What Tet actually is
Tet is the Vietnamese name for the Lunar New Year, and it is the single biggest event in the Vietnamese calendar. It marks the start of the lunar year, and in 2027 it falls on 17 February, bringing in the Year of the Goat.
The official public holiday is usually five days, but the rhythm of the country changes for longer. In the week before Tet, cities empty as people travel to their home provinces. In the week after, many businesses stay shut while families celebrate. By roughly the second week of the holiday period, things begin to reopen, but some smaller places take longer.
If you are planning a trip that overlaps with Tet, the useful question is not "what is closed on 17 February" but "what is closed across the whole period from about 12 February to 22 February 2027".
Tet 2027 key dates at a glance
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Early February 2027 | Pre-Tet travel rush begins; domestic flights and trains fill up |
| 16 February 2027 (Tet Eve) | Many businesses close early; family gatherings begin |
| 17 February 2027 | Lunar New Year's Day — Year of the Goat |
| 17–21 February 2027 | Official public holiday (approx. five days) |
| Late February 2027 | Most tourist-facing businesses reopen; some local shops stay shut longer |
Exact public holiday dates are confirmed by the Vietnamese government each year. Check the official announcement closer to the time if your plans depend on a specific date.
What closes, and what stays open
Tet is not a nationwide shutdown, but it is a nationwide slowdown. Here is the practical split:
Usually closed or reduced:
- Small local restaurants, street food stalls and family-run shops
- Some museums, temples and smaller attractions
- Banks and government offices
- Many local markets (though some stay open for holiday shoppers)
Usually open:
- Hotels, resorts and most accommodation
- Restaurants in tourist areas and larger cities
- Convenience stores and supermarkets (with reduced hours)
- Transport hubs — airports, major train stations and long-distance buses
In tourist-heavy places like Hanoi's Old Quarter, Ho Chi Minh City's District 1, Hoi An and Nha Trang, you will find more open than you might expect. In smaller towns and rural areas, expect much more to be shut.
Transport: book early or change your dates
Tet is the busiest travel period in Vietnam. Millions of people move between cities in the days before and after, and the transport network feels it.
- Domestic flights between Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc sell out weeks in advance. Prices spike.
- Trains, including the Reunification Express, fill up early. Sleeper berths are the first to go.
- Buses run, but schedules are often reduced or rearranged around the holiday.
- Local transport in cities is easier than usual because so many residents have left — but some drivers also take the holiday off.
If your trip involves internal travel in February 2027, book flights and trains as soon as your dates are fixed. If you are flexible, travelling after the holiday week is calmer and cheaper.
Accommodation and prices
Hotels stay open through Tet, but two things change:
- Prices rise in popular destinations, especially beach resorts and city hotels.
- Availability tightens for the best rooms, particularly in Hoi An, Da Nang and Phu Quoc.
Booking well ahead is the simple answer. If you are still deciding where to base yourself, our guides to staying connected in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City cover the practical side of each city.
What Tet looks like if you are there
Tet is a family holiday first. Many of the public celebrations — flower markets, fireworks, decorated streets — are genuinely worth seeing, and tourists are welcome to enjoy them. But it is not a party holiday in the Western sense, and some businesses that tourists rely on will be shut.
The atmosphere varies by place. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have the biggest public events. Smaller towns and beach destinations are quieter, sometimes almost empty.
If you want the full Tet experience, base yourself in a city. If you want a quiet beach, Tet can work in your favour — as long as you have confirmed that your hotel's restaurant and nearby services are open.
Staying connected during Tet
Two connectivity points matter during the holiday:
- Mobile networks keep running. Vietnam's carriers do not shut down for Tet. If you arrive with an eSIM already installed, you will have data from the moment you land.
- Physical SIM counters may have reduced hours. Airport SIM desks and city phone shops can close or run shorter days around the holiday. An eSIM avoids that problem entirely — see our guide to Vietnam eSIM activation for how to install before you fly.
If you are arriving at Tan Son Nhat or Noi Bai during the Tet period, our airport guides cover what to expect: Tan Son Nhat Airport SIM card and Noi Bai Airport SIM card.
A simple Tet planning checklist
- Confirm your travel dates against the Tet period (roughly 12–22 February 2027)
- Book domestic flights and trains as early as possible
- Check that your hotel restaurant or nearby dining is open
- Install your eSIM before you fly, so arrival is not dependent on a SIM counter
- Carry some cash — smaller shops that do open may not take cards
- Expect some attractions and restaurants to be shut, and plan alternatives
Should you avoid Tet altogether?
Not necessarily. Tet is a real cultural event and travelling during it can be memorable. But it is not the easiest time to wing it. If your priority is convenience — everything open, easy transport, normal prices — travel in late January or from late February onwards.
If your priority is seeing Vietnam at its most Vietnamese, Tet is worth planning around rather than avoiding. Just go in with accurate expectations and bookings already made.