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Tet in Mui Ne - Phan Thiet

19.01.06 In Western Countries like the USA, the "holiday season" is over after January 1. Not so in Vietnam. Here the holiday season is extended for another month or more as families prepare for Tet, the lunar new year. Contrary to popular misunderstanding, Tet is not a single-day affair. Traditionally an entire month-long festival is celebrated from the 15th day of the twelfth month to the 15th day of the first month, but the first 3 days of the new year are the most important. The first day of the new year falls on January 29 this year.

In January, Christmas decorations transition to Tet decorations: lights, streamers and signs are displayed all over the city. "Tomorrow Trees" with their golden buds are brought from the hillsides to homes around Town. Restaurants and cafes stay open all night. Flower sellers line the streets of Phan Thiet. It is a beautiful and festive time, and the only time of the year like it.

The best thing of the whole celebration are the night markets. Don't miss it! Neighboring Phan Thiet is the provincial capital and the most important city between Ho Chi Minh and Nha Trang, so the Tet night market is the largest and most extravagant, for a considerable distance. At the Tet market you'll find lots of souvenirs, fruits, flowers, and great foods. Most things are cheapest on the morning of the first day (very early) when there is a massive clearance and the market is finished. Don't wait to buy the special Tet candies and dried fruit, however. Buy this when you first see it as it can sell out a week before the holiday even starts. It is very popular and only available for Tet. Every kind of fruit available is made into the most incredible candies like nothing you've ever experienced.

When venturing into the night markets, leave your valuable back at your hotel. Normally pick-pocketing is unheard of in Phan Thiet and Mui Ne, but people come from all over the province to the Tet markets and robberies are not uncommon for these few days out of the year.

The new year celebration has many religious and superstitious elements, with a variety of national, local and family traditions. Most of these, however, are of little consequence to the average traveler and will go largely unnoticed. So what does it all mean for your travel plans?

Things get busy the week before Tet! Then the first day of the near year things completely shut down and most businesses will be closed until the fourth day. Things don't completely return to their normal pace until about 2 weeks into the new year. Make reservations and reserve your rooms and transportation as advanced as possible if you plan to be in Vietnam during Tet. Mui Ne is a top tourism destination for Ho Chi Minh City residents, and relatives of local families are coming here from all over the world. Many hotels are already booked solid for the next few weeks.

When it comes to the first 3 days of the new year, the best advice is to have a couple good books, CD's and DVD's on hand, and plan to make your own entertainment. Surprisingly, foreign visitors may find this time a little boring. In Vietnam this is family time, and involved a lot of exclusive tradition and ritual. If you are alone in Vietnam during this time, you might find it a little lonely as the streets are empty, shops are closed, and Vietnamese friends stay at home.

The first few days of the new year is a time to be generous. Tip a little more to your waiters and drivers. It is customary to give envelopes full of small bills to children. If you are staying at a hotel or frequent a restaurant and come in contact with their children, you might consider giving one of these gifts. Not only is it consistent with the holiday spirit and it brings joy to the children, but it also will not go unnoticed. You might get better service as a result to.

Please remember orphans during Tet. The babies at the local orphanage are ignored by the community during the holiday season. The staff and children would be greatly appreciative of toys, diapers, candy, cakes, fruit, school supplies, and other gifts. Click here for more information on the local orphanages.

Read More

• Tet News
• Sequence of the Tet Celebration (off-site)