Tet in Vietnam 2027 Travel Guide: Dates, What Closes, Where to See Fireworks and Whether to Go

1. Tet at a glance: dates, the public holiday and the short answer

Tet Day, the first day of the Vietnamese lunar new year, falls on Saturday, February 6, 2027. Tet Eve is Friday, February 5, and the fireworks go off at midnight that night.

Government offices close for 7 days, from Thursday, February 4 to Wednesday, February 10, 2027. Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Thị Thanh Trà approved it, and the Government Office announced it in an official dispatch (number 10065/VPCP-KGVX), and there is an English report in Viet Nam News. A longer 10-day option floated in August was not adopted.

Key Tet dates

The last lunar month has only 29 days this time, so there is no 30th. That is why Tet Eve lands on the 29th, and all the year-end offerings fall on that one day.

Private companies pick their own days off within set options, so some offices close a day earlier or later than the government. Travel stays busy for much longer than the holiday: airlines treat January 22 to February 20, 2027 as Tet peak season, and the railway runs its Tet timetable from January 23 to February 25.

Tet dates for the next few years

Tet Day moves around on the Western calendar. It lands somewhere between late January and mid-February.

So, should you travel to Vietnam during Tet?

Yes, as long as you plan for it. Small family restaurants and traditional markets close on Tet Day and the days around it, but hotels, resorts and convenience stores stay open and most big attractions open too. Many shopping malls stayed shut on the morning of Tet Day last time and opened from the afternoon.

Book rooms and transport early, and decide ahead of time where you will eat on Tet Day. The pros and cons are laid out in the last section, and our guide to Vietnam in February covers how Tet fits into a February trip as a whole.

2. What Tet is and why so much closes

Tet Nguyên Đán is the lunar new year. People go back to their home towns to spend it with family, so big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City become much quieter for a few days.

A lunar holiday

The dates follow the lunar calendar, worked out on Vietnam time. That is why Vietnam and its neighbours sometimes celebrate on different days.

The whole season runs for about three weeks, from Kitchen Gods Day in the last lunar month to the first full moon of the new year. The busiest and quietest days sit in the middle.

The public holiday and shop closures are not the same thing

The public holiday tells you when government offices and bank counters close. Small businesses keep their own timetable.

Many family-run eateries and market stalls shut from around the 28th or 29th of the last month until roughly the 6th day of the new year. There is no fixed rule, and plenty of places reopen sooner.

The three weeks at a glance

The calendar below marks each key day along with the public holiday and the busy travel periods. The sections that follow go through them in order, then city by city.

3. Kitchen Gods Day: sending the Kitchen Gods off

On the 23rd of the last lunar month, which is Saturday, January 30 this time, families send Ông Công and Ông Táo, the Kitchen Gods, up to heaven. Many people count this as the start of Tet.

In the north: letting carp go

Northern families offer live or paper carp, then release the live fish into rivers and lakes, usually before noon on the 23rd. Markets sell red carp for it.

In Hanoi you will see people letting fish go from bridges and from the banks of West Lake (Hồ Tây) and Hoan Kiem Lake📍Map. Volunteer groups have run campaigns for several years asking people to release the fish but keep the plastic bags out of the water.

To see the carp release in Hanoi, go to a lakeside on the morning of the 23rd. Most people are done by noon.

In the centre and south

Central Vietnam often offers a paper horse instead of a carp. In the south, the offering is made in the evening, around 8 to 11 pm, with paper cranes and horses, and the fish are not released.

So the carp scene is a northern custom, not a nationwide one. A trade ministry magazine article on the regional differences lays out how each region does it.

In Hue

The same day opens Hue’s Tết Huế cùng di sản programme, with a tall bamboo pole (cây nêu) raised inside the Imperial City. There is more on Hue further down.

4. The last week of the year: graves, shopping, banh chung and flower markets

The days after Kitchen Gods Day are for getting the house and family ready. You will see this on the street more than in any tourist sight.

Tending the graves

Families visit and tidy their ancestors’ graves before Tet. A southern saying names the 25th of the last month as grave-visiting day, which is Monday, February 1 this time.

Cleaning, shopping and cooking

Houses get a full clean and markets are crowded with Tet shoppers. In the last nights before Tet, families wrap banh chung or banh tet and boil them overnight in big pots.

Pop-up stalls sell peach branches, kumquat trees, red decorations and fruit for the altar.

Flower markets close before Tet

The Tet flower markets finish on Tet Eve. From Tet Day on you will see flower streets and decorated walkways, not markets, so go by the morning of the 29th at the latest if you want the market scene.

