Tet 2026 Vietnam Itinerary: 7 Days in Hanoi, Ha Long and Ninh Binh

For a Tet Vietnam itinerary, lock in a flight to Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) in Hanoi and a room in the Old Quarter. That base puts you within walking distance of Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple (open 8:00-18:00, entry 30,000 VND), plus the pre-Tet night market on Hang Dao. It is also the logical launch point for the Ninh Binh and Ha Long segments.

Before booking the flight, sort the visa. Most nationalities can use Vietnam's 90-day, multiple-entry e-visa for this trip. Apply at evisa.gov.vn at least 2 weeks before arrival. The e-visa fee is approximately US$25-50 depending on processing speed. Your passport must be valid for 6 months from your entry date, and you need 2 passport photos plus your planned entry and exit dates. Confirm these details again on the official site, because fees and processing windows change.

Book domestic flights, trains and buses early, because Tet travel sells out. Use dsvn.vn for Vietnam Railways trains and vexere.com for buses. The Hanoi to Ninh Binh leg runs about 2 hours by bus or train, and Ninh Binh to Hanoi is similar, but seats disappear fast around the Feb 15-21, 2026 holiday window. The Hanoi to Ha Long bus takes about 3 hours, but departure times thin out around Tet. For Ha Long, check whether your chosen overnight cruise operates on Feb 17 and the surrounding days before paying.

Tet begins Feb 17, 2026, and the official holiday is expected Feb 15-21, 2026, but these dates can shift. Arriving close to Tet Eve (Feb 16) means airport transfers and Old Quarter food options may be thin. International hotel restaurants, some street stalls, and major tourist sites stay open, but many local shops close for the first 3 days of Tet. Carry 2-3 million VND in small notes, because ATMs may malfunction during the holiday.

Tet 2026 begins Feb 17, 2026, the Year of the Horse. The official holiday is expected Feb 15-21, with Tet Eve on Feb 16 as the biggest celebration. Most Vietnamese businesses close for the first 3 days of Tet. International hotel restaurants, some street stalls and tourist sites stay open.

Do not assume every Hanoi restaurant reopens when the first 3 days end. Some stay closed until after Feb 19. Plan dinners in international hotel restaurants or confirm specific places by phone if you arrive Feb 17-19. The official 2026 holiday dates are expected Feb 15-21, but they can shift. Check the final government announcement before locking in flights and trains. Domestic flights, trains and buses sell out early around Tet, so book Hanoi-Ninh Binh and Hanoi-Ha Long legs as soon as you have fixed dates. Ha Long Bay cruises operate, but check availability over Feb 16-18 before paying a deposit.

Some major sights keep regular hours through Tet. Ngoc Son Temple on Hoan Kiem Lake opens 8:00-18:00 with entry at 30,000 VND, so it is a safe daytime stop. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is different: it closes every Friday and Monday, and may close for Tet too. Check its schedule on the day you plan to visit.

Aim to land in Hanoi by Feb 15 or earlier. That gives you a full day before Tet Eve on Feb 16 to walk the flower market at Dong Xuan Market and the evening stalls on Hang Dao, both at their best in the final days before Lunar New Year. If you arrive later, you miss the pre-Tet street atmosphere and risk closed restaurants. If your priority is sightseeing rather than Tet markets, arriving after Feb 21 is simpler: restaurants and transport return to normal, and you still catch the tail of the lunar new year decorations.

This 7-day vietnam itinerary still works during Tet 2026, which starts Feb 17, if you book transport early. The official holiday runs Feb 15-21, and many small restaurants close for the first 3 days, so eat at international hotel restaurants or remaining street stalls. Days 1-2 in Hanoi: stay in the Old Quarter, walk Hoan Kiem Lake, and enter Ngoc Son Temple (open 8:00-18:00, entry 30,000 VND). Eat a banh mi for 35,000 VND or a bowl of pho for 50,000-70,000 VND. Tran Quoc Pagoda is free and open 7:30-11:30 and 13:30-17:00. Hang Dao night market runs in the evenings before Tet.

Day 3: take the morning bus from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, 2 hours and about 150,000 VND. Buy the ticket on vexere.com early, because Tet buses sell out. Rent a bike and ride to Tam Coc, where a boat costs about 150,000 VND. Sleep at a Tam Coc homestay. Day 4: book the Trang An boat excursion, about 250,000 VND including the boat, open 07:00-16:00. The afternoon train from Ninh Binh to Hanoi takes 2 hours with a seat around 180,000 VND.

Days 5-6: catch the 3-hour bus to Ha Long and board an overnight cruise, US$80-200 per person all-inclusive. Check availability over Feb 16-18, and confirm your operator runs Feb 17. The standard route visits Sung Sot Cave and Titop Island. Return to Hanoi by bus in about 3 hours.

Day 7: slow down at an Old Quarter cafe with egg coffee around 50,000 VND. Buy Tet gifts such as candied ginger or tea, then depart from Noi Bai. Carry 2-3 million VND in small notes because ATMs may malfunction during the holiday. Book trains on dsvn.vn and buses on vexere.com early.

