{"id":10425,"date":"2021-01-22T07:57:08","date_gmt":"2021-01-22T07:57:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/?p=10425"},"modified":"2026-03-25T03:40:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T03:40:19","slug":"things-need-to-know-when-travelling-to-vietnam-on-tet-occasion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/things-need-to-know-when-travelling-to-vietnam-on-tet-occasion.html","title":{"rendered":"Things need to know when travelling to Vietnam on Tet occasion"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Lunar New Year or T\u1ebft Nguy\u00ean \u0110\u00e1n, is Vietnam\u2019s most significant celebration. Across Vietnam, during this time families reunite and honour their ancestors, while praying for luck, prosperity, and health in the new year. The public holiday may only run for one week, but in reality, T\u1ebft celebrations last much longer. If you\u2019re visiting Vietnam around Lunar New Year, here\u2019s what you can expect.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2441\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2441\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-2441\" src=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/trang_hoang_nha_cua_ngay_tet_20-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/trang_hoang_nha_cua_ngay_tet_20-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/trang_hoang_nha_cua_ngay_tet_20-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/trang_hoang_nha_cua_ngay_tet_20-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/trang_hoang_nha_cua_ngay_tet_20-972x648.jpg 972w, https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/trang_hoang_nha_cua_ngay_tet_20.jpg 1170w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2441\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">traveling to vietnam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_88 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/things-need-to-know-when-travelling-to-vietnam-on-tet-occasion.html\/#A_new_start\" >A new start<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/things-need-to-know-when-travelling-to-vietnam-on-tet-occasion.html\/#Getting_ready\" >Getting ready<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/things-need-to-know-when-travelling-to-vietnam-on-tet-occasion.html\/#Shopping_list\" >Shopping list<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/things-need-to-know-when-travelling-to-vietnam-on-tet-occasion.html\/#Holiday_cooking\" >Holiday cooking<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/things-need-to-know-when-travelling-to-vietnam-on-tet-occasion.html\/#Tet_in_Hanoi\" >Tet in Hanoi<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/things-need-to-know-when-travelling-to-vietnam-on-tet-occasion.html\/#Tet_in_Ho_Chi_Minh_City\" >Tet in Ho Chi Minh City<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/things-need-to-know-when-travelling-to-vietnam-on-tet-occasion.html\/#Tips_for_travellers_during_Tet_holiday\" >Tips for travellers during Tet holiday:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_new_start\"><\/span>A new start<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">T\u1ebft marks the first day of the Lunar New Year, and the beginning of spring in the North of Vietnam. The holiday traces back to the early days of Vietnamese settlements in the Red River Delta when T\u1ebft meant a new cycle of wet rice cultivation. Today, the meaning of the holiday runs much deeper than its farming roots: Vietnamese culture emphasises the importance of a fortuitous fresh start, surrounded by family and loved ones.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Getting_ready\"><\/span>Getting ready<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Throughout Vietnam, preparations for T\u1ebft begin weeks in advance, as cleaning, decorating, and sprucing up is a big part of the holiday tradition. Vietnamese shop for new clothes, get haircuts, cook special dishes, buy flowers, and even wash their motorcycles. Each home and office will decorate with signs of \u2018Ch\u00fac M\u1eebng N\u0103m M\u1edbi\u2019, and kumquat trees or peach blossoms will be set in a place of honour. The bigger the kumquat trees, the more prosperity, and health the family will receive in the new year. Streets burst with colour as these trees are transported on the back of motorbikes. In anticipation of the long holiday, a festive spirit takes hold of the country.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-85\" src=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Tet1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Tet1.jpg 570w, https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Tet1-300x214.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>TIP<\/strong>: T\u1ebft celebrations begin three days before Lunar New Year and last a few days after. Try to avoid travelling around Vietnam at this time, as transport centres will be overflowing and tickets can be sold out. For 2021, Vietnam is on public holidays starting February 10 until the 16. The first day of the Lunar New Year is Friday, February 12.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shopping_list\"><\/span>Shopping list<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the days before T\u1ebft, markets and streets are jam-packed with shoppers. Busy housewives pick up the foil, paper garlands, and auspicious red and gold decorations shaped like fish, coins, firecrackers, and blossoms. Each lunar year is represented by a zodiac animal, as reflected in glossy stickers or on paper lanterns. Locals bring home stacks of red bao l\u00ec x\u00ec &#8211; lucky money envelopes &#8211; which are customarily gifted by elders to younger members of the family, or by managers to employees. It\u2019s a sign of maturity for young Vietnamese to stop receiving l\u00ec x\u00ec and start giving it instead.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-6336\" src=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Tips-for-traveling-Vietnam-during-Tet-3-1024x677.jpg\" alt=\"tips for traveling vietnam during tet\" width=\"1024\" height=\"677\" \/><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Holiday_cooking\"><\/span>Holiday cooking<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Food &#8211; especially the T\u1ebft cake b\u00e1nh ch\u01b0ng &#8212; is an important component of the celebrations. According to folklore, the last H\u00f9ng King could not decide which of his sons would take the throne, so he held a competition to find which son could bring him the best dish in the world. One son stood out, as he presented these two savoury rice cakes representing heaven and earth. These humble dishes impressed the king who then awarded him the throne. Across Vietnam, families will sit down to a day-long feast, and present candied fruits in beautiful boxes for guests to enjoy.