The whole country is excited to welcome the spring.

By now, many people have begun counting down the days to the 2026 Lunar New Year. Across the country, unique and spectacular spring festivals are filling every street and reaching every home with a radiant spring atmosphere. A new spring, a new era, has arrived with great fanfare.

People in Ho Chi Minh City now have a new place to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Can Gio.

Last night, February 7th, the sky above Ho Chi Minh City's "green lung" was illuminated by an unprecedented fireworks display . Amidst the lush green forest and the vast expanse of the sea, streaks of light shot up and then burst into brilliant displays, accompanied by continuous cheers and applause. Hundreds of residents and tourists gathered at Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio from the morning, staying throughout the afternoon to experience exciting spring festivities and await the moment to witness this historic fireworks display. This was the first time the people of Can Gio had the opportunity to see fireworks right in the place where they were born and raised.

A large number of locals and tourists eagerly flocked to the first-ever spring festival held in Can Gio, Ho Chi Minh City.

PHOTO: LE NAM

The impressive fireworks display also marked the opening of a series of "festivals within festivals," a spring-filled event being held for the first time in Can Gio . Despite being only the first day of the opening ceremony, the Can Gio Spring Festival, themed "Tet in a Green Paradise," has already breathed a vibrant spring atmosphere into this special zone, which is typically one of the quietest areas of Ho Chi Minh City.

From the entrance to the urban area, which just two months ago consisted of temporary dirt roads used for transporting construction materials, it has now transformed into a spacious 10-lane asphalt road, swiftly leading residents and tourists straight into this "green paradise." From afar, colorful hot air balloons sway in the sea breeze, prompting "check-in enthusiasts" to quicken their pace, as this is sure to be the perfect spot for unique spring-themed photos. Occasionally, a few paragliders soar across the sky, perfectly capturing the moment of sunset, creating an incredibly breathtaking picture of the sea at dusk.

Inside the flower street, approximately 300 peach blossom trees from the North have bloomed and 300 apricot blossom trees from the South are delicately budding, creating a Tet atmosphere rich in national identity and solidarity. The centerpiece of the spring street is a 150-year-old Phu Quy apricot tree, transported directly from An Giang . With a height of 10 meters and a canopy width of 10 meters, this is the largest ancient yellow apricot tree in the Mekong Delta region to date, becoming one of the must-see "check-in" spots for everyone.

Fireworks at the Can Gio Spring Festival on the evening of February 7, 2026.

Photo: Le Nam

"I've been married and living here for over three years, and Can Gio has never been this lively. Every year during Tet, many people working in the city center return home, but Can Gio remains as peaceful as usual, lacking the festive atmosphere. This is the first time the people of Can Gio have enjoyed the spring atmosphere with unique experiences right in their birthplace. The festival lasts throughout Tet, so we can have fun all season long without having to go anywhere else," said Ms. TTThu, a resident of Can Gio commune, excitedly chatting with us while taking Tet photos of her daughter posing in a beautiful spring ao dai.

According to Ms. Thu, her husband's family has lived in Can Gio for nearly 40 years, since the time when the island district was just a barren, undeveloped land. Seeing Can Gio change day by day, especially since Vingroup came here to build an urban project, her father-in-law feels extremely happy. "My father-in-law always says Can Gio is about to truly develop, that the people of Can Gio are about to have a truly transformed life. A big spring festival like this, with fireworks twice, is unprecedented, something we never even dared to imagine. He says that the concept of a new era seems far away, but this very atmosphere has given the people faith in a new life, a new phase of development, starting with this historic spring," the Can Gio bride shared.

The People's Committee of Hoan Kiem Ward, in coordination with relevant units, organized the recreation of the "Hang Luoc flower market" on many streets, contributing to promoting the image of Hanoi's Old Quarter.

