Thursday 28 January 2021

The Biggest celebration of the year is almost upon us! TET

It is important to note the National Holidays for Traditional Vietnamese New Year (Tet) in 2021 will be from 10th February to 17th February 2021 , in which the 11th February becomes New Years Eve, and the 12th February becomes New Years Day, the 1st day of New Year. It is the Year of Buffalo. The first day of the year is a very important day for those visiting their family friends, as this day sets the scene for prosperity for the following year.

The ITS office will be closed during Tet Holidays. We have a Hotline number set up for emergencies - (24/7) 84 (0)936631705 and you can reach us by email, as on of our team will always be on standby to answer at team@itsvietnam.com

What is it about TET?

For Vietnamese, Tet is the most important festival of the year. You will find locals everywhere making offerings and praying in temples. Families go to visit the graves of ancestors, and generally there is a major clean up in preparation. Homes are cleaned and decorated with Hoa Mai (yellow apricot blossom), Hoa Dao (peach blossom), Kumquat tree and many other colorful flowers. You will see the flower vendors lining the streets selling their flowers of all kinds. It is a particularly colourful time of year in the cities and there is a spirit of excitement and giving in the air.


On the eve of Tet, many Vietnamese will cook special food like Banh Chung or Banh Tet (a sticky rice cake). Children are encouraged to wear new clothes and dress up as they will receive “lucky money” in red envelopes. In general terms, Tet is all about family and friends. It is common for Vietnamese to travel many miles to meet up with old friends and family during this time. Less traditional people will use the time to take holidays and enjoy special occasions with friends as well as family as that is the spirit of this time.

Traveller Information for TET - Important facts to know about Vietnam during Tet Holiday

  1. Transportation: It’s a busy time as everyone is in a rush to get home to family to enjoy in all the celebrations. From about 1 week prior and 1 week after, you can expect flights, buses and trains to be booked out. So be sure to book as early as possible. In addition, make sure you arrive early to board your transportation as queues will be long. It is also important you are healthy as you may incur Covid Temperature checks and will not be able to travel if you are deemed unwell or any risk to other travellers.
  2. Accommodation: Most hotels remain open, so there is no need to worry about accommodation. However, some hotels may raise the price if you stay during Tet holiday and there will be minimal services available during the actual public holidays as the hotels are maintained on a very low base of staff.
  3. Sightseeing: Some tourist sites remain open during Tet, but many museums, mausoleums, and indoor exhibition place and art houses will be closed for the first 3 days of Tet. The floating markets in the Mekong Delta will be closed. It would be wise before making any plans to visit to check online and with locals or your hotel to avoid disappointment.
  4. Restaurants: Many restaurants will be closed during Tet and those open may not be offering the most freshest of foods. Therefore, Tet may not be the best time for culinary tour fans.
  5. Shops: Many shops will be closed for the first few days of Tet Festival. The good news is - many products will be sold at a very reasonable price because most sellers want to start a smooth sales year.
  6. Banks: banks will be closed for the holiday.

Is TET a good time for first time visitors?

Due to Covid 19 border closures, it is not expected that many foreigners will be visiting Vietnam during this time. For those that are, the main cities will still be operating hotels and some local eateries will be open, however we would suggest visiting after TET when there are many festivals on.

INDOCHINA TRAVEL SERVICES CO., LTD.
Website: www.itsvietnam.com
Address: Suite 1705 - Artex building - 172 Ngoc Khanh, Ba Dinh, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
Tel : +84 24 6251 4052
Hotline : +84 9 3663 1705

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