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2466\" src=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/luoc-banh-chung-ngay-tet.jpg\" alt=\"traveling to Vietnam\" width=\"1023\" height=\"690\" srcset=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/luoc-banh-chung-ngay-tet.jpg 1023w, https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/luoc-banh-chung-ngay-tet-300x202.jpg 300w, https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/luoc-banh-chung-ngay-tet-768x518.jpg 768w, https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/luoc-banh-chung-ngay-tet-972x656.jpg 972w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1023px) 100vw, 1023px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>TIP<\/strong>: In Hanoi, you can buy b\u00e1nh ch\u01b0ng at the Qu\u1ed1c H\u01b0\u01a1ng Shop on H\u00e0ng B\u00f4ng Street, which has been selling these cakes for 200 years.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A traditional T\u1ebft dinner is an important occasion for family members to gather and talk about the past year. Each region has its own version of the meal. In the North, nem (fried spring rolls), b\u00e1nh ch\u01b0ng (sticky rice cake), and whole boiled chicken are some essential dishes. A Southern T\u1ebft meal is made of caramelised pork, bitter melon soup, and chicken salad, among other things. Many dishes symbolise the passing of hardship, as well as a new hope for the new year.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tet_in_Hanoi\"><\/span>Tet in Hanoi<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A stroll around the Qu\u1ea3ng B\u00e1 Flower Market near West Lake is unforgettable the week before T\u1ebft. Shoppers bundled up against the chill buy the finest pink peach boughs they can afford to bring luck in the New Year. T\u1ebft Eve is best witnessed in the alleys of the Old Quarter, where hundreds of makeshift altars appear on the curbs, set with offerings of fruit and boiled chicken.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6327\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6327\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-6327\" src=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/peach-blossoms-Tips-for-traveling-Vietnam-during-Tet-1024x713.jpg\" alt=\"tips for traveling vietnam during tet\" width=\"1024\" height=\"713\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6327\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: Dustin Do (Pixabay)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>TIP<\/strong>: Fireworks will be lit throughout major cities of Vietnam on T\u1ebft Eve (Feb. 11, 2021), so find a place outdoors and watch the sky light up at midnight.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tet_in_Ho_Chi_Minh_City\"><\/span>Tet in Ho Chi Minh City<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the South, yellow Ochna flowers represent the Lunar New Year. T\u1ebft in H\u1ed3 Ch\u00ed Minh City is no less colourful than in the North. Nguy\u1ec5n Hu\u1ec7 Street in District 1 hosts the country\u2019s largest flower show. Join the throngs &#8212; families in new clothes and young women in \u00e1o d\u00e0is wielding selfie-sticks &#8212; in admiring the impressive floral displays.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tips_for_travellers_during_Tet_holiday\"><\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10426\" src=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/photo-1-1485146696579.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/photo-1-1485146696579.jpg 640w, https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/photo-1-1485146696579-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/photo-1-1485146696579-585x390.jpg 585w, https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/photo-1-1485146696579-263x175.jpg 263w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><br \/>\nTips for travellers during Tet holiday:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">People from all over the country will return to their hometowns for the T\u1ebft holiday, creating heavy demand for bus, train and plane tickets, as well as hotel rooms. If you must travel during this time, try to book transportation and accommodation far in advance.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">With many staff gone home to their families, businesses and restaurants typically shut for at least the first few days of T\u1ebft. Expect cities to be quiet during this time, as well as limited dining and shopping options.<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">The first few days of T\u1ebft are a rare chance to see Vietnam\u2019s big cities empty of noise and traffic. Take advantage of the quiet and explore by bicycle, scooter, or on foot.<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">You may be invited into a family\u2019s home for T\u1ebft which is a huge honour. During T\u1ebft, it\u2019s important not to drop by any Vietnamese home without an invitation, as the first guests of the year are specially chosen to bring good luck to each household.<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Warm wishes are much appreciated around and during T\u1ebft. On the first days of the new year, smile and say \u201cCh\u00fac M\u1eebng N\u0103m M\u1edbi\u201d (Happy New Year) to everyone you see!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Source: Vietnamtourism<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lunar New Year or T\u1ebft Nguy\u00ean \u0110\u00e1n, is Vietnam\u2019s most significant celebration. Across Vietnam, during this time families reunite and honour their ancestors, while praying for luck, prosperity, and health&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":10426,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,1177],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10425","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-vietnam-culture"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10425","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10425"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10425\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10425"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxtraveldmc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}