My Experience with the Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tet)

In Vietnam, we celebrate the New Year twice: January 1st and the Lunar New Year. For Vietnamese people, the "real" New Year is the Lunar New Year, known as Tet. The date changes every year, but it usually falls between late January and mid-February. This year, Tet begins on February 17th.

The streets become filled with decorations saying "Chúc mừng năm mới" and "Happy New Year." In the North, you'll see pink peach blossoms, while in the South, yellow apricot blossoms are everywhere. Large speakers constantly play Tet songs—anyone who has lived in Vietnam for more than a year will surely recognize the melodies.

If you go to District 1, you’ll see many beautiful people (mostly women) wearing Ao Dai and taking photos. The walking street (Phố đi bộ) gets so crowded that it's hard to even move. The atmosphere is so lively that it naturally puts you in a happy mood.

The first time I spent Tet in Ho Chi Minh City was in 2017. My company had a two-week holiday, and almost all of my Japanese colleagues went back to Japan. At the time, I had been in Vietnam for 10 months and had been very busy with work, so I was looking forward to a relaxing two-week vacation by myself.

However, once the holiday actually started, I realized I had nothing to do! Half of the restaurants and cafes were closed, and my local friends had either gone back to their hometowns or were traveling. I spent my days eating instant noodles, playing video games, and being completely unproductive. Luckily, I had a TV in my dorm, so I kept it on all day to improve my Vietnamese listening skills.

I remember seeing a post on Facebook from a Westerner who had just arrived. He wrote, "What happened to Vietnam!? I'm hungry!!" Many Vietnamese people shared his post with "Laugh" reactions. He was probably panicking because all the famous street food stalls had disappeared. I felt exactly the same way, so I gave his post a "Like" (lol). After that boring experience, I decided to travel every year during Tet.

The roads are incredibly empty! Ho Chi Minh City, which is usually full of frustrating traffic jams, becomes so quiet! There were times I felt like traffic lights weren't even necessary. I even thought about standing in the middle of a major intersection to take a photo (of course, I didn't actually do it!). Since there are fewer vehicles, the air quality improves, making it the perfect time for a walk. It is so comfortable.

Ho Chi Minh City is a commercial hub, so usually, it's easy to get whatever you need. However, Tet is an exception. Stocks at supermarkets and convenience stores run low. Even at Japanese chains like Family Mart or Korean ones like GS25, the shelves are emptier than usual. It’s best to buy groceries in advance. Also, people say prices tend to rise after Tet.

Finding a restaurant can be tricky too. When I went to a Pho restaurant, it was filled only with foreign tourists. They were short-staffed, so it took 30 minutes for my food to arrive. I heard that staff wages can increase by up to four times during Tet, but it's still hard for owners to find enough people to work.

The special dishes for Tet are Bánh chưng in the North and Bánh tết in the South. Another staple is braised pork with eggs (Thịt kho trứng).

During my first Tet holiday, I was so bored that I made a new friend on Facebook. I jokingly told them, "I'm dying of boredom, please help!" They kindly invited me to their house, where I got to try Bánh tét for the first time! Since my friend could speak Japanese, they taught me some Vietnamese, and their father even helped correct my pronunciation.

That was my experience with the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. If you want to experience a different side of Vietnam, I highly recommend visiting during Tet. However, I suggest visiting not just Ho Chi Minh City, but also Hanoi or Da Nang. If you stay only in Ho Chi Minh City, you might run out of things to do!

By Takkun