As mentioned elsewhere, Vietnamese are a close knit society. To celebrate or perhaps reinforce this, the Vietnam social calendar is bristling with many events, festivals, memorials, anniversaries, community celebrations and family gatherings. Perhaps the largest and most colorful are the religious celebrations that follow the Lunar cycle rather than the Gregorian (solar) calendar.

Vietnamese people celebrate the Lunar New Year, or Tet as perhaps the largest and most famous holiday, observed everywhere. More like an Asian Christmas than a Gregorian New Year, Tet lasts 12 days and carries many spiritual and religious overtones. Full of color and life with decorated lanterns, fireworks, religious rituals, music, theater and flower and fruit displays, the nation recounts the success and failures of the past and look forward to a happy and fortunate future.

Tet is for two (or more!)

However and perhaps counter intuitively, it is not a great time for tourism. Like Christmas, family relations play a huge part of it all. Many people return to their hometowns and many businesses will close, so plan accordingly. It generally falls some where in late January or early February and even if you have local friends and family, it is a good time to settle in for the duration. The tourism areas like D1 in HCMC, Old Town in Hanoi, Hoi An and An Thuong in Danang and, of course, Tam Coc in Ninh Binh tend to be less affected so plan your journey accordingly.

Of course, there are a multitude of other festivals of all descriptions. As the Vietnamese follow several religions according to custom, location and upbringing, it can sometimes be bewildering. Birth and death days of revered ancestors are common, as are Buddhist holidays, Taoist memorials, Christian Holy Days and Confucian celebrations. Weddings also serve as popular social events, and people prize invitations to them, so you should not ignore one. Vietnamese people love football, and if you get a chance to watch the national football team – either live or on television – you will feel enthralled by the excitement and passion these events create.

An Invitation to Culture.

We cannot invite you to private functions but we can list at least some of the biggest and best known public festivals and celebrations. Make sure you are aware what is being celebrated and follow the local customs towards behavior and dress. Rowdy or rude manners at solemn events can be the equivalent of the shouting at Easter Mass and nobody appreciates it.

But not all events are solemn, some are a real celebration of life, love and joy. Just watch the locals and follow suit and you are sure to have an unforgettable time.