Vietnam Tet 2026: 5 Reasons Indian Travellers Should Avoid These Dates
✅ Last verified on-the-ground: 2026-07-17
Vietnam Tet holiday dates for 2026 fall between 16 February and 22 February. That is Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, and it is the most disruptive week in Vietnam’s calendar. Shops close, hostels triple prices, and internal flights sell out. For a full breakdown of Vietnam’s best months to visit, read our month-by-month guide.
Quick Answers
| What | Answer | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| When is Tet 2026? | Tet Nguyen Dan falls Tuesday, 17 February 2026 (Year of the Horse); public holiday 16-22 Feb | , |
| How long do shops shut? | 80%+ of local shops/markets close for 3-5 days from 17 Feb; tourist areas reopen gradually from 22 Feb | , |
| Do Tet prices triple? | Yes. Flights and hostels jump 2x to 3x; a Hanoi dorm that costs ₹662 (~180,000 VND or ~$6.88) normally hits ₹1,656 (~450,000 VND or ~$17.19)+ in Tet week | ₹1,656 (~450,000 VND or ~$17.19)+ |
| Is transport bookable? | Sleeper buses and trains get fully booked 2-3 weeks out; you will not get an onward ticket from Hanoi or HCMC during Tet week without booking by early Feb | , |
| Can vegetarians eat during Tet? | Strictly limited; | , |
Month-by-Month Breakdown
Tet does not hit one month, it spills across January (the run-up) and February (the holiday week). Here is how the surrounding two months look.
| Month | Weather (Hanoi/HCMC/Hoi An) | Crowds | Cost | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-Jan 2026 | Cool north (15-20°C Hanoi), warm south (25-30°C HCMC), pleasant centre | Rising | Normal to slightly up | Good window, book ahead for Tet transport |
| Early Feb 2026 | Cool north, dry everywhere | High (pre-Tet shopping) | Climbing fast | Last real chance for budget travel |
| 16-22 Feb 2026 (Tet week) | Same weather as Jan, dry everywhere | Massive local travel, foreign tourists drain out | Peak (2x to 3x) | Avoid if you can |
| Late Feb / March 2026 | Warming everywhere (24-30°C) | Returning tourists | Returning to normal | Recovered, but rainy season builds in central Vietnam |
| April 2026 | Hot (30-35°C) | Lighter | Shoulder | Strong alternative |
The pattern matters because many Indian travellers try to “time” Tet to “see the festival,” assuming it is a tourist attraction. It is not. Tet is a private family holiday. Streets are empty, locals are at home with relatives, and the foreigner experience is mostly paying triple to look at closed storefronts. Our Southeast Asia backpacking hub covers every country in the region if you are still deciding where to go.
Tet Pros and Cons (Honest List)
Pros:
- Watching a Tet flower market (Cho Quat flower market in Hanoi) the weekend before is genuinely memorable if you arrive early
- Streets feel cinematic on Tet morning (29th day of the old year), motorbikes disappear for a few hours
- Pagodas (Tran Quoc, Bai Dinh, Linh Ung) are decorated and packed with locals, a rare chance to see real religious observance
- Pho stalls outside tourist zones reopen earliest and offer the friendliest local hospitality of the year (most close for 17-20 Feb, but a few reopen by 21 Feb)
- If you are settled in one city with a homestay or friends, Tet is calm and warm in a way no other week of the year is
Cons:
- Roughly 80% of street-food stalls, family-run shops, and small guesthouses close from 17-20 February. Verified against traveller reports from February 2024 and 2025.
- Dorm bed prices in Hanoi (normally ₹662-₹1,325 (~180,000-360,000 VND or ~$6.88-$13.75) per night) jump to ₹1,656-₹2,208 (~450,000-600,000 VND or ~$17.19-$22.92) in Tet week
- Internal flights (Hanoi-HCMC, Da Nang-HCMC) book out by early February; last-minute seats cost 2x to 3x the normal fare
- Sleeper buses to Da Nang, Hoi An, Sapa, and Hue get fully booked 14-21 days before Tet
- Strict-veg Indian travellers struggle; even veg-friendly Vietnamese restaurants like MẸT Vietnamese Restaurant & Vegetarian Met 2 and A Taste Of Saigon (Old Market) close for 2-4 days around Tet for family gatherings. Stock up on snacks if you rely on pure-veg food.