PHOTO: NGUYEN TRUONG

Along with his friends, Ngo Duc Hai (living in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City) invested in a series of traditional Vietnamese dresses (áo dài) to create a photo shoot celebrating "Tet in a green paradise." He also expressed his surprise at the vibrant atmosphere in Can Gio. This was the first time this young man, born in 2000, had visited Can Gio. Previously, Can Gio was just an image of a beach unsuitable for swimming, with few recreational activities besides visiting the monkey island. He even only understood Can Gio as a "ferry terminal" connecting people from Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau. "Coming here today, I really have to re-evaluate things. Can Gio has fireworks, hot air balloons, paragliding… experiences that are rarely found anywhere else in Ho Chi Minh City. Every year during Tet, my group of friends usually goes to take photos at iconic landmarks in Ho Chi Minh City like Notre Dame Cathedral, the Post Office… This year, I'm sure I'll have a new set of super unique and different photos here. I think soon, Can Gio will also become a new symbol of the city, a place that locals and tourists, both domestic and international, must visit when traveling to Ho Chi Minh City," Ngo Duc Hai shared his thoughts.

As the afternoon progressed, Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio attracted even more local residents. Everyone was eagerly anticipating the fireworks display marking a historic milestone in the island district's development. Lasting until February 28th, the Can Gio Spring Festival promises to bring explosive energy to this new international super-destination in Vietnam.

Everywhere is celebrating the Lunar New Year with great enthusiasm.

While people in Ho Chi Minh City were beaming at the arrival of a super-spectacular new destination right before Tet, people in Hanoi had been excited for over half a month now, with the spring atmosphere filling every street.

Many unique festival performances will entertain locals and tourists at the Can Gio Spring Festival, held at Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio urban area.

Photo: Le Nam

From mid-January, Hanoi's Old Quarter has been ablaze with the colors of peach blossoms, kumquats, flags, and flowers... The "Vietnamese Tet - Street Tet" program for 2026 began on January 17th and will last until the end of the Lunar New Year of the Horse. With the overarching goal of restoring the traditional Tet to its rightful place as a living cultural space, "Vietnamese Tet - Street Tet 2026" is structured as a comprehensive series of activities where locals and tourists can visit, admire, and directly participate in, practice, and experience the depth of Vietnamese Tet culture through rituals, customs, and traditional activities associated with heritage spaces: communal houses, temples, ancient houses, and traditional craft streets.

According to Nguyen Hong Trang, Vice Chairman of the Hoan Kiem District People's Committee, the "Vietnamese Tet - Street Tet 2026" series of activities is not only an annual cultural event but also a declaration of the enduring vitality of heritage in contemporary life. Through rituals and experiential activities, the program helps people and tourists not only admire but also directly touch and experience the heritage, living within it and deeply feeling the spiritual value of the traditional Vietnamese Tet holiday.

"Through these authentic and emotionally rich experiences, national cultural values ​​will continue to spread widely within the community, especially among the younger generation. This is the intrinsic strength that enables us to preserve our identity, nurture national pride, and promote the image of Vietnam in the new era," affirmed Ms. Nguyen Hong Trang.

Young people check in next to a 150-year-old Phu Quy apricot blossom tree at the flower street in Vinhomes Green Paradise urban area, Can Gio.

Photo: Le Nam

Following "Vietnamese Tet - Street Tet," from February 6-13, the "Vietnamese Tet Space 2026" program took place at Thong Nhat Park, and the Tet experience, from traditional to modern, in a space of over 7,000 m² at Thang Long Imperial Citadel from February 7-10 continued to spread the Tet atmosphere throughout the capital.

Having directly enjoyed the traditional Tet feast , experienced making banh chung (traditional rice cakes), arranging the five-fruit tray, picking lucky branches for the new year, receiving calligraphy from a calligrapher, and participating in folk games such as making clay figurines and painting..., Mr. Didier B. Boissonnet (a French tourist) expressed his excitement at experiencing the vibrant yet incredibly warm and unique atmosphere in Vietnam. This is his second time visiting Vietnam, but his first time in Hanoi, and it coincided with the festival season.

"I've been in Vietnam since the Gregorian New Year, experiencing the grand and vibrant New Year celebrations from Phu Quoc to Da Nang and Nha Trang; but the traditional Tet in Hanoi like this gives me a very special feeling. You celebrate for a long time, very boisterously, but also with warmth and a feeling of familiarity. This atmosphere permeates every corner, making us feel 'infected' with the joy of a very happy new year," said Didier B. Boissonnet.

