Unique experiences across the country on the occasion of Lunar New Year 2025

This Tet holiday, many unique cultural activities and traditional festivals will take place throughout the country. Several travel agencies have also noted a significant increase in the trend of tourists traveling to major cities during the Tet holiday.

Traveling during the Lunar New Year holiday, tourists will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in many traditional festivals in various localities. (Illustrative photo: Mai Mai/Vietnam+)

The 9-day Lunar New Year holiday in 2025 is fast approaching. While many localities have prepared numerous unique cultural activities and traditional festivals, travel businesses are noting a surge in travel during the holiday, especially in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Amazing experiences across the country.

The vibrant festive season, filled with cultural activities, traditional folk festivals, and exciting tourism products during the upcoming Lunar New Year, will offer domestic and international tourists the opportunity to experience the unique colors of each region across the country.

In Ho Chi Minh City, Nguyen Hue Flower Street, themed "A Land of Splendor and Harmony in Spring," will be a vibrant space filled with colorful flowers and unique displays from January 27th to February 2nd (from the 28th of the 12th lunar month to the 5th day of Tet). This is a familiar destination that attracts millions of visitors every year.

In particular, District 8 stands out with its "on the docks, under the boats" flower market – a gathering place for unique ornamental plants and fruits transported from the Mekong Delta, Central Vietnam, and even the Northwest. More than just a shopping destination, it's also a cultural spot with activities such as art performances on boats, hands-on experiences making banh tet (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes), and admiring artworks made from flowers and fruits.

Heading down to the Mekong Delta, Can Tho attracts tourists with its Spring Flower Market at Tay Do Square. The space, recreating the Tet (Lunar New Year) atmosphere of the three regions of Vietnam (North, Central, and South), allows visitors to clearly experience the flavor of traditional Vietnamese Tet.

The coastal city of Da Nang promises to offer exciting experiences during the Lunar New Year 2025. (Photo: CTV/Vietnam+)

The coastal city of Da Nang promises to offer exciting experiences during the Lunar New Year 2025 with unique activities such as the Dragon Bridge's fire and water show, or the Han River Bridge's rotating mechanism to connect boats, especially on New Year's Eve.

In addition, many rich cultural and artistic programs, such as "Spring of Love," the Spring Fair, and the Quang Da Tet Food and Culture Festival, will be organized in Da Nang. The series of programs will recreate a vibrant and colorful Tet market with stalls selling specialties, fun activities, exploration of traditional Tet customs, and spring festivals such as "Meeting of a Thousand Colors of Flowers," "Spring Symphony," etc.

With Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) fast approaching, vibrant travel itineraries and meticulous preparations from local authorities and the tourism industry promise to offer visitors unforgettable and meaningful experiences during the Spring Festival.

Equally vibrant, in Hanoi, throughout the 9-day Tet holiday, there will be numerous art performances across the capital city on New Year's Eve, in areas such as Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square, Ba Kieu Temple flower garden, Thong Nhat Park... and other areas depending on the fireworks display locations.

It is known that historical sites and attractions managed by the city also remain open to visitors throughout the Tet holiday, with unique and attractive exhibitions and displays. The outskirts of Hanoi, such as Me Linh, feature vibrant flower festivals; tours to famous flower villages like Hong Van (Thuong Tin), Phu Dong (Gia Lam), Quang Phu Cau incense stick village (Ung Hoa), and Bat Trang pottery village are suggested for those who want to enjoy the Tet atmosphere steeped in traditional flavors and identity.

An artistic light show using 2,024 drones, titled "Hanoi Artistic Light Festival - Brilliant Thang Long," celebrates the New Year 2024. (Photo: Minh Son/Vietnam+)

Notably, during the Tet holiday, Hanoi will host the International Light Festival in Tay Ho District and the "Brilliant Thang Long" program at My Dinh Stadium. These unique activities contribute to creating a colorful, vibrant Tet atmosphere and attract a large number of tourists to experience them.

Not far from Hanoi, just over an hour's drive away, lies Ninh Binh, the ancient capital region famous for its scenic spots such as Trang An, Tam Coc-Bich Dong, and Bai Dinh Pagoda. During the Lunar New Year of 2025, there will be many interesting cultural activities. In particular, the Hoa Lu ancient town will become an attractive destination with the Countdown 2025 music festival, a traditional Spring market, and more.

Traveling northwestern Vietnam this spring, visitors will experience the unique colors of local culture. The Lồng Tông Festival (the Rice Planting Festival) is one of the famous spring festivals of the Tay, Dao, and Nung ethnic groups, taking place on the 8th day of the first lunar month in Lao Cai. The Gầu Tào Festival is also a beautiful tradition of the Mong ethnic group in various localities throughout Lao Cai province. In the vibrant atmosphere of the new spring, the festival is held to pray for children and for a lucky and prosperous new year.

Traditionally, the Gau Tao festival takes place on the 2nd to 4th day of the Lunar New Year. In some places, the Hmong people choose to hold it on the Dragon day to pray for a bountiful harvest, a prosperous and happy life in the new year.

A shaman performs a ritual to pray for peace, health, and a bountiful harvest for the people at the Gau Tao Festival. (Photo: Trong Dat/VNA)

Traveling during Tet (Lunar New Year) is becoming increasingly popular.

The Lunar New Year holiday is often a golden time for relaxing spring getaways steeped in traditional Tet customs. Therefore, holiday tours are becoming a favorite choice for many families, especially overseas Vietnamese returning home for Tet and young people wanting to explore the customs of different regions.

Several travel agencies have indicated that the demand for travel during the 2025 Lunar New Year holiday is expected to increase by approximately 25% compared to the 2024 holiday, especially in major cities like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, primarily targeting groups of 2-3 generation families.

According to statistics, some of the best-selling tours this Tet holiday season are those in the North, exploring Hanoi, Ha Long, Sa Pa, and Ninh Binh; and in the Central region, including Da Nang and Hoi An. Popular international destinations for Vietnamese tourists this Tet include Japan, China, Thailand, and Taiwan (China)...

Notably, according to surveys by online travel platforms Agoda and Booking, Vietnamese tourists are increasingly opting for green tourism that connects with nature and minimizes environmental impact.

Young people tend to travel during the Lunar New Year holiday. (Illustrative image: CTV/Vietnam+)

During the Lunar New Year of 2025 (Year of the Snake), tourists departing from Ho Chi Minh City tended to choose road tours to destinations such as Nha Trang, Phan Thiet, Da Lat, Vung Tau, and Quy Nhon; those departing from Hanoi opted to explore Sa Pa, Ha Long, Ha Giang, and Ninh Binh. Representatives from travel agencies believe that the dominance of road tours during this Tet holiday is partly due to the high airfare and improved highway access.

Seizing the trend, Vietravel is making its mark with a journey that combines sightseeing and exploring local cultural values with its "Springtime Flourishing" tour, featuring over 50 domestic tour products from North to South Vietnam. Vietravel not only offers exciting experiences but also emphasizes the message of preserving and spreading the beauty of Vietnamese Tet (Lunar New Year).

Meanwhile, Saigontourist Travel introduces a series of tours titled "Springtime Exploration of Vietnam," highlighting trips to experience the spring season in the Mekong Delta, Northwest, Northeast, Central, and Central Highlands regions. In particular, the pre-Tet tour packages are attracting many tourists, featuring itineraries to visit the flower villages of Sa Dec (Dong Thap), Cho Lach (Ben Tre), and traditional villages specializing in making banh tet (sticky rice cakes), coconut candy, and Tet jams.

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