Lunar New Year (Tet Holiday) in Vietnam: Traditions, travel tips

Vietnam is a country rich in culture, color, and contrasts. The Vietnam Lunar New Year, or Tet, is its largest and most significant event, and experiencing it is one of the best ways to know its soul. For the Vietnamese, this holiday, which is observed in accordance with the lunar calendar and typically takes place between mid-January and late February, is a time for loved ones, friends, joy, and renewal. If you are planning to travel to Vietnam during Tet, get ready for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that will showcase authentic Vietnam. Here are some tips for enjoying the local way during the Tet holiday in Vietnam.

When is the Tet Holiday 2026?

The Vietnamese New Year in 2026 will take place on Tuesday, February 17th, the year of the Horse. The three days that comprise the day before New Year's Eve, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day are the highlights of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.

In the upcoming year, the Vietnamese Tet in 2027 will fall on Saturday, February 6th, heralding in the Year of the Goat. 

Meaning of Tet Holiday

Why does everyone become so enthusiastic about this special occasion?

The Vietnamese official name of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year is “Tết Nguyên Đán” or simply “Tết”, which means "the first day of the year festivities". The Vietnamese transform this event into a significant aspect of their culture by incorporating their own values, traditions, and customs.

Vietnamese Tet traditions are a time for their loved ones, including their families, ancestors, friends, lovers, and even themselves. Tet provides people with an opportunity to break from work and think back on the ones they love.

Vietnamese Tet traditions are a time for their loved ones

How to celebrate the New Year in Vietnam?

When it comes to the Tet holiday, many Vietnamese people think of newness and edginess. So the Vietnamese New Year is observed in line with this idea. People go Tet shopping, decorate for the holidays, and clean their homes.

Different regions will have different ways of celebrating, but basically, people will make sure these things are done:

Home cleanup

Before the New Year arrives, Vietnamese family members begin cleaning the entire house, including the mattresses and even the paint job. Along with placing altars and shrines in their homes, individuals also clean the graves of their ancestors, which are typically found in cemeteries distant from their homes.

Decorations

Tet holiday decor is beautiful with vibrant objects. It can be five-fruit trays, flowers (generally marigolds, chrysanthemums, apricot blossoms, and cherry blossoms), New Year trees (usually cây nêu or kumquat trees), folk art, spring couplets, etc.

In addition to homes, local officials arrange decorations in public areas like flowers, banners, or statues of their mascots. Thus, during the Tet holiday, both local and foreign tourists can enjoy enjoyable outdoor gatherings.

Tet holiday decor is beautiful with vibrant objects

Food

The phrase "ăn Tết", which translates to "eat Tet", is also used to refer to the Tet holiday. This phrase expresses the significance of food in Tet festivities. All the country's culinary quintessence is often associated with Vietnamese Lunar New Year cuisine. Some popular dishes will be listed below.

Upon visiting a Vietnamese home during Tet, you will notice right away a striking box placed among the tables in the living room. It displays delicious candied fruits, candies, biscuits, and other grains, such as hazelnuts or watermelon seeds.

Gifts

The best time to give gifts is during the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. During Tet, everyone exchanges gifts: friends and lovers, parents and kids, bosses and employees, and young and elderly. 

Tet hampers, which contain a variety of foods, fruits, and wines, as well as lucky money, are typical presents. No Vietnamese children don't yearn for a red envelope containing money and kind words from the adults.

Tet holiday celebrations across Vietnam

Hanoi

Tet is the one and only time of year when you can see an empty street in Hanoi. Hanoi is now again a charming little city where you may have a nice, authentic Vietnamese coffee while taking a short walking tour in the Old Quarter on a typical cold winter day. It is easy to see some local families taking pictures of their children wearing traditional Vietnamese costumes.

Don't forget to take some time to visit the well-known temples and the Temple of Literature and Scholars' Street during the first few days of the Hanoi Lunar New Year. Additionally, a number of bars remain open during the Tet holiday, including Minh's Jazz, Easy Rider, Dragonfly, Le Pub, and others, for visitors who wish to do something different.