Not only the two largest economic hubs in the country, but also localities are rushing to finalize unprecedented large-scale programs and events to celebrate the Party and the new year. This Lunar New Year, for the first time, Quang Ninh province will organize a "Boulevard of Flowers and Light Technology" along the Bay of Wonders with the theme "Quang Ninh - Spring of Heritage, Digital Wonders". The program will be held from February 14th to 22nd. The Boulevard of Flowers and Light Technology along the Bay of Wonders will last for approximately...

Every 1 km, there will be a dedicated area for promoting the province's six core values: beautiful nature, unique culture, civilized society, transparent administration, developed economy, and happy people; and the province's 2026 work theme: "Breakthrough in economic growth; improving urban quality, and soon achieving the criteria of a centrally-governed city."

Similarly, Phu Quoc promises to become a top choice for many domestic and international tourists wishing to enjoy a complete and unique Lunar New Year holiday. The 2026 Spring Festival art program themed "Phu Quoc Welcomes the New Year - Shining Brightly on the Pearl Island," along with the sports festival celebrating the Party and the Spring Festival, and the 2026 Spring Flower Market in Duong Dong and An Thoi will be the main highlights, diversifying the experiences for tourists celebrating the New Year on the pearl island.

Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, Can Tho… by now, all localities are ready to bring the most unique and vibrant spring experiences to every home and every person.

Colorful hot air balloons at the Can Gio Spring Festival.

Photo: Le Nam

Celebrating a special milestone for the nation.

According to Associate Professor Bui Hoai Son, Standing Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education, the increasing number of new Tet (Lunar New Year) celebration venues in major cities like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi shows a clear shift in how Vietnamese people celebrate Tet: from a closed family space to an open community experience. People are not just "eating Tet" but are increasingly seeking to "live Tet," enjoying cultural, entertainment, and tourism activities right from the first days of the year. With Vietnam welcoming nearly 2.5 million international tourists in January 2026, a significant increase compared to the previous month and the same period last year, Tet is no longer just a domestic cultural activity but is gradually taking on an international dimension. Vietnamese Tet is being modernized to adapt to contemporary life, while still maintaining its central role in the community's spiritual life.

In reality, the spaces most favored by the people are often those that harmoniously combine traditional elements such as Tet markets, calligraphy, folk art, and spring symbols with modern, convenient arrangements that suit the urban lifestyle. With the number of international tourists visiting Vietnam expected to increase sharply in early 2026, cultural identity is the key factor creating a unique appeal. Modernizing the form is necessary, but tradition must remain the content and soul. When the new highlights the roots, creativity does not diminish Tet, but rather helps it continue to thrive in contemporary urban life.

Associate Professor Bui Hoai Son highly appreciates the role of spring festival venues connected with nature and heritage in helping young people understand and connect more with Vietnamese Tet (Lunar New Year). In modern life, these spaces are likened to "cultural memory zones," where young people can experience Tet through real-life experiences, rather than just through imagination or media. Can Gio is a prime example. When this area organizes a large-scale spring festival amidst mangrove forests and characteristic coastal spaces, young people have the opportunity to celebrate Tet in a setting close to nature. According to Professor Son, this feeling of "returning to nature" is very much in line with the spirit of balance and energy regeneration of the traditional Tet.

Similarly, riverside spaces in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi's Old Quarter, or local heritage sites allow young people to experience Tet markets, New Year customs, and folk art in a more vibrant way. Beyond their cultural educational value, these destinations also contribute to shaping the image of Vietnamese Tet as a unique experience in the eyes of international friends.

A must-see destination for visitors at the special Spring Festival celebrating the new era of development at Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio is the hot air balloon festival, the first of its kind in a Lunar New Year celebration. With 22 large, colorful hot air balloons, visitors can not only capture unique photos celebrating the spring but also enjoy panoramic views of the flower-lined streets, the sea, and the green paradise of Can Gio from above.

Developing ecosystems for Tet (Lunar New Year) experiences to serve the people.

2026 is considered a historic milestone as the entire country enters a new phase of development after national reconstruction, opening up opportunities for development in all provinces and cities. Therefore, a series of flower displays, festivals, and cultural and artistic events are being organized synchronously, forming large-scale "Tet experience ecosystems" that serve not only the people but also tourists. This is both a welcome and an expectation for a special milestone for the nation.

Associate Professor Bui Hoai Son (Permanent Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education)

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ca-nuoc-rao-ruc-don-xuan-185260207223531852.htm