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“Chúc Mừng Năm Mới” means “Happy New Year” in Vietnamese. It is a phrase you’ll hear everywhere in Vietnam during the biggest celebrations of the year!
The Tet Festival in Vietnam, also known as the Vietnamese Lunar New Year 2026, marks the first day of the year according to the lunar calendar.
Vietnam will be absolutely stunning during this time of the year with red decorations everywhere in the town and locals’ houses.
If you are travelling to Vietnam during this time, it is important to understand
- How Tet works
- When is it
- Locals’ Rituals
- What happens to the cities
- Tips on surviving the massive festival.
All the answers to these questions are right here in this guide to Tet!
What is Tết in Vietnam?
Tết (short for Tết Nguyên Đán). Its origins can be traced back thousands of years, when Vietnamese farmers gathered to celebrate the end of the harvest season. Over time, this tradition evolved into a mega festival influenced by the Chinese Lunar Calendar.
This is one of the biggest annual holidays. Vietnamese will follow traditions and spend their time with family! Following ideologies and rituals passed through generations is believed to give good fortune, good health, wealth and positivity.
To be simple, Tet is the Vietnamese version of Thanksgiving and New Year together.
Tết Festival Vietnam 2026 Dates
Tet is celebrated on the first new moon of the Lunar New Year every year!
This year, Tet will fall on 17th February, which will continue for a week.
From 15th February to 22nd February.
During this time, travel slows down, many businesses shorten their hours, and cities across Vietnam move at a relaxed holiday pace.
Traditional Practices During Tết
Tết is a sequence of rituals that prepare families spiritually, socially, and symbolically for the year ahead.
Let’s see how
- Cleaning: 1-2 days before the main day of Tet, people will deep-clean their houses. Laundries will be done, floors will be swept, gates & windows will be painted new and, importantly, the home shrines will be cleaned with care. The belief is that they are getting rid of the negativity from the past year, along with the physical dirt.
- Decorations: Homes and streets are decorated in red, yellow, and gold for luck and prosperity. Common decorations include peach and apricot blossoms, kumquat trees, and calligraphy with good-luck wishes.
- Shopping: Streets will be packed with locals buying decorations, new clothes, gifts, and cooking ingredients. You can sense the excitement and festivity in the air!
- Honouring Ancestors: People worship their ancestors. An altar will be prepared with incense, fruit bowls, blossoms, lights and symbolic dishes. This way, families can invite the spirits to join them for Tet and offer protection for the upcoming year!
- New Year’s Eve: The night before Tet will be a special dinner with Bánh Chưng/Bánh Tét (sticky rice cakes specially made for Tet) along with expensive bottles of alcohol. As the mid-night strikes, people eat sweetened mung bean (bean porridge) and wish “Chúc Mừng Năm Mới” (happy new year) loudly!
- First Visitor Ritual: This is one of the crucial rituals during Tet. Families will invite somebody who is looked upon for their success, luck or compatibility with the house’s zodiac signs. Whoever takes the first step into the house after the Lunar New Year will decide the upcoming year’s fortune. (This is why no one should visit a Vietnamese house uninvited during Tet.)
- Dress-up: The locals will wear and decorate their houses in red, yellow and gold. Red represents luck and protection. Yellow is for prosperity, and gold symbolises good fortune!
- First Day of Tet: The most important day reserved for close families. Adults usually give out red envelopes filled with money (lì xì) to the kids to bless them with luck.
- Visiting Friends and Relatives: For the next few days, people will gather at a decided host’s house. The cycle of eating rice cakes and giving out money envelopes will continue. Alongside traditional customs, drinks are poured and games like blackjack, Uno and bingo takeover. It’s less about the games and more about laughter, bonding, and keeping the Tet spirit alive.
What to Expect as a Traveller During Tet
- 1-3 days before Tet, the streets and the markets will be jam-packed as people buy the necessities for the week-long celebration.
- On the main day of Tet, the streets of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are almost empty, with hardly any crowds.
- Government offices, including embassies, will be closed during this time.
- Private restaurants, hotels, cafes, and bars will also be closed. However, you can find some open for a short amount of time.
- Expect a surge in prices as a “festival fee/Tet fee” at a few of the cafes that remain open.