In Hanoi, the Hang Luoc flower market📍Map in the Old Quarter has been held for more than a century. Last Tet it ran daily from 8 am to 10 pm, closing at 8 pm on Tet Eve itself, and spread into the lanes around Hàng Lược and Hàng Mã, according to a report on the Old Quarter flower market. It is gone by Tet Day.

Hanoi also has the Quang Ba wholesale flower market📍Map, which trades at night. Older reports put the start at around 11 pm, but its Tet hours are not confirmed.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the Trên bến dưới thuyền market sets up along the canal at Binh Dong wharf on Nguyễn Văn Của street📍Map, where flowers are unloaded straight from boats. It ran in each of the last two Tets, from the 15th to the 28th of the last month last time (see this Tuoi Tre report on the wharf market). The Binh Dong flower market ran until noon on Tet Eve.

Da Nang had neighbourhood flower markets and flower streets from the 15th to the 29th of the last month last Tet.

5. Tet Eve: shops close, offerings come out and fireworks at midnight

Tet Eve falls on the 29th of the last month this time, Friday, February 5. It is the day the city slowly shuts down.

Afternoon

Shops start closing from the afternoon, and many supermarkets shut around noon. At home, families hold the year-end offering and invite the ancestors back to the house for Tet.

Because there is no 30th this year, all of these offerings land on the 29th. Deliveries and online orders almost stop for the day.

Evening

In the evening you will see offering tables set out on pavements in front of shops, incense smoke and people burning paper offerings. Walk around them and give people room.

Last Tet, Hoi An held a Sắc bùa procession through the Old Town at 7 pm on Tet Eve, with a traditional eight-instrument band and couplets handed out. In Hanoi, the Temple of Literature closed at noon on Tet Eve and reopened on Tet Day.

Midnight fireworks

Most fireworks start at midnight, the first minute of the new year, and last about 15 minutes. Outside the big cities, most shows are low-altitude, meaning smaller fireworks that burst close to the ground.

Each city announces its sites at a different time, from late December to the last days before Tet, and some came out only about ten days ahead last time. The table shows where they were last Tet, so treat it as a guide and check close to the date.

South of Nha Trang, the two Cam Ranh sites went off at 9 pm and 10 pm last Tet, well before midnight. If you are staying near Cam Ranh, check the time so you do not miss them.

Sources for last Tet’s sites: the Hanoi government notice on fireworks times and places, reports for Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Da Lat, and a list covering all 34 provinces and cities.

In Da Lat, the lakeside, the night-market streets and Lam Vien Square were packed from about 9 pm on Tet Eve last time. Wherever you are, find your spot well before midnight.

We have not found any fireworks cruise or ticketed viewing that we can point you to. The shows are free and watched from the street.

6. Tet Day: the quietest day of the year and what stays open

Tet Day, the 1st of the first month, is Saturday, February 6 this time. More places close on this day than on any other, because most families stay home for offerings and the children receive lucky money.

What is open and closed

The table is based on last Tet and differs by city, chain and branch. Check the place you have in mind before going.

Supermarkets and shops last Tet

WinMart closed at noon on Tet Eve and reopened on day 4, the same pattern as the Tet before. Co.opmart in Ho Chi Minh City opened only on the morning of Tet Eve, closed on Tet Day, opened some branches in the mornings on days 2 to 5, and went back to normal from day 6.

GO! (formerly Big C) closed every branch on Tet Day and reopened some on day 2. The supermarket hours come from a VnEconomy report on supermarket Tet hours. We could not confirm Lotte Mart or Vincom hours.

Many shopping centres stayed shut on the morning of Tet Day. AEON Mall opened at 4 pm that day, and Circle K, GS25, 7-Eleven and FamilyMart stayed open right through Tet, according to a Bao Dau Tu report on retail chains reopening. The Tet before, AEON had opened at 11 am. Petrol stations and pharmacies kept shorter hours on Tet Day.

At Ben Thanh market, stalls were covered on Tet Day, according to one report. Dong Xuan market in Hanoi is known for reopening for the new year on the God of Wealth Day, the 10th.

For Tet Day meals, count on your hotel restaurant and convenience stores, and treat mall food courts as an option from the afternoon. Buy snacks and water on the morning of Tet Eve, before the shops start closing.

The first visitor of the year

Many families believe the first person to enter the house after midnight sets the luck for the whole year. This custom is called xông đất.

Do not drop in on a Vietnamese family on the morning of Tet Day unless you have been invited. People in mourning also avoid visiting other homes at this time.

7. The second to fifth days: visits, reopening and the rush back

From day 2, which is Sunday, February 7 this time, the streets slowly come back to life. Families spend these days visiting relatives, friends and teachers.

Who visits whom

A common saying puts it like this: day 1 for the father’s side, day 2 for the mother’s side, day 3 for teachers.

