Celebrating the Lunar New Year with the people of Hoa Bac
These days, the atmosphere at the home of Ms. Huynh Thi Xuan, in Hamlet 2, Nam Yen Village, Hai Van Ward (formerly Hoa Bac Commune), is bustling with anticipation for family reunions. Every year, during the traditional Lunar New Year, her family celebrates the holiday while also welcoming distinguished guests. These special guests come from all over the world , seeking to join the people of Hoa Bac in celebrating the spring festival and experiencing the unique cultural traditions of the new year.
This year, Ms. Xuan's family will hold their year-end ancestral worship ceremony on the 27th day of the lunar calendar. This is also the time when the Hoa Bac Ecological Agriculture and Community Tourism Cooperative begins welcoming groups of visitors participating in the "Community Spring - Tet Together 2026" journey. Therefore, the year-end meal at her house will be even more joyful with the addition of new family members.
“This special spring outing is for those who wish to celebrate Tet in a close, simple way, connecting with each other through ancient cultural values, lush green nature, and the authentic local way of life. It is an invitation to start the new year with peace, sharing, and sustainability, creating a warm Tet atmosphere where villagers and tourists can slow down, gather together, and welcome the new year,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, Deputy Director of Hoa Bac Ecological Agriculture and Community Tourism Cooperative.
From February 14th to 18th, 2026 (corresponding to the afternoon of the 27th of the lunar month to the 2nd day of Tet), the cooperative members will welcome guests to celebrate the Lunar New Year through simple yet meaningful experiences, blending tradition with the rhythm of rural life. Waking up early in the peaceful morning, visitors will join the villagers for a simple breakfast made from local produce, then roll up their sleeves to clean the house and decorate for Tet.
Next come heartwarming moments by the fire, wrapping banh chung and banh tet (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes), lighting the stove to cook them, and chatting animatedly about old stories and the rich flavors of Tet in the countryside while watching the cakes cook. Guests can also learn how to make crispy sesame brittle, fragrant rice cakes, or even try their hand at making various kinds of bean jam from abundant local ingredients.
In the afternoons leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), the tour guides visitors through lush green rice fields, visits bustling Tet markets filled with laughter and fragrant stalls, or participates in bicycle or walking tours to experience the slow pace of rural life. They can reconnect with the river of their childhood, relax, and gently connect with nature and the earth.
Ms. Huynh Thi Xuan shared: “In our garden, the lush green vegetable beds are ready to welcome guests on New Year's Eve, and with a few savory dishes, it's enough for everyone to gather together. There's no need for a lavish feast; it's the traditional culture and beautiful customs of our village that guests will cherish and remember.”
Friends from afar, especially international visitors, also love the vibrant and sacred atmosphere of New Year's Eve, the community-building activities of the spring season such as visiting ancestral graves, wishing neighbors a Happy New Year, and fully experiencing the spirit of Tet in the countryside of Da Nang - where human relationships are always warm and close like one big family.
“With the mindset of welcoming family members home, Hoa Bac's 'Community Spring - Tet Together' program unfolded very naturally and gently. All the activities were things the villagers traditionally do during Tet. Instead of each family making their own cakes and jams, we gathered together, worked together, chatted, and welcomed guests. The more people, the merrier, and traditional values were preserved through these moments,” Ms. Lan Anh expressed.
Preserving the traditional Tet (Lunar New Year) culture of the village.
The Hoa Bac Community Ecological Agriculture and Tourism Cooperative has consistently maintained its activities of welcoming visitors during the Lunar New Year for the past four years. Each year, the program is renewed, gradually becoming more refined, professional, and well-organized, transforming it into an attractive and culturally rich spring destination in the city.
Ms. Lan Anh said: “Through previous events, we have noticed that both locals and tourists are very enthusiastic. Many returning customers recommend the program to their relatives and friends, even registering and inquiring early to encourage the cooperative to continue the spring program. They also wish for the program to last longer and include more activities so they can truly immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the traditional Tet holiday. Therefore, this year the cooperative decided to build a well-structured program and prepare thoroughly so that more tourists have the opportunity to experience it.”
According to Ms. Do Thi Huyen Tram, Director of Hoa Bac Ecological Agriculture and Community Tourism Cooperative, the "Tet Together" program not only creates opportunities for tourists to participate in celebrating the Lunar New Year, but also provides an environment for local people to revive beautiful customs that are gradually fading away in modern life.
“The activities are not staged, but are based entirely on the real rhythm of community life, especially the traditional customs of Tet. We want the Tet holiday for the people to be truly complete, fulfilling, and warm, just like Tet of the past. When the people are joyful, visitors will also be able to share in that joy,” Ms. Tram shared.
Source: https://baodanang.vn/tet-ve-ben-nhau-3323990.html
