Best Travel Tips for Vietnamese Lunar New Year 2018 to Keep in Mind

in Calendar of Events January 27, 2018 3,149 Views

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If you are unsure about where to go and what to prepare for the travel during “Tết” or Vietnamese Lunar New Year 2018, then some of the best tips can direct your attention to the most enjoyable experiences. The celebrations of Tết throughout the beautiful S-shaped country will exhilarate and enchant you.

This year, Tet – the Vietnamese Lunar New Year Date is on 15-16 February 2018 !

Peach flowers on Hanoi Streets before Lunar New Year

#1: Travel on Your Own or with Tour Guide – Tips to Enjoy Lunar New Year Celebration Vietnam

Most of the overseas tourists tend to question whether they should travel on their own or with the tour guides. This matter depends on your preference as well as the financial budget which determines the most suitable kind of travel for you. To make it clear, each travel type embraces the ups and downs. With the Vietnam Lunar New Year Holiday Tour Packages, you do not need to worry about the accommodation, places to eat and drink, etc., because most of the essential things are included in the tour prices. Nonetheless, it’s critical to work with the reliable and high-quality tour operators. Before the days leading to the Year of Dog 2018, many travel agents begin selling various tour packages of Tết at the promotional prices. Hence, you can easily book the preferred package but make sure you pay attention to the following information:

Book a tour of the trustworthy company chosen by many other travelers, with a large number of online visitors.
Peruse the tours of several companies for the cross-reference of the prices and services before you pay.
Learn the items listed in the Inclusion and Exclusion parts of the tour packages to clear any sign of misunderstanding.
State your specific requirements of food allergy or vegetarian if any in advance.

In regards to the travel on your own, you’re flexible to select the modes of transport, hotel, restaurant, and tourist attractions. For the successful journey, know the following:

Plan the trip in advance because the flight tickets before and after Tết (as well as the train tickets) are likely to be sold out. Therefore, book your ticket the sooner the better.
If you go on a group of five and more, and your budget can afford, it’s great to rent a private car for the ultimate convenience.
Book your room 1 or 2 months in advance to get the reasonable prices and avoid the unnecessary overcharges. The good booking websites are booking.com and Agoda.com which often offer the attractive promotions for Tet holiday.
Apricot flowers in Ho Chi Minh City on the TET – Lunar New Year !

#2: Know Where to Go during Vietnamese Lunar New Year Festival

Vietnam has dozens of the captivating destinations for you to enjoy Tết. Due to the preferred kind of travel, there are some outstanding places of interest that fit you. If you love ecotourism, then the must-see sites are Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex and Tam Coc-Bich Dong, Halong Bay, Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, Moc Chau – Son La, Ha Giang, Cuc Phuong National Park, Mai Chau Town, Ba Be Lake, Cat Tien National Park, etc.

If you are fond of adventure travel, make it a point to visit Sapa Town, Ha Giang, Da Lat, Pu Luong Nature Reserve, Pa Luong Mountain Peak, Ma Pi Leng Pass, Ban Gioc Waterfall, and more. And for the beach vacation, the best sites are Nha Trang, Phu Quoc Island, Vung Tau, Con Dao, Phan Thiet, etc. What’s more, for the most exciting city exploration, let’s bring your focus to Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon), Hanoi, Da Nang, Can Tho, etc. Obviously, Vietnam will never lack the excellent tourist spots to please the visitors worldwide.

Hanoi on the first day of the Lunar New Year – Streets are very quiet!

#3: Experience What to Do – Vietnamese Lunar New Year Activities

For the locals, the most common Vietnamese Lunar New Year activities emphasize the time for the family gathering or reunion. Also, the foreigners can join the hilarious atmosphere via any of the following things to do:

Watch the firework on the New Year’s Eve. The show of light is most exciting in the big cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, etc. When the sky becomes shining, everybody says “HAPPY NEW YEAR” and pray for the best. Of course, photography of the fireworks in Vietnamese Tet will remind you of the beautiful time in this Indochina region.
Exchange the New Year’s greetings. Lots of inspiring and beautiful greetings will be exchanged among people. This is the great culture kept from generation to generation of the Vietnamese. Hence, you can easily meet the happy and smiling faces in almost every travel destination throughout the country. If so, catch your chances to smile and learn to say “CHUC MUNG NAM MOI.”
Get to know what “lucky money” is. Especially when you experience homestay during the Vietnamese Lunar New Year Festival, you can watch how the Vietnamese children will receive the red envelop including the “lucky money” inside. The elders of the family will get the “lucky money” too, that wishes them the longevity and health.
Visit the local pagodas and temples. You will soon recognize that the pagodas and temples in Vietnam get crowded with the pilgrims who come to pray for luck, health, prosperity, and every good thing. Also, people do homage to the revered Buddha and Gods who have been protecting them and making some of their wishes true. Just sort out the most well-known pagodas in your destination and spend time worshipping there to feel how the Vietnamese nurture their spiritual life during the Tet time.
Eat the Vietnamese food for Tet holiday. What do Vietnamese eat for Lunar New Year? The answers include Banh Chung/Banh Tet (Steamed Square Cake), Gio Cha (Vietnamese Sausage), Xoi (Sticky Rice), Mut (Candied Fruits), Thit Kho (Braised Pork), and various other folksy dishes. In almost every tourist spot, you can figure out various eateries and vendor carts which serve the Vietnamese traditional food; so, discover the tastes!