- Some Tet-related attractions may stay open, but almost all other tourist attractions (around 99%) will be closed during the festival.
Things to Do During Tet
As Tet is extremely important to the Vietnamese, they go above and beyond to decorate their cities. Since late January and early February mark the spring season in Vietnam, visitors can witness beautiful flower displays created especially for Tet.
Nguyen Hue Flower Street
Every year during Tet, Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) conducts an annual flower exhibition. Streets will be decorated with assortments of flowers of multiple species and colours.
There will also be large displays based on the theme of the year.
2026’s theme is “The lunar year of the horse.” So, this year’s mascot will be horses! The decorations will revolve around Tet, flowers, and horses.
The exciting part is that after 23 years, 2026 will be the first time food booths are added to Flower Street! According to VnExpress, around 50 food stalls will be introduced!
- Dates: 15th February to 22nd February
- Ticket Cost: Free
- Timings: 24/7 (LEDs and shops will be open during evenings)
- Location: Between Le Loi and Ton Duc Thang streets
Tet Market
In the days before Tết, Hàng Mã Street in Hanoi’s Old Quarter really comes alive and looks vibrant!
Multiple lanes will be filled with shops selling Tet decorations like lanterns, hanging decorations, kumquat trees, and bloom trees.
Apart from the Tet Market, you can also find street shops selling antique pieces like gramophones and brass sculptures. It’s also a great time to find discounted street clothes.
Tip: If you visit the market just before the first day of the year, go before noon, as many shops start closing by late afternoon.
Da Nang’s Tet Festival
The waterfront along the Han River in Da Nang is the prime location for Tet celebrations. Just like in Hoi Chi Minh City, there is a grand flower exhibition in Da Nang.
The area is illuminated with extravagant LED lights, and pop-up stalls sell a variety of Vietnamese delicacies. If you are lucky, you can also catch some singing and dancing performances along the riverbank.
One of the main highlights of this area is the Dragon Bridge (Cầu Rồng), a 2000-foot bridge that has a golden dragon permanently built on it.
At midnight, fireworks light up the Han River to welcome the New Year, and the Dragon Bridge looks like it’s breathing fire as it sprays water!
- Dates: 14th February to 22nd February (approx.)
- Ticket Cost: Free
- Timings: 24/7 (LEDs and shops will be open during evenings)
- Location: Bach Dang Waterfront
Tips to Survive Tet
- With fewer people around, noise and air pollution drop, leaving cities smog & dust free. An ideal time to walk, cycle, or ride around.
- Closure of shops might lead to tourists not having enough supplies, so buy and store microwaveable food for later. However, some convenience stores might operate.
- Every year, a relocation company in Vietnam releases a ‘Tet Survival Guide for Tourists’ stating important information about Tet, events, open restaurants, timings, etc.
- Many smaller Tet events aren’t officially listed online. Local Vietnamese city Facebook groups are the best way to get real-time updates and answers from locals and travellers.
- For more detailed information, you can post questions and read posts on the Vietnam Subreddit on Reddit.
- Getting taxis will be harder than usual. But if you get one, make sure to tip the driver generously, as they are working at an important time of the year!
- If you are invited to a Vietnamese house, avoid wearing any dark or dull colors. Consider something bright.
Conclusion
Travelling to Vietnam during Tet is completely different from visiting at any other time of the year. You will be able to witness the rare pause the country takes to celebrate a new beginning!
Tet also gives a fresh perspective in life. In most modern cultures, the New Year is about one day of celebration that includes good food and drinking.
But in Vietnam, it is more than just a celebration but a few continuous days of spending time with family, resting after a long year and moving forward with gratitude and positivity in mind!
Frequently Asked Questions on Tet Festival Vietnam
How long is the Tet festival in Vietnam in 2026?
The main day of Tet in 2026 is on 17th February. However, the Tet celebrations can take up to 7-10 days!
Is Vietnam expensive during Tet?
Yes, Vietnam is expensive around the Tet festival. That’s because employees of businesses will receive double or triple during the festival. Even restaurants and cafes that operate at this time will surge the prices by 20-40%!
What colour to wear during Tet?
Wearing bright colours is auspicious during Tet; mainly red, yellow and gold are the classic go-to combinations for the celebration!
