Happy Lunar New Year: LIVE pictures from Vietnam on the First Day
As the first day of the lunar new year and the first day of the spring festival, Tet (Tết Nguyên Đán) is the annual Vietnamese New Year celebration, also the most important of national holidays in Vietnam, coinciding with the Lunar New Year, or Chinese New Year celebrated throughout the world in January or February. Although the country is very busy before Tet as millions of people will be going out for preparation and traveling through the country to share reunions with friends and family, it turns just quiet and even deserted in the big cities on the first day of the year. This photo article will say it all!
Although lots of people recommend not going to Hanoi or Saigon during Tet Holiday (Lunar New Year) as travel is a bit harder with almost all places such as restaurants, coffee shops, and bars getting closed, visiting the two big cities can be a great experience for tourists to be in a full exposure to a slow pace of life floated in peaceful tranquility, if not say solitude.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, you hardly see any scooters running up and down like crazy on the streets as usual.
To see more photos, check the open album below or go to Flickr:
Photo Album Flickr
(Please use the left/right arrows to navigate in the files of the open album)
Words by Chi Le
Photos by Minh Nguyen
Another view of Ha Noi. It is so quiet instead of being noisy and crowded like other days.
It’s our tradition not to go out on the first day of the lunar new year. So you shouldn’t be so taken aback by witnessing the emptiness of used-to-be-crowded streets.
Enjoying the comforting solitude atmosphere and the fresh air is all you deserve.
Big cities looking calm and peaceful is somewhat strange to me. Everyone seems to be relaxing and enjoying their precious New Year Holiday. I love this!
I love this kind of pictures that show the locals of the city versus glamorous tourist pictures to attract tourist. These pictures have more feelings to them. Looks like an interesting place to visit.
Thank you for sharing these gorgeous first day of Lunar New Year! I haven’t been to Vietnam and your story makes me feel more eager to push it this year.
I love all the pictures you use. They look so great. I also love your story. Thank you for sharing this to us!!!
Such gorgeous shots that truly capture the essence of the day!
This looks like so a wonderful place! Great photos from the First Day Lunar!
These are such beautiful shots of Hanoi. They looks so great under the author’s camera. Hope to visit it one day.