Seeing the ancestors off

The ancestors who were invited home on Tet Eve are seen off with a ceremony called hóa vàng, where paper offerings are burned. Depending on the area it falls between day 2 and day 7, and day 3 is the most common.

Shops reopen bit by bit

Big chains start reopening from day 2. Last Tet, most Ho Chi Minh City restaurants put up notices saying they were closed until day 6, but that year the public holiday also ran to day 6.

This time the holiday ends on day 5, so small restaurants may reopen around day 5 or 6. There is no fixed date, so check the ones you want.

Free entry in Hanoi

Last Tet, Hanoi opened 17 sites free of charge on days 4 to 6, including the Imperial Citadel, the Temple of Literature, Ngoc Son Temple and Hoa Lo Prison. The reports did not say whether foreigners were included, so check before you go.

The rush back

On the last day of the holiday last Tet, Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City had its busiest day since it opened. This time the last day is day 5, Wednesday, February 10.

If you are flying out of a big city, avoid the last day of the holiday or leave plenty of extra time at the airport. Pre-book your airport transfer for the busy days.

8. From the sixth day to the first full moon: spring festivals

A few days after Tet the spring festival season starts, and most of the big ones open between day 6 and the full moon. Expect large crowds of pilgrims.

Festivals near Hanoi and in the north

The festival season at Huong Pagoda📍Map southwest of Hanoi starts around day 2, with the opening ceremony on day 6, and runs to around the 25th of the third lunar month. Crowds build from the Tet holiday onward. You travel up the Yen stream in rowing boats, and motorboats have been banned since last Tet. A cable car runs up towards Huong Tich cave (see the report on the Huong Pagoda festival arrangements).

Bai Dinh Pagoda📍Map in Ninh Binh opens its festival on day 6 as well, and it was crowded even in the rain (see the Nhan Dan report on the opening). The Yen Tu festival in Quang Ninh, on the way to Ha Long, opens on day 10, with a paid cable car up to the pagodas at the summit📍Map. A provincial resolution waives the site entry fee for a period that covers this Tet, but the cable car is charged separately.

The Lim festival in Tien Du, Bac Ninh, takes place on the 12th and 13th around Lim village📍Map, with quan họ folk singing. The seal ceremony at Tran Temple📍Map in Nam Dinh ward (in the old Nam Dinh province, now part of Ninh Binh) runs through the night of the 14th, and it is busiest late at night (see this report on the Tran Temple ceremony timing).

In the south

Ba Den Mountain📍Map in Tay Ninh, about 2 to 3 hours by car from Ho Chi Minh City, opens its spring festival around day 4. It draws huge numbers of southern pilgrims over Tet, and the cable car queues were long last Tet.

Festival dates

Peach and plum blossom in the far north

Many travellers say early to mid first month is a good time for peach and plum blossom in Ha Giang and Sapa. It depends heavily on the weather, so do not plan a trip around a single date.

If the festivals sound like too much, Ninh Binh’s rivers and limestone hills make a calmer day trip from Hanoi, with most sights back open from day 2.

9. Hanoi at Tet: flower markets, calligraphy and lakeside fireworks

Hanoi shows the northern side of Tet, with peach blossom on sale all over town and families shopping in the Old Quarter. For the city as a whole, start with our Hanoi travel guide.

Before Tet

The Hang Luoc flower market runs up to Tet Eve, as covered above. Outside the centre, the Nhat Tan peach orchards📍Map are where farmers grow trees timed to flower for Tet.

The spring calligraphy fair (Hội chữ Xuân) is now held at Hồ Văn, the lake garden that belongs to the Temple of Literature📍Map and sits across the road from its main gate. Last Tet it ran from the 24th of the last month to the 13th of the first month, 8 am to 10 pm daily, and it has run in each of the last three years (see the report on the calligraphy fair opening).

A flower garden by the Lý Thái Tổ statue opened for the first time last Tet. Whether it returns is not yet known.

Tet Eve and Tet Day

Fireworks went off at 31 sites last Tet, including around Hoan Kiem Lake. The Temple of Literature closed at noon on Tet Eve and reopened on Tet Day, according to a report on its Tet opening.

Tran Quoc Pagoda📍Map on West Lake is crowded with families making their first temple visit of the year. Reports from last Tet Day mention foreign tour groups at the Imperial Citadel, the Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo Prison📍Map and the Old Quarter.

Tet opening hours for the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum📍Map are not confirmed, so check before you go.

After Tet Day

Last Tet, the Thang Long Imperial Citadel put on an exhibition of Tet rituals and held water puppet shows on days 2, 3, 4 and 6. Several sites opened free on days 4 to 6.

