Tet (Tết Nguyên Đán) is Vietnam’s Lunar New Year and the country’s most important family holiday. In 2027, New Year’s Day falls on 6 February. For civil servants and public employees, the confirmed holiday runs from 4–10 February 2027. For travellers, the key decision is not simply whether Tet is interesting. It is whether you are comfortable trading normal sightseeing, restaurant choice and transport flexibility for a very different view of everyday Vietnamese life.
Tet 2027 dates travellers should know
Tet follows Vietnam’s lunisolar calendar, so its Gregorian date changes every year. The 2027 holiday is the Year of the Goat (Đinh Mùi).
| Date | What it means | Travel impact |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 February 2027 | Heavy pre-Tet travel period | Domestic flights and other long-distance transport can be very busy as people travel home. |
| 4–10 February | Confirmed public-sector Tet break | Government offices close; business and attraction schedules vary. |
| 5 February | Tet Eve | Family gatherings and city programmes may affect traffic; public events differ by destination. |
| 6 February | Mùng 1 Tết — first day of the new year | Many local businesses are closed and major cities can feel unusually quiet. |
| 7–10 February | Early Tet holiday | Services gradually return, but do not assume normal opening hours. |
The government-confirmed 2027 public-sector break is 4–10 February. Private employers choose their statutory Tet leave arrangement under labour rules, so “official holiday” does not mean every hotel, restaurant, attraction or shop follows exactly the same seven-day schedule.
Should you travel in Vietnam during Tet?
Choose Tet if the holiday itself is part of what you want to experience. The days before Tet bring flower markets, decorations, food preparation and a strong sense of anticipation. The first days of the new year are much more family-centred and can feel surprisingly quiet in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other large cities.
Avoid building a short first-time trip around the core Tet days if your priority is a fixed sightseeing checklist, restaurant-hopping or several domestic transfers. Some places remain open, some shorten hours and others close. The uncertainty matters more on a five-day trip than on a two-week itinerary with spare time.
| Your priority | Our planning view |
|---|---|
| See pre-Tet atmosphere and flower markets | Arrive several days before 6 February. |
| Experience the quiet first day of Tet | Stay in one city and keep the day flexible. |
| Visit museums and attractions efficiently | Verify each site’s Tet schedule before fixing the route. |
| Cross Vietnam by domestic flights | Avoid unnecessary transfers around the peak homecoming period. |
| Food-focused trip | Pre-check restaurants; many independent businesses close for family time. |
What Tet means in Vietnam
Tet marks the start of the lunar new year, but its importance is much broader than a midnight countdown. It is closely connected with family reunions, ancestor remembrance, visiting relatives, preparing the home and beginning the year with good wishes.
Customs differ by family and region, so it is better to understand the broad pattern than treat every Tet practice as a national rule. Ancestor veneration is also part of a wider Vietnamese religious and cultural context; our religion in Vietnam guide explains how it coexists with Buddhism, folk traditions and other religions.
What happens before Tet?
For a visitor, the days before Tet are often more visually active than the first day itself. Families shop, prepare food, clean and decorate homes, and travel back to their hometowns.
- Peach blossom (hoa đào): especially associated with northern Tet displays.
- Yellow apricot blossom (hoa mai): strongly associated with southern Vietnam.
- Kumquat trees: widely used as New Year decoration.
- Flower markets and displays: useful places to see the pre-holiday atmosphere without intruding on private family celebrations.
- Food preparation: families may prepare or buy dishes and cakes that are specific to the holiday.
Tet Eve and the first days of the new year
Tet Eve (Giao Thừa) is a transition between the old and new year. Families may make offerings, gather together and welcome the new year at home. Cities may also organise fireworks, performances or other public programmes, but these are edition-based events, not attractions that should be promised every year. Check the official programme for your destination shortly before travel.
On Mùng 1, the first day of the year, many people prioritise immediate family. Visiting relatives continues during the following days. Lucky money is commonly called lì xì and may also be described as mừng tuổi; red envelopes are especially associated with gifts to children and younger family members.
Tet food: what travellers are likely to notice
Tet food varies by region and household. Instead of treating one menu as universal, look for the foods that fit the part of Vietnam you are visiting.
- Bánh chưng: square sticky-rice cake strongly associated with northern Tet.
