Where to enjoy Tet in Vietnam?

Q: What is Tet?
A: Tet, which means the first morning of the first day of the New Year, is the Vietnamese New Year. The celebration usually lasts for 7 days. Like the Chinese, the Lunar New Year is one of the most celebrated holidays. Most tourists and Vietnamese who can speak English prefer calling it Chinese New Year for convenience. However, we generally think that Tet is a somewhat better name. At least, it says Tet belongs to Vietnamese culture, and we are not affected too much by Chinese people. Click here to read more about Tet.

Q: When is Tet?
A: It varies from years to years. Tet of 2007 falls on Friday, February 16th as the New Year’s Eve and February 17th as the first day of New Year.

Q: What if I come during days of Tet? Is everything closed?
A: Many tourists share the same worry of nothing to do during this biggest event of the year. The answer Hellohanoi got from many tour agencies and railway stations is that many tours are still operated; trains still come and depart the same schedule as usual, but at a higher price.

Q: What can I do before days of Tet?
A: Just come and enjoy the festive festivals everywhere of the country. In fact, the preparation process for Tet of Vietnamese is the main sources of warm and cultural atmosphere than the day during Tet. You can see many exhibitions, fairs, markets and sales in almost every cities and provinces. And flowers everywhere! Flowers and lucky trees are part of Tet days (often pink and yellow), just as you have Xmas trees. If you are lucky, you may even have chance to join the local making the special cake call “Banh Chung”, which has appeared for centuries and become traditional cake of Vietnam. Please find a list of special events at the end of this article.

Q: What can I do during days of Tet?
A: It depends on where you are. If you come to Hanoi during these Tet days, you will experience a very quiet Hanoi, the only chance of the year! As the commuters and employees all come back to their hometown, this is time for Hanoi to get back to its original state, very quiet and romantic. You can see all people smiling and giving each other wishes and lucky money! And if you are lucky enough to be invited to a local family during the first 3 days of Tet, please feel it as an honor (the first guests of the new year are considered the one who bring luck and happiness). Make yourself at home, enjoy the warm and familial atmosphere, eating fruits and sweets, receiving lucky money and giving some back (don’t give dollars or big notes!).
If you come to highland areas, whether North, South, or center, you can have chance to admire the colorful costumes and activities of the minority. Different ethics have different way to celebrate, just come and experience!
Saigon is unique, as it remains busy and crowded as normal day. People here celebrate Tet in a way of eating out, joining big group, proposing toasts and laughing out loud.
Beaches are also place you can go, although it doesn’t have much indication of Tet of Vietnam.

Q: What about days right after Tet?
A: Many of big festivals take place right after Tet, very cultural and special, indeed.
Highly recommended: Co Loa Festival (Feb 22nd to Mar 3rd), Huong pagoda Festival (Feb 22nd to May 16th), Vieng market festival (Feb 24th), Yen Tu festival (Feb 26th to May 16th).
More details on various festival post-Tet along the country can be found here.

Q: What about Hellohanoi? Can we still meet you guys during these times?
A: About city tour, we are sorry for not being able to accompany you for the first two days of New Year (it’s time for friends and families). From February 19th on, everything goes back to normal.

Ask us more questions, use contact us and get the prompt reply!

List of exhibitions and fairs before Tet:

Exhibition of parallel scrolls (from February 9 to 14)
The exhibition at the Vietnam Culture and Arts Exhibition Center will introduce visitors to traditional features of the Vietnamese Tet through the arts of writing and displaying parallel scrolls and flowers used by the Vietnamese during the year's largest festival.

As alcoholic drinks are an indispensable part of the festival, the exhibition will also feature wines and spirits made by both modern and traditional methods, including rewards for the most popular.

However, a seminar will be held as a reminder to those who love to drink of the adverse impacts of alcohol. (VNA)

Festival for Vietnam's wine specialties
Hanoi has been chosen as the venue for a national festival featuring wine variations made from rice, fruits, tree leaves, corn and other farm produce in different parts of Vietnam from February 9 to 14, 2007.

The organizers say the festival will highlight such wine specialties as Ruou Can in the Central Highlands and northwestern regions, Ruou Ngo (corn wine) in Bac Ha, Bau Da in Binh Dinh, Lang Van in Bac Ninh and many more.

The organizers will invite wine experts and researchers will taste the un-named sample of the wines to pick out the best products in line with such criteria as quality, color and taste.

Artisans from craft villages will come to perform the ways of making their traditional wines at the festival at Van Ho Culture Exhibition Center at 2 Hoa Lu Street in the capital city.

In addition, visitors will have a chance to learn about the practices of serving and drinking wine in different parts of Vietnam. Also in the agenda is the performance of folk songs and dances as well as festive activities for Lunar New Year holiday, or Tet, which falls on February 17, 2007.

The wine festival is part of the Tet fair taking place in Hanoi before the biggest holiday of Vietnam. Tet is a time for grand celebrations and events across the country. A fair will also kick off on Hoang Quoc Viet Street in Cau Giay District from February 7 to 13 to feature a variety of products and entertainment shows. (SGT)

Spring Fair to open in Ha Noi
HA NOI — About 500 businesses are set to participate in the tenth annual Tet (lunar new year) fair in Ha Noi’s Giang Vo Exhibition Center from January 9-19.

Six hundred booths will display a wide range of standard Tet products, including trees and kitchen utensils, as well as speciality goods like Thai Nguyen green tea, Hoa Binh liquor drunk out of a large jar through long straws, Hai Hau rice and Uoc Le meat rolls.

Shoppers will also enjoy some cultural activities in between the holiday rush and an inspection team will help ensure the quality of goods in each of the booths.

This year’s fair, the biggest ever co-organized by the Ha Noi Trade Department and the Viet Nam Fair and Exhibition Center, will take up all of the center’s buildings and an additional 2,700sq.m of space. — VNS

Over 1,000 antiques on display in Ha Tay
Ha Tay (VNA) - Over 1,000 artifacts collected from 15 Vietnamese cities and provinces are on exhibition at the General Museum in the northern province of Ha Tay.

Those objects, 3,000 years old, dating back to the feudal dynasties in Viet Nam's history, include bronze, earthen and ceramic collections.

On display also are unique objects of the Sa Huynh, Cham, Khmer, and Oc Eo cultures from central and southern regions.

For this occasion, the museum received 238 ancient objects presented by four collectors from the UNESCO club.

The exhibition opened on Feb. 7 and will last till Mar. 7. -Enditem