In the capital Ha Noi, the nation’s heart, the tourism sector has launched a series of Tet-themed and spring-celebrating activities.
The area around the floral garden at the King Ly Thai To statue and the Octagonal House is hosting the largest spring flower garden to date, showcasing more than 300 prized peach trees and nearly 300 ornamental kumquat trees from Ha Noi’s craft villages and neighbouring provinces.
Meanwhile, the Thang Long Imperial Citadel features a spring flower street alongside displays and exhibitions on Tet culture. The Temple of Literature is bustling with the Spring Calligraphy Festival, Ha Noi’s Old Quarter glows vibrantly with the Vietnamese Tet – Street Tet programme, and Ha Noi Museum offers free entry to visitors during the traditional holiday. These activities have drawn large crowds to the capital.
According to a representative of the Centre for Cultural and Scientific Activities of the Temple of Literature, by 12 noon on February 19, the third day of the first lunar month, the Temple had welcomed around 55,000 visitors.
Other tourist attractions such as the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Hoan Kiem Lake, the Hoa Lo Prison relic, Ha Noi Old Quarter, and Tran Quoc Pagoda are also thronged with tourists. The Huong Son scenic complex (Huong Pagoda) alone received 25,000 visitors in the first two days of the lunar month.
On February 19, Ha Noi People’s Committee Chairman Vu Dai Thang inspected preparations for the Huong (Perfume) Pagoda Festival. He praised local authorities and organisers for their efforts, urging them to strengthen determination in reorganising service areas, providing free car parking, preventing re-encroachment on the relic, and simultaneously developing new tourism products and routes to gradually elevate Huong Son into a national and international destination.
The Hien Luong–Ben Hai Special National Relic site in Quang Tri Province, which has just completed a six-month renovation, is open free of charge during the Lunar New Year Festival. Other popular destinations in Quang Tri, including Road 9 and Truong Son Cemeteries, and Quang Tri Citadel, also welcome large numbers of visitors during the holiday.
Alongside these historical sites, the Phong Nha–Ke Bang tourist site remains a favourite choice. On the morning of February 17, the first day of the Lunar New Year, the Phong Nha–Ke Bang Tourism Centre organised a welcome ceremony for the first visitors of 2026. From February 16 to 19, the site received more than 5,000 travellers.
Director of the Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park Management Board, Pham Hong Thai, stated that in the coming period the site will focus on developing green and sustainable tourism, enhancing service quality, diversifying products, and personalising visitor experiences.
Various spring activities and traditional festivals are taking place in the northern province of Lao Cai, including the Gau Tao Festival of the H’Mong people at Sun World Fansipan Legend, and in Bac Ha and Si Ma Cai Communes; the Long Tong (Going to the Fields) Festival of the Tay and Giay ethnic groups in Coc Lau, Chieng Ken, and Bat Xat Communes; along with numerous cultural and artistic events.
At the Sa Pa national tourist area, the festive atmosphere spreads across all streets and routes. Visitors to Sa Pa join assorted celebrations such as the Heaven Gate Opening Festival, Ham Rong Mountain Festival, and the Colours of Spring Festival, which highlight rituals and traditional cuisine of local ethnic groups. Most hotels and homestays in Sa Pa are fully booked, with the locality expecting to welcome around 250,000 visitors during Tet.
On the morning of February 17, the first day of the lunar month, Ha Long International Passenger Port in Quang Ninh Province welcomed nearly 2,400 international passengers aboard two luxury cruise ships. They were among six international cruise liners arriving in the heritage region during the early spring days.
British tourist Mrs Maria Thompson shared her delight at the warm welcome, saying she was deeply impressed by the rituals and traditional Vietnamese Tet culture: “For me, this is a wonderful start to the journey discovering Ha Long Bay heritage.”
On February 18, the Co To Special Zone in Quang Ninh welcomed 264 visitors, 50 of whom chose Thanh Lan Island as their destination for spring experiences.
In Can Tho, numerous cultural and artistic activities are being organised, including New Year greeting programmes, Don Ca Tai Tu performances at Cai Rang floating market, art shows at Ninh Kieu Wharf, and a series of Party- and Spring-themed events, attracting many tourists from both within and outside the locality.