Dong Xuan market📍Map is known for reopening for the new year on the God of Wealth Day, the 10th. Gold shops around the city get long queues that day.

Stay in or near the Old Quarter. You can walk to the flower market, the lake and the fireworks, and you will not need a car on Tet Eve.

10. Ha Long Bay, Cat Ba and Ninh Binh at Tet

Cruises and day trips around Ha Long and Ninh Binh mostly keep running at Tet, but a few big sights in Ninh Binh close for two days. Here is what happened last time.

Ha Long

Ha Long had high-altitude fireworks near 30/10 Square📍Map in each of the last two Tets, and Van Don had a show as well last Tet. Last Tet there was also a flower avenue with lights from 30/10 Square to the provincial exhibition hall, from the 28th of the last month to day 6. Whether it returns is not known.

On the morning of Tet Day, two international cruise ships arrived at Ha Long International Cruise Port📍Map. Bay cruises kept running over the holiday last Tet, but check with your operator about Tet Day itself. At least one cruise listed a Tet surcharge.

The Yen Tu festival opens on day 10 inland from Ha Long. For choosing a boat, see our guide on how to pick a Ha Long Bay cruise.

Cat Ba and Hai Phong

Last Tet, Cat Ba had a low-altitude fireworks show at the tourist centre in Cat Ba town📍Map. Ferry tickets are said to go quickly at Tet, so book early.

The Cat Ba cable car closes on Tuesdays for maintenance. We could not confirm any special Tet events on the island. See our Cat Ba Island guide and Hai Phong guide for getting there.

Ninh Binh

Last Tet, Trang An📍Map, Van Long and Tuyet Tinh Coc closed on Tet Eve and Tet Day and reopened on day 2. Tam Coc closed for only part of those two days (see the Thanh Nien report on Ninh Binh Tet closures).

Bai Dinh, Hang Mua, the Hoa Lu ancient capital📍Map and Cuc Phuong National Park stayed open through Tet. These are last year’s notices only, so check this year’s before you go.

Trang An boats did not run on Tet Eve or Tet Day last time. Plan your boat trip for day 2 or later. Our Hanoi to Ninh Binh day trip guide covers the routes.

11. Sapa and Ha Giang at Tet: blossom, mountain festivals and full rooms

The northern mountains are a popular Tet escape for Vietnamese families, and rooms go first here. Book well ahead.

Sapa

The cable car up to Fansipan summit📍Map ran through the Tet holiday last time. Reports said day 4 brought a record number of visitors in a single day.

On day 3 last Tet, Fansipan held a spring festival to open the gate of heaven, with a flag ceremony at the summit from day 3 to day 6. Rooms around Sapa town📍Map were nearly full.

Ethnic minority villages hold their own Tet events. Last Tet a local cooperative ran tours to a Red Dao fire-jumping ceremony on day 5 and a Hmong gầu tào festival on the 13th. Last Tet, the Bac Ha spring festival started on day 4 and ran for more than two weeks, with horse racing and a buffalo market at weekends.

We could not confirm Tet Eve fireworks in Sapa. The fireworks you may read about in Sapa’s square were for January 1, not Tet. Our Sapa guide and guide to getting from Hanoi to Sapa cover the trip.

Ha Giang

Last Tet, homestays in Lô Lô Chải were full, and there were reports of transport and rooms running short. Peach and plum blossom is the draw.

The Sunday market at Dong Van old quarter📍Map would fall on day 2 this time, but whether it runs in Tet week is not confirmed. See our Ha Giang Loop guide for routes.

If Sapa or Ha Giang is on your list, book the room before anything else, then the bus or train. Both are among the first places to fill up at Tet.

12. Hue and Phong Nha at Tet

Hue marks Tet with royal ceremonies and events at its heritage sites. For Phong Nha there is much less information, so plan to check on the spot.

Tết Huế cùng di sản

Last Tet, Hue’s Tết Huế cùng di sản programme ran from the 23rd of the last month to the 7th of the first month. It opens with the raising of the bamboo pole inside the Imperial City📍Map, a ceremony held there every year for more than a decade (see the report on the pole-raising ceremony).

Re-enactments of royal Tet customs took place around the 24th and 25th of the last month last time. In the last two Tets, high-altitude fireworks went off from the Flag Tower and Ngọ Môn Gate📍Map at midnight.

Tet Day in Hue

Last Tet, the Imperial City and the royal tombs opened on Tet Day, with a guard-changing and cannon ceremony at Ngọ Môn Gate in the morning. Entry was free that day for Vietnamese citizens only, and the entry queue at Ngọ Môn Gate was long (see this report on free Tet Day entry).

The free Tet Day entry in Hue is for Vietnamese citizens. Foreign visitors buy tickets as usual, but you still join the same entry queue at Ngọ Môn Gate, so go early or visit on day 2.

