Tet — Vietnamese Lunar New Year
The biggest Vietnamese holiday. 7-10 days when half the country pauses for family. Traditions, foods, customs, and what foreigners should know about being present during Tet.
Tet is the single most important event in the Vietnamese calendar. It marks the start of the lunar new year and, for most families, it is the one time of year when everyone returns home. Cities empty. Villages fill. Everything slows down or stops entirely.
If you are in Vietnam during Tet, it will be one of the most memorable experiences you have. It can also be one of the most disruptive if you are not prepared.
What Tet is
Tet Nguyen Dan — commonly shortened to Tet — is the Vietnamese lunar new year celebration. It draws from Chinese and broader East Asian traditions but has developed its own distinct character over centuries. The holiday centers on family, ancestors, renewal, and setting the right tone for the year ahead.
For many Vietnamese people, Tet is the only time they see relatives who live in other provinces. Return migration in the week before Tet is enormous. Roads, trains, and buses are packed. Then, for several days, the country is largely still.
For a broader look at how Tet sits within the wider calendar of Vietnamese celebrations, see the festivals and Tet guide.
When Tet falls
Tet follows the lunar calendar and falls between late January and mid-February on the Gregorian calendar. The exact date shifts each year. In 2026, Tet falls on 17 February. In 2027 it falls on 6 February.
The official public holiday is typically three days, but in practice most businesses close for five to ten days. Many workers take annual leave around the official holiday, stretching the break further.
The traditional 3-day structure
The first three days of Tet carry the most ritual weight.
Day one is for immediate family. Most people stay home, visit the family altar, and do not go out unnecessarily. The first person to enter a home on this day — the first footer — is considered to set the energy for the whole year. Families often choose this person carefully or arrange for a respected elder to visit first.
Day two is traditionally for visiting the wife's family, though this varies by region and household.
Day three is for teachers, mentors, and respected friends.
After these three days, the holiday opens up. Social visits, games, and temple trips become more common through the first two weeks of the new lunar month, ending formally at the Lantern Festival on the 15th day.
Foods of Tet
Food preparation begins days before Tet and is central to the celebration. Traditional dishes vary by region but several appear nationwide.
Banh chung (the north) and banh tet (the south and center) are sticky rice cakes filled with mung bean paste and pork fat, wrapped in banana leaves and boiled for many hours. They keep for days without refrigeration and are shared between households.
Mut are candied fruits and seeds — lotus seeds, ginger, coconut — served in lacquered boxes to guests.
Gio lua is a pork sausage eaten cold, sliced thin, and served alongside the sticky rice cake.
Families also prepare elaborate offerings for the ancestor altar, which are cooked, displayed for the spirits, and then eaten by the family. For more detail on what gets cooked and why, see the festive foods and Tet guide.
Lucky money and customs
Li xi (lucky money) is given to children and unmarried young adults in small red envelopes. The amount matters less than the gesture — most cases involve 50,000 to 200,000 VND per envelope in 2026 — though close family members often give more.
A few customs to know:
- Avoid giving clocks, shoes, or handkerchiefs as gifts. These carry associations with death, departure, and bad luck.
- Red and gold are auspicious colors. Wearing them during Tet is welcome.
- Many families avoid sweeping the house during the first day of Tet, as it is seen as sweeping away good fortune.
- Loud arguments or negative talk on the first day are considered bad omens.
Visiting a Vietnamese family at Tet
If you are invited to a Vietnamese home during Tet, accept if you can. Bring fruit, banh keo (sweets), or a box of specialty food. A mid-range gift box costs 200,000 to 500,000 VND in most supermarkets.
Dress neatly. Remove your shoes at the door unless told otherwise. Greet the oldest person in the room first. Expect tea, fruit, mut, and conversation. You may be offered banh chung — eat some, even a small amount.
You do not need to bring a red envelope unless you know the family well and there are children present.
Tet in major cities — Hanoi vs HCMC
Hanoi tends to feel quieter and more traditional during Tet. The Old Quarter empties noticeably as workers return to home provinces. Some streets near Hoan Kiem Lake are decorated with flowers and lights. Temple of Literature and the major pagodas are busy on the first days.
Ho Chi Minh City retains more commercial energy during Tet. More businesses stay open, particularly in District 1 and areas with large expat populations. The Nguyen Hue Flower Street installation is a major attraction in the days leading up to Tet. The city also has a large population of residents who have no village to return to, so it does not empty as completely as Hanoi.
Both cities see fireworks at midnight on New Year's Eve, typically at a small number of official sites.
What to do as a foreigner
If you have Vietnamese friends or colleagues, let them lead. Accept invitations. Be patient with closed shops. Do not complain about anything being shut — this is a family holiday on a national scale and closures are expected.
If you have no local connections, the days around Tet can feel isolating. Most restaurants close or operate reduced hours. Convenience stores and some tourist-facing businesses stay open. Stock up on food and water before the main holiday begins.
Temples and pagodas are worth visiting in the first days, but expect large crowds, especially in the morning.
Travel realities
This is the single most important thing to understand: travel during Tet is genuinely difficult.
Trains, buses, and domestic flights sell out weeks in advance. Prices increase significantly. If you are planning to move around Vietnam during Tet week — arrival, departure, or inter-city travel — you need to book early or accept that your plans may fall apart.
Roads between cities are heavily used in the days before and after Tet. Traffic accidents increase during this period. Motorbike hire is possible but exercise caution.
Hotels in tourist areas remain open and prices are broadly normal or slightly elevated. In residential areas, small guesthouses sometimes close for the holiday.
Read the full Tet week travel warning before booking anything around this period.
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