Tet 2027: Vietnamese Lunar New Year

When is Vietnamese Lunar New Year 2027?

Vietnamese Lunar New Year, or Tet, is one of the most important festivals in Vietnam. During Tet, people from everywhere return to their hometown, visit their families and relatives, reward themselves some relaxing days after a hard-working year, and celebrate the new year with plenty of customs and festive activities.

Moreover, colorful flowers, traditional decorations, bustling markets, and traditions are celebrated across the country. That brings a unique opportunity for travelers to experience Vietnamese culture at its most vibrant.

Following the Vietnamese lunar calendar, the exact date of Tet changes every year, usually falling between late January and mid-February in the solar calendar. In 2027, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year falls on Saturday, 6 February 2027.

How long does it last?

While Tet officially centers around 4 main days - Lunar New Year's Eve and the first three days of the new year, the festive atmosphere may start a month beforehand. The celebration always begins on the 23rd day of the lunar December (Kitchen God Day) and ends on the 15th day of the lunar January (the first Full Moon Festival - Tet Nguyen Tieu). Tet lasts either 22 or 23 days if lunar December ends on the 29th or 30th. For 2027, Tet starts from 30th January to 20th February in the lunar calendar. The timeline can be divided into 3 periods: before, during, and after Tet.

Before Tet

30th January 2027: Kitchen God Day

According to Vietnamese tradition, the Kitchen Gods - the guardians of the family - return to heaven to report all the family's events in the past year. Giving offerings and releasing live carp into rivers or lakes is to wish the Kitchen Gods a smooth journey to the heavenly court. The ritual is also believed to bring peace and good fortune for the family in the coming year.

31st January - 4th February 2027: Preparing for Tet

Although people prepare for Tet for a month beforehand, these last days are usually the busiest. Families clean and decorate their houses, make traditional Chung cake or Tet cake, prepare the five-fruit tray, and shop for food for the long holiday. People also visit ancestral graves to pay respects and invite ancestors to celebrate the New Year with the family.

5th February 2027: Lunar New Year’s Eve

The last day of the year is a time for family not only to reunite and enjoy a year-end meal together but also to prepare offerings to bid farewell to the old year, welcome the new one, and invite their ancestors home to celebrate Tet together. At midnight, families perform the sacred New Year's Eve ceremony, praying for peace, happiness, and prosperity. After that, many people will go to temples to pray for blessings and pick lucky branches while the tradition “xong dat” takes place. It is the first visit of a “chosen” person who is believed to bring good fortune and prosperity to the household throughout the coming year.

During Tet

6th February 2027: Lunar New Year Day - Visit father’s relatives

The first day of Tet is the most important day of the Lunar New Year. On this day, family members usually spend time with the paternal side of the family, honor their ancestors, exchange New Year wishes, and give lucky money to each other.

7th February 2027: Visit mother’s relatives

Traditionally, the second day is for visiting the maternal side of the family. Similar to the first day, people express gratitude and continue exchanging warm wishes and lucky money for the new year.

8th February 2027: Visit teachers

Showing gratitude to teachers is an important Vietnamese tradition. Hence, the third day of Tet is usually dedicated to visiting former teachers or sending them New Year wishes to thank them for the knowledge and guidance they have taught.

After Tet

20th February 2027: Tet Nguyen Tieu - First full moon

As the first full moon of the year, Tet Nguyen Tieu, also called Ram Thang Gieng, generally marks the end of the Tet holiday season. Praying at this time is believed to be more important than any other time of the year, so families often visit pagodas/ temples to pray for blessings for the year ahead.

What is the animal sign of 2027?

2027 is the year of the Goat (Dinh Mui). There are 12 zodiac animals in the Vietnamese zodiac, in order: Rat - Ox - Tiger - Cat - Dragon - Snake - Horse - Goat - Monkey - Rooster - Dog - Pig. Each lunar year is represented by one zodiac animal, so people born in 2027, 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, and earlier in 12-year intervals are all born in the Year of the Goat.

In Vietnamese culture, the Goat symbolizes gentleness, harmony, kindness, and a peaceful life. People born in this year are believed to be thoughtful, artistic, tending towards introspection but very caring towards others. They are also considered sensitive and may prefer stability over taking risks. Traditionally, the Goat is said to be most compatible with the Cat, Pig, and Horse due to empathy, support, and stability.

When it comes to Tet, the zodiac animal becomes a popular topic, somehow telling about compatibility and incompatibility, especially among families planning important plans such as weddings, building a house, starting a business, etc. Whether or not people believe in zodiac compatibility, the symbolic image of the zodiac animal appears everywhere, from streets to shops, restaurants, souvenirs, lucky ornaments, and has become an unmistakable part of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.