Whether Dong Ba market closes over Tet is not confirmed. For hotels, see our guide to where to stay in Hue, and for the city overall our Hue travel guide.

Phong Nha

Reports mention Phong Nha and Thien Duong caves being busy at the start of the year, and tour companies staying open through the holiday. We could not find the national park’s notice for Tet Day itself, so check before heading to the cave entrance📍Map that day.

In nearby Dong Hoi, the fireworks went off from Nhật Lệ 1 bridge last Tet. Our Phong Nha caves guide covers getting there.

13. Da Nang and Hoi An at Tet: river fireworks and an Old Town pause

Da Nang keeps most things running at Tet, while Hoi An pauses some of its usual services. Here is what to plan around in each.

Da Nang

Last Tet, Da Nang had neighbourhood flower markets and flower streets from the 15th to the 29th of the last month. The flower street along Bach Dang Street📍Map by the Han River got very crowded on Tet Eve.

Fireworks went off at 6 sites, including Bach Dang Street. On Tet Day morning, the airport held a welcome for the first international passengers of the year.

Da Nang’s city museums, including the Da Nang Museum, opened from Tet Day last time, with free entry that day. Last Tet, Ba Na Hills held new-year events and a tulip festival over the holiday, so check its Tet Day hours. The ticket office for the Ba Na Hills cable car📍Map is the starting point, and our Ba Na Hills guide covers tickets.

Whether Han market and Con market close for Tet is not confirmed. Linh Ung Pagoda on the Son Tra peninsula fills with first temple visits; see our Lady Buddha guide. For the city, start with our Da Nang guide or Da Nang in February.

Hoi An

Hoi An paused Old Town ticket sales and guided tours for about 4 days, from the 29th of the last month to day 3, in each of the last two Tets. You can still walk the streets without a ticket, but the night market and walking-street events also stopped, starting a few days earlier.

The details are in this report on Hoi An’s Tet ticket pause. Some privately owned family houses in the Old Town around the Japanese Bridge📍Map stayed open, because families were holding their Tet offerings there.

Last Tet, the Sắc bùa procession went through the Old Town on Tet Eve, and the fireworks went off at Cồn Bắp islet. On days 4 and 5, there were folk games on Châu Thường Văn and Lê Lợi streets and in Kazik Park, including bài chòi and pot smashing (see this Viet Nam News report on Tet programmes in Da Nang and Hoi An).

Hoi An dims its electric lights and floats lanterns on the river on the 14th of every lunar month, according to the Da Nang city portal. The 14th of the first month falls the night before the first full moon and gets especially busy. Our Hoi An lantern festival guide explains the evening.

Boats to Cu Lao Cham📍Map ran right up to Tet last time, and some foreign visitors spent Tet at island homestays. Sailings depend on the sea, so check on the day; see our Cu Lao Cham guide. For the rest of the town, see our Hoi An guide and things to do in Hoi An.

14. Nha Trang, Da Lat, Mang Den and Mui Ne at Tet

The south-central coast and the highlands each handle Tet differently. The beach towns stay open for visitors, and the cooler hill towns fill up with Vietnamese families.

Nha Trang

Last Tet, Trần Phú, 2/4 and 23/10 streets were decorated with flowers, and 2/4 Square📍Map hosted performances from Tet Eve to day 4. You may see a bamboo Tet pole at pagodas such as Long Son📍Map, and last Tet the Po Nagar towers held Cham craft demonstrations.

The midnight fireworks at 2/4 Square and Hon Tre island were low-altitude. The two Cam Ranh sites went off at 9 pm and 10 pm.

Some days around Tet bring high waves and red flags on Tran Phu beach📍Map, though the island boats usually still run. This is a season with many Russian visitors. See our Nha Trang guide, Nha Trang in February and getting from Cam Ranh airport to the city.

Da Lat

Last Tet, Da Lat ran a Hội Tết event from Tet Eve to the 10th in Trần Quốc Toản park, and shows in front of the 3/4 Theatre from Tet Day to day 4. On Tet Eve, Xuan Huong Lake📍Map, the night-market streets by Da Lat Market📍Map and Lam Vien Square📍Map were packed from about 9 pm.

The fireworks were low-altitude, at two sites: in front of Yersin Park📍Map and at the lake’s boat pier. Nights get cold, around 10 to 13°C, so bring a jacket.

Most visitors came on days 2 to 6, and in some years most rooms were taken. Whether the night market runs on Tet Day is not confirmed. The Mai Anh Dao cherry blossom festival is a January event, not a Tet one. See our Da Lat guide and where to stay in Da Lat.