- ATMs run out in smaller towns; bring enough VND cash for 5-7 days minimum
- Road congestion is intense in the 3 days before Tet as people race home for the holiday; be cautious on overnight buses and motorbike rides
What to Do if You MUST Travel During Tet
If your dates are locked (college break, wedding back home, work commitment), do not panic. Tet is not a disaster, it is just expensive and quiet. Here is the actual playbook.
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Book internal transport NOW. If your dates cross 16-22 February 2026, book your Hanoi to HCMC or Da Nang sleeper bus/train before 1 February. Routes sell out quickly. Check 12go and book Vietnam sleeper buses early.
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Pre-buy your airport transfers. Grab works during Tet but surge pricing is aggressive. Book a fixed-price airport transfer via your hotel in advance.
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Stock food and water for two days. On 18-19 February your nearest bowl of pho might be a long walk away, and even dedicated veg restaurants in Hanoi/HCMC close for family meals. Your best bets during Tet are shortlisted spots like Hoang’s Restaurant (Hanoi, rated 4.9), MẸT Vietnamese Restaurant & Vegetarian Met 2, and De Tham Restaurant (HCMC); check their social media before Tet for closure dates. Stock snacks if you rely on veg food: instant noodles, fruit, peanut butter, and biscuits from supermarkets the day before Tet are the move.
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Large hotels generally stay open and staffed; small family-run hostels often shut without warning. For hostel rates, expect at least double the normal dorm bed prices of 180,000-360,000 VND/night (Hanoi).
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Aim for Tet eve (16 Feb) or post-Tet (23-25 Feb). 23 and 24 February see normalcy return, prices drop fast, and most veg restaurants reopen.
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If you are vegetarian, plan around the closures. MẸT Vegetarian Met 2 in HCMC is one of the more reliable spots, but even they may post Tet closure dates on Facebook a week before. Follow your shortlisted veg restaurant on Instagram/Facebook before travel.
What to Pack for February in Vietnam
Tet week is dry and pleasant across all three regions, not a packing problem of weather, but a packing problem of “things will be closed.” Pack accordingly.
- Light jacket for Hanoi and Sapa evenings (12-16°C on cold nights)
- Sunscreen for central and southern Vietnam (28-32°C days)
- 3-4 days of snacks (nuts, biscuits, instant noodles) for the Tet closure window; cross-check shortlisted veg restaurants like Hoang’s Restaurant and De Tham Restaurant for Tet closure dates on their social media
- Enough prescription medicine to last a week past your trip; pharmacies close for Tet
- Small amount of VND cash (1-2 million VND per traveller) for the closure window
- Power bank; some hostels do no staff the front desk for 2-3 days, so checking-in late is on you alone
Subodh’s Pro Tip: If your visa is for, say, 14-28 February 2026, push for 25 February arrival. You save a week of Tet chaos, the dorms are half price again by 23 Feb, and the food scene is back. One flight rebook often pays for the Tet price spike twice over.
Season Costs Comparison
Tet prices run higher than even peak high season (December, January). Here is how the same line items compare.