Do's & Don'ts in Vietnamese Lunar New Year

According to ancestor's beliefs, things that happen on the very first days of the year reflect things that may happen throughout the year. Therefore, Vietnamese will do things to bring good luck and avoid bad things on the first days in order to obtain a peaceful, lucky, and successful year.

Do’s

• Burn incense and give offerings for ancestors: To honor ancestors for their great merit in giving birth and educating and ask for blessings in the new year.
• "Xong dat": A tradition that the host chooses the most suitable person for the first visit to bring luck to family members in the house.
• Choose red, the lucky color: Wearing red clothes, using red decoratives, or eating red food such as "gac" sticky rice, watermelon, etc., to attract fortune and luck.
• Exchange lucky money ("li xi") and New Year wishes: To wish others good health, success, and happiness.
• "Xuat hanh" - the first outing of the year: After visiting relatives, people often go to the pagoda or temple to pray and bring a small leafy branch as a symbol of good fortune.
• Go to the pagoda/temple: Burn incense or make offerings to pray for peace, health, and prosperity.
• Buy salt: Salt symbolizes an in-depth relationship in the house and is believed to protect the family from evil and bad luck. Many pagodas offer small bags of salt for visitors as a wish for them. It is also sold on many streets on the first new-year days.

Don’ts

• No sweeping house on the 1st day: It may sweep away fortune.
• No cutting hair: It may bring away luck, health, and prosperity.
• No borrowing and repaying money: To avoid poverty and debt in the new year.
• No arguing or swearing: To avoid positive energy and bad luck.
• No breaking bowls, mirrors, plates, or other household items: To avoid bad luck and separation in the family or relationship.
• No closing the front door during the day: It may prevent luck and fortune from entering the house.

How long is Tet Holiday 2027?

Normally, Vietnamese will have a 7-day Tet holiday, the last 2 days of the old year and the first 5 days of the new year. However, laborers may have additional days off due to adjacent weekends. The official number of public holidays will be announced by the Government in late 2026 or early 2027. Depending on each organization and enterprise, Vietnamese people will have 7 to 9 days off for Tet.

Official: Tet 2027 will offer 7 days off for the Lunar New Year, from 04/02/2027 to 10/02/2027 (from the 28th day of the lunar December to the 5th day of Tet).

During Tet, most businesses, government offices, and non-essential services are closed. Nevertheless, hotels and many restaurants and services are still open to serve a remarkable number of tourists traveling during Tet for vacation and traditional exploration. Employees working on this holiday will receive 300% regular daily salary.

Tet holiday schedule in recent years

• Notes: The "number of days off" is the total number of official Tet holiday days, including both the days before and after Tet.

Traveling in Vietnam during Tet 2027

The Vietnamese Lunar New Year offers plenty of activities for travelers such as visiting flower markets, watching traditional performances, enjoying traditional food, etc. However, it's also the busiest travel season in Vietnam. Planning ahead will help you enjoy the holiday without too many surprises. Here are some things to keep in mind when visiting Vietnam during Tet 2027:

Book everything early

Tet is not only a busy tourist season but also a time for family reunions for all Vietnamese. Millions of people return to their hometowns to celebrate Tet, and many others travel with their family during the holiday. That's why flights, trains, buses, and hotels often sell out quickly. Make sure you book transportation and accommodation at least one month in advance.

Expect some businesses to close

Although many hotels, airports, shopping malls, and major tourist attractions remain open, many government offices, banks, and family shops often close for a few days, especially during the first three days of the Lunar New Year. Checking the holiday schedule for any places you wanna go is highly recommended.

Allow extra travel time

Airports, train stations, bus terminals, and popular tourist attractions are often much busier before and after Lunar New Year. If you have a plan, allow extra time for transfers and expect occasional delays.

Respect local customs

There will be many rituals and customs during this time, and these may vary by region. If you are invited to celebrate Tet with a local family, dress modestly, follow your host's customs, and be respectful of local traditions.

Keep your schedule flexible

Some tours or services may have limited operations during Tet. A flexible plan allows you to enjoy the festive atmosphere to the fullest.

Vietnamese Lunar New Year in the next 10 years

Since the Lunar Calendar always comes after the Solar Calendar and the "leap month" rule, the Lunar New Year Day varies but will only fall between 21 Solar January and 20 Solar February. To get an overview of Vietnamese Lunar New Year in the next 10 years, check out the table below:

See more: If you are visiting Vietnam during Tet 2027, consider using our Fast-Track Visa & Airport Service for faster immigration clearance.