Vietnam Travel Guide: Public Holidays to Know
Overview
Planning your trip around Vietnam travel requires an understanding of the country's public holiday schedule, as national celebrations dramatically shift local dynamics, transport availability, and sightseeing experiences. Under the current Labor Code of Vietnam, workers are officially entitled to 11 public holidays per year, spanning major cultural and historical events such as the Lunar New Year (Tet), Hung Kings Commemoration Day, Reunification Day, International Workers' Day, and National Day. Navigating these nationwide breaks successfully depends on your travel style: visiting during holidays offers unprecedented access to traditional customs, vibrant festive decorations, and spirited local energy, whereas traveling during non-holiday periods provides smoother transit, lower accommodation rates, and calmer sightseeing.
Vietnam's Public Holidays: What Travelers Should Know
Vietnam is a fascinating destination throughout the year, but its public holidays offer an especially interesting glimpse into the country's culture and history. From Lunar New Year (Tet) to National Day and the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day, understanding Vietnam's 12 annual paid public holidays will help you choose the right time to explore the country.
International New Year’s Day
Date: January 1st
Official Off-Days: 1 day (if falling on a weekend, an adjacent weekday is given off in lieu).
Historical & Cultural Context: While traditional lunar customs dominate Vietnamese culture, International New Year’s Day has become an enthusiastic, modern celebration across the country’s urban centers. Adopted during the 20th century as Vietnam integrated into global trade and international diplomacy, January 1st represents a fresh calendar start, widely celebrated by younger generations and city dwellers.
Celebrations & Regulations: Offices, banks, government institutions, and schools close for the day. Commercial businesses, shopping malls, restaurants, and tour operations in major cities remain fully open. On New Year’s Eve (December 31st), major metropolises like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang host grand countdown events, live music concerts, and spectacular midnight firework displays near iconic landmarks such as Hoan Kiem Lake and the Saigon Riverfront.
Tet Holiday / Lunar New Year
Date: Late January to mid-February (varies yearly based on the Lunar Calendar).
Official Off-Days: 5 official working days (typically extended to 7–9 consecutive days including weekends and compensatory days off).
Historical & Cultural Context: Tet is indisputably the most sacred, grandest, and most deeply cherished festival in Vietnam. Rooted in ancient agricultural traditions, Tet marks the arrival of spring, a time of rebirth, spiritual renewal, and family reunion. Historically, farmers expressed gratitude to deities and ancestors for the past year's harvest while praying for peace and prosperity in the coming year. Families gather to clean their ancestral homes, pay respects at family altars, and share traditional dishes like Bánh Chưng (square sticky rice cake in the North) and Bánh Tét (cylindrical sticky rice cake in the South).
Celebrations & Regulations: Tet is a comprehensive national shutdown. All public institutions, corporate offices, local markets, factories, and many private businesses close for several days. Streets in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City transform overnight from bustling highways into serene, virtually empty avenues as millions of residents return to their ancestral hometowns. Homes and streets are adorned with blooming peach blossoms (hoa đào) in the North, golden ochna flowers (hoa mai) in the South, and kumquat trees nationwide. For travelers, transportation (flights, trains, intercity buses) sells out months in advance, and prices spike significantly. While major international hotels and tourist-oriented establishments remain open, many local eateries close for the first 3 to 5 days of the lunar year.
Hung Kings Commemoration Day
Date: 10th day of the 3rd Lunar Month (usually falling in April).
Official Off-Days: 1 day.
Historical & Cultural Context: Recognized as a national public holiday since 2007 and inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, this day honors the legendary Hung Kings, the founding fathers of the ancient nation of Van Lang (early Vietnam). The holiday embodies the deeply held Vietnamese cultural ethic of Uống nước nhớ nguồn ("When drinking water, remember the source"), reinforcing national unity and ancestral pride across generations.
Celebrations & Regulations: The epicenter of festivities takes place at the Hung Temple Historical Relic Area in Phu Tho Province, where millions of pilgrims gather to participate in solemn incense-offering ceremonies, traditional palanquin processions, bronze drum performances, and folk games like rice-cooking competitions and dragon dances. Across the nation, public sector offices close, while commercial markets operate as normal. Local domestic travel picks up noticeably during this break.
Reunification Day
Date: April 30th
Official Off-Days: 1 day.
Historical & Cultural Context: April 30, 1975, marks the end of the Vietnam War (known locally as the Resistance War Against America) and the historic reunification of North and South Vietnam. The fall of the Saigon regime on this day signaled the restoration of national sovereignty and peace after decades of conflict, establishing a crucial milestone in modern Vietnamese history.
Celebrations & Regulations: Reunification Day is commemorated with profound patriotism. Red national flags featuring the central yellow star hang proudly from every street corner, storefront, and private balcony. State-sponsored parades, historical exhibitions, artistic performances, and evening firework displays are organized in major cities, particularly in Ho Chi Minh City around the Independence Palace and Nguyen Hue Walking Street. State offices and educational facilities close down.
International Workers’ Day
Date: May 1st
Official Off-Days: 1 day.
Historical & Cultural Context: Following Reunification Day on April 30th, May 1st celebrates the global labor movement and the contributions of the working class to national development and socio-economic progress.
Celebrations & Regulations: Because April 30th and May 1st occur back-to-back, they form a combined multi-day public holiday (often spanning 4 to 5 days when bridging a weekend). This period represents the official kick-off of the domestic summer holiday season. Offices, banks, and public institutions close. Domestic travel surges dramatically as families take advantage of the extended break to visit coastal resorts and highland retreats.
