Discover the charm of Hue during Tet!

Planning a trip to Hue for Tet Nguyen Dan but unsure where to go and what to do in this ancient land? Fear not! Follow Vntrip and unlock countless exciting experiences, from famous landmarks to vibrant festival activities and must-try Tet delicacies in Hue.

1. Weather in Hue during Tet Nguyen Dan 2021

Tet Nguyen Dan falls in the middle of February in the Gregorian calendar, marking the transition of seasons in Hue. As the cold gradually fades away, warm sunny days become more frequent. The weather is delightful, with a mild climate and occasional refreshing breezes, perfect for strolls. However, due to the lingering rainy season, unexpected drizzles may occur. The average temperature during this period ranges from 20°C to 25°C.

The weather in Huế during Tet Lunar New Year is quite lovely. Image: Hue, truly Vietnam

2. Tet Customs in Huế

Being the former imperial capital, Huế still preserves many aspects of traditional culture, especially the rituals of the Lunar New Year. Among these, ancestral worship is considered the most significant, conducted with great solemnity and precision. Starting from the beginning of December, most women in the family are busy preparing for the ancestral worship with traditional items such as Thanh Tien paper flowers, five-color powder, square glutinous rice cake, cylindrical glutinous rice cake from Chuon village...

The ancestral altar is meticulously arranged during Tet days. Image: Collected

Not only that, but also every incense bowl on the ancestral altar must have fresh sand. To demonstrate deep respect, the replacement sand must be pure white and finely sifted from coastal villages. Items for ancestral worship such as incense burners and candle holders must be polished. In addition to the traditional offerings of five fruits on the altar - custard-apple, persimmon, coconut, papaya, and mango - the altar cannot be without a bunch of bananas, known as honey bananas. These are the only bananas that people in Huế use for ancestral worship during the Tet holidays.

Paper flowers are indispensable on the ancestral altar for every Tet celebration. Image: Hue, truly Vietnam

On the morning of the first day of Tet, the first ritual is the New Year's ancestral worship. This is when people in Huế perform vegetarian offerings on the ancestral altar. Offerings include incense, tea, and candied fruits..., before opening the door to welcome guests for Tet visits. In Huế, on Tet day, there is a beautiful and humane tradition, which is to visit the graves of ancestors and relatives at the beginning of the year. On the first morning of the lunar new year, families gather their children and grandchildren, then visit the graves together.

3. Where to Go for Tet Celebration in Huế?

The Vibrant Tet Flower Market

Following December 23rd in Hue, locals eagerly prepare for Tet by flooding the city streets with an array of flowers, creating a Tet signature. Flowers can be found everywhere, from Phu Van Lau to the parks surrounding Nghenh Luong Pavilion, An Dinh Palace, and the Hue Cultural Information Center situated at the intersection of Hung Vuong Boulevard.

Tet flower market in the Dai Noi area of Hue. Image: Collected

At this Tet flower market, in addition to various types of chrysanthemums and kumquats, many garden owners also display and sell Huong Mai, a native Hue plant, ranging from a few million to several hundred million VND per pot. Various types of Dalat lilies, Japanese cherry blossoms from Nhat Tan, Hoi An kumquats, and native Hue orchids are also available for sale everywhere.

Don't forget to prepare a traditional Ao Dai outfit. Image: Collected.

Many visit the flower market just to admire, take photos, and experience. Visiting Hue during Tet without going to the spring flower market is like missing out on spring altogether. Remember to dress up in your best Ao Dai for stunning photos, while being mindful not to disrupt local vendors.

Exploring the Imperial City and the royal tombs

From the 1st to the 3rd day of Tet every year, the Hue Monuments Conservation Center offers free admission to Vietnamese citizens and tourists to visit the Imperial City and the system of royal tombs in Hue.

Experience the majestic beauty of Hue Imperial City. Image: Lê Phương Tùng

Moreover, if you visit Hue Imperial City during Tet, you will have the chance to partake in joyful spring activities within the Royal Palace; the highlight being the reenactment of traditional court games played during Tet. The festive atmosphere of welcoming Tet is concentrated in the area of the Thai Hoa Palace courtyard, featuring games that were once favored in the ancient Nguyen Dynasty Royal Palace, such as: The Bamboo Stick Game, Tossing the Hoop, Game of Balls, and Calligraphy Demonstrations...

