Vietnam celebrates New Year's Eve on 31 December with free countdown stages and fireworks in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, and celebrates its bigger Lunar New Year, Tết, weeks later. The one on 31 December, called Tết Dương lịch (the solar or Western new year), is a one-night party: countdown stages, fireworks over Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi and along the Saigon River in Ho Chi Minh City, and streets packed with motorbikes and young crowds. The big family festival, Tết Nguyên Đán or Lunar New Year, comes weeks later and falls on 6 February in 2027. This guide covers New Year's Eve 2026 in Vietnam, where the countdowns happen, how to get around on the night, and how to fit Tết into the same trip.
You will find the bigger picture in our guide to the best places to celebrate New Year 2027 around the world.
Hanoi (Noi Bai) and Ho Chi Minh City (Tan Son Nhat) both take direct flights from major Asian hubs such as Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul and Doha. For background on the country, see our Vietnam page and city guides to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
New Year's Eve in Vietnam: the basic facts
The countdown falls on Thursday 31 December 2026, and 1 January is a public holiday. The whole country runs on Indochina Time (UTC+7). Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City usually fire about 15 minutes of fireworks at midnight. Lunar New Year (Tết) follows on Saturday 6 February 2027, the Year of the Goat.
December is cool in Hanoi and hot and dry in Ho Chi Minh City. Entry rules depend on your passport, and many travellers use Vietnam's official e-visa portal. Streets close around the main sites on the night, so walk or use ride-hailing. The currency is the Vietnamese dong (VND).
Two new years: how Vietnam celebrates 31 December
For most Vietnamese families, 31 December is a fun night out, while the real new year is Tết. Offices close for one day on 1 January; for Tết, the country shuts down for about a week. That shapes what you see on New Year's Eve: it is young, urban and outdoors, with students and couples on motorbikes heading for the city centres, and no long family rituals.
The city governments now treat the solar new year as a showcase. Hanoi fires fireworks from several sites alongside a countdown programme around Hoan Kiem Lake, and Ho Chi Minh City fires from riverside and suburban sites, including the Thu Thiem tunnel area. Plans for 31 December 2026 are announced in late November or December, so treat the sites below as the established pattern.
The calendar explains the mood. In 2026 the solar new year falls on a Thursday night, and only Friday 1 January 2027 is a day off, so most locals head back to work or study soon after. Tết comes five weeks later, with a seven-day break from 4 to 10 February 2027. For a visitor, that means 31 December is the easier of the two: shops, museums and restaurants stay open, and domestic flights and trains are not under the Tết rush.
Best places to celebrate New Year 2027 in Vietnam
The three main New Year's Eve countdowns in Vietnam are at Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, with a stage at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square, on Nguyen Hue Walking Street in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City, and along the Han River and Bach Dang walking street in Da Nang. All three are free and end with fireworks.
Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi: the capital's countdown
Hanoi's party centres on Hoan Kiem Lake and the pedestrian zone around it, on the edge of the Old Quarter. The city runs a stage programme through the evening at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square, at the northern end of the lake, with music, light shows and a countdown clock, followed by fireworks. Tens of thousands of people fill the streets around the lake from early evening, so arrive by 8 pm for a lakeside spot. Entry is free, and the pull is the atmosphere plus Old Quarter street food.
The best views are from the lakeside itself or from the upper floors of cafés facing the lake, which sell window seats for the night; book a day or two ahead and expect a minimum spend. Roads around the lake close to traffic, so plan to walk the last part. Late-December nights in Hanoi usually drop to around 14 to 16°C, so bring a jacket.
Nguyen Hue Walking Street, Ho Chi Minh City
Down south, the countdown fills Nguyen Hue Walking Street in District 1, the wide pedestrian boulevard between the City Hall building and the river, and spreads to Le Loi Street, Lam Son Park and the square in front of the Municipal Theatre (Opera House). Live music stages, LED screens and crowds build from about 8 pm. For big-city energy and nightlife, nowhere in Vietnam matches it.
Fireworks are fired from several sites around the city, and the Thu Thiem tunnel area across the river gives the city's best-known riverside view. Roads around Bach Dang wharf, Nguyen Hue and the riverbank close on the evening, so ride-hailing drivers drop you several blocks away. Rooftop bars in District 1 sell New Year's Eve packages with fireworks views and book out early.
Da Nang: the Han River and Bach Dang walking street
On the central coast, Da Nang has held a multi-night New Year festival on Bach Dang walking street along the Han River, with stages, food and light displays near the city's famous bridges. The city has staged large fireworks for Lunar New Year at six sites, but its solar New Year fireworks plans vary by year, so check the announcement before you count on a show.
It makes a good base if you want to combine beaches by day with the countdown: My Khe Beach is a short ride from the river. December in central Vietnam can be wet and windy, so plan indoor options. Hoi An, around 30 minutes south by taxi, is a quieter alternative with lantern-lit streets on any evening.
Tết 2027: Vietnam's Lunar New Year
Tết Nguyên Đán, the Lunar New Year, is the country's biggest festival. In 2027 the first day of the lunar year falls on Saturday 6 February, opening the Year of the Goat. The government has approved a seven-day public holiday for civil servants from 4 to 10 February 2027, with work resuming on 11 February; private employers may choose slightly different dates.
Tết is a family festival. Before it, cities fill with flower markets selling peach blossom in the north and yellow apricot blossom in the south, and people travel home to their provinces. On the eve (Giao thừa), the big cities fire fireworks at midnight at more sites than on 31 December. During the first days, many shops, restaurants and family-run businesses close, trains and buses sell out, and prices for flights rise sharply.