- Bánh tét: cylindrical sticky-rice cake common in central and southern celebrations.
- Giò/chả: Vietnamese sausage and cold-cut preparations often served in holiday meals.
- Thịt kho: braised pork and eggs is particularly familiar in southern Tet meals.
- Mứt Tết: candied fruit, seeds and sweets served to guests.
Travellers who require vegetarian or Indian meals should not assume their usual restaurant shortlist will operate normally. Check opening hours directly and keep at least one reliable backup near the hotel.
What closes during Tet?
There is no reliable nationwide “everything closes for three days” rule. Government offices follow the official holiday. Independent restaurants, cafés, shops and family businesses often close for at least part of Tet. Tourist attractions set their own schedules, and large hotels or tourism-focused businesses may continue operating.
For a fixed-date trip, check the official website or social page of every high-priority attraction. Do not assume a museum, cruise, market or restaurant will follow the previous year’s schedule.
Vietnam Tourism specifically advises travellers that transport and hotel demand rises as people return home, while many businesses and restaurants close for the first days of Tet. That is why the holiday works best with a flexible itinerary rather than a tightly packed attraction list.
Transport during Tet 2027
This is the largest planning issue. Vietnam Airlines identifies 1–5 February 2027 as a particularly busy pre-Tet air-travel period, and airlines have released millions of additional seats for the wider Tet season. Extra capacity helps, but it does not remove peak-direction demand.
For an India–Vietnam trip, the risk is usually not the international flight alone. It is adding a domestic flight, train or long road sector immediately after arrival. If your trip lands close to Tet, keep the first part geographically simple and avoid building the itinerary around a connection you could move to another day.
For broader transport choices outside the holiday context, use our Vietnam transportation guide.
Where is Tet most interesting for a traveller?
Hanoi: a strong choice for northern Tet traditions, peach blossoms, old neighbourhoods and temple visits. The days before Tet are usually more active than Mùng 1.
Ho Chi Minh City: flower displays and southern holiday traditions are easy to see before Tet, while the first day can feel much quieter as many residents spend time with family or travel home.
Da Nang and Hoi An: useful if Central Vietnam already fits your route. Public events change by year, so use our Da Nang festival calendar for city-specific programme checks rather than assuming a national Tet schedule applies locally.
We would not add a long detour purely to “find the best Tet city”. The stronger decision is to choose the region that already fits your trip, then adjust that route for the holiday.
Tet etiquette for visitors
- Do not turn private family traditions into a sightseeing activity. Enter a home only when invited.
- Be cautious about the first visit of the year. The custom of xông đất gives special meaning to the first guest entering a home, so never drop in unannounced.
- At pagodas and temples: dress appropriately, keep your voice low and follow site-specific rules.
- Ask before photographing people closely, particularly during worship or family rituals.
- Use simple New Year greetings. “Chúc Mừng Năm Mới” is widely understood and appropriate.
What is the weather like during Tet?
Tet does not have one national weather pattern. In early February, northern Vietnam can be cool, damp or misty; Central Vietnam can vary by destination and year; southern Vietnam is often warmer and drier. Do not choose Tet because a national average promises “perfect weather”.
Use our Vietnam weather guide to compare the region you are actually visiting, then check the short-range forecast before departure.
Tet vs other Vietnamese festivals
Tet is unusual because it affects ordinary travel operations on a national scale. Many other festivals are important culturally but have much more localised effects. For an overview of the year, continue to our Vietnam festival calendar.
If your interest is specifically performance traditions such as lion dance, use the dedicated Vietnamese lion dance guide rather than treating it as an activity guaranteed throughout Tet.
Is Tet a good time for your Vietnam trip?
Yes, if you are travelling for cultural context and can keep the itinerary flexible. Arriving before Tet is usually easier for seeing flower markets, decorations and busy street life. Staying through Mùng 1 gives you the contrast of a much quieter city.
No, or at least not ideal, if you have a short trip built around fixed restaurant bookings, museums and multiple domestic transfers. In that case, moving the trip outside the core holiday dates usually gives you a more predictable first visit.
The practical rule is simple: do not treat Tet as a normal travel week with extra decorations. Build the route around the holiday itself, verify opening hours individually, and protect enough free time for plans to change.