Admire the grandeur of Khai Dinh Tomb. Image: Lê Phương Tùng

Engage in temple visits during Buddhist festivals.

Visiting temples at the beginning of the year has long been a cultural tradition among the Vietnamese people. Moreover, Hue is renowned for its beautiful temples resembling scenes from a fairyland, so during Tet holidays, take time to visit the first temple of the year to pray for a peaceful and lucky new year.

Visiting temples to celebrate the New Year. Image: Collected

You can visit Thien Mu Pagoda to admire its ancient beauty spanning over 400 years, enjoy the fresh air of the Perfume River, and listen to the legends of the pagoda. Additionally, Tu Hieu Pagoda, Dieu De Pagoda, Tu Dam Pagoda, Huyen Khong Son Thuong Pagoda, etc., are also famous temples in Hue. When visiting temples during Tet, you can also receive lucky charms or have your fortunes told for the new year.

Truc Lam Zen Monastery Hue. Image: Hue, truly Vietnam

3.4. Rural Market Vibes During Tet at Thanh Toan Tile Bridge

Thanh Toan Tile Bridge is an ancient, structurally unique bridge located in the area of Thanh Thuy Chanh village, about 8 km east of the city center of Hue. Every Tet holiday, Thanh Toan Tile Bridge becomes bustling with rural market stalls.

Tet atmosphere at Thanh Toan Tile Bridge. Image: Collected

The market scene is rich with activities of buying, selling, displaying, and introducing various agricultural products, handicrafts, ceramics... The highlight is the traditional card game session starting from morning until 10 pm and lasting from the first day of Tet to the seventh day. Moreover, visiting this rustic rural market, you can also indulge in many unique, traditional Hue dishes such as various cakes, types of sweet soup, beef noodles, clear rice noodle soup... sold at very simple stalls.

The lively atmosphere of the Chòi Card Festival at Thanh Toàn Tile Bridge. Image: Collected

4. Hue Tet Festival

4.1. Đu Tiên Festival

The Đu Tiên Festival in Gia Viên Village, Phong Hiền Commune, Phong Điền District takes place on the 4th day of Tet every year, featuring traditional cultural festivities that shine brightly in Hue. The swing must be made of sturdy large bamboo; the swing ropes, swing boards, and swing frames are connected with each other by bamboo strips, rattan, and bamboo splints... creating a flexible swing for players to soar high while ensuring safety for participants in the Đu Festival. In traditional ao dai costumes, participants gracefully soar into the sky with mesmerizing swings.

The first swinging festival. Image: VOV

Outside Gia Vien village, the tradition of the first swinging festival is still preserved and recreated in many other villages in Thua Thien Hue such as Quang Tho (Quang Dien district), Dien Hoa (Phong Dien district)… during the traditional Tet holiday; with a variety of swings and different swinging styles.

Lễ hạ nêu Ceremony

On the 7th day of the lunar New Year, the Hue Imperial Citadel Conservation Center will organize the Ceremony of lowering the Nêu tree, inaugurating the new year, presenting New Year's greetings at The Mieu and Long An Palace, within the Imperial City area. The lowering of the Nêu tree ceremony is carried out with rituals of offering, large and small music performances, bell ringing, and lowering the Nêu tree. At the same time, the gold seals and ceremonial items hung on the top of the Nêu tree are taken down to inaugurate the New Year's Greetings Hall, presenting calligraphy with sealed stamps to celebrate the new year, symbolizing blessings for tourists visiting the Hue monuments on this special day.

Celebrating the harvest festival. Image: Collected

4.3. The Sình Village Wrestling Festival

Held annually on the 10th day of the lunar January, the Sình Village Wrestling Festival at the communal house area of Lại Ân village (also known as Sình village), Phú Mậu commune, Phú Vang district is a traditional cultural activity, rich in the martial spirit of the people of Huế on every Tet occasion.

The Sình Village Wrestling Festival. Image: Collected

The traditional wrestling festival in Sình village emphasizes the martial spirit. Therefore, the wrestlers are not allowed to use dangerous moves such as twisting joints, locks, or headbutts that could endanger lives. Another unique aspect of the Sình village festival is the spirit of camaraderie among participants from different localities. If a wrestler from one village loses, another wrestler will step in to continue the match. Losing wrestlers have to wait until the following year for a rematch, so they spend the year honing their skills and cultivating moral virtues for the next spring competition.

