Tet: Vietnam's Lunar New Year 2026 — dates, traditions and what's closed

Tet dates in 2026 and the years ahead

Tết Nguyên Đán in 2026 begins on 17 February — the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar. It is the Year of the Snake (Bính Tỵ).

The government has set the official holiday from 14 to 22 February 2026 — nine days in a row (five holiday days plus four weekend days). For civil servants and most companies it is a full break. Private businesses may shift the days around, but not below five.

What Tet is, and why it's the biggest holiday

Tet is not just a flip of the calendar. It is the time when the entire country goes home — literally. Cities empty out two or three days before the holiday: workers in Ho Chi Minh City head back to their villages, students in Hanoi rush to their parents, and bus and train tickets sell out months in advance.

The heart of Tet is renewal. The old year and its troubles are left behind. Debts are paid, quarrels forgotten, the house scrubbed spotless. The family gathers around one table to honour the ancestors and welcome a new cycle.

Vietnamese people mark the Western New Year on 1 January too, but without much ceremony — more an excuse for a party. The real emotion, the gifts, the family dinners and the week-long break all belong to Tet.

One detail: during Tet people don't say a plain "happy new year." They say " Chúc mừng năm mới" — literally "congratulations on the new year," but with a warmth closer to "may all go well for you."

Traditions and customs of Tet

Getting ready: one to two weeks before

Deep cleaning (quét dọn). Families wash everything: floors, walls, windows, furniture. The point isn't hygiene but symbolism — you sweep out the bad luck of the old year. After Tet, though, you must not clean for the first three days, or you'll "sweep away the luck."

Flowers. In the south people buy branches of yellow apricot blossom (mai); in the north, pink peach blossom (đào). Everywhere there are kumquat trees (quất) heavy with golden fruit. The flower markets in the week before Tet are one of the most photogenic sights a traveller can catch.

The ancestor altar. Every home has one. Before Tet it is refreshed with fresh flowers, incense, fruit and boiled chicken. Vietnamese people believe the spirits of their ancestors return for the holiday.

Debts and quarrels.All money matters are settled before Tet. Asking to borrow in the first days of the new year is bad luck, and making peace with anyone you've fallen out with is done before the holiday too.

New Year's Eve and xông đất

New Year's Eve (Giao Thừa) is the most important night of the year. The family gathers at the table, incense burns on the altar, and at midnight the fireworks go off.

After midnight comes the wait for xông đất — the first visitor. Vietnamese people believe the first person to cross the threshold on the morning of day one sets the family's luck for the whole year. So they invite someone who is successful, healthy and always in good spirits. The guest brings fruit, sweets and red envelopes for the children.

Lì xì — the red envelopes

Lì xì are red envelopes of money. Elders give to the young: parents to children, bosses to staff, uncles to nephews. The amount is usually 20,000 to 500,000 VND (~$0.80–20). One rule: you put in an odd number of notes — an even number is for funerals.

The red of the envelope wards off evil spirits; the money inside is a wish for prosperity. Guests at nicer hotels are sometimes handed an envelope too — a symbolic gesture.

What you don't do during Tet

• Don't clean the house — you sweep away the luck
• Don't take out the rubbish — you throw out the wealth
• Don't argue, curse or raise your voice
• Don't break dishes — it invites misfortune
• Don't lend money — you give away your good fortune
• Don't wear black or white — they are mourning colours
• Don't talk about illness or death

For a traveller this is cultural context more than a strict rule. But it's worth knowing — if only so you're not surprised when housekeeping doesn't clean your room on 17 February.

What people eat during Tet

The New Year table is the centre of the holiday. Dishes are made ahead, often by the whole family together.

Bánh chưng is the main symbol. Its square shape stands for the earth, the green leaves for gratitude to nature. It is made collectively: the family gathers, wraps the cakes and boils them through the night. Trying bánh chưng at Tet is a bit like sharing the one dish everyone at home makes for the holidays.

Where do you try it if restaurants are closed? At hotels (many run a Tet menu), in supermarkets (sold in the week before), or your Vietnamese neighbours may simply offer you some — which happens more often than you'd think.

What's closed during Tet — a table for travellers

The hardest days are 16–18 February 2026 (the eve plus the first two days). From 20 February life returns to normal.

The real problem isn't a lack of food — your hotel will always feed you — but the inability to book tours, shop or run island trips in the first few days.

Should a traveller visit during Tet?

It depends on why you're going.

💬 "During Tet 2026 Da Lat drew 910,000 visitors and the hotel sector took in 1.8 trillion VND. Room rates in popular resorts rise 50–200%." — statistics, Travel And Tour World, 2026

Go if:

• You want to see the real Vietnam — Tet reveals the culture like nothing else
• You're into traditions, temples and flower markets
• You're happy to pay more for hotels and live with closed cafés
• You're a photographer — flower markets, decorated streets, fireworks

Better skip it if:

• You're after a beach holiday with restaurants and tours
• You're on a tight budget (prices ×2–3)
• You want serious shopping
• It's your first time in Vietnam and you're unsure about a shut-down infrastructure

How to prepare for a Tet trip

1. Book 4–6 months ahead. Tet hotels fill up by November. Rates: from ×2 the usual
2. Withdraw cash 2–3 days before Tet.Banks close and ATMs can run dry. You'll need dong — sort out any exchange in advance
3. Stock up on food and water. Buy snacks, water and fruit at a supermarket a couple of days ahead. 7-Eleven stays open, but the range is thin
4. Red and yellow are welcome.If you're invited over, wear something bright. Black and white — no
5. Don't be the first through the door. The xông đất tradition means the first guest should be one the hosts have chosen themselves
6. Say the greeting. Chúc mừng năm mới(chook mung nam moy) — "Happy New Year!" Locals will appreciate it

Hotel rates current as of April 2026. Check current English-language sources before you travel.

FAQ

When is Tet in Vietnam in 2026?

17 February 2026 is the first day of Tet, the Year of the Snake. The official holiday runs 14–22 February (nine days). The most shut-down days are 16–19 February; from 20 February most places reopen. In 2027 Tet falls on 6 February.

How long does Tet last?

Officially five holiday days. In practice the 2026 break is nine days (14–22 February), weekends included. Many family businesses close for 4–5 days, big chains for 1–2. The rhythm is fully back about a week after Tet begins.

What does the word Tet mean?

Tết is short for Tết Nguyên Đán, roughly "the festival of the first morning." It is the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, tied to the lunar calendar. Tet is not the same as Chinese New Year — Vietnamese people have their own name for it and don't like the two being mixed up.

Should you visit Vietnam during Tet?

For cultural travel, definitely — you'll see flower markets, fireworks, decorated temples and family feasts. For a beach holiday, probably not: restaurants close, tours are cancelled and prices run 2–3 times higher. The best compromise is to arrive a week before Tet, catch the build-up and leave before the shutdown.

What do you give a Vietnamese person for Tet?

Fruit (mandarins, watermelon), sweets (mứt Tết), tea, coffee. Money in a red envelope if it is a close acquaintance. Don't give knives, scissors, clocks or mirrors — they're considered bad luck. An even number of items is a bad idea too.

Are Tet and Chinese New Year the same thing?

No, though the dates often coincide (both follow the lunar calendar). Tet is a distinct Vietnamese festival with its own traditions: bánh chưng instead of dumplings, mai blossom instead of peonies, xông đất instead of hongbao. Vietnamese people dislike hearing Tet called Chinese New Year — the right term is Vietnamese New Year, or simply Tet.

Data current as of April 2026. Prices and conditions can change — verify with official sources before you travel.