Tet Holiday Vietnam 2025: Celebrating Lunar New Year in Hoi An

Tet is Vietnam’s most significant and anticipated public holiday, a time when families reunite and the whole country celebrates the arrival of the Lunar New Year. If you’re visiting Vietnam from February 17th to 21st, 2025, you’re in for a treat. The celebrations in Hoi An, including cultural performances, vibrant street scenes, and festive food, make this one of the best times of year to experience the essence of Vietnamese culture.

What is the Tet Holiday in Vietnam?

Tet, or Tết Nguyên Đán, is the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, a festival steeped in centuries of tradition and cultural significance. It’s a time when families come together to honor ancestors, share meals, and embrace the coming year with optimism. The holiday marks the arrival of spring and is the most important occasion in the Vietnamese calendar.

Tet is not only about celebrating the start of a new year, but also about ensuring prosperity, happiness, and good fortune for the year ahead. It is deeply rooted in Vietnamese customs and beliefs, focusing on family, gratitude, and honoring both the living and the deceased. The celebration is filled with customs such as cleaning the home to sweep away bad luck, offering food to ancestors, and decorating with flowers, especially peach blossoms and kumquat trees, which symbolize luck and prosperity.

Tet Traditions and Why Families Come Together

Tet is traditionally a time for Vietnamese families to reunite, with many people traveling back to their hometowns to be with their loved ones. It is considered an essential occasion to show respect to one’s elders, honor ancestors, and clear any debts, ensuring a fresh start for the new year. The festivities are marked by rituals that span several days, with a focus on family, food, and traditions passed down through generations.

Key Tet traditions include:

• Ancestor Worship: Families create altars in their homes to honor their ancestors, offering food and incense as a way of showing respect and seeking blessings for the coming year.
• New Year’s Eve Feast: The night before Tet (often referred to as “Giao Thừa”) is a time for family members to gather around a large meal. It is believed that the first person to enter the home after midnight on New Year’s Eve will bring good or bad luck, so many families ensure that the first visitor is someone fortunate or lucky.
• The Zodiac Animal: Each year in the 12-year Vietnamese zodiac is associated with an animal, and the cycle plays an important role in Tet. In 2025, Tet will usher in the Year of the Wood Snake, bringing themes of wisdom, adaptability, and transformation.

When is Tet in 2025?

In 2025, Tet will begin on 29 January, marking the first day of the Lunar New Year. While the official holiday lasts for several days, celebrations in Hoi An and across the country often extend well beyond the initial days of the festival. The festivities reach their peak during this week with fireworks, dragon dances, and street festivals in full swing.

What to Expect in Hoi An During Tet

Hoi An is one of the most magical places to be during Tet. The town is decked out in vibrant red and gold, and the streets are filled with the scent of incense, flowers, and delicious Tet food. Many businesses close during Tet so their teams can be with family, but there are still plenty of activities to enjoy:

• Lantern Displays: Hoi An’s famous lantern-lit streets become even more mesmerizing during Tet, as lanterns are hung everywhere, symbolizing good luck and prosperity.
• Cultural Performances: Traditional dances, music, and dragon parades are common sights, offering an immersive experience into the heart of Tet celebrations.
• Tet Markets: Local markets come alive with flowers, fruits, and foods traditionally consumed during Tet. It’s a great opportunity to explore the local culture and take part in the festivities.

For more tips on what to do during Tet in Hoi An, check out our guide on visiting Hoi An during the Tet holiday here.

Tet 2025: A Time for Reflection and Renewal

As Vietnam celebrates the Tet holiday, it’s a time of reflection, renewal, and spending quality time with loved ones. Families take the opportunity to reconnect, share stories, and wish each other health, happiness, and prosperity for the year ahead. It is also a moment of spiritual renewal, with many attending temples to pray for blessings in the new year.

Our Closure for Tet 2025

At Shore Club, we understand the importance of family during Tet. In 2025, we’ll be closed from xx to allow our team to celebrate and spend this special time with their loved ones. We encourage you to visit our sister restaurant, The DeckHouse, where you can enjoy delicious meals and celebrate the holiday by the beach.

Why Tet is a Unique Time to Visit Vietnam

Tet is more than just a holiday; it’s an experience that offers insight into the heart and soul of Vietnamese culture. It’s a time to witness centuries-old traditions, participate in festive activities, and connect with the warmth and hospitality of the Vietnamese people. If you have the opportunity to be in Vietnam during Tet, don’t miss out on the chance to immerse yourself in the celebrations. Whether you’re exploring the lantern-lit streets of Hoi An or enjoying a festive meal with locals, Tet in Vietnam is a celebration you’ll never forget.

Join the Tet Celebrations in Vietnam

Tet is celebrated throughout Vietnam, across all of the country’s ethnic groups. The festival is intrinsically linked to many social, religious and cultural beliefs in Vietnam, including looking after one’s ancestors in the afterlife, the importance of the group over the individual, and respect for all living things.

The beginning of every Tet year is also related to a zodiac animal, which occur in 12 year cycles. 

Happy Lunar New Year from all of us at Shore Club Vietnam!

Originally published on Jan 16, 2020 / Updated 17 January 2025