Lunar New Year is considered a time for the whole family to gather together and relax after a year of hard work and study.
Besides spending time visiting their hometowns, many families decide to take long trips, both to enjoy new experiences and to strengthen bonds between family members.
Mr. Nguyen Viet Hung (46 years old, lecturer in Hanoi) said that for more than 10 years, his family has had the habit of traveling during the Lunar New Year.
“Tet is the ideal time to travel far away because both parents and children have time off from work and school. Besides, in recent years, my parents in the countryside have also followed the trend of celebrating Tet simply and neatly. Traveling is easy, so my family visits grandparents more often, not focusing on Tet, so there is more time to travel,” he shared.
According to Mr. Hung, traveling during Tet has many differences compared to other times of the year, in terms of services, weather, atmosphere...
“My family often chooses to go near Tet, when everywhere is bustling with shopping and decorating houses and streets. The bustling atmosphere with local cultural colors and long-standing traditions is maintained and transformed in modern times, observing these movements is really interesting. Food and accommodation services are also very complete, more comfortable than after Tet,” said Mr. Hung.
This year, his family decided to choose Hue as their tourist destination for more than 5 days due to both subjective and objective factors. The total distance of the round trip, his family traveled nearly 1,700km.
“Personally, I have not been back to Hue for more than 10 years. Along the way here, whether Vinh, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh... there is delicious food and beautiful scenery. In addition, Hue has a peaceful, quiet, solemn atmosphere, light food, not much protein, suitable for my age,” he confided.
Mr. Hung said that his family stopped at places such as Hue City, Tam Giang Lagoon, Lang Co Beach, Nhat Le Beach, Phong Nha Cave, and Quang Tri Citadel. Among them, the visit to Quang Tri Citadel - a place that bears the mark of the nation's heroic historical tradition - left an emotional impression and had special meaning for his children.
The experience of visiting Phong Nha Cave and admiring the majestic natural wonders also makes each family member feel extremely proud.
The male tourist confirmed that the cost of the trip would be much higher if he traveled by plane. His family drove themselves so their expenses were reasonable, and food and room rates were even cheaper than during the peak tourist season.
To have a successful trip, in addition to a careful plan of the schedule and places to visit, the couple needs to arrange family and relatives' affairs so they can rest assured when traveling far away during Tet.
“When driving, you need to observe signs, vehicles going in the same direction and in the opposite direction, and use Google Maps instead of the car's GPS, because the system sometimes does not update the traffic situation in real time. My family often does not book hotel rooms in advance because the schedule may not go as planned. It is more convenient to book when you are close to the destination,” he revealed.
For the first meal at each location, the family chooses a restaurant that is highly rated online, then asks the locals for more casual, “quality” places to eat. For example, when coming to Hue, tourists choose small sidewalk restaurants or restaurants in alleys, all of which are very delicious. People can refer to addresses such as Madam Thu, Hanh restaurant...
“The Central region has many tourist attractions because it has beaches, mountains, caves, historical sites, natural landscapes, spiritual places... However, you definitely need to visit one of the sacred red addresses such as Truong Son cemetery, Quang Tri ancient citadel, Dong Loc intersection, General Vo Nguyen Giap's tomb...”, Mr. Hung shared.
Overall, the male tourist affirmed that traveling during Tet is always an interesting and worthwhile experience for the whole family. However, because traveling during the holiday season, tourists need to ensure absolute traffic safety as well as food and health throughout the trip.
