Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) is the only time the country goes quiet. Pick your arrival and departure and we'll show you the day-by-day shutdown severity — what's open, what's dead, what you need to book in advance, and the airport rush days to dodge.
Most travellers discover Tết's impact when they arrive and find their favourite phở shop shuttered, half the motorbike rentals closed, and Grab showing 25-minute waits. The reality is more nuanced: international hotels stay open, big supermarkets stay open, temples stay open, and some restaurants keep running. But small shops, banks, motorbike rentals, and most street food vendors shut for 3–7 days. The calendar below tells you what each day looks like — and what to book in advance (flights, hotels, train tickets, restaurants) vs skip (impromptu street food tours, scooter rentals, market wandering).
The most useful Tết pattern is the 23rd/24th/25th lunar day rule: 23rd is ông Táo (Kitchen Gods return to heaven — full closures), 24th–30th is giao thừa preparation (partial), and mùng 1 (1st of new year) is total closure. Airport rush days are 3 days before and 3 days after Tết.
Pick your arrival and departure. We'll show day-by-day severity and what to book in advance.
First day you arrive in Vietnam.
Day you fly out.
Pick arrival and departure dates to see your Tết calendar.
Book in advance
Skip / don't rely on
Severity levels. None = normal Vietnam. Partial = some shops / banks / motorbike rentals close, restaurants reduce hours. Heavy = many street vendors gone, banks closed, motorbike rental offices shut, Grab drivers thinner. Total = mùng 1 (1st day of new lunar year) — most of the country is at home with family.
The 23rd/24th/25th day rule. The 23rd day of the 12th lunar month is ông Táo (Kitchen Gods return to heaven) — many offices close, fish and votive offerings fly off shelves. The 24th–30th is giao thừa preparation, with increasing closure. The 1st day of the 1st lunar month (mùng 1) is the only day with near-total closure. The 2nd and 3rd days see a slow reopening.
What closes vs stays open. Closes: small shops, banks (often 5–7 days), motorbike rental offices, most street food vendors, government offices, many local restaurants, some Grab drivers. Stays open: international hotels, big supermarkets (Co.opmart, Big C, Vinmart), temples and pagodas (often MORE crowded — see them!), some tourist-area restaurants, airports, hospitals, pharmacies, 7-Eleven.
Airport rush days. The 3 days before and 3 days after Tết see the year's worst airport congestion. Domestic flights book up 4–6 weeks ahead. International flights are 2–3× normal price. If your trip crosses Tết, book transport now.
Flower market timing. The chợ hoa Tết (flower markets) pop up in the days before and run through mùng 1. The biggest are in Hà Nội (Hàng Lược, Quảng Bá), Sài Gòn (Hồ Thị Kỷ, Bến Bình Đông), and Đà Lạt. Mai (apricot blossom, south) and Đào (peach blossom, north) are the iconic flowers.
2026
Feb 17
Year of the Horse
2027
Feb 6
Year of the Goat
2028
Jan 26
Year of the Monkey
2029
Feb 13
Year of the Rooster
2030
Feb 3
Year of the Dog
Both. The cultural experience is unmatched — flower markets, family gatherings, lion dances, fireworks in the major cities, and a country in festival mode. The practical experience is also the worst of the year — closures, transport chaos, surge pricing. If you want Tết as a cultural experience, plan around mùng 1–3 in Hà Nội or HCMC. If you want a normal trip, avoid the 7-day window centred on Tết entirely.
Yes, but book well in advance. Trains and buses run on holiday schedules (often full, sometimes reduced). Domestic flights are 2–3× normal price. The 3 days before and after Tết see the highest ticket prices and lowest availability of the year.
If you're invited to a Vietnamese home during Tết, yes — a small wrapped gift (fruit, wine, sweets) is appreciated. Avoid black or white wrapping (mourning colours). Red, gold, and pink are Tết-appropriate. Don't give knives or clocks (associated with cutting time / ending relationships).
Yes. Tết airport days are the most chaotic of the year — long check-in queues, packed security, 30+ minute waits for taxis. Arrive 3 hours before domestic flights and 4 hours before international. The upside: the airports are decorated, music is playing, and you can buy Tết snacks everywhere.
Tết Shutdown Planner is a Vietnam Compass standalone tool. It exists because "Vietnam is closed during Tết" is half true and half false — knowing which half applies to your dates saves a ruined trip. The calendar runs in your browser; nothing is sent anywhere.
Limitations. Severity is approximate. Cities reopen faster than rural areas; tourist zones stay more open than back-streets. Use the calendar as a starting framework.
Data collection. None. This tool is a single HTML file. The calendar runs entirely in your browser — no inputs are sent to any server, logged, or stored.
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For reference only. All content — Tết dates, severity, closures — is for general informational purposes and is not travel-agency advice. Local practice varies; confirm with your hotel before relying on the calendar.
Lunar calendar shifts. Tết dates are lunar and may be adjusted by the government; always confirm the exact dates with the Vietnam Government Portal for your travel year.
No liability. Vietnam Compass is not responsible for missed bookings, closed venues, or transport chaos arising from use of this tool.
Last updated: 2026-10-07.