1. Transportation:
This is one big concern that seems to occur to most holiday travellers.
Without doubt, it is quite difficult to plan your trip when air, trains
and coach are mostly fully booked. Tet holiday is when domestic travel
volume rockets, especially South-North route before Tet and North-South
after Tet. This is because during the year many Northern people migrate
to Southern provinces where gather many industrial park and businesses.
Tet, just like Thanksgiving, is a time for family reunion and
consequently, air and trains connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are
sold out well in advance.
In January 2012, Vietnam Airlines will add hundreds of flights
to serve increasing traffic during Tet - which is a relief for many.
However, we strongly recommend that you book your air tickets as early
in advance as possible. Expect some price hike on international routes, just like Christmas time, because many overseas Vietnamese return to the country to celebrate Tet. On domestic routes, price will not change much but tickets are hard to get, especially on Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City and vice versa. The same rules for train tickets reservation: beware of popular route such as Hanoi - Sapa, Hanoi - Danang, Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Trang
and vice versa. Some will see up to 30% fare increase while most agents
will turn down your request for tickets if you traveling date is too
closed.
2. Accommodation:
Unlike popular myths, hotels and hostels in Vietnam during Tet are
abundant - there is no need to worry about overbooked hotel rooms. Tet
holiday is a not a leisure travelling time for most domestic so you will
have many choices with regard to accommodation. Some hotels will have
special nights or New Year celebration so check with them in advance to
be part of the fun.
Note, however, that most accommodation service will raise the price if
you stay during Tet holiday attributing it the "hot season" occasion.
Check before you book!
3. Sightseeing:
The bad news: many museums, mausoleums, indoors exhibition place and
art houses will be closed for at least 4 days, from January 22nd to
January 26th.
The good news: beach will be empty, cities will be vacant (on the
actual date of Tet) - overall a great time for those who enjoy the
tranquility.
You can turn both of these news to your advantage, however, by planning
your itinerary accordingly: visit the museums and such just before or
after Tet, and during Tet, relax yourself or with your loved ones in a
walk around Hanoi Old Quarter or sunbathing in Mui Ne beach.
4. Food:
To many's dismay, most restaurants will be closed during Tet, be it
local or foreign-owned. Most will be open until late January 22nd (the
last day of old Lunar year) and reopened in the 4th or 5th date of lunar
January (or January 26th, 27th of solar calendar). Wet markets will
still run though vendors are scanty. Thus Tet may not be the best time
for culinary tour fans.
But Tet is like no other events in the year - there is a great variety
of Vietnamese food that is not available elsewhere or else-when such as Banh Chung, Boiled Chicken, Pickled Onions.
If you are invited to a Vietnamese family, that would be the ideal
case. Otherwise, a visit to Cho Tet - special wet markets selling New
Year stuffs, will surely be an amazing experience, whether you are in a
big city or rural mountain province. Get your camera ready!
5. Shopping:
Like restaurants, many shops will be closed for the first few days of the lunar new year. Some market will still be open, with much fewer vendors than you normally see, even in major trading points like Dong Xuan market or Ben Thanh.
To your surprise, many products will be sold at a very reasonable price
because most sellers want to start a smooth sales year. Try not to
haggle or if you do, do so politely or else it will be considered to
bring about bad luck for the whole new year.
