Learn about Tet traditions, festive preparations, and the cultural significance of this incredible holiday.
Plan your trip with our travel tips and experience the joy of Tet!
Thao Vo
Jan 02 2026
11m
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Tet Nguyen Dan, the Vietnamese New Year, is much more than just turning the page on the calendar. It's a deeply meaningful celebration that embodies the heart of Vietnamese culture, honoring family ties, ancestral heritage, and the promise of a fresh start.
As the lunar new year approaches, millions of people across Vietnam participate in this age-old tradition, creating a vibrant atmosphere of hope, reverence, and shared excitement. If you happen to be traveling in Vietnam during this special time, here's a glimpse of what you can expect to encounter.
Vietnamese New Year, or Tet Nguyen Dan (Tet for short), doesn't fall on a fixed date like New Year's Day in the Gregorian calendar. Instead, it's determined by the lunar calendar, making it a movable feast that usually falls in late January or early February.
So, when exactly is Tet?
Tet follows the cycles of the moon, just like other Lunar New Year celebrations across Asia. The lunar calendar is based on the moon's phases, with each month beginning on a new moon. This means that the lunar year is shorter than the solar year, causing Tet to shift forward by around 10-12 days each year.
While Tet is officially celebrated for the first three days of the Lunar New Year in Vietnam, the atmosphere of celebration begins much earlier. You should be aware that public holidays often extend to create a long break, affecting government offices and banks.
Expected public holiday schedule for 2026:
Note: While administrative offices close, major tourist attractions, hotels, and many restaurants in tourist hubs (like District 1 in HCMC or the Old Quarter in Hanoi) remain open to welcome you with festive warmth.
One of the most popular legends surrounding Tet's origins is the story of "Banh chung banh day" (the two iconic rice cakes enjoyed during the festival). This legend tells the tale of a king who challenged his sons to create delicious and meaningful dishes to offer to the ancestors. The prince who created the square bánh chưng, representing the Earth, and the cylindrical bánh dày, representing the sky, won the throne. This story symbolizes the connection between heaven and earth, agriculture and prosperity, and the importance of honoring ancestors.
At its core, Tet is about family and new beginnings. Think about combining the importance of Christmas, Easter, New Year's Eve, and Thanksgiving into a single grand celebration – that's what Tet represents. It's a time when families reunite, often traveling long distances to gather under one roof. This reunion symbolizes unity, respect for elders, and the continuation of family traditions. Tet is also a time to honor ancestors, express gratitude for the past year, and welcome the new year with hope and optimism.
If you are visiting during Tet in 2026, you will be welcoming the Year of the Horse (Năm Ngọ). In Vietnamese culture, the Horse symbolizes energy, freedom, and a noble spirit.
Unlike the steady Buffalo or the timid Cat, the Horse represents travel, success, and rapid movement, making 2026 a particularly auspicious year for exploring new destinations and starting fresh ventures.
For Vietnamese people, the act of cleaning their homes at the end of the year is deeply symbolic. It's seen as a way to sweep away any lingering negativity or misfortune from the past year, making space for good luck and happiness to enter their home in the new year.
Decorating the home is equally important. Kumquat, peach blossom, and apricot blossom trees are iconic symbols of Tet, representing prosperity and new beginnings. Almost every home will proudly display at least one of these trees, often in the living room or front yard, as a joyful announcement that Tet has arrived. Fresh flowers are also a popular choice, adding a touch of elegance and freshness to the celebratory atmosphere.
The pre-Tet period also witnessed bustling markets and shopping districts filled with excited families preparing for the festivities. Markets overflow with people purchasing new clothing in lucky colors like red and gold, selecting meaningful gifts for relatives, and stocking up on ingredients for traditional dishes.
In Vietnam, both Chung Cake (in the North) and Tet Cake (in the South) are essential culinary traditions during the New Year celebration. In the days leading up to Tet, families come together to prepare these special cakes. The process of wrapping the cakes is a cherished, shared activity. These cakes hold deep cultural significance, as they are offered to ancestors and enjoyed as part of the festive meals during the first days of the new year.
