What to know about Tet, Vietnamese New Year

Tet is by far the biggest celebration in Vietnam. Every year, millions of people fly, drive and float their way back to their hometowns to spend quality time with their friends and families. The meals are big, the songs are loud, and everyone is in a good mood. Vietnamese people wait all year for this, but what is Tet?

Technically, "Tet" is a shortened form of Tết Nguyên Đán, a way to say "Lunar New Year" in Vietnamese.

Tet is seen as a chance for a fresh start. Debts are settled, old grievances are forgiven, and houses are cleaned of clutter, all to set the stage for attracting as much luck and good fortune as possible in the upcoming year.

The basics

The Tet holiday coincides with the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls sometime around the end of January, or the beginning of February. Generally speaking, Tet is a time to dish out the spoils from a prosperous year, to bring good fortune through generosity. In the months leading up to the holiday, people work long hours to pay for lavish gifts and celebrations. But it is time spent with family and friends that makes Tet so special.

Traditions

The first day of Tet is meant to be for immediate family. Parents and grandparents hand out lucky money to their children and grandchildren, usually cash gifts in red envelopes, which is the color of luck. For kids, this means it is time to load up on new toys and snacks. After the immediate family, it is time to celebrate with friends and neighbors.

Fruits of Tet: "Mam Ngu Qua"

The "five-fruit tray" on the ancestral altar during the Tet Holidays symbolizes the admiration and gratitude of the Vietnamese to Heaven and Earth and their ancestors and demonstrates their aspiration for a life of plenty. The five fruits represent the quintessence hope that Heaven and Earth bless humans. It demonstrates a Vietnamese percept of life, "When taking fruit, you should think of the grower".

Flowers of Tet

Coming to Vietnam during the season of the Tet festival, the visitor is engulfed in an ocean of colorful flowers. Visiting flower shows, contemplating the buds and blooms, and purchasing blossoms represents one of the distinct Vietnamese cultural characteristics. The peach (in the North) and the apricot blossoms (in the South) are symbols of the Vietnamese Tet. The warm pink of the peach could very well match the dry cold of the North, but the hot South seems to be flourishing in the riot of the yellow of the apricot. The mandarin is symbolic of good fortune. Therefore, people tend to choose the little plants with verdant leaves which are laden with large, orange fruit for a longer display.

Food

The most famous snack associated with Tet is Banh tet or Tet cake which is sticky rice, mung bean and pork, boiled inside a leaf. Roadside carts selling these cylindrical green bundles pop up everywhere as the holiday approaches. Just the sight of a bicycle loaded with Tet cakes gets people excited, because it means their favorite holiday is almost here.

Read more: Vietnam's traditional foods during Tet

Families also have large fruit trays in their homes, featuring plums, bananas, pomelos and tangerines. The more fruit, the better. They are symbolic of fertility in the upcoming year. No fruit means no babies. Dried fruit is also a popular snack to give to children during the holiday, along with peanut brittle and coconut candies.

The most joyous part of Tet, though, is the meals. They are huge, delicious, and the room is typically full of laughter. People who have not seen each other in months catch up and share stories, drinking a lot of beer and liquor in the process. Do not be surprised if you hear families still going strong in the very early hours of the morning.

Learn these words, because you will be hearing and saying them a lot should you find yourself in Vietnam during Tet.
Chúc Mừng Năm Mới! (Happy New Year!)
Pronounced: Chook Mung Nam Moi!

Source Internet

Take a tour around Delhi, India

One of the great things about Delhi is that it's relatively close to the mountains and a number of other diverse tourist places. There's something for everyone, including spirituality, nature, history and entertainment. If you're thinking of getting out of the city and exploring the surrounding area, read on to discover the best day trips to take from Delhi.

Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri

Want to see the Taj Mahal but don't have much time to spare? It can be visited on a day trip from Delhi. It's also possible to add in Agra Fort (it's more impressive than the Red Fort in Delhi) and the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikhri for an extra dose of heritage. Taking the train is an inexpensive way of getting from Delhi to Agra, and the journey can be completed in less than two hours if you catch an express train in the morning. Here are the best train options, including for the return journey in the evening. However, if you plan on seeing multiple attractions there, it's more convenient to hire a car and driver. Check out these top places to visit in and around Agra for options. Private day tours by car from Delhi are also popular. There's more information in this essential Taj Mahal travel guide.

Vrindavan

The journey to Vrindavan can be done in under three hours from Delhi, along with the Yamuna Expressway. If you hire a car and driver to go to Agra from Delhi, Vrindavan is on the way and can be included as a stop (although you should really spend a day there). This holy destination sits alongside the Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh and is where Lord Krishna is said to have spent his childhood and youth. During that time, he slayed demons and embarked on his famous love affair with Radha. Compared to nearby Mathura, where Krishna was born, Vrindavan is relaxed and peaceful. The town has a distinct divinity that will leave you feeling spiritually refreshed. Spend the day meandering through the narrow streets and visiting the thousands of temples, of all different sizes. Later in the afternoon, head to Kesi Ghat for the sunset aarti (worship with fire) ceremony. Hire a boat and go across the river for a magical view of it. If you have time, also visit the complex of abandoned temples 30 minutes away at Kusum Sarovar near Govardhan.

