Tet (or Tet Nguyen Dan) is the most important and longest festival to celebrate the lunar new year in Vietnam. As a traveler, there are many interesting things you should get to know about this grand event. Scroll down to get a detailed guide to the Vietnamese Tet holiday. Tet in Vietnam: A New and Hopeful Beginning  Vietnamese people have celebrated for a very long time which cannot be affirmed exactly. Although Tet is somehow under the influence of Chinese New Year, the ways it is celebrated in Vietnam are different from China.  Vietnamese residents believe the first days of the new year can represent and affect the rest of the year. That’s why it is an extremely important festival, just like Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Western countries. In Vietnamese culture, Tet Nguyen Dan is a significant and sacred occasion to look back at the past year and look forward to the new one with blessings and wishes. During Tet, people will reunite with their families, meet friends, neighbors, or relatives, pray for a great new year coming, pay tribute to their ancestors, and behave joyfully to welcome a new beginning.    When is Vietnamese Tet? How long does it last?  Tet festival officially takes place within the first three days of the Lunar New Year in Vietnam. However, the holiday often lasts 7-10 days, including some days right before and after the main event. People living in the country can take a long break with many fun activities during this time. Normally, Tet happens between mid-January and mid-February, depending on the lunar calendar.  In 2025, the first day of the Lunar New Year is January 29. The 2025 Tet holiday will span from 27 to 31 January. Vietnamese people will celebrate it in 8 or 9 days in total including weekends.   How is Tet celebrated in Vietnam? There are many different traditions and customs to celebrate Tet in Vietnam. Each region and family can have specific ways of welcoming the Lunar New Year. Here are some common traditions during the Vietnamese Tet festival. House cleaning and decorating Family members will carefully clean their house together 5-7 days before Tet officially begins. It is considered an act to clear bad things out of the home and welcome luck in the new year. On the contrary, sweeping in the 3 days of the Lunar New Year is seen as taboo because it’s like you are brushing good blessings away. Moreover, they will welcome many guests to the home, so a tidy and beautiful house will leave them a good impression.   During Tet, they set up ancestral altars to show gratitude and respect with incense and hearty offerings. Plus, Vietnamese people also decorate their houses with red lanterns, flowers, plants (like kumquat trees), and more. In the North, peach blossoms are popular, while yellow apricot blossoms are often laid in houses in Southern Vietnam. Elegant orchids and lilies can be used, too. In addition, red couplets and “cay neu”, a bamboo pole to chase off ghosts and evil spirits, are traditional decorations.  Shopping for Tet   Before Tet, people are eager to go shopping for new clothes, gifts, ingredients for dishes and parties, decorative items, red envelopes for lucky money, etc. Traditional markets, supermarkets, local shops, and more are full of consumers. They are all busy choosing what to buy among colorful and eye-catching counters.    Preparing traditional foods Visiting Vietnam during the Tet holiday, you can try various delicacies and traditional dishes across the nation. The most popular ones are banh chung and banh tet (sticky rice cakes made from rice, mung beans, and pork), boiled chicken, cha lua (Vietnamese pork rolls), cha bo (Vietnamese beef rolls), thit kho tau (Vietnamese braised pork belly), xoi gac (red sticky rice), Vietnamese Stuffed bitter melon soup, dried candied fruit, etc. Households will prepare food for daily meals, offerings, feasts, or their guests. Some can be kept in the fridge for a few days.  Traditional rituals and customs during Vietnamese Tet   Below are some rituals and customs of the Lunar New Year in Vietnam:  Making offerings to the Kitchen God (Ong Cong, Ong Tao) on December 23 in the lunar calendar;Making and cooking banh chung and banh tet, Vietnamese traditional cakes representing the land and sky respectively;Visiting and renovating ancestors’ shrines; The tradition of “cung tat nien” (year-end ceremony);Gathering together and celebrating New Year's Eve;  Giving red envelopes  Giving red envelopes with lucky money called “li xi” is an important customary practice during Tet in Vietnam. On the first three days of the lunar year, adults will give money in red envelopes as a small gift to kids and youths. Sometimes, they give the elderly li xi to wish them a long and healthy life.   Besides, many Vietnamese people visit temples and pagodas to pray for health, luck, abundance, and more during Tet. They also participate in cultural festivals, events, fireworks displays, traditional games, etc. to start a dynamic and enjoyable new year.  Traveling during the Vietnam Tet festival  In Tet Nguyen Dan, the weather is generally favorable and ideal for travel throughout the three regions in Vietnam. However, you should know the following things to have fun to your heart’s content.  Travel demands in Vietnam during Tet are extremely high, so make sure to book flight/bus/train tickets soon as they will be sold out quickly. Prepare yourself to get stuck in a heavy traffic jam or large crowds at famous tourist attractions;Most accommodation establishments remain open during the Vietnam Tet holiday. Nevertheless, some shops, restaurants, sightseeing spots, and every bank will be closed during this time. Check their availability before you visit.  Prices will be slightly or much more expensive than normal days, so prepare your travel budget. Ask about the prices before making purchases, especially at street food vendors;Be aware of scams and thefts, especially among crowds in tourist sites, markets, public festivals, etc.;Dress modestly when visiting temples and pagodas; If you need currency change, ask the hotel receptionist though the exchange rate might be less than favorable;Try not to bargain as it is considered to bring bad luck for the new year. If you have to, be polite.  Tet is one of the most important and sacred events in Vietnam. Travelers can have an unforgettable journey when immersing themselves in this special festival. If you are seeking a highly-anticipated tour during Vietnam Tet, contact Visit Vietnam Tours and we will take care of everything.