Mang Den

Last Tet, Mang Den held a street festival on the morning of day 3 along a 3 km pine-lined road, with gongs, xoang dancing and stilt walking. On the evening of day 4 there were shows and a bonfire at the town market (see the report on Mang Den’s Tet events).

Rooms around Dak Ke Lake📍Map and the town fill easily on the busiest days, and Tet is when the forest leaves change colour. Tet Eve fireworks were not confirmed. More in our Mang Den guide.

Mui Ne and Phan Thiet

Last Tet the fireworks went off from Lê Hồng Phong bridge in Phan Thiet and by the sand dunes in Mui Ne, and there were shows in front of the provincial theatre from Tet Day to day 4. Resorts ran Tet activities such as banh chung wrapping and calligraphy.

At least one Mui Ne resort adds a compulsory gala dinner charge on certain nights of the Tet holiday (one confirmed case was the night of day 3). Read the booking conditions before you pay.

Tet falls in the windy season here, which suits kitesurfers near the red sand dunes📍Map, but it is not a calm swimming spot. See our Mui Ne and Phan Thiet guide and where to stay in Mui Ne.

15. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Can Tho at Tet

Ho Chi Minh City runs a long list of Tet events, led by the Nguyen Hue flower street. Can Tho in the Mekong Delta has its own, smaller version.

Nguyen Hue flower street

In the last two Tets, the Nguyen Hue flower street📍Map opened on the evening of the 28th of the last month. Last Tet it ran until the night of day 6, across Nguyen Hue walking street and two nearby parks (see the report on last Tet’s flower street dates).

Following that pattern, it may open on the evening of February 4 this time, but the schedule has not been announced yet.

Other things to see

Last Tet, the Book Street festival around Book Street📍Map near Lê Lợi ran from the 28th of the last month to day 5, and the Tết Việt festival took place at Thanh Niên Cultural House, with a calligraphers’ street and apricot blossom path on Phạm Ngọc Thạch street.

The two flower markets close on Tet Eve, as covered earlier. Phu My Hung in the former District 7 also set up a flower path last time.

Fireworks went off at 17 sites last Tet. Jade Emperor Pagoda📍Map is crowded with first visits of the year.

What is open

Most small local restaurants closed from the evening of Tet Eve. Ben Thanh market📍Map and the malls were busy during the holiday, but Ben Thanh’s day-by-day hours are not confirmed.

The War Remnants Museum opened on Tet Day last time. Tet Day hours for the Cu Chi Tunnels and Independence Palace are not confirmed, so check before going. For the rest of the city, see our Ho Chi Minh City guide.

Can Tho

Last Tet, Can Tho set up an art flower street on Võ Văn Tần and Nguyễn Thái Học streets near Ninh Kieu wharf📍Map, from the 27th of the last month to day 5 (see this report on the Can Tho flower street). Fireworks went off at 5 sites, including barges, from the evening.

Whether Cai Rang floating market📍Map runs on Tet Day is not confirmed. Reports say it was full of boats in the days before Tet. Our southern Vietnam guide covers the Mekong Delta.

16. Phu Quoc and Con Dao at Tet

Both islands get busy at Tet, but there is less firm information about them. Here is what we could confirm.

Phu Quoc

Last Tet, island hotels were nearly fully booked. International flights hit their busiest day since the airport opened around the first day of the holiday.

The large section of the night market on Bach Dang street in Duong Dong📍Map closed at the end of February and is being demolished. Only a small section remains, and no new site has been decided (see the Tien Phong report on the night market’s future). Check where it is before you go.

For eating out at night, see our Phu Quoc night market and food guide. Last Tet, the Hon Thom cable car broke down on day 3 and stopped for the rest of that day, and visitors were taken across by boat instead.

The exact fireworks spot was not confirmed. Tet events at Sunset Town and Grand World were only mentioned in promotional posts. Our Phu Quoc guide covers the island.

Con Dao

Last Tet, the fireworks went off at the Pier 914 historic site near Con Dao town📍Map, from midnight to 12:15 am.

Flying is the reliable way in. If you plan to take the boat, first check whether it is running. See our Con Dao guide.

17. Tet food: what families eat and where you can try it

Tet food changes from north to south, and most of it is made at home. Here is what you are likely to see and how to get a taste.

Tet dishes by region

In the south, khổ qua (bitter melon) sounds like a phrase meaning the hard times have passed, which is why the soup is served at Tet. This trade ministry magazine piece on Tet food in the three regions goes through each region’s tray.

Tranh Khuc village📍Map on the edge of Hanoi makes banh chung all year round.

Skip watermelon seeds that look unusually bright red and glossy. There have been reports of industrial dye being used on them.

