“Ain’t no party in this world like Tet”
More often than not, in foreigner’s eyes, Tet is often written off as a
time to travel to Vietnam. Well after all, most shops and restaurants
as well as entertainment places would be closed during Tet. But isn’t it
a big miss-out if you don't get to see the streets filled with
colourful lights and lanterns, the beautiful Peach Blossoms and Golden
Apricot Blossoms with those tiny little red lucky money envelopes? Plus,
the beaches and cities will mostly be empty - which is great for those
who prefer a getaway trip with a bit of tranquility. In order to help
you enjoy the Lunar New Year atmosphere better, this guide provides you
with a 4 top places to visit in Vietnam during Tet holiday:
1. Da Lat - The city of Eternal Spring
There is a reason why this beautiful city is very well-known with all
the lovely-dovey couples and honeymooners. Being the capital city of Lam
Dong province, Da Lat is called “The city of Eternal Spring” with
lovely French villas, the fresh air, green valley and beautiful pine
forests.
There is no need to worry about what to do in Dalat during Tet, as
there are a lot of tourist attractions you would want to see: the
imposing 2167m Langbiang Mountain where the trekkers wouldn't be
disappointed with such a challenge which gives you a marvellous view of
the whole wide floral city, the Paradise Lake - a big tourist attraction
with a breathtaking view and an unique way of camping, health caring,
trekking, mountain climbing, fishing and the famous Truc Lam zen
monastery as well as taste some specialties of Dalat, drink Can wine,
and enjoy Horse or Elephant riding. Another suggested highlight is to
visit the beautiful French villas and the replica of the Eiffel Tower
which have given Dalat the name of “Le Petit Paris” (A Little Paris)
2. Nha Trang - The pearl of the Far East of Vietnam
If you are searching for a place where you can both enjoy the peaceful
sound of the sea and still be able to attend all the busy celebrations,
events, countdown show and the fireworks party then Nha Trang is
definitely a place for you. Not only being famous for having the most
beautiful beaches in Vietnam, during Tet, Nha Trang is literately filled
with flowers from all the three regions of the country: North, Central
and South so you will get to see many different kinds of flowers on Ly
Thanh Tong Street, the Sports Center, Xom Moi Market, Dam Market and Le
Hong Phong Street as well as peach branches and apricot trees. One of
the most attracted places to visit here on Lunar New Year’s Eve would be
the Holy Mother Tower where the fireflies gather and fly around the
tower to warmly welcome the new year. For tourists who are travelling
with kids, we strongly recommend you to visit Vinpearl Nha Trang Water
Park & Theme Park, where the smiles of your kids would say it all!
3. Hoi An - The Lantern Town
Worry about closed shops and restaurants during Tet holiday? It is not
going to happen in Hoi An. Right upon your arrival to Hoi An, you will
soon realise that it is the place to be - an ancient town just like in
the movie! So much mouth-watering street food to try, especially “Banh
My” - not the normal bread, but the famous authentic “Banh My”, so much
shopping need to be done with professional local tailors that will leave
you with unexpected pleasure, and the gorgeous old peaceful street
view. This coming Tet holiday, Hoi An New Year Lantern Festival will be
hosted on February 8th 2016 with around 50 lantern workshops in the town
will take part in the events. And for seven days of the festival, the
whole charming town will be lit up by hundreds of colourful lanterns and
a series of culture and art performances.
4. Ha Noi - Feel the Unusual Tranquility
Tell me the time of the year when you can see an empty street in Ha Noi
- Yes, it’s the one and only Tet! Some might say it’s a little boring
to see this busy city suddenly get quiet and wonder where to go or what
to do, but others would tell you to look around and hey, isn't it a
strangely beautiful scene? No more traffic jam and crowd, no more horn
from the vehicle, Ha Noi as you see during Tet holiday is back to being a
charming little city where you can enjoy a hot authentic Vietnamese
coffee while doing a bit of walking tour in the Old Quarter on a typical
cold winter day. You will easily spot some local families out taking
photos of their little ones happily smiling in traditional Vietnamese
costumes. Just too cute that these little cuties can warm the atmosphere
up even on the coldest days of winter! On those first days of the Lunar
Year, don't forget to take some time to go to the Temple of Literature
and Scholars’ Street as well as the famous temples. And if tourists want
to do something else, there are still several of bars open during Tet
Holiday - Minh’s Jazz, Easy Rider, Dragonfly, Le Pub etc. Want to see
Hanoi in a different sight from being a busy capital city? This is it!
5. Ho Chi Minh City - City of lights
From enjoying some classic smoky jazz in District 3 to rocking yourself
up with the EDM anthems in District 1 - Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is the
city that doesn't sleep. The night life here needs no introduction -
parties and suppers everywhere, creative cocktails, all-nighters. On the
Lunar New Year’s eve, you can either choose to countdown at the bars,
or watch fireworks in the street with the local. Attending Nguyen Hue
Flower Street Festival and Tao Dan Flower Festival is another way to
celebrate Tet in a very local way. There will be beautiful flower
decoration is mostly red and yellow - the two colours that represent
Tet, featuring folk music, games and heavenly dishes in a warmly
welcoming atmosphere.
Some might prefer the summer’s heat in Vietnam and spend the day
sunbathing at the beach, some might want to travel at a different time
to explore Vietnam without any closed shop and easier to travel with
several of open bus tour. But also, to a lot of tourists who have come
to Vietnam during Tet Holiday, they know this country is not just about
having beautiful beaches, landscapes or good food, there are much more
on discovering their traditional culture, and we hope you will gladly
find out about them with a trip to Vietnam this coming Tet.