Ho Chi Minh City

On the eve of the Lunar New Year, you have the option of watching fireworks in the street with the locals or counting down in bars. Another way to celebrate the Ho Chi Minh City New Year in a very local style is to go to the Tao Dan Flower Festival and the Nguyen Hue Flower Street Festival. There will be Tet holiday decor, folk music, games, and dishes in a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

Fireworks light up the sky during the Vietnamese Lunar New Year in downtown Ho Chi Minh City

Hoi An

Concerned about stores and restaurants being closed on the Tet holiday? In Hoi An, it will not occur. As soon as you get to Hoi An, you will know it is the place to be - a historic town that looks exactly like it does in the movie! There is a ton of delicious street cuisine to sample, as well as plenty of shopping to do with skilled local tailors who will surprise you with their skills and the charming, old-fashioned street vista. 

Nha Trang

Nha Trang is unquestionably a destination for you if you are looking for a location where you can take in the tranquil sound of the sea while yet being able to go to all the hectic events, countdown display, and fireworks parties. You can see a variety of flowers, such as cay mai Tet on Ly Thanh Tong Street, the Sports Center, Xom Moi Market, Dam Market, and Le Hong Phong Street. 

Flower boats full of cay mai Tet are sold during Vietnam Lunar New Year

Traditional foods of the Tet holiday

Travelers can experience the real Vietnamese New Year by sampling foods that are bursting with Tet flavors. Here are the most common dishes served during the Tet celebration in Vietnam:

Banh Chung/ Banh Tet

Without Banh Chung or Banh Tet, the Tet holiday would not be complete. Banh Chung is typically prepared in the North as a festive must-have and as an offering for their ancestors. On the other hand, Banh Tet will be made by the Southern Vietnamese. What difference are those two from one another, you might wonder?

The answer is that, save for their shapes - Banh Chung is square, while Banh Tet is cylinder - they are essentially the same. Both are wrapped in green leaves, most commonly banana leaves, and include sticky rice, green bean paste, high-fat pork belly, and other interchangeable components. They require a very long time to cook to perfection, and they are both eaten with pickled onions to give it a tart taste and make it easier to digest.

Without Banh Chung or Banh Tet, the Tet holiday would not be complete

Gio/ Cha

Another popular Vietnamese Lunar New Year dish is Gio Cha (Vietnamese ham or sausage). Gio and Cha are not the same since Gio is boiling, whereas Cha is deep-fried. Gio is made by Vietnamese people using lean pork, fish sauce, leaves, and boiling for hours. Lean pork and other ingredients are similarly used to make cha, but instead of being wrapped in leaves and boiled, cha is deep-fried in oil. 

Boiled Chicken

Since all tribute meals to the ancestors must include boiled chicken, either whole or chopped or boiled or steamed chicken, plays an important role to celebrate new year in Vietnam. In addition, some think that boiling chicken represents wealth and well-being. As a result, starting the year with boiling chicken will bring good fortune throughout the year. In Tet dinners, chicken meat can take many different shapes. Traditionally, it is boiled and then sliced, but occasionally, people will put the entire bird on a plate. 

Travelers can experience the real Vietnamese New Year by sampling foods

Mut Tet & other snacks

During the Tet holiday, mut is an essential treat. Vietnamese people make a box of colorful candied fruits to offer to ancestors, friends, and family, as well as to visitors. Mut Tet (Tet jam) is more of a snack to greet guests during this unique time than a dish to be served during the Tet holiday. It is always stored in lovely boxes and set out on the table in the living room.

Experience your trip on Tet Holiday in Vietnam

While some people might love Vietnam's summer heat and spend the day lounging on the beach, others could want to travel at a different time of year to explore the country without any closed shops and find it easier to get around with a number of open bus tours. However, many visitors who have visited Vietnam during the Tet holiday are aware that this country offers much more than just stunning beaches, stunning scenery, and delectable cuisine; they also have the opportunity to learn about Vietnam's traditional culture.

If you’re planning to experience the Vietnam Lunar New Year, be sure to arrange your visa well in advance, as travel volume during Tet can cause delays. Applying for a Vietnam eVisa through our website ensures a smooth process, quick approval, and helpful support. This gives you one less thing to worry about before your Tet adventure. Processing typically takes around three days, but we recommend applying at least a week ahead to be prepared for any unexpected issues.