See more: Visit Rajasthan, the Land of Kings in India

Alwar

Interested in more forts and palaces? A three-hour drive south of Delhi will get you to Alwar in Rajasthan. There, you can see the 18th century City Palace complex and government museum (closed Fridays) inside it, devoted to showcasing the extravagant lifestyle of the kings. Tucked away behind the City Palace, it's Lake Sagar and the many chhatris (dome-shaped pavilions) that are most visually impressive though. Above the City, Palace sits the 16th century Bala Quila, one of the few forts in Rajasthan to be built before the rise of the Mughals. Unfortunately, it's poorly maintained and most parts are inaccessible. If you have time, the Forest Department runs popular jeep safaris to the fort and surrounding leopard trails.

Kingdom of Dreams

One of the top theme parks in India, Kingdom of Dreams is an outstanding live entertainment destination in Gurgaon, about an hour south of Delhi. It encompasses both Indian culture and the performing arts. Wander through the elaborate arts, crafts, and culinary boulevard that is Culture Gully. Sample food from different states in India. Then, catch a live Bollywood musical. It's open Tuesday to Sunday, from 1 p.m. until 1 a.m.

Sultanpur National Park

Sultanpur National Park is one of the best sanctuaries in India for bird watching. Although it's not very big in size, it's situated conveniently close to Delhi in the Gurgaon district of Haryana. The drive there only takes about an hour and a half. Hence, if you can't visit Keoladeo Ghana National Park (formerly Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary) in Rajasthan and want to spend some time in nature, Sultanpur is a decent option for a day trip. The park attracts both local and migratory birds, including some all the way from Siberia. It has a tourist center, circular walking trail and four watchtowers.

See more: Top 5 amazing temples in India

Source TripSavvy

The greatest festivals you should join in Da Lat

Da Lat located in Vietnam's highland with many ethnic minorities. So, Da Lat has many festivals. If you are spending time on your research, you will easily realize that Da Lat is absolutely well worth a visit, and especially it is better to come here on season of festivals. Let’s see how wonderful those festivals are.

Da Lat Flower Festival

It is probable to say that the festival has gradually become a glittering characteristic in the culture of Da Lat as the thought that the event is associated with the romantic highland city is leaking into the Vietnamese’s mind. As for the aim of Da Lat flower festival, to encourage the economic growth of Da Lat and popularize the city’s tourism as well as its beautiful image, the event is where vegetables, flowers, and ornamental plants from the locals are displayed and introduced to visitors. The exhibition is also considered to be the best approach to the potential investment in Da Lat flower industry from other places whereby the culture and people of Da Lat will be more well-known.

Da Lat flower festival has been organized every two years since 2005. Regularly at the end of the year. It is also an exclusive tourist product which attracts lots of domestic and foreign tourists. The main stage of this festival is put on the water surface of Xuan Huong lake and Lam Vien square.

Gong Cultural Festival

Be curious about Gong Festival? At first, let yourself grab a little understanding of what Gong is? In fact, Vietnam people don’t simply mention Gong in their culture, instead, they will talk about the space of Gong culture in Vietnam Highlands. The gong culture was designated as the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO on November 15th, 2005.

The space of Gong culture in Vietnam Highlands stretches in highland provinces, such as Daknong, Gialai, Kontum, Lamdong, and Daklak. Artists performing that culture are ethnic minorities, including Ma, Ede, Bana, Lach, etc. What makes up the gong culture’s performance consist of Gong music melody, Chime, artists, long-houses, fields, graveyard, forests next to villages, etc. As for Gong Cultural Festival, it will take place in the above highland provinces in turn. Tourists coming to Da Lat, Lam Dong in the occasion when the city plays a role as the host can learn more about unique and quintessential features in the gong culture. It is really fantastic.

Tea Cultural Festival

Previously, Tea Cultural Festival – one of the festivals in Da Lat city used to be a periodic event held once each two years with the purpose of honoring the tea industry; the first flower festival took place in December, 2006. It is supposed that the festival is not merely a cultural event, but it is also a lever to push up the economic and tourism development of Da Lat. Specifically, it is where Vietnamese tea enterprises grab chances to popularize their brands. Besides, visitors experiencing the festival in Da Lat city can know more about the art of making tea and sample amazingly fragrant kinds of tea.

Nonetheless, because of some reasons making the tea producing industry go down, in the next time, Tea Cultural Festival will be organized as a part of Da Lat Flower Festival instead of taking place separately as usual. Therefore, it will be great to join Tea Cultural Festival when you are also enjoying Da Lat flower festival.

Buffalo Stabbing Festival

Every year, at the end of the crop (year-end), ethic minorities organize the greatest festival of the year to offer sacrifice Ndu God and other gods and genies to express their gratitude to the gods who have provided the villagers and tribes with a prosperous year with many lucks and a good crop. This festival is name Sarơpu (buffalo eating Festival) and commonly called Buffalo Stabbing Festival.
The first thing to do is putting a tree called ‘Neu’ which indicates their desires for wellness and happiness indispensable in this festival.

Read more: Chill out in the newest spots in Dalat

Source tnktravel