The Huyền Trân temple festival is held annually on the 9th day of the 1st lunar month at the Huyền Trân Cultural Center in An Tây ward, Huế city. This event embodies the Vietnamese proverb 'Drinking water, remember its source,' honoring the ancestors who contributed to expanding the nation's territory.

The Huyền Trân temple festival. Image: Collection.

The Huyền Trân temple festival is a cultural event that showcases the rich heritage of Huế, Vietnam.

During the ceremony, following the rituals, an outstanding epic art program was presented narrating the tale of Princess Huyen Tran. Additionally, the festival featured various unique activities such as exhibition showcasing, introduction of handicraft products from Hue, and organizing traditional folk games like singing Bai Choi, wrestling...

4.5. The Fishing Festival

The Fishing Festival is a celebration of the people of Thai Duong Ha village, Thuong An town, Phu Vang district, Thua Thien Hue province. The festival is held on the 12th of January to commemorate the village's meritorious figure who contributed to the fishing industry and boat trading.

The fishing festival. Image: Nguyen Duc Huy

During the festival, along with the ceremonial procession of the deity, there are lively folk rituals and scenes of fishing prayers, starting with the performance 'onshore and underwater,' deploying for fishing, boat racing on the Tam Giang River...

5. Traditional Tet Dishes in Hue

5.1. Banh Chung and Banh Tet

Banh Chung and Banh Tet have long been indispensable dishes on the Tet feast of the Vietnamese people. Depending on customs, habits, and culture, each place has its own way of wrapping and cooking Banh Chung and Banh Tet. Specifically, the Banh Chung and Banh Tet in Hue are of moderate thickness, not too big. The filling, consisting of pork belly and mung beans, is cooked thoroughly, ground finely, and seasoned with just the right spices.

Huế's signature dish, the exquisite Bánh tét. Image: Collected

Chuồn Village's specialty, Bánh tét, stands out as Huế's culinary gem. Its cylindrical shape, fragrant sticky rice, flavorful green bean and pork belly filling, make it an irresistible delight. As for Bánh chưng, Nhật Lệ's version steals the spotlight, renowned for its petite size and perfect balance of flavors, ensuring one can indulge without feeling overwhelmed.

5.2. Pickled Vegetables

Pickled vegetables, a traditional delicacy during Tet in Central Vietnam, especially in Huế, complement dishes like Bánh tét and rice, offering a refreshing contrast to rich and oily foods.

Delicious Hue-style pickled vegetables. Image: Collected by our team.

Hue-style pickled vegetables are made with various ingredients including radishes, carrots, turnips, and more. These ingredients are sliced, sun-dried until wilted, then pickled with ripe chili peppers, fish sauce, and sugar. The salty-sweet flavor of the fish sauce enhances the crispiness of the pickles, making them a flavorful accompaniment to other dishes, not only reducing palate fatigue but also stimulating the taste buds.

Exquisite Fermented Rice Cakes

Fermented rice cakes, resembling sour sausages but entirely different in preparation. Made from pigskin and head meat, all boiled until tender and thinly sliced by hand. The seasoning is also diverse, including dried fish sauce, fresh chili peppers, chili powder, garlic, toasted sesame seeds, shredded ginger, and indispensable roasted rice powder or roasted glutinous rice powder. Because of such unique and exotic seasoning components, Hue fermented rice cakes also possess a distinctive flavor that no other dish can match.

Tré Hue. Image: Collected.

When eating, peel the skin off the tre, use chopsticks to shred the meat and arrange it on a plate. You can enjoy tre like sour fermented pork rolls or wrap them with rice paper and fresh herbs, cucumber, bitter banana, and dip in chili garlic fish sauce. Moreover, tasting tre with a bit of spicy wine in the spring is truly unmatched.

Pickled Shallots in Vinegar

Pickled shallots in vinegar is a dish that stimulates the taste buds and prevents satiety during Tet. The bulbs are sun-dried until withered, then soaked in a mixture of vinegar and sugar a few days before Tet, when served, they are mixed with chili and garlic. Besides pickled shallots in vinegar, many families in Hue also make sweet and sour pickled radishes, purple onions in salt, sweet and sour garlic onions, pickled cucumbers... making the Tet family meal more enticing.

Soaking in vinegar solution. Image: Collected

The ultimate guide to visiting Huế during Tet is now in your hands. Why wait? Start planning a fabulous itinerary to explore Huế right away!