Vietnamese Public Holidays // A Complete Guide

Discover Vietnamese Public Holidays 🎉 How Do They Differ To Your Country?

Besides the Vietnamese Lunar New Year (or Tet Holiday), there are several Vietnamese Public Holidays to celebrate and enjoy throughout the year.

In this post, we will guide you through the most popular public holidays in Vietnam.

We highly recommend you visit Vietnam during these Vietnamese Public Holidays so you can enjoy yourself and seize the best opportunity of getting up close and personal with the myths, customs, and fun-loving spirit of Vietnam. 

Vietnamese Holidays – List of Holidays for 2021/22

Vietnamese Holidays – Hung Kings Temple Festival

Vietnamese Holidays – Reunification Day

Vietnamese Holidays – Vietnamese Children’s Day

Vietnamese Holidays – Mid-Autumn Festival

Vietnamese Holidays – National Day / Independence Day

Vietnamese Holidays – Vietnamese Women’s Day

Vietnamese Holidays – FAQ’s

Vietnamese Public Holidays – 2021/22 Dates

First and foremost here is a list of the official Vietnamese Public Holidays by date for 2021 and 2022.

We dedicated another blog post to the Vietnamese Tet Holiday, which is Vietnamese New Year.

Today we’ll be focusing on some of the other holidays listed, plus a couple of unofficial holidays as well.

Despite the unofficial nature of these holidays, they are still widely celebrated. To find out more… keep reading!

Tết Holiday // An Introduction to Vietnamese New Year 2024

Vietnamese Tet Holiday or “Tết Nguyên Đán” is the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture. Here are some tips and what to do, and what to avoid.

Vietnamese Public Holidays – Hung Kings Temple Festival

The Hung King Temple Festival is celebrated during the 8th – 11th days of the 3rd lunar month and is held in commemoration of the Hung line of kings who ruled Vietnam as priestly kings for over 2,500 years.

These kings are known as the Hùng Vương in Vietnamese.

The Hùng Vương are the nation’s ancient founders and respected by all of the Vietnamese people.

The main event of worship takes place at the Hung Temple on the top of Nghia Linh Mountain in Phu Tho Province.

On March 10^th, a huge procession starts at the foot of the mountain, consisting of pilgrims, “Xoan” classical song performances, and “Ca trù” classical operas at several temples along the way towards the main Hung Temple. 

Vietnam Apps // The Ones You Need To Download For Life in Vietnam

Coming to Vietnam anytime soon? Great choice! Today you will discover the most important Vietnam Apps you need to download with our comprehensive guide.

DID YOU KNOW – you probably know more Vietnamese than you think thanks to the wonderful words of Vietlish!

Vietnamese Public Holidays – Reunification Day

On the 30th of April every year, Vietnamese people all around the country celebrate the reunification of the country, which dates back to 1975 when the North and the South of Vietnam reunified into one.

One country and one political system after several years of the Vietnam War.

DID YOU KNOW – this day can also be known as Liberation Day

On this day, you will see the Vietnamese flag flying high all over the country, in front of every family’s door, and even in other countries where Vietnamese people have made their home.

There will be a big parade in Ho Chi Minh City, and many political leaders will give public speeches.

Almost all institutions and offices are closed.

Many people tour the country during this time of year, with the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi being the number one site to visit.

As Reunification Day comes on the day before the International Labour Day, it is part of a larger celebratory period.

Vietnamese Public Holidays – Vietnamese Children’s Day

Not only do Fathers and Mothers have their n day to celebrate… Children even have their own day, which is on June 1^st every year.

The event spreads the message that children are to be protected, cared for, and given the opportunities to grow, to learn, and to be happy.

On this day, Vietnamese parents take their children to the amusement park, shopping mall, or resorts so that the whole family can enjoy some time off work and get ready for a hectic summer full of extra-curricular activities and extra classes.

Vietnamese Public Holidays – Mid-Autumn Festival

This is a holiday you may well have heard of before if you are verse to Asian culture.

Mid Autumn Festival is celebrated not only in Vietnam but also China (中秋节), Korea (추석/秋夕) and Japan (月見), amongst others.

The 15th of August (the 8th month) in the lunar calendar is called “Tết Trung Thu” (Mid-Autumn Festival) in Vietnamese.

This is the occasion for young children to have their paper lanterns, watch lion dances, and enjoy large food booths with mooncakes, sticky rice, fruits, and various sweets.

If you are in Hoi An City, Da Nang, the atmosphere and scenery are even more impressive since you’ll get to see plenty of street performances, lantern processions, and art exhibitions throughout the UNESCO-listed Ancient Town known as “Phố cổ Hội An”. 

Vietnamese Dialects // North or South?

North vs South? Vietnamese dialects can vary quite significantly. This is one of the very early questions a Vietnamese learner asks themselves.

Vietnamese Public Holidays – National Day/Independence Day

On the 2nd of September 1945, President Hồ Chí Minh read the Declaration of Independence at Ba Dinh Square, declaring the freedom of Vietnam from foreign invasion.

There are a variety of activities for both locals and foreigners to participate in such as enjoying the fireworks, watching the long, magnanimous parade and march, or paying a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

National Day is the most patriotic of all Vietnamese holidays.

It is a day full of fireworks, parades, rousing speeches, and the flying of the nation’s flag.

There is a huge parade through the historical Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi.

Vietnamese Public Holidays – Vietnamese Women’s Day

Besides the International Women’s Day on March 8th, Vietnamese women enjoy another Women’s Day on October 20th.

This day is to commemorate the foundation of the Vietnamese Women’s Union in 1930, an organization that fights for the rights of women and celebrates the achievements and contributions of women towards the development of the country.

This is a special day for the men to express their gratitude and love towards their female counterparts such as teachers, mothers, sisters, etc. 

There we have it, our guide to the Holidays in Vietnam you need to know about.

How do the Vietnamese Public Holidays differ from your home country? Why not drop us a comment below and tell us.

If this sort of topic interests you, why not take a look at our guide to the National Holidays of China and Taiwan as well.

Vietnamese Public Holidays – FAQ’s

Want More From LTL?

FANCY LEARNING VIETNAMESE? We know you’ll love our top-rated online Vietnamese courses. We offer a 7-day free trial to all new online students where you can study 24/7.

What’s more – we even offer Vietnamese courses in Vietnam too. Check out our small group classes for Vietnamese or our individual programs.

Come and be a part of our amazing community!