Tet-Season Vietnam Itinerary

Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, is the biggest and most heartfelt celebration of the year. Visiting during Tet is a magical, only-in-Vietnam experience, but it takes some planning. Here is how to enjoy the festival without getting caught out by closures and crowds.

What Tet is and why it matters

Tet Nguyen Dan marks the lunar new year and is by far the most important holiday in Vietnam, a blend of new year, homecoming, and family reunion all at once. Streets fill with peach and apricot blossoms, kumquat trees, red-and-gold decorations, and the warmth of families gathering. For travelers, it is a rare window into Vietnamese culture at its most joyful and traditional.

The dates shift each year with the lunar calendar, usually falling between late January and mid-February. The festival officially runs several days, but the country effectively slows for a week or more around it. Knowing the rhythm of those days is the key to planning well.

The rhythm of the Tet period

Understanding the timeline helps you plan around it:

• The week before Tet: bustling, festive, and a great time to soak up flower markets and preparations.
• New Year's Eve and the first day: fireworks, temple visits, and quiet streets as families gather privately.
• The first three days: many businesses closed, transport packed, prices higher.
• A few days after: life gradually returns to normal and closures ease.

If you want the festive atmosphere with fewer closures, aim for the run-up to Tet rather than the holiday's quietest core days.

Days 1 to 4: Festive Hanoi

Arrive in Hanoi in the days before Tet to catch the city at its most beautiful. The flower markets overflow, the Old Quarter buzzes with shoppers, and homes and shops glow with decorations. Visit the pagodas and lakes, where people pray for luck in the new year, and try the special Tet foods that appear only at this time. Our things to do in Hanoi guide will help you plan.

On New Year's Eve, join the crowds for the fireworks by Hoan Kiem Lake, a memorable way to ring in the lunar year.

Days 5 to 8: Central Vietnam

Fly to Da Nang and base in Hoi An, which decorates beautifully for Tet and remains lively thanks to its tourist trade. The lantern-lit old town is extra festive, and enough restaurants and cafes stay open to keep you well fed. This is a gentler place to spend the quietest Tet days, with the celebration's beauty but fewer total closures.

Our best food in Hoi An guide covers the local classics, and you may be lucky enough to be invited to share in a family's celebration, a genuine honor if it happens.

Days 9 to 12: The south

Fly to Ho Chi Minh City, where the famous flower street (Duong Hoa) and decorations turn the center into a festival. As a large city with a strong tourist scene, it keeps more services running through the holiday than smaller towns. Enjoy the buzz, the food that is open, and the celebratory mood. Our best food in Ho Chi Minh City guide points the way.

Planning around the holiday

A successful Tet trip comes down to preparation. Keep these in mind:

• Book flights, trains, and hotels far in advance, since locals travel heavily and seats fill early.
• Expect higher prices and reduced services during the core holiday days.
• Withdraw cash before Tet, as some ATMs run empty over the holiday.
• Stay in tourist hubs on the quietest days for open restaurants and tours.
• Be patient and gracious, since this is a family time and a slower pace is part of it.

Embracing the spirit of Tet

If you go in with the right mindset, Tet is unforgettable. Yes, some places close and transport is busy, but in return you witness Vietnam's warmest tradition up close: the blossoms, the lucky red envelopes, the temple visits, the reunions. Wish people a happy new year (chuc mung nam moi), accept hospitality graciously, and let the slower pace carry you. It is a side of Vietnam few visitors ever see.

Tet traditions to look out for

Part of the joy of visiting during Tet is recognizing the customs unfolding around you. In the days before, families clean their homes from top to bottom to sweep out the old year's bad luck, and markets overflow with peach blossom in the north and yellow apricot blossom in the south, the signature flowers of the holiday. Kumquat trees laden with fruit appear outside homes and shops as a symbol of prosperity.

During the holiday itself, you will see children receiving li xi, small red envelopes of lucky money, and families visiting pagodas to pray for health and fortune in the year ahead. Special foods appear that you will not find at other times, such as banh chung, a square sticky-rice cake wrapped in leaves, and trays of candied fruits and seeds offered to guests. If you are invited into a home, bring a small gift and accept hospitality warmly, since being welcomed into a family's Tet is a real privilege.

Sort your entry early and prepare

Because Tet is a peak travel time, handle the entry paperwork well ahead so nothing is left to the last minute. Use the visa checker to see what likely applies to your passport, read the visa FAQ for the basics, and when your dates are set, start your application and we will guide you through it. Chuc mung nam moi, and enjoy the celebration.

General information to help you plan, not legal advice; visa and travel rules change. Contact us for your specific situation.