Looking forward to coming to Hoi An to experience the instant tailoring service, Australian tourist Balin Blondes was disappointed to see a series of tailor shops closed for Tet.
Balin Blondes said she and her companions came to Vietnam on January 24, the first stop was Ho Chi Minh City. Before Tet, Balin visited Mui Ne, Da Nang and arrived in Hoi An on New Year's Eve. Balin said that before the trip, she was looking forward to going to Hoi An to experience the instant clothing tailoring service, but when she arrived, all the tailor shops were closed. After asking the locals, the female tourist learned that the shops were closed to celebrate Tet.
"It's quite disappointing to see so many tailor shops closing," Balin said, adding that not only tailor shops, but many restaurants have also announced temporary closures.
The Australian tourist said that Phuong Banh Mi is one of the few famous shops in Hoi An that is open. On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, a line of people, mostly foreign tourists, lined up to buy bread. Although she had to wait more than 15 minutes for her turn, Balin said that this was a memorable experience of the trip.
Not being able to catch a taxi from Hoi An city center to the outskirts was also an obstacle Balin encountered during Tet. She and her friend had to stand along the road asking for a ride and were lucky to receive help from the locals.
Ashir Azeem, from Lahore, Pakistan, visited Hanoi on January 28 (the 29th of the Lunar New Year), unaware of the Vietnamese Tet holiday and was caught off guard when he saw that most of the shops in Hanoi had stopped selling from 6pm on New Year's Eve. Ashir Azeem had to seek help from friends on social media, asking for suggestions of activities to participate in during Tet and a list of restaurants that were open.
"My friends advised me to enjoy the rare quiet atmosphere and little traffic in Hanoi during Tet," said Ashir Azeem.
Sabrina, a French tourist, said this was her first time visiting Ho Chi Minh City. Although she had researched information about the traditional Vietnamese New Year, Sabrina was still confused when services were temporarily suspended. The female tourist said that technology-based ride-hailing apps were still operating, but she had to wait quite a long time, about 15-20 minutes, for a driver to accept her trip.
Having prepared herself mentally, Sabrina was not surprised to see the deserted scene on the morning of the first day of Tet in the Western Quarter of Thao Dien - where she rented a hotel. From the evening of the 29th of Tet, many shops in Thao Dien began to close at 7pm. Sabrina and her group of friends were lucky to find a beer bar that was open all night and had a fun New Year's Eve there. Some restaurants, cafes, and convenience stores on Xuan Thuy Street were still open during Tet, so the French female tourist had no trouble finding a place to eat.
"It's just a pity that some Michelin restaurants are closed until the 6th day of Tet, by which time I will have returned to France," Sabrina said.
For those who love the festive atmosphere and are willing to experience local culture, traveling to Vietnam during Tet still has its own appeal. Traditional festivals, brilliant fireworks and moments of family reunion bring an interesting perspective on Vietnamese life that is not available in every season of the year.
Adam, a British tourist, said he had been to Vietnam many times but this year was his first time traveling during Tet. The male tourist flew from England to Ho Chi Minh City, then took a speedboat to Vung Tau and spent time celebrating Tet there. Before the trip, Adam learned about Tet and carefully planned to enjoy the biggest holiday of the year for Vietnamese people. He chose Vung Tau because he thought the city would have few tourists during the first days of the new year, making it easy to explore the local culture. Because of careful preparation, Adam was not surprised by the quiet scene of the city when shops were closed for Tet.
“Some street food stalls are still open, amusement parks are completely closed and I like the peaceful atmosphere,” Adam said.
During Tet in Vung Tau, the British tourist spent most of his time enjoying local street food. On New Year's Eve, the male tourist also went out like the locals to watch fireworks and welcome the new year. Adam said that when he returns to England, he will introduce his friends to visit Vietnam during Tet.
"The New Year atmosphere in England passes very quickly and is not as bustling and colorful as in Vietnam," said a British male tourist.
What was new and impressive to French tourist Sabrina was the crowded scene at the pagodas at the beginning of the year, in contrast to the deserted shops on many streets.
On the morning of the first day of Tet, Sabrina visited some Chinese pagodas in District 5 and said the atmosphere was bustling, with crowds of people lining up, and the parking lots packed.
"The Tet atmosphere in Ho Chi Minh City is bustling, I feel lucky to experience the traditional culture of Vietnamese people," Sabrina said.
Despite the awkward situations due to the closure of services during Tet, Balin Blondes still had many memorable moments in Hoi An. The most memorable moment for the Australian tourist was watching the fireworks from the balcony of the homestay in the middle of Hoi An ancient town. Balin also found a rare tailor shop that was open on the morning of the second day of Tet and was able to get a satisfactory pink suit after just over half a day of waiting.
"I was also the first customer of a jewelry shop that opened on the morning of the second day of Tet and made a silver ring by hand," Balin Blondes said, adding that this Tet travel experience was memorable for her.
Having traveled to Vietnam many times, Adam believes that tourists planning to visit Vietnam during the Lunar New Year should carefully research the operating schedules of shops and restaurants and proactively plan their means of transportation because many technology drivers are off for Tet, and inter-provincial buses also temporarily stop picking up passengers for a few days.
"If you research carefully, tourists won't have to struggle to find open services, avoiding affecting their trip experience," Adam said.
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