| Item | Normal winter (Dec-Feb) | Tet week (16-22 Feb) | Post-Tet (23 Feb onwards) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanoi dorm (per night) | ₹662-₹1,325 (~180,000-360,000 VND or ~$6.88-$13.75) | ₹1,656-₹2,208 (~450,000-600,000 VND or ~$17.19-$22.92) | ₹736-₹1,325 (~200,000-360,000 VND or ~$7.64-$13.75) |
| Hanoi private double | ₹1,840-₹3,312 (~500,000-900,000 VND or ~$19.10-$34.38) | ₹4,416-₹7,360 (~1,200,000-2,000,000 VND or ~$45.84-$76.40) | ₹2,024-₹3,496 (~550,000-950,000 VND or ~$21.01-$36.29) |
| Internal flight (Hanoi-HCMC) | ₹5,520-₹9,200 (~1,500,000-2,500,000 VND or ~$57.30-$95.51) | ₹12,880-₹18,400 (~3,500,000-5,000,000 VND or ~$133.71-$191.01) | ₹5,152-₹8,832 (~1,400,000-2,400,000 VND or ~$53.48-$91.69) |
| Sleeper bus Hanoi-Da Nang | ₹1,288-₹1,656 (~350,000-450,000 VND or ~$13.37-$17.19) | ₹2,208-₹2,944 (~600,000-800,000 VND or ~$22.92-$30.56) | ₹1,288-₹1,656 (~350,000-450,000 VND or ~$13.37-$17.19) |
| Bowl of pho (street stall) | ₹129-₹184 (~35,000-50,000 VND or ~$1.34-$1.91) | ₹184-₹294 (~50,000-80,000 VND or ~$1.91-$3.06) | ₹129-₹184 (~35,000-50,000 VND or ~$1.34-$1.91) |
| Rice with veg (com tam, chay) | ₹92-₹147 (~25,000-40,000 VND or ~$0.96-$1.53) | Mostly closed | ₹92-₹147 (~25,000-40,000 VND or ~$0.96-$1.53) |
The sleeper bus number jumps are the most realistic shock. If you are budgeting strictly, lock internal transport before Tet month starts. See our Vietnam daily budget breakdown for normal (non-Tet) cost benchmarks.
Getting Connected
Vietnam eSIM and physical SIM both sell briskly before Tet; travellers often report Viettel and Mobifone stores having shorter hours in the final 3 days. Sort your connectivity before you fly.
Get a Vietnam eSIM or local SIM (Viettel) before departure, useful for last-minute hotel, restaurant, and sleeper bus bookings during the Tet spike window.
Subodh’s Take
Tet is wonderful if you have a local family to sit with and impossible to enjoy as a budget backpacker. Indian travellers planning a Vietnam trip in February should treat 14-23 February as the most expensive week of the year, not a festival week. Shift your dates by 5 days in either direction and you save real money, eat real food, and see a Vietnam that is operating. If your college break or wedding locks you into Tet week, the chain-hotel-and-snacks playbook works, but do not expect the Vietnam you saw in Instagram reels.
FAQ
Q: When exactly is Tet in 2026? A: Tet Nguyen Dan is Tuesday, 17 February 2026. The public holiday is 16-22 February. Plan around that 7-day window.
Q: Can I still get pho during Tet? A: Yes, but only at chain pho shops and tourist-zone restaurants. Family-run stalls in the Old Quarter, Hoi An Old Town, and District 1 alleys close. Expect to walk further and pay ₹184-₹294 (~50,000-80,000 VND or ~$1.91-$3.06) per bowl instead of the normal ₹129-₹184 (~35,000-50,000 VND or ~$1.34-$1.91). For more on vegetarian and street-food options, see our Vietnam street food and vegetarian guide.
Q: Are sleeper buses running during Tet? A: Yes, but they sell out. Book through 12go at least 14 days before 16 February for any Hanoi-Da Nang-Hoi An-Hue route. On Tet eve (16 Feb) and the 3 days after, services thin out.
Q: Is Tet a good time for Indian veg travellers? A: It is the worst time, honestly. The two or three days around 18 February see most veg restaurants close. Pack snacks; do not rely on finding a veg meal every block.
Q: Do I need to book flights within Vietnam earlier for Tet? A: Yes. Vietnam Airlines, VietJet, and Bamboo Airways all spike prices 2x to 3x from mid-January. Book internal flights by mid-January if your dates overlap Tet.
Q: What if my e-visa starts in the Tet window? A: It still works, but the trickier issue is ground logistics on day 1. Read our Vietnam e-visa guide for Indians for fee details and processing times. Land in Hanoi or HCMC a day before Tet if you can; landing on 18 February into a city where half the airport taxi queue has gone home for the holiday is a real headache.
Q: Is it safe for Indians during Tet? A: Yes, generally safe. Routine travel safety applies: small petty theft reports spike in tourist zones just before Tet as crowded markets draw pickpockets. Check your government’s travel advisory before departure (Indian MEA advisories are at mea.gov.in) for the latest.
