the Tet Holiday, be sure to prepare your trip ahead of time!

If you have any questions about traveling in Vietnam or want to share your experience, please contact us at sales@we-travel.vn. If you like this post and find it helpful, please share it with your friends!