Enjoying Tet holiday in Hoi An

Tet holiday in Hoi An offers an unforgettable blend of tradition, warmth, and festivity. This special time of year invites locals and visitors to embrace the ancient customs, lively celebrations, and the communal spirit that make Tet in Hoi An truly unique. Vietnamese Tet is a holiday for family gatherings, cultural rituals, and the welcoming of spring—a fresh start filled with positivity and reflection. 

“Three days of Tet holiday, seven days of spring”

With a vacation in Hoi An on Tet holiday, you will not feel alone during the first few days of the new year as the thoughtfulness of Hoi An ancient town naturally embraces you. On Tet holiday, come to Hoi An ancient town to walk along the streets, which ‘curves as a bow curves’, and feel both the aroma and smoke of fragrant incenses on your shirt. In the lanes, where the exchange of Heaven and Earth is carried out in much the same manner as that of a gathering of unintelligible pubescent girls, are mysteries that lie in the morning fog and playing winds.

Bumping into the host of local people in Hoi An, you will agree that whatever you are doing and wherever you are going in life, everyone gathers together on Tet holiday. Therefore, “coming back home on Tet holiday” is not an unusual concept but an annual pilgrimage to each person’s original point, where each soul is pampered and rooted within the life source.

Tourists visit pagodas during Tet in Hoi An

Everything is new and bright. Hoi An locals eagerly prepare for Tet, decorating their homes with apricot flowers, which reflect a beautiful spring. When heaven and earth meet, all pagodas and communal houses in Hoi An ring their bells to welcome a new year, echoing a sacred connection between people and the universe.

Hoi An lights up lanterns during Tet

Traditions and Celebrations During Tet Holiday in Hoi An

Sacred Rituals and Cultural Symbolism

Tet holiday is filled with spiritual traditions, with three days of Tet followed by seven days of spring celebrations. In Hoi An, families carefully prepare their homes and set up ancestral altars adorned with offerings. Fragrant incense burns in each household, filling the streets with a warm and earthy scent that symbolizes connection with ancestors. The sound of ringing bells resonates throughout the city’s temples as the new year begins, marking a moment of boundless connectivity between all souls.

Festive Activities with Family and Friends

“Normally, on the morning of the first day, in the lunar month, descendants give their grandparents and parents lucky money. On the second day, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law will wish their parents-in-law a happy new year. On the third day, everyone will visit relatives and join in many fabulous activities such as singing traditional folk songs, cock-fighting or playing human chess around the streets,” shared Mr. Nguyen Phuong, 87, a resident of Minh An ward.

Traditional New Year’s Day rituals in Hoi An

In the afternoon of January 3^rd in the lunar month, every family cooks a meal to “say farewell” to their ancestors. However, the repercussion of the Tet holiday still lingers in the air, as dictated by the saying that “three days of Tet holiday is seven days of spring”. Even up until the 15^th of January in the lunar month, parties sweltering with the warm atmosphere of families in the villages and streets do not end.

Read more: Calligraphy Vietnam: Essential custom of Tet

Tet in Hoi An’s Chinese Community

Special Dishes and Traditional Foods

The Chinese community in Hoi An also cooks many strange dishes such as Phac Xoi, Yangzhou rice, Fujian fried vermicelli, floating sweet cake, steamed fish and roasted meat to wish for good luck in the new year. In particular, Yangzhou rice is a Tet specialty that represents abundance, happiness, and good fortune for the new year.

Unique Festivities at Communal Houses

During Tet, Hoi An’s Chinese communal houses (e.g., Fujian, Heinan, Guangdong) become lively centers of tradition. Here, locals and visitors can witness offerings of roasted pork and traditional apricot blossom picking. Sacred dog dances, organized to invite prosperity, are another fascinating display of cultural unity and belief in good fortune for the year ahead.

“There are five Chinese communities with their own communal houses. On the third day of January, lunar month, they gather at their communal houses to worship their ancestors, meet other members, share their difficulties and organize games for both children and adults,” said Mr. Tong Quoc Hung, the deputy manager of Hoi An Culture and Information Department.

Cantonese Assembly Hall, Hoi An

Hoi An people consider all Chinese communal houses to be pagodas. It may have resulted from the traditional customs of visiting pagodas on the first days of the new year. Everyone here prays for a peaceful and happy life. Therefore, on the first day of January in the lunar month, thousands of local people flock to ancient pagodas such as Chuc Thanh, Van Duc, Phuoc Lam or Phap Bao.

Must-See Festivals in Hoi An During Tet Holiday

On Tet holiday, Hoi An often organizes many different festivals. Here are some of the most popular events: 

• Tra Que Vegetable Village Procession: This colorful event celebrates the agricultural history of the area, showcasing local produce and honoring the farmers who sustain the community.
• Thanh Ha Pottery Competition: A unique display of craftsmanship, this competition lets participants and onlookers alike experience the art of pottery-making, a skill cherished in the community for centuries.
• Ba trao Folk Songs: These folk songs are performed around the streets of Hoi An, offering locals and visitors a rare glimpse into the musical heritage of the region.

Experience Tet Holiday With Locals and Homestays

If you would like to celebrate Tet holiday with the local people, book a 3 day 4 night tour called “Greeting the Tet holiday with Hoi An’s people” held by Vuon Trau – Cam Chau Homestay annually. In the lush green betel and areca garden, candles that light up the garden will take guests to the fairy tale story, “The Origin of Betel and Areca” to educate guests on the origin of consuming Betel and Areca and to prepare guests to try betel quid for themselves.

During this tour, guests don traditional Vietnamese clothing, join pagoda visits to burn incense, and participate in festive activities with local families. Last year, the Schafers from Switzerland shared their experience in the homestay’s guestbook: “After staying in Vuon Trau, we enjoyed a warm vacation with many emotional fairy tales. In particular, we had a chance to experience the strange lifestyle of a Hoi An resident during the traditional Tet holiday of Hoi An’s people”.

Dos and Don’ts During Tet Holiday in Hoi An

Dos

• Be respectful of local customs by using positive language and wishing others well.
• Visit pagodas and temples to make offerings and experience the sacred traditions of Tet.
• Dress appropriately and remember that Tet is a time of reverence and positive energy.

Don’ts

• Avoid sweeping the house or using negative language, as this is thought to sweep away good luck.
• Do not ask for fire or argue, as these actions are considered unlucky.
• Avoid visiting other homes until the “first caller” tradition has been observed, respecting the order of family visits.

Mr. Phan Dinh Tuyen in Ngoc Thanh village, Cam Pho said: “Adults often remind children to not cry, jostle each other or say bad words on Tet holiday”. In addition, Hoi An’s people also refrain from traveling in the new year. Therefore, they often base their decision to travel on the year they were born, to choose the day and hour as well as the direction for traveling in the new year.

Read more: Tet Holiday – Traditional Dishes and Customs of the Vietnamese