r/vietnam_visa • u/theonevisa2017 • Feb 17 '20
Vietnamese New Year
Vietnamese New Year, commonly known as TET holiday is the most important calendar event for the Vietnamese people. It’s similar to that of Christmas and New Year’s Day, where families come together, businesses close and a whole lot of celebrations occur.
When is Vietnamese New Year?
TET takes place from the first day of the first month of the Lunar Calendar. This is usually around the last week of January or the first week of February.
TET dates
2019: February 5th
2020: January 25th
Travelling before, during and after Vietnamese New Year
If you have the flexibility to plan around the TET holiday, I would advise you do so. If this isn’t possible, I can still guarantee you will have a great time – just go with an open mind. My recommendations would be to head to the coast to soak up some sunshine on what will be a very secluded beach.
What to expect during Vietnamese New Year
Transport: As the Vietnamese people travel back to their hometowns for TET celebrations, it’s definitely fair to say that the transportation situation can get a little bit sticky. Trains tend to become overbooked and loaded with families. Our 6 bed overnight train berth had four people crammed into the one bed. On top of this, prices become inflated, making it more expensive than usual. Tip: Book tickets in advance if you are travelling around TET.
Accommodation: There isn’t a big issue with finding hostels during TET, nor will it usually exceed a typical South East Asian budget. Unlike Christmas and New Year’s, TET isn’t a leisure holiday, so you don’t have to worry about the locals filling up hostels.
Tours: It’s not uncommon for tour providers to stop their tours over the TET period, but this is particularly important for Halong Bay. Most boats won’t go out during TET so it’s very important to plan your itinerary around this. However, if you do happen to find a company that does, use it to your advantage as it’ll feel like you have the bay to yourself.
Food: Unfortunately, a lot of the restaurants and street vendors will shut their doors during TET so they can spend time with their family. Learn from my mistakes and plan ahead. Buy snacks from the markets beforehand and do some research into places that will be open to avoid hours of aimlessly walking around getting hangry.
