Tet, also known as the Lunar New Year, is one of the biggest holidays in Vietnam. I’d never been in Vietnam during the Tet holidays and I didn’t know what to expect. But this year, determined to give it a try, I did some research. What I uncovered was contradictory.
“Tet holidays are the days of relaxation, happiness and joy.” This according to an article in Vietnam Online. Of course, experiencing the holiday as a Vietnamese national is different from visiting as a tourist, or traveler. Replies to a post on TripAdvisor by a couple asking if they should avoid visiting Vietnam during Tet is best summarized in this reply, “your holiday will be adversely affected by shortage of transportation and accommodation and the closure of attractions and restaurants.”
So when exactly is Tet? Well, it’s a bit confusing as it’s based on the lunar calendar and changes every year. This year (2015) the official dates are February 15 through February 23. The first day of the new year is February 19TH. The lead up to new year is what you don’t want to miss.
In Saigon, the celebration is spectacular. The entire city is transformed. All public spaces, but especially the parks, are covered in flowers (120,000 flower pots in the city). Most of it is free, but I paid 20,000 VND ($1 USD) to enter one of the parks and view the exhibits: beds of flowers, flower arrangements, flowering bonsai trees, anything you can think of related to flowers. And the vendors are out in full force selling traditional handicrafts and food. I was offered a free sample of a hot liquid that was described to me as “mushroom tea” that was surprisingly tasty.
Each year, there is one street (this year, it’s Ham Nghi street) that is closed to traffic and covered in flowers. It is not officially opened to the public until 8 PM on February 16TH. I arrived at 6 PM and a crowd of families, many in traditional dress, was already eagerly waiting for the ropes to be lowered. It was amusing to see rows of police and security personnel vigilantly guarding flower beds.
Once the ropes were lowered, it was a densely packed but well-behaved crowd posing for photos in front of the flowers and admiring the colored lights. Vendors with treats balanced on their shoulders were frequently stopped by the police and not allowed to sell their wares near the flower displays (luckily, since there was barely enough room to walk).
In the rest of the city, in the outdoor markets, you’ll see flowers for sale as well as many depictions of the annual animal (the goat this year). You’ll also see festive red envelopes, also decorated with goats. This is for “Li xi” – Lucky Money for Tet. It’s a long tradition of placing money in envelopes and giving them to children.
There’s really something magical about this time of year. Something less tangible than the lights and flowers. There’s a mood of celebration. Vietnam is a young country, with more than half of the population under the age of 30, and all celebrations are full of energy. Young people ride around on motorbikes, passing flowers and neon lights, laughing and smiling, caught up in the festive atmosphere. It’s a fun time to be here and I’m glad I didn’t miss it.
But ultimately, Tet is a family holiday, much like New Year’s Day in Japan. February 19TH marks the beginning of the new year and from what I hear, the city pretty much shuts down after the fireworks on the 18TH, with residents of the city leaving to visit their families in the countryside.
But by then I’ll be on my way to Thailand.