In the lead-up to Tet, Vietnamese families often make a pilgrimage to the graves of their ancestors. They choose a day to gather together and pay their respects by cleaning the graves, presenting offerings, and burning incense. This act of remembrance is a deeply important tradition, expressing gratitude and honoring the memory of those who came before.
Tet Eve, or Giao Thua, is a profound moment of family connection and cultural significance in Vietnamese New Year celebrations. The evening centers around a reunion dinner that brings families together.
In many homes, families gather around the television to watch "Tao Quan," a beloved comedy show that has become a quintessential New Year's Eve tradition.
In bustling cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the excitement spills out onto the streets. As midnight approaches, crowds gather in public spaces, eagerly awaiting the spectacular New Year's Eve fireworks. The sky lights up with brilliant displays, symbolizing hope and excitement for the coming year.
As Tet arrives, the most important tradition is to visit grandparents and offer them heartfelt New Year's greetings. There's a strong belief that exchanging well-wishes at the start of the year brings good fortune to everyone. Typically, younger family members will initiate these greetings to their elders, and everyone enjoys their first meals of the new year together.
Vietnamese people generally celebrate Tet over the first three days, with each day holding special significance. The first day is dedicated to visiting relatives on the father's side of the family, the second day is for visiting the mother's side, and the third day is reserved for visiting teachers.
The first day of Tet, known as “Mung Mot,” carries immense cultural significance in Vietnamese tradition. Families place great importance on the first visitor of the year, or "xông đất," believing this person will bring luck and prosperity for the entire year.
The giving of "Lì xì" (lucky money) is a cherished Tet tradition. While it's primarily given to children and the elderly, it can also be exchanged between siblings and friends.
When given to children, lucky money comes with the hope that they will grow up strong, well-behaved, and successful in their studies. For the elderly, it symbolizes a wish for continued health and longevity. Among friends and siblings, it's simply a gesture of goodwill and a wish for a prosperous and peaceful year ahead.
The New Year provides a fresh start, a time for people to let go of negative emotions like greed and envy and focus on positive aspirations. Visiting pagodas or temples during Tet is a way for individuals to find inner peace and pray for health, happiness, and prosperity in the year ahead. These visits also offer a wonderful opportunity for families to spend quality time together and strengthen their bonds during the extended holiday.
During Tet Nguyen Dan, Vietnamese families gather around elaborate meals filled with symbolic dishes that represent good luck, prosperity, and new beginnings. Here are some must-try Tet foods:
While Banh Chung is a staple in Northern Vietnam during Tet, Banh Tet takes center stage in the Central and Southern regions. Interestingly, both cakes share similar ingredients, like sticky rice, mung bean paste, pork, and black pepper. The key distinction lies in their shape: Chung cake is wrapped into a square, while Tet cake is cylindrical.
Both are encased in either "dong" leaves or banana leaves and then boiled for 8 to 10 hours. These cakes can be kept at room temperature for about a week, making them a convenient and essential part of every Tet meal.
This savory dish features pork belly simmered in a rich caramel sauce with hard-boiled eggs. It's a symbol of abundance and prosperity, and its caramelized sweetness is believed to bring good fortune in the new year.
This unique soup features bitter melon stuffed with a mixture of ground meat, mushrooms, and wood ear mushrooms. The bitterness of the melon is said to represent the passing of sorrows and misfortunes from the old year, while the sweetness of the broth signifies new beginnings and hope for the future.
Spring rolls are a beloved Vietnamese dish that is not only delicious and visually appealing but also offers a balanced mix of nutrients. During Tet, crispy or deep-fried spring rolls are particularly popular.
These flavorful rolls are typically filled with a combination of meat (pork, beef, or chicken), vermicelli noodles, vegetables like carrots, onions, and mushrooms, and aromatic herbs such as coriander and basil, all bound together with egg. They are best enjoyed dipped in a sweet, sour, and spicy sauce, often wrapped in fresh lettuce leaves for a satisfying crunch.
