Top 10 Essential Things to Remember When Traveling During Tet

1. Choose an Auspicious Day and Time to Travel

Traveling during Tet means stepping out of your home on the first day of the year to seek blessings for yourself and your family. According to folk beliefs, the first thing to remember when traveling is to move during the auspicious hours, ideally aligning with the traveler's age. Vietnamese people often embark on journeys at the beginning of the year to seek luck beforehand, then proceed with other activities such as visiting relatives or going far away and returning home.

If unfortunate enough to travel during inauspicious hours, you may face challenges throughout the year. Whether it's about travel, career advancement, relationships, or health, the risks increase if you're not cautious. Therefore, before traveling, it's essential to choose an auspicious day and time to ensure a favorable year ahead.

There are various methods for calculating auspicious travel hours. One traditional method is to consult the teachings of an ancient Chinese sage named Li Shunfeng. With the advancement of technology, you can now easily access information through lunar calendars or reputable websites, allowing you to find auspicious travel hours.

2. Visit Temples and Pagodas to Seek Blessings Instead of Wealth

On Tet holiday, Vietnamese people often follow the tradition of visiting pagodas and temples to pray for the new year. Therefore, many families choose to combine their travels with temple visits at the beginning of the year.

Visiting temples at the beginning of the year is a beautiful tradition of the nation regarding spirituality and should be maintained. Besides the meaning of traveling to admire the spring scenery, it is also an occasion for everyone to pray for family peace. However, when going to the temple at the beginning of the year, it is necessary to prepare offerings according to individual circumstances, focusing mainly on sincerity rather than extravagance. If visiting Buddhist temples or shrines at the beginning of the year, absolutely avoid offering pork, beef, or sausages. Also, refrain from bringing gold or money to offer in the temples.

When embarking on a journey at the beginning of the year to visit temples, one must remember that Buddha only protects peace and security, not worldly success or wealth. Therefore, when we pray to Buddha, we should ask for protection and blessings. The general principle of prayer is to pray for all sentient beings first, then for family, relatives, and finally for ourselves. This not only demonstrates our virtue but also our sincere respect before Buddha. Therefore, instead of praying for wealth, you should pray for blessings and safety for your family and loved ones, and for the wisdom of future generations to flourish...

Especially when making temple visits at the beginning of the year, you may draw divination sticks or receive lucky money packets prepared by the temple... to fulfill wishes for peace and luck, but never cut flowers or break branches.

Our ancestors taught us, 'Where there's respect, there's blessings; where there's taboos, there's goodness.' So, when embarking on your journey, remember to choose a direction that aligns with the homeowner's age.

The first day of Tet is a moment of harmony between heaven and earth, where yin and yang converge, marking a day of great fortune and prosperity. Setting off at the right time and in the appropriate direction is considered an auspicious sign for the new year, promising prosperity and abundance. The direction of travel is calculated from the homeowner's location to the desired destination. Therefore, to determine the direction easily, choose a fixed location in the direction you wish to go. Visit that place first on the first day of the new year before proceeding to other destinations.

Traveling in the right direction will bring you wealth, luck, and happiness in the new year. For those who haven't found their significant other, setting off at the right time and direction may uplift their spirits and lead them to their love in the new year.

Vietnamese people often prioritize beginnings. Setting off for the new year is a significant event for many. Leaving home on the first day of the year symbolizes new beginnings, so if you want a joyful year ahead, maintain a positive attitude when leaving home.

When embarking on the journey into the new year, many focus on the direction and auspicious timing but overlook their own mindset. As you step out of your home, ensure your mood is positive, filled with enthusiasm and happiness. This sense of readiness welcomes the new year with excitement, attracting luck and positivity to you wherever you go. Therefore, pay attention to your mindset when setting off on your journey.

Alongside selecting auspicious dates and directions for traveling, our ancestors also believed that the 5th day of the lunar month is inauspicious for setting out on a journey. There's a Vietnamese proverb that goes: 'The fifth and the fourteenth day, and the third. Going out is as unlucky as doing business.'

However, since the official working day starts on the 6th day, many people opt to travel on the 5th. If possible, you may choose to travel a bit earlier, avoiding the unfavorable 5th day and ensuring smoother travels without the rush. On Tet holiday, Vietnamese people often visit pagodas and temples to pray. Therefore, roads can be heavily congested for hours (especially on the 5th day, when vehicles flood into Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City). Hence, it's advisable to plan your journey carefully to avoid obstacles and mishaps at the beginning of the new year...

6. Engage in Good Deeds When Setting Out

One final reminder from Mytour to all readers is to engage in good deeds. Setting out on the journey of the new year at an auspicious time and choosing a favorable direction for luck may be important, but if you carry a lot of negative karma within you and engage in malicious deeds, no auspicious time can save you from the consequences you'll face. Therefore, when embarking on your journey, it's crucial to perform good deeds, accumulate blessings, and turn bad karma into good fortune.

According to some experts, at the beginning of the year, when setting out on a journey, it's advisable to pray for peace, prosperity, and the fulfillment of romantic relationships. You can visit temples, extend New Year's wishes to relatives, friends, and loved ones...

7. Meet Positive Individuals When Setting Out

Vietnamese tradition holds that stepping out of the house at the beginning of the year, if encountering a man, brings luck for the whole year, signifying a good start. Conversely, encountering a woman may be considered unlucky, leading to obstacles and challenges. While this belief may not be entirely accurate, if you adhere to it, plan to meet a man when leaving the house. Especially concerning the concept of 'positive' and 'negative' individuals, if you are in business, instead of meeting men, you can also choose to meet individuals who are compatible in age and personality traits. 'Positive' individuals, characterized by their friendly, enthusiastic, and approachable nature, may seem insignificant at first glance, but they play a crucial role in ensuring a smooth flow of luck, prosperity, and success in business endeavors.

8. Avoid Wearing Black or White When Embarking on a Journey

According to our ancestors, it's not advisable to wear black and white on Tet holidays when embarking on a journey. These two colors are associated with mourning and sorrow. If one wears clothes of these colors on the first day of the new year, losses, sorrows, and sadness may occur throughout the year.

Therefore, our ancestors believed that during Tet, it's better to wear colors like red, yellow, green, etc. These colors bring luck, prosperity, and harmony. Yellow symbolizes wealth and fortune, while green helps things to grow and promotes family harmony.

Avoid visiting grandparents on the 1st, 4th, and 5th days of Tet

Folk belief dictates that daughters and sons-in-law should only visit their grandparents to offer Tet wishes on the 2nd or 3rd day of Tet. It's considered inappropriate to visit on the 1st, 4th, and 5th days. The 1st day marks the beginning of the new year and is the most important day, so it's important to show respect and filial piety to one's parents and relatives, avoiding visits to the grandparents' house.

Moreover, there's a belief that visiting the grandparents on the 2nd or 3rd day of Tet brings luck to the wife's family.

Avoid speaking ill omens on Tet

Uttering ill omens on Tet can bring bad luck to the family's fortune for the entire year. Many folk beliefs suggest that spirits can hear these ill words and make them come true. Therefore, during the entire Tet period, it's important to speak words of goodness and beauty, avoiding words of misfortune.

Ill-speaking not only leads to unfortunate events for the family but also creates discomfort and annoyance. Hence, it's advisable to use gentle and soothing language in the early days of the new year.