Handicraft Tours
The name Chu Dau literally means "wharf". Chu Dau village in the northern...
Bat Trang, a small village in the north of Vietnam, is about 13 kilometers...
Van Phuc Silk Village is situated on the banks of Nhue Thi River, Nguyen...
Dong Ky, a traditional wood carving...
Dong Ho village, formally called Mai village,...
Located 35 km from central Hanoi, the southwest, the village of Phu Vinh...
The traditional Ha Thai lacquer village lies on the old highway 1A, it is...
Tet is Vietnam’s New Year festival, best described as a combination of western Christmas and New Year celebrations rolled into one. It heralds the arrival of spring in January or February, as calculated by Vietnam’s version of the Chinese Lunar Calendar; for this reason, it’s sometimes also called ‘‘Spring festival’.
It’s the country’s biggest annual celebration, and traditionally was a much-needed break that took place during a gap in the farming calendar. The word ‘Tet’ comes from ‘Tet Nguyen Ðan’, which literally translates as ‘Feast of the First Morning of the First Day’. As well as welcoming in the New Year, Tet is a time for Vietnamese people to remember their ancestors, settle arguments and debts, and buy new clothes. What’s more, because the Vietnamese believe that what they do during Tet influences their fortune for the rest of the year, people are especially friendly and smiley during this celebration.
How do the Vietnamese celebrate Tet?
Tet is a time for family, and Vietnamese people gather with their relatives for feasting. Among the foods prepared and eaten during Tet is Chung cake, a traditional square rice cake wrapped in leaves, which has several regional variations. It’s also traditional to decorate the house with a kumquat tree, branches of peach blossom and other floral displays. Red and yellow are popular Tet colours, as these are thought to bring good luck; as well as exchanging gifts, families give children money sealed in red envelopes.
Traveling to Vietnam during Tet
Though it is a time of celebration, giving the country an upbeat atmosphere, Tet is generally not the best time to travel to Vietnam. This is because it is when Vietnamese people take their holidays; hotel prices will likely be at their most expensive, public transport will be extremely crowded, and lots of places you might want to visit - such as museums, shops and restaurants - will be closed. However, if relaxing on the beach is your primary aim, Tet is a time when the beaches will be relatively quiet. It can also enhance your trip to see your destination decked out in Tet flowers and lanterns; just make sure you allow plenty of time before or after Tet for visiting museums and doing some shopping.
North Vietnam's tour contains almost highlights of the northern Vietnam, showcasing three of the prominent attractions of the ever so diverse mix of nature and culture, awe inspiring to begin...
I am missing about Halong Bay, one of most beautiful places I worked. Hopefully, after my writing, I can contribute my small part to promote for traveling here.
One of the joys of having a homebase is getting known by the local vendors. Whenever I return to Saigon after some time away I make the rounds of my favourite street food ladies.
South Korean low-cost carrier T’way Air has launched a new direct service from Seoul to Da Nang .
Halong Bay is amazing and completely worth the time and effort to plan. Having said that, do put some time and effort into choosing what tour you do, as this will make a big...