On the 29th of Tet, Mai Viet Hieu's family was in Hue City, gathering with many families who love to travel from the Southern provinces and the Central Highlands.
On the last day of the year, they visited Hue Citadel together, enjoyed local cuisine and waited to watch fireworks, welcoming the New Year here.
"This is the second consecutive year that my family has celebrated New Year's Eve away from home. Last year, my wife and I took our two children across Vietnam for 19 days and celebrated New Year's Eve in Cao Bang City. This year, we traveled across Vietnam for 21 days and celebrated New Year's Eve in Hue. Each locality has its own landscape, culture, and traditions for celebrating Tet, making my family want to explore and experience it," Mr. Hieu shared.
Mr. Hieu and his wife both love traveling and exploring nature. When their two children were young, they took them on picnics and to beautiful spots near where they lived.
At the end of 2023, Mr. Hieu came up with the idea of driving a car across Vietnam, from Dong Nai to Ha Giang, to take his children to experience Tet in the North, especially the highland provinces.
"Tet is a time when the children have a long holiday, so the family has the opportunity to go far away. This is also a time when the weather is favorable, you can experience winter in the North. Tourist attractions, hotels... near Tet are not crowded, prices are reasonable," said Mr. Hieu.
"We are lucky to live near both sets of parents, relatives, and siblings. The family is together all year round. Therefore, during Tet, my grandparents fully support my husband and I taking our children on a trip. Before the departure date, we often visit and wish our relatives and friends a happy new year," Mr. Hieu added.
The first time he took his wife and children across Vietnam, Mr. Hieu chose to join a group. Four families with the same passion for travel drove from the South to the North, conquering the northeastern provinces.
"My wife and I spent a few weeks preparing for the trip. I took the family's 6-seater car for a thorough check-up and maintenance, and added a spare tire in case it broke down on the road. My wife prepared clothes and essential items for the whole family. There was always water, medicine, and snacks like dried food and pork floss in the car," said Mr. Hieu. Water and food were prepared in case the car had problems, traffic jams, or the children did not like the local food.
Mr. Hieu's family followed the coastal route to the North. "The first time we crossed Vietnam, we packed the car full of things, like a migration to move house. The first few days, the children were not used to sitting on a long-distance car, so they were a bit sore. But the more we traveled, the more excited they became. Especially when we arrived in Ha Giang, traveling on the "Happiness Road" (National Highway 4C connecting Ha Giang City with 4 mountainous districts: Yen Minh, Quan Ba, Dong Van, Meo Vac, 185km long), the whole family was overwhelmed by the majestic and poetic natural scenery. We admired the scenery at Ma Pi Leng Pass, and enjoyed the Tet atmosphere of the people in Dong Van," Mr. Hieu said.
On this trip, they celebrated New Year's Eve in Cao Bang City. For the first time, the two children experienced celebrating Tet in the freezing cold of the North, wandering the streets with their parents to eat local specialties such as roast duck and rice rolls. The next morning, the family visited Ban Gioc Waterfall (Trung Khanh).
"We traveled on the first day of Tet, so there were no restaurants open around the waterfall area. By noon, after wandering around and enjoying the scenery, the children were all hungry. My husband and I went to a local's house and asked them to cook a simple lunch. Unexpectedly, they happily helped, cooking a hot meal for the family. They warmly welcomed us, introduced us to Trung Khanh, Cao Bang, and the Tet customs here," said Mr. Hieu.
"Even when we met by chance on the street, the locals gave lucky money to my two children and cared for them like children from far away visiting their hometown. That warmth and friendliness made the first day of the new year happy and memorable," Mr. Hieu added.
This year, the destination of the cross-country trip is the Northwestern mountainous provinces, especially Sa Pa (Lao Cai). On January 18, Hieu's family departed from Dong Nai. They visited Phu Yen, Hoi An, Da Nang City, and Vinh in turn. On January 23, the family arrived in Sa Pa, carrying the national flag to check-in on the top of Fansipan.
"When we reached the top of Fansipan, the weather was very nice. However, after that, the temperature dropped, there was rain, a lot of fog, and the whole family had to cancel some schedules. On January 26, when we returned to Hanoi, we heard that it was snowing in Sa Pa. It was really a pity," said Mr. Hieu.
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This is the first time the family has seen the capital Hanoi in the days before Tet, both bustling and cozy. "The streets are beautifully decorated. The peach blossom markets in Nhat Tan and Ho Tay are bustling with buyers and sellers, the atmosphere is vibrant. For a long time, in Dong Nai, I have not seen such bustling apricot blossom markets," said Mr. Hieu.
"On the 27th of Tet, the northeast monsoon blew in, causing the temperature to drop sharply. My whole family felt a bit of heatstroke and fatigue. To ensure our health, we reduced our entertainment schedule in Hanoi to stay in the hotel, then prepared to return to Hue to welcome the first days of the new year in the Central region," said Mr. Hieu.
According to Mr. Hieu's family's experience, tourists can refer to hotels/resorts on online booking applications, then contact them directly to confirm information. In big cities, even on holidays and Tet, restaurants are still operating in a variety of ways. However, in other localities, families often look for information about reputable restaurants and contact them to book a table in advance during Tet.
TB (according to Vietnamnet)Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/vo-chong-o-dong-nai-cho-con-choi-tet-xuyen-viet-moi-nam-don-giao-thua-mot-noi-404208.html
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