Where travellers can try it

Hotels often serve Tet dishes at breakfast or in a Tet buffet. You can also buy banh chung and banh tet at markets and supermarkets, since makers supply both supermarkets and hotels. We could not confirm whether convenience stores sell them.

Museums sometimes hold Tet activities. Last Tet, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi held banh chung wrapping on days 5 and 6, and in Da Nang a park event about ten days before Tet let foreign visitors try wrapping banh tet.

For everyday eating, see our guides to Hoi An food, Da Nang food and District 4 seafood street in Ho Chi Minh City.

18. Tet flowers: peach blossom, yellow apricot and kumquat trees

You will see Tet flowers on the street, in shop doorways and in hotel lobbies. Which ones you see depends on the region.

Peach blossom in the north

The north uses pink peach blossom (hoa đào), which suits the colder winters there. In Hanoi, branches and potted trees are sold all over the city in the week before Tet, many of them grown at Nhat Tan.

Yellow apricot in the south

The warmer south uses yellow apricot blossom (mai vàng). Growers strip the leaves around the 15th of the last month so the flowers open in time for Tet Day.

Kumquat trees

Kumquat trees (cây quất) are popular across the country. They carry fruit, flowers and leaves at the same time, which stands for things going well in the new year.

Where to see them

The flower markets, where people buy, end on Tet Eve. From Tet Day on, the flowers are on show along the decorated flower streets in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Can Tho and other cities, and in the northern and southern towns you pass through.

19. The five-fruit tray and lucky money

In almost every home and shop you will see a tray of fruit on the altar and red envelopes of lucky money. Both vary a little by region.

The five-fruit tray

In the north, a hand of green bananas usually forms the base, with fruit such as pomelo, Buddha’s hand, persimmon and tangerine on top. The exact list differs from house to house.

In central Vietnam there is no set list, and families use what they have. In the south, the tray often holds custard apple (mãng cầu), fig (sung), coconut (dừa), papaya (đu đủ) and mango (xoài), because together the names sound like Cầu sung vừa đủ xài, a wish to have just enough to spend.

Southern trays rarely include bananas or tangerines. The trade ministry magazine article on regional fruit trays has photos of each.

Lucky money

Lucky money is called lì xì in the south and mừng tuổi in the north. It is traditionally given by adults to children, though colleagues and friends now give it to each other too.

It comes in a red envelope, ideally in crisp new notes, and you take it with both hands. People say the amount inside does not matter (see this VnExpress piece on how lucky money customs have changed).

One columnist found 50,000 to 100,000 dong to be usual, and 200,000 to 500,000 dong in better-off families, in a VnExpress column on lucky money amounts.

Should you give lucky money?

We found nothing saying foreign visitors are expected to give it. One foreign columnist notes that many foreigners invited into a Vietnamese home give small envelopes to the family’s children.

Never hand envelopes to officials at the airport or in government offices. Some people sell crisp new notes at a premium before Tet. As a visitor you do not need new notes, so there is no reason to use them.

20. Greetings, taboos and temple manners

You do not need to learn a list of rules to enjoy Tet. A few greetings and three simple things to avoid will cover most situations.

Tet greetings

The basic greeting is Chúc mừng năm mới, which means happy new year. Others you will hear are An khang thịnh vượng (peace and prosperity), Vạn sự như ý (may everything go as you wish) and Sức khỏe dồi dào (wishing you good health).

Taboos some families keep

Some families avoid sweeping or taking out rubbish on Tet Day, because it is thought to sweep the luck away; many places think it is fine again from day 3. Other customs include not lending fire or water early in the year, not doing laundry, not using knives and scissors, and not arguing or swearing.

People also avoid breaking dishes (if one breaks, the advice is to stay calm), borrowing money or chasing debts, and wearing black or white, which are mourning colours. Red and gold are welcome. Some places avoid certain foods, such as duck, squid or shrimp.

Not every family follows these. A Supreme People’s Court magazine article on Tet taboos describes them as symbols more than strict rules, and a National Assembly paper on Tet rituals explains the background.

The three that matter for travellers

Do not visit a family home on Tet morning unless invited. If you are invited, do not wear black or white, and try not to break things or raise your voice.

We found nothing to suggest hotels or restaurants expect guests to follow the taboos. Our Vietnam etiquette and tipping guide covers everyday manners.

At temples and pagodas

Temples are crowded with first visits of the year, such as Tran Quoc in Hanoi, the Jade Emperor Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City and Linh Ung in Da Nang. Cover your shoulders and knees.

Do not break off branches to take home for luck (hái lộc). Hanoi listed it in a past Tet instruction as something to stop (see this legal news report on the Hanoi instruction). Some temples hand out small lucky sprigs instead.