National Day
Date: September 2nd
Official Off-Days: 2 days (September 2nd and either September 1st or September 3rd, depending on the calendar year).
Historical & Cultural Context: On September 2, 1945, at Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi, President Ho Chi Minh solemnly read the Declaration of Independence, officially founding the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam). This historic event liberated the nation from colonial rule and established modern Vietnamese statehood.
Celebrations & Regulations: National Day is celebrated with widespread pride and enthusiasm. Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi hosts solemn flag-raising ceremonies, state speeches, and on major anniversary milestones, grand military parades. Streets across the country are decorated with red banners, propaganda posters, and festive lighting. The two-day official break creates a popular long weekend for domestic leisure travel. Public administration services are suspended, while tourist facilities operate at maximum capacity.
Vietnamese Culture Day
Date: November 24
Official Off-Days: 1 days
Historical & Cultural Context: This date commemorates the first National Cultural Conference held on November 24, 1946, which was chaired by President Ho Chi Minh. It highlights the role of national identity, heritage preservation, and arts in modern Vietnamese society.
Celebrations & Regulations: Cultural activities are organized throughout the various regions of Vietnam, each reflecting its own distinct regional characteristics. Many major events feature free or discounted admission to public attractions, alongside ticketed performances. A number of these events take place in public cultural spaces, such as around Hoan Kiem Lake or within the ancient capital of Hue.
Travel tips for Vietnam holidays
Visiting Vietnam during its public holidays is a great way to experience the country’s traditions and customs. Vietnam public holidays will give you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the local culture and gain a deeper understanding of the country. However, visiting Vietnam during holiday periods comes with its own set of pros and cons. You should be well-informed about these advantages and disadvantages so that you can make the best decision for your own trip.
On the positive side, visiting during these festive periods opens a window to unrivaled cultural immersion, where travelers can witness authentic family traditions, vibrant ceremonial parades, traditional dragon dances, and streets decked out in vivid national decorations. Major metropolises transform into energetic hubs featuring free public concerts, cultural stage performances, and breathtaking fireworks displays that are entirely absent during standard travel months. Furthermore, exploring urban powerhouses like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City during the first few days of Tet reveals a rare, peaceful urban serenity—a peaceful, virtually traffic-free side of these normally bustling cities that creates once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunities and a serene atmosphere few tourists ever witness.
However, these cultural highlights come with notable logistical drawbacks that require careful planning. Peak demand drives surging costs for domestic flights, express trains, intercity sleeper buses, and hotel accommodations, with prices often spiking significantly above standard rates. Major holiday hotspots—especially popular coastal retreats like Da Nang and mountain destinations like Sapa—become heavily congested with holidaymakers, leading to long queues and crowded attractions. Additionally, traveling during the Lunar New Year brings widespread service suspensions, as local family-run eateries, street stalls, traditional markets, and even museums close down for several days so staff can celebrate with their families, temporarily limiting your dining, shopping, and sightseeing choices.
Where to go on Vietnam's public holidays?
Selecting the right destination based on the specific holiday window can turn potential travel hurdles into an unforgettable itinerary. If you are traveling during Tet (Lunar New Year), Hoi An Ancient Town stands out as one of the finest spots in the country. The UNESCO-listed town comes alive with thousands of glowing silk lanterns, vibrant folk games along the Hoai River, and intimate ancestral house visits—all while many tourist-facing establishments remain open to serve visitors. Alternatively, exploring Hanoi right before or during Tet offers a mesmerizing sensory experience: sprawling flower markets around West Lake overflow with pink peach blossoms and golden kumquat trees, paving the way for calm, reflective walks around Hoan Kiem Lake on New Year's Day.
For the multi-day national breaks during the April 30 – May 1 and September 2 long weekends, coastal and cultural duos take center stage. Da Nang and neighboring Hue deliver a seamless mix of modern luxury and ancient heritage, blending pristine beaches and international firework shows with majestic imperial citadels and quiet royal tombs. Tropical paradises like Nha Trang and Phu Quoc Island are also prime choices for sun-seekers looking for vibrant beach vibes, water sports, and island-hopping excursions under the warm holiday sun.
If you prefer to escape the heavy holiday crowds that descend on major hubs like Sapa or Vung Tau, steering off the beaten path yields pristine tranquility. The idyllic valleys of Mai Chau and the lush green reserves of Pu Luong offer a peaceful sanctuary where you can enjoy scenic trekking, bamboo rafting along gentle rivers, and authentic homestay experiences nestled inside traditional wooden stilt villages.
Practical Advice for Foreign Travelers
To ensure a smooth journey during peak holiday seasons, proactive planning is essential. First and foremost, you should book your transportation several months in advance. Tickets for flights, sleeper train berths—particularly on high-demand routes such as Hanoi to Da Nang or Saigon to Nha Trang—and intercity buses sell out remarkably fast in the weeks leading up to Tet, Reunification Day, and National Day. Additionally, it is crucial to confirm restaurant and attraction opening hours. If your itinerary coincides with Tet, double-check the operating schedules for major museums, historical landmarks, and top dining spots ahead of time. It is also wise to keep emergency snacks and extra physical cash on hand, as local ATMs can occasionally run out of money during extended bank holidays. Finally, embrace the festive pace of your destination. Anticipate larger crowds at popular sites and occasional transit delays; by approaching your holiday travels with patience and flexibility, you will be in the best position to fully immerse yourself in the vibrant local energy and warm hospitality of the Vietnamese people.