31 December vs Tết, side by side
| Solar New Year (31 Dec 2026) | Lunar New Year (Tết 2027) | |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Night of 31 December | Eve 5 Feb, first day 6 Feb 2027 |
| Public holiday | 1 January (one day) | About a week |
| Mood | Street party, countdowns | Family reunions, temple visits |
| Fireworks | Main city sites at midnight | More sites, at midnight on the eve |
| Travel impact | Road closures that night | Closures, sold-out transport, higher fares |
| Best for visitors | Nightlife and city atmosphere | Culture, flower markets, festive decor |
Sample New Year's Eve in Hanoi
31 December in Hanoi
- Afternoon, Old Quarter walk: Explore the Old Quarter and Temple of Literature before the streets fill. The Temple of Literature opens 08:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30); tickets cost 70,000 VND for adults, cash only, and shoulders and knees must be covered.
- 18:00, street-food dinner: Pho, bun cha or banh mi at a local stall, eaten before the crowds peak.
- 19:00, countdown stage opens: Head for Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square and the lakeside pedestrian zone.
- 22:30, claim a view: Settle on the lake shore or in a booked café window seat.
- 00:00, fireworks: A short display over the lake and at other city sites.
- 00:30, leave slowly: Walk back to your hotel; motorbike traffic is extreme for an hour.
Watch your bag: crowds around Hoan Kiem Lake and Nguyen Hue are dense. Keep bags zipped and in front of you; bag snatching from motorbikes happens in busy areas.
Ride-hailing apps struggle near closed roads. Walk away from the centre before booking a car or motorbike after midnight.
What New Year's Eve in Vietnam costs
Vietnam is one of the cheapest places in Asia to see in the new year. The countdowns at Hoan Kiem Lake, Nguyen Hue and the Han River are free, and a street-food dinner costs very little. Prices for 2026 were not published as of October 2026.
Vietnam New Year's Eve spending
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| City countdowns and fireworks | Free | Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang |
| Street-food dinner | Low | Pho, bun cha, banh mi |
| Café window seat over Hoan Kiem | Minimum order | Book or arrive very early |
| Rooftop bar party | Ticketed or minimum spend | District 1 and Hanoi rooftops |
| Hotel, 31 December | Modest holiday rise | Much lower than at Tết |
The real price spike in Vietnam comes at Tết, the Lunar New Year. On 31 December prices barely move. Book Tết travel separately and early.
Daytime sightseeing adds little to the bill. The Temple of Literature charged 70,000 VND in October 2026 (under 3 US dollars) for adults and Ngoc Son Temple on Hoan Kiem Lake about 30,000 VND, and both ticket offices prefer cash, so carry small notes. On 31 December, road closures mean a ride may cost more time than it saves, so a hotel within walking distance is worth paying a little extra for.
Where to stay in Vietnam for New Year's Eve
Stay within walking distance of the countdown: the Old Quarter or Hoan Kiem district in Hanoi, or District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City. Roads close around the main sites, and last year Hanoi shut the pedestrian area around Hoan Kiem Lake to vehicles from 1 pm on 31 December, so taxis cannot reach hotels inside the zone in the evening.
Bases compared
| City | Area | Walk to |
|---|---|---|
| Hanoi | Old Quarter | Hoan Kiem Lake and Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square |
| Hanoi | French Quarter, south of the lake | The lake, with quieter streets |
| Ho Chi Minh City | District 1 near Nguyen Hue | The walking street and riverside |
| Da Nang | Hai Chau, on the west bank of the Han | Bach Dang walking street |
In Hanoi, the authorities closed the pedestrian area around Hoan Kiem Lake to vehicles from 1 pm on 31 December last year, so taxis cannot reach hotels inside the zone in the evening. Arrive at your hotel in the morning.
Outside New Year's Eve the same lakeside streets, including Dinh Tien Hoang, Le Thai To and Hang Khay, become a walking street from about 19:00 on Friday to late Sunday night, so a hotel on them is quiet of motorbikes at weekends but hard to reach by car. Ask Grab or taxi drivers to drop you a block or two away, near Hang Bai or Ly Thai To. In Ho Chi Minh City, District 1 hotels within walking distance of Nguyen Hue avoid the same problem, and in Da Nang a Hai Chau base keeps the Han River promenade on foot.
Practical tips for New Year's Eve in Vietnam
Sort the visa first. Rules depend on your passport: some nationalities enter visa-free for short stays, and many others use Vietnam's official e-visa portal, so apply well before December. Then pick a base within walking distance of the countdown, the Old Quarter or Hoan Kiem district in Hanoi and District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City. Browse our hotels.
Pack for two climates. Hanoi is cool in December and Ho Chi Minh City is hot, so a light jacket and summer clothes cover both. Carry dong in small notes, since street food, coffee and parking are cash businesses; cards work in hotels and bars. If you stay into February, book flights, trains and hotels for Tết weeks ahead, because they sell out.
With children, watch from a café or hotel, away from the crowd. Our guide to Vietnam with kids has more family tips.
Compare flights into Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang and book before holiday fares climb. Search flights
The customs you will see in Vietnam are compared with those of other countries in our guide to New Year traditions around the world. This destination also appears in our list of budget New Year getaways, with other affordable places to celebrate.
Planning a trip to Vietnam? Read our Vietnam travel guide or search flights.
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