Pickled onions play a crucial role in complementing the array of meat and protein dishes enjoyed during Tet. They provide a refreshing sweet and sour counterpoint to rich flavors, aid digestion, and offer a satisfying crunch. With the ability to be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month, pickled onions are a convenient and ubiquitous side dish found on almost every Vietnamese family's table during the Tet holiday.
In addition to vibrant candies, candied fruits and nuts are essential components of the traditional Vietnamese tea table used to welcome guests during Tet. These treats include delicacies like candied coconut, tamarind, ginger, and carrot.
A variety of nuts, such as watermelon seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and pistachios, are also popular snacks. Not only are they healthy and delicious, but they also contribute to a warm and inviting atmosphere for guests during the New Year celebrations.
To show respect and enjoy the warmth of local hospitality, keep these traditions in mind:
Do:
Don't:
Tet Nguyen Dan is a time when Vietnamese people return to their hometowns to reunite with loved ones and enjoy an extended break. This mass movement and focus on family can lead to some adjustments in daily life, affecting things like transportation, shops, restaurants, and government services. To ensure a smooth and enjoyable trip during Tet, consider these travel tips:
Carefully check your visa and passport well in advance of your trip. During Tet, immigration processes can be more complex, and processing times may be longer due to holiday staffing. Ensure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your planned stay, and double-check visa requirements specific to your nationality.
Mastering a few key Vietnamese phrases can transform your Tet experience, showing respect and creating meaningful connections with local people. The most important greeting during this festive time is wishing someone a Happy New Year.
The primary way to say "Happy Lunar New Year" in Vietnamese is "Chúc Mừng Năm Mới" (pronounced roughly as "chook moong nam moy"). This phrase is understood across Vietnam and can be used in most social situations.
For a more traditional Tet-specific greeting, you can say "Chúc Tết" (pronounced "chook tet"), which directly translates to "Happy Tet."
Transportation in Vietnam becomes extremely competitive during Tet, with locals traveling to visit family and tourists exploring the country. Book your flights, train tickets, and long-distance bus tickets as early as possible—ideally 2-3 months in advance. Domestic routes fill up quickly, and prices can surge dramatically during the holiday period.
Expect significant price increases for accommodations during Tet. Hotels and rental properties often implement holiday surcharges that can be 50-100% higher than normal rates. Book early and budget accordingly. Consider staying in less touristy areas or smaller towns to find more affordable options.
>>> Maybe you're interested in: Where to Stay in Hanoi: Top 6 Areas and Best Hotels for You
Keep in mind that during Tet, many indoor attractions like museums, exhibitions, and art galleries will typically close for around four days, from the 30th of the last lunar month to the 3rd of the first lunar month. This presents a great opportunity to explore Vietnam's vibrant cities, relax on its beautiful beaches, and immerse yourself in its stunning natural landscapes, often without entrance fees.
While some restaurants and shopping malls might have shorter closures, checking their Tet holiday hours in advance is always a good idea to avoid any inconvenience.
Vietnam's long coastline means the weather varies significantly during the Vietnamese New Year. Knowing what to pack will ensure your journey remains comfortable and classy.
Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, Halong Bay, Sapa):
Central Vietnam (Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An):
Southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc, Mekong Delta):
>>> More helpful information for your trip to Vietnam:
Vietnam Travel Cost & Budget Tips for Your Dream Vacation
The Ultimate Guide to the Best Time to Visit Vietnam
From the meticulous preparations to the joyous reunions and symbolic rituals, Tet offers a glimpse into the values, beliefs, and traditions that have been passed down through generations. Whether you're captivated by the vibrant decorations, the mouthwatering cuisine, or the heartwarming customs, the Vietnamese New Year is an experience that will leave a lasting impression.
As the scent of incense fills the air and the sounds of laughter echo through the streets, you'll witness a nation united in its celebration of renewal, hope, and the enduring spirit of Tet.