How to Make the Most of Tết
If you’ve read Part 1 of Tết Holiday in Vietnam, you’ll understand just how much of a major holiday it is for the Vietnamese – imagine Christmas, New Year and Easter all rolled into one! It’s hectic, crazy, busy and noisy, but it is fantastic.
Every year we hear two different stories about Tết from travellers: those that loved it, and those that found it a complete nightmare! This comes down to your expectations and how flexible you are willing to be. Most people who really enjoy Tết decide in advance where they want to be for it, arrive a couple of days before and then stay there for the duration (normally 5 days or more). These travellers will try to get involved with the local celebrations as well as relaxing and trying not to do too much, which could be very welcomed after a period of fast-paced traveling. Those that find Tết frustrating are those that try to continue traveling during it and those that just want to do the normal touristic activities like visit museums and attractions. This article is here to help you to be the former and offer advice you on how to enjoy and make the most of this exciting time in Vietnam!
Getting around during Tết
Tết is HUGE in Vietnam and a majority of the Vietnamese people will travel back to their family home or hometown for Tết, usually outside of the cities. This causes a mass migration of people traveling from the cities to the countryside before the Lunar New Year and of course returning after it. Due to this, transport for the week before Tết and the week after is often fully booked well in advance, and during the main celebration days of Tết, most transport is not running at all. So it is really important if you want to travel during Tết that you do your research, plan where you want to go and book your travel as far in advance as you can.
Bare in mind that you may end up needing to use private transport, such as private cars, and you may end up having to fly or get the train between places rather than taking a bus. Be prepared for transport to be challenging, expensive and busy before and after, and nearly non-existent during. The easiest way to get around this problem is to simply not travel. Choose somewhere you want to spend Tết, book ahead and spend the week there.
What to do during Tết
Many tourist attractions will be closed for up to a week for Tết. Museums, places of interest, natural wonders and guided tours and activities can all close! If you want to continue being a tourist during this festival season, plan ahead. Try to think of alternative things to do during this period. Get involved in street celebrations, or befriend local Vietnamese and hang out with them! Tết is the best time to see and experience Vietnamese traditions, culture, food, games, and revelry. Locals will often become more congenial and outgoing during Tết, so it is a great time to make friends. Explore by foot, on bicycles or on scooters, and maybe you’ll be waved down and invited into locals homes and have the opportunity to try the foods that are specially prepared for the festivities. Rice wine is commonly drunk over Tết, so be careful, it’s very strong!
Where to stay during Tết
Most accommodations will usually close or operate a limited service due to having fewer staff on hand, so options will be limited and those that are open will be busy. Furthermore, many affluent Vietnamese families will take advantage of the national holiday by traveling to touristic areas to celebrate and enjoy time away from work. Therefore, popular beach areas and touristic towns such as Hoi An will be even busier with more sightseers than usual. Again, it’s really important that you book ahead. Fewer hotels will be open, and those that are will increase their accommodation prices sharply with a high demand in central areas. In Phong Nha, Shambalaa Hostel will be remaining open for Tết. Shambalaa Hostel will also be running a “Tết tour” through the village, giving you the opportunity to meet and celebrate with some of the local families.
Where to eat during Tết
Just like hotels, transport, and attractions, many markets and restaurants close during Tết. Nowadays, you can generally always find somewhere local offering food, but for a couple of days at least, expect that #1 TripAdvisor restaurant to be closed and be prepared to settle for something else, or whatever is still open.
To sum it up…
At the end of the day, those that enjoy Tết tend to be those that go with the flow and get involved. As previously mentioned, many people go back home to the countryside, so rural areas like Phong Nha are often the best places to experience Tết. So on the contrary to what you may think, it will be more difficult to get involved in Tết if you’re in a city. Cities are vast and hard to get around without transport and Vietnamese people will be few and far between. In rural towns and villages it is easier to get around by foot or bicycle, meet the locals and enjoy the festivities!
We highly recommend that you decide where you want to spend Tết in advance, get there, and settle down for the ride. Talk to the hotel staff and find out what is still open and what events are being held that you might be able to attend or enjoy from a distance. You may find that if you befriend the hotel staff, that you will be invited to join them! “Chúc Mừng Năm Mới” is the phrase traditionally used to wish people a Happy New Year, learn it, and don’t be afraid to use it!
So, to sum it up… expect to pay a bit more, expect service to be slower, expect the streets to be noisy on Tết Eve; expect traditionally busy areas to be quiet and quiet areas to be busy, expect tourist destinations and restaurants to be closed for a few days and expect travel to be a real pain! Join in with the local celebrations if you want, or chill out at your hotel for a couple of days and pick up that book you’ve been meaning to finish. Be forgiving and flexible, because who can blame these wonderful people for wanting to spend a few days celebrating life and love with their families and friends?
Chúc Mừng Năm Mới and good luck to you all!
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