A banh mi in Hanoi's Old Quarter costs about 35,000 VND, and a bowl of pho runs 50,000-70,000 VND at the small shops and street stalls that stay open in the first days of Tet. For a Vietnam itinerary built around eating, start with these two staples before the holiday rush thins the vendor lineup.

On Feb 17, 2026, most Vietnamese businesses close for the first three days of Tet, but food shopping continues in the run-up. Dong Xuan Market is the best place to see pre-Tet buying: it doubles as a Tet flower market with peach branches, kumquat trees, and seasonal food stalls. Between meals, walk north to Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake. It is free and open 7:30-11:30 and 13:30-17:00, a quiet stop that requires no tickets or queueing.

Save gift shopping for the last day of your Vietnam itinerary, when Old Quarter cafes and small shops reopen after the main closure days. Egg coffee at a cafe near Hoan Kiem Lake costs about 50,000 VND, and that cafe table doubles as a packing station. Buy Tet gifts that travel well: dried fruits, candied ginger, boxed green rice flakes, or a ceramic zodiac horse for the Year of the Horse. Street vendors near the Hang Dao night market usually return after the first three days, with less local competition.

During the first three days of Tet, not every food stop closes. International hotel restaurants and some street stalls remain open, so you can still find a bowl of pho or a banh mi in the Old Quarter on February 17 or 18, though the selection is thinner. Carry small notes from 2,000 to 50,000 VND, as some vendors may not have change. Hotel restaurants keep regular hours through the first three days if you want a guaranteed table.

Plan on 1,200,000-1,800,000 VND per day (about US$50-75) for a Tet 2026 Vietnam itinerary, covering accommodation, meals, and transport. Add a 10-30% Tet surcharge on hotels and taxis from Feb 15-21, the official holiday stretch. Apply that surcharge mentally when comparing hotel quotes, and expect daily costs to land near the top of the range. This daily range assumes midrange private rooms, local food, and scheduled buses or trains, not luxury hotels or private cars. Carry 2-3 million VND in small notes, not large bills. Cash is king during Tet. Many small vendors, taxis, and market stalls will not have change for a 500,000 VND note. ATMs can malfunction or run out of cash during the holiday, especially in Ninh Binh and Ha Long, so withdraw and split your cash before Feb 16. Keep a stack of 20,000-50,000 VND notes for taxis, market purchases, and small tips. Some costs on this north Vietnam itinerary are fixed. The Hanoi-Ninh Binh bus costs 150,000 VND, the Tam Coc boat costs 150,000 VND, and the Trang An boat costs 250,000 VND, including the boat. The Ninh Binh-Hanoi train seat costs 180,000 VND. A Ha Long overnight cruise costs US$80-200 per person, all-inclusive, but you need to confirm the operator runs its Tet schedule, especially around Feb 17. Street food keeps the budget low even during Tet; a banh mi still costs about 35,000 VND and a bowl of pho usually 50,000-70,000 VND. But sit-down restaurants in Hanoi may close until after Feb 19. On those days, budget for hotel restaurants or international hotel dining, which stay open but cost more. The 1,200,000-1,800,000 VND daily figure assumes you mix cheap street meals with a few hotel meals.

Tet 2026 begins Feb 17, and the official holiday runs Feb 15-21. A Tet Vietnam itinerary works only if you treat transport as a reservation, not a plan. Book train seats at dsvn.vn and bus tickets at vexere.com as soon as your dates are confirmed. Domestic flights, trains and buses sell out early, especially around Tet Eve on Feb 16. The Hanoi-Ninh Binh bus costs about 150,000 VND and the train seat about 180,000 VND, but both fill fast over Tet. Ninh Binh trains run but may be crowded, so reserve a seat rather than showing up.

Before you pay for a Ha Long Bay cruise, confirm the operator runs its Tet schedule on Feb 17. Some boats reduce departures over Feb 16-18, and refunds are harder once you have paid. For the cruise itself, expect all-inclusive rates from US$80 to US$200 per person. Verify the exact departure time and route before you pay, because Tet schedules are shorter. In Hanoi, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum closes Fri-Mon and may add Tet closures, so do not build your itinerary around a Monday or Friday morning visit. Swap that slot for Tran Quoc Pagoda, which is free and open 7:30-11:30 and 13:30-17:00.

Keep small notes, because many vendors will not have change for 500,000 VND during Tet. Carry 2-3 million VND in cash across your group, and confirm ATMs are working before you rely on them. Machines can run dry or malfunction over the holiday, especially in smaller towns like Tam Coc. Check your bank's daily ATM limit before you leave, because Tet closures can leave you without a fallback machine. Most street stalls and local taxis want cash.

Finally, double-check the official 2026 holiday dates, because the government can shift the Feb 15-21 window. Also confirm any updated e-visa processing times at evisa.gov.vn before you lock flights. The 90-day, multiple-entry e-visa costs US$25-50 and needs at least 2 weeks, so start early. If you arrive after Feb 19, many Hanoi restaurants reopen, so plan your food stops for the second half of the week.