Tet in Ho Chi Minh City: What's Open, What Closes & How to Plan

Featured image: minhphuc_99kdd, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

What Tet Changes in Ho Chi Minh City

Tet Nguyen Dan is Vietnam's most important traditional holiday. Families reunite, honor ancestors, visit temples and hope for a fortunate year. Dates follow the lunar calendar, so they shift annually. Vietnam announces an official public holiday, but restaurants, shops and tour businesses set their own schedules.

In the week before Tet, the city gets busier. Residents buy flowers, fruit, new clothes and gifts. Many people also leave town, which crowds airports, stations and highways. Around Tet Eve, family businesses lower their shutters and residential streets go quiet. Public sources such as Vietnam's national tourism site are the place to look up the current year's holiday dates.

Tet Timeline: Before Tet, Tet Eve, and the First Days

Think of Tet as five phases rather than one long closure. The widest choice of food, shopping and tours comes in the week before. From the second or third day onward, more cafés, restaurants and attractions reopen. Some family businesses stay shut for a week or longer.

Are Restaurants and Local Food Open During Tet?

Yes, but choice narrows on Tet Eve and the first day. Hotel restaurants, international chains and venues inside major malls are the most dependable options. Restaurants around Nguyen Hue, Dong Khoi, Bui Vien and central District 1 are also more likely to serve visitors.

Small noodle shops, neighborhood restaurants and family street stalls often close. A favorite pho, banh mi or com tam vendor may take several days off while another stall nearby stays busy. Eat your must-try dishes before Tet Eve. Afterward, ask hotel staff which vendors have reopened.

Lunar New Year's Day is usually the hardest day for finding local food. Book Tet Eve and first-evening dinners directly with the restaurant. Some places add a Tet surcharge for higher staffing costs. Ask whether set menus include holiday supplements, service fees and taxes before you order.

Are Shops, Markets and Ben Thanh Open?

Convenience chains are the safest bet for water, snacks and toiletries. Branches in District 1 and District 3 are more likely to operate, sometimes on reduced hours. Independent boutiques and neighborhood grocers often close before Tet Eve.

Major malls and supermarkets take shorter breaks than independent retailers. Some close on Tet Eve and open later on day one. Check the mall's own website or verified social page rather than normal map hours.

Traditional markets are at their best before Tet Eve. Stalls fill with watermelons, candied fruit, red envelopes, kumquat trees and yellow hoa mai apricot blossom. Many vendors close after their last pre-Tet sales. Ben Thanh Market may keep some tourist-facing stalls going, but do not expect full operation in the first days.

Buy medicine, baby supplies and specialty items beforehand. Pharmacies, salons and laundry shops follow their own schedules.

Do Tours Run During Tet?

Many city, walking and motorbike tours keep running for international visitors. Selection is smaller, and routes change with guide availability and venue closures. Established companies rotate teams. Smaller operators may pause so staff can be with family.

Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta day trips may also run. Included lunches, boat operators, workshops and family homes can follow separate holiday schedules. Traffic out of the city is heavy before Tet and unusually light once the holiday starts.

Book early, and do not assume an online calendar means the tour runs. Ask the operator these questions before paying:

• Is the departure confirmed in writing, with time and meeting point?
• Which stops are open on my date?
• What replaces a stop that closes?
• Does the price include any holiday supplement?

Are Attractions and Pagodas Open?

No citywide rule covers every attraction. Museums, historic buildings and observation decks announce their own Lunar New Year hours. Some resume quickly while others close on day one. The city tourism department's site is a starting point for official notices.

Pagodas and temples are often accessible, since visiting a place of worship is a core New Year tradition. Expect crowds of worshippers. Cover shoulders and knees, speak quietly and keep your phone down. Ask permission before photographing anyone at private prayer. This is a family holiday, not a show.

Transport, Cash and Other Services

Grab and taxis generally run, but fewer drivers are on the road. Expect longer waits and higher fares near airports and celebration areas. Check the fare before you confirm and allow extra time for flights and tours.

Domestic flights, trains and intercity buses are packed before and after the holiday. Reserve long-distance travel early. Arriving at a station hoping for a seat can fail badly.

Banks and many exchange desks close for the official holiday, though ATMs still work. Use this cash plan:

• Withdraw Vietnamese dong before Tet Eve.
• Carry small notes for taxis, drinks and street purchases.
• Expect possible surcharges on rides and meals.
• Finish laundry before Tet Eve, since laundry shops and salons may close longer than restaurants.
• Ask your hotel about nearby open services.

Tet Events and Atmosphere

Nguyen Hue Flower Street, when it is held, fills central Saigon with large floral displays. It draws residents and visitors from Tet Eve into the first days of the year. Confirm that year's dates and layout with the city tourism channels.

In January 2024, the Department of Tourism and the Vietnam Cuisine Culture Association opened a four-day Tet festival at Le Van Tam Park in District 1. It had more than 150 booths of Vietnamese products and specialties. A festival has been held there in past years, so check whether a current edition is planned.

On day one, quieter roads, apricot blossom outside homes and families in their best clothes give the city a distinct look.

Is Ho Chi Minh City Worth Visiting During Tet?

It is, if you value atmosphere over convenience. Choose your trip style first. Readers still weighing seasons can compare Tet with other months in our best time to visit guide. Tet falls in the cooler part of the year, and you can read about weather through the seasons separately. If Tet looks too disruptive, a December visit is a calmer alternative that does not overlap with the holiday.

How to Plan a Stress-Free Tet Visit

Use the days before Tet for markets and street food. Keep day one flexible and avoid a full sightseeing schedule. Treat slow streets and temple visits as the experience, not an interruption.

Avoid these common mistakes:

• Trusting normal map hours for malls and restaurants.
• Arriving without enough dong in cash.
• Planning a packed sightseeing day for day one.
• Leaving laundry or medicine until the holiday.
• Assuming a tour calendar means the tour runs.
• Keep water and breakfast snacks in your room.
• Save addresses and booking confirmations offline, since holiday notices sometimes appear only on a business's social page.