Westerners celebrate Tet in Vietnam more happily than celebrating New Year at home

During Tet, tourist attractions in the center of Ho Chi Minh City welcome crowds of visitors to eat, take photos, shop for souvenirs, and take double-decker buses or cyclos to sightsee.

Vietnamese ao dai, cuisine and flower-filled spaces are the things that impress international visitors when visiting Vietnam during the Lunar New Year 2024. Mr. Luca Fattorossi, an Italian tourist, said he had many emotions the first time he and his family and friends experienced Lunar New Year in Vietnam. "All the streets and alleys are decorated with lanterns and colorful flowers, the atmosphere is extremely joyful and bustling," he said. The Italian visitor seemed new to the Vietnamese Tet culture, such as why Vietnamese women love to take photos in ao dai, or why Vietnamese people celebrate Tet twice a year. "In Italy, we only celebrate the New Year for... 5 hours. Family members gather for dinner, wait for the moment of New Year's Eve and shout happy new year wishes. But when coming to Vietnam, Tet becomes so new with so many activities, it seems to take a lot of time to prepare," Mr. Luca expressed.

Kasha, a female tourist from England, was impressed with Vietnamese ao dai and cuisine. Photo: Tuyet Hong

Also impressed with the Vietnamese ao dai, Kasha Thorburn - a British woman - who came to Vietnam for the first time with her husband said: "The red, yellow, and pink colors on your traditional ao dai are so beautiful. Especially the silk fabric makes me extremely excited. Every time I visit the markets, I can't help but touch the fabric." She also expressed regret that she could not celebrate the New Year in Vietnam due to a change in her personal schedule. However, Kasha bought a lot of Vietnamese food to bring back home. She excitedly said: "I saw banh chung everywhere. I tried it, it was very strange. I really like dishes like pho, hu tieu, fruits... in Vietnam. I bought so much food that my suitcase almost burst."

The City Post Office is also one of the most popular tourist attractions during the Lunar New Year. Photo: Tuyet Hong

As for Mr. John, an American, he has been familiar with Vietnamese Tet for nearly 10 years. Currently, he lives with his Vietnamese wife and daughter in District 2, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Sharing with Lao Dong , he said he loves Tet because this is the time when the city is less dusty and has less traffic, becoming more quiet and peaceful. He also encourages his daughter Alex to wear Ao Dai. She really likes celebrating Tet in Vietnam. "I find Vietnamese Tet more fun. In America, it is usually celebrated simply, without too many activities." Every year, Mr. John's family cleans and decorates the house with many Tet flowers such as apricot blossoms, chrysanthemums, celosias, etc. During Tet, the whole family cooks together, walks around the city and meets and wishes friends a happy new year. In addition to the tour experiences, foreign tourists staying at hotels and resorts in Vietnam can experience Lunar New Year through cultural activities and experiences such as wrapping banh chung, asking for calligraphy, and receiving lucky money...

laodong.vn

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