4 weeks in Vietnam during Tet. Suggestions/recommendation? – Vietnam Forum

10 thoughts on “4 weeks in Vietnam during Tet. Suggestions/recommendation? – Vietnam Forum”

1. 

   Post Author Christelle H says:

   Thanks Simon for taking the time to share your experience.

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   22 hours ago at

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2. 

   Active Member SimonPedal says:

   You can see where is going to be busy during Tet by looking at prices on the booking sites both during that period and a couple of weeks later for comparison.

   I was in Vietnam for Tet last year and I have been a couple of times before. Things have changed since covid with much more mobility, particularly amongst the young so place will fill up after the main days.

   In the locals’ favoured areas you will find that hotels the day before TET and one or 2 days afterwards are normal price and virtually empty. However, after that is when the prices really rise.

   What I saw last year was places like the NhaTrang and DaNang hardly changed their prices from normal because Westerners still went and they weren’t full of locals. Saigon prices also stable.

   I was near, then in, Vung Tau where the price really escalated. It is easy reach of Saigon.

   I don’t think the big cities are completely shut down. You’ll find small restaurants and shops open. Places that tend to close were supermarkets, chain shops but even supermarkets open after a couple of days.

   I suppose people who could afford to close closed, many small traders can’t and need to work as many days as possible. In Long Hai a beach place near Vung Tau I stocked up with food expecting a ghost town. No need as although few, there were enough places open to get food and drink. I was surprised and overstocked!

   Not sure I’d go along with your idea of a small village and hide away. I’d rather be somewhere big where I know I’m going to get food and services and they’ll be other stuff around. You could end up being very isolated and very restricted.

   No idea about TamCoc I would have thought it wasn’t a bad choice as lots of foreigners unless it’s somewhere that the locals flock to in which case it’s a very very bad choice in my opinion. It’ll become motorbike central with all the kids out on their motorbikes bikes. Much like Vung Tau last year.

   Anyway, up to you.

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   2 days ago at

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3. 

   Post Author Christelle H says:

   Good points! Thank you.

   After much reading on the subject, it looks like finding a small town close to nature and enjoying bike rides and hikes might be our best bet. And packing lots of snacks! 😉

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   2 days ago at

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4. 

   Travel Expert Michael P says:

   The other thing about Tet is that after city folks have done a few days of eating and drinking, they will pack up their family and friends and go somewhere.

   So, popular tourism destinations will be packed, and the price of accommodations can increase significantly.

   I would expect Ninh Binh (Tam Coc) to be very busy at some point during the 9-day holiday period.

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   2 days ago at

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5. 

   worldcitizen1961 says:

   ” We would love spending time with the locals in a more authentic way if possible.”

   Not really sure what’s it that you are looking for or expecting?

   Tet in Vietnam is very much a big occasion for a family reunion which is the reason why so many people travel to their home villages and the bigger cities look abandoned.

   The most important thing is staying together with the family, eating and drinking, the men like gambling , and meeting neighbors and friends.

   For someone without a Vietnamese family or friend it’s interesting to experience the atmosphere but there’s not that much ” common” activity outside of the homes apart from some cultural events and maybe a fireworks.

   I always found the week before Tet more interesting than the Tet week itself, because that’s the time when people are very busy to buy home decoration and gifts and prepare their homes and streets for the festival.

   Just my personal opinion and experience which might of course be different from others……

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   2 days ago at

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6. 

   Post Author Christelle H says:

   Thank you Rayza for your input. You are right, there is one night missing: Feb 11-12. I left it flexible as I’m not sure if we should stay 1 more night in Hoi An (4 nights instead of 3) or in Hué (3 nights instead of 2). I thought we could decide once in Hoi An.

   I’m still struggling with the Tet week. We do not want to be trapped in a city with everything closed but we’re not sure if a rural area (Phong Nha? Binh Ninh?) would be better. We would love spending time with the locals in a more authentic way if possible. We want Tet festival to be a positive experience. Thanks

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   2 days ago at

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7. 

   rayza says:

   Hi Christelle,

   You’ve listed 16 nights starting 30th January. I can’t line up the itinerary with “leave Phong Nha” on the 16th February. Nights 15 and 16 in Phong Nha will be the 13-14th February, then leaving for Tam Coc on the 15th February.

   Saigon 3 nights Jan 30-Feb 1

   Mekong 4 nights. Feb 2-5

   Da Nang 2 nights Feb 6-7

   Hoi An 3 nights Feb 8-10

   Hué 2 nights. Feb 11-12

   Phong Nha 2 nights Feb 13-14

   I would check accommodation bookings are aligned.

   Regards

   rayza

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   2 days ago at

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8. 

   Post Author Christelle H says:

   Thanks StingRay for the Bus advice. We’re used to buses in other part of the world and they seem to be conveniently everywhere in Vietnam, but I understand it’s an issue in Vietnam. We’ll look into trains definitively.

   And Thanks 69bertie, we’ll make reservations in advance.

   Anybody else has been in or around Tam Coc during Tet? It would be a treat to experience the festivities with the locals. Thanks.

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   2 days ago at

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9. 

   69bertie says:

   While Tet is important to the Vietnamese, you leaving Phong Nha takes place on Tet eve, which is usually very busy. A lot of people go out. I have never been up that neck of the woods around Tet so wouldn’t know how busy things get (or otherwise) but do make sure your transportation is secured for at least the week before. The days leading up to Tet is the greatest mass movement of people in Vietnam. Things get very hectic. Same with after Tet. Roads tend to get very congested leading back to the main cities.

   Fwiw, I have been in HCMC 5 times during Tet. HCMC tends to be gridlocked Tet eve and yet come the start of the Tet holidays, it is like a ghost city. Things do tend to liven up in the evening. Once the city was closed for 3-4 days after Tet eve but over recent years more and more businesses have tended to open earlier but it isn’t business as usual, by far.

   And yes, people in the South tend to start returning to their homelands up North. But certainly make sure the transportation is sorted. Hotels and the like tend to have fewer staff.

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   2 days ago at

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10. 

    StingRay says:

    Not been during Tet. But from what l understand is, large cities, many locals leave and go back to their family homes. So many places close down. I did see a video of HCMC and it looked like a ghost town, in local areas. I would like to see that, seems quite eerie. It was not just for 1 day either, seem to last 4-5 days.

    So l think your plan is sound.

    Buses, not sure they are the best, can be scary at times. Consider the trains as well.

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    2 days ago at

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