Authorities have also asked visitors not to tuck banknotes into statues or onto altars.

21. Getting around, money and Tet surcharges

Flights, trains and buses stay busy far longer than the Tet holiday itself. Our guide to getting around Vietnam covers the options in detail.

When transport is busiest

Airlines treat the 15th of the last month to the 15th of the first month as Tet peak season. The railway runs its Tet timetable from the 16th of the last month to the 20th of the first month.

Which direction is full

Before Tet, flights and trains from Ho Chi Minh City and the south to central and northern Vietnam sell out and get expensive. After Tet the flow reverses.

Travel against the flow if you can. Before Tet, airlines say seats are left and fares are lower from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc (see this Tuoi Tre report on Tet flight sales).

Trains, buses and Grab

Tet train tickets now go on sale in early September, about five months ahead, and sales have started earlier in recent years; book on the Vietnam Railways booking site. Domestic Tet flights go on sale from late summer.

Long-distance buses charge more before and after Tet, and the extra is bigger on longer routes. Charging more than the registered fare is against the law.

Grab adds a flat surcharge per trip for a few days over Tet, and the app shows it before you book (see Grab’s Tet notice). Cars are hard to get on Tet Eve. Our Grab in Vietnam guide has the basics.

Money

Last Tet, bank counters closed for the whole public holiday, while ATMs, cards and instant transfers kept working.

The State Bank told banks to keep ATMs stocked and to offer currency exchange to foreigners over Tet (see the State Bank of Vietnam notice). Still, the easy option is to change money before the holiday or at the airport. Our money and currency exchange guide explains the rest.

Tet surcharges

Some restaurants and services add a Tet surcharge (phụ thu Tết). Under Article 29 of the Price Law, posted prices must include taxes and fees, must be clear, and a business cannot charge more than the posted price.

The law does not ban surcharges outright, so a surcharge printed on the menu or price list is allowed. The problem is an extra charge that was not posted. Last Tet, some Hue restaurants added a surcharge on days 1 and 2, and in Hanoi, flowers for the altar cost more on days 4 and 5 than they had on Tet Eve, according to a finance ministry newspaper report on Tet prices.

Look for a surcharge note on the menu before you sit down, and check the bill. If you are charged extra that was not posted anywhere, you can question it. Our guide to common travel scams has more tips.

Rooms

Resort areas fill first at Tet, especially Phu Quoc, Sapa, Da Lat, Phan Thiet and Ha Giang. Some places add a Tet surcharge or a compulsory gala dinner, so read the booking conditions.

22. Should you visit Vietnam during Tet: pros, cons and a planning checklist

Tet is a good time to visit if you like seeing a country at its most festive and do not mind planning ahead. It is a harder time if you want street food every night and spur-of-the-moment travel.

The good parts

You get flower streets, midnight fireworks, busy temples and spring festivals. Hotels, resorts and most big sights stay open, malls reopen from the afternoon of Tet Day, and cities are calmer than usual for a few days.

If you fly against the flow, for example from Hanoi south before Tet, fares can be lower. Many sights put on special Tet events, from royal ceremonies in Hue to folk games in Hoi An.

The downsides

Most small eateries and markets close on Tet Day and many stay shut for days. In the last two Tets, Hoi An paused Old Town tickets for about 4 days, and last Tet some Ninh Binh boat trips stopped for two.

Transport is busy and more expensive for weeks, some places add surcharges, and bank counters closed for the whole holiday last time. Rooms in Sapa, Ha Giang, Da Lat and Phu Quoc go fast.

How to prepare

1. Months ahead Book your rooms, starting with resorts and mountain towns.
2. Weeks ahead Book trains, flights and buses, and travel against the flow where you can.
3. Before the holiday Change money and apply for your e-visa in good time.
4. Tet Eve and Tet Day Plan your meals around hotel restaurants and convenience stores, with malls as a backup from the afternoon of Tet Day.
5. After Tet Save the big sightseeing for day 2 onwards, and the spring festivals for day 6 onwards.

Entry and visas

Tet does not change the entry rules. E-visas are processed on working days, so if you leave around Tet, apply well ahead on the official e-visa site. There is no official notice of delays. See our guides to Vietnam entry requirements and the Vietnam e-visa.

Holidays elsewhere around Tet

If you use the Presidents’ Day weekend (see the US federal holiday list), you will arrive after the public holiday ends, around the God of Wealth Day, when most shops have reopened. Airline peak season still runs until the first full moon, though, so book flights early.

Korea, China and Taiwan are also on holiday in Tet week, so resorts may see more visitors than usual. For the rest of your trip, start with our Vietnam travel guide and our central Vietnam guide.

Tet travel FAQ

Read our full Vietnam travel guide

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