Vietnam used to be recorded with just 10 holidays annually, the least among Southeast Asian countries in 2019. Since 2021, this number has increased to 11, covering major occasions such as New Year’s Day, Lunar New Year, Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day, Reunification Day, International Labor Day, and National Day.
From this year 2026, the new Vietnam Cultural Day on November 24th is added to the list which increases the holiday numbers to 12.
New Year’s Day
It’s a public holiday celebrated globally, including Vietnam. The New Year’s Day holiday offers workers a short break after a year of sustained pressure for family visits, or simply time to slow down and get away.
The four-day break typically drives a surge in domestic travel, as people make the most of the rare extended time off for short domestic trips, especially popular tourist destinations such as Da Lat, Phu Quoc, and Vung Tau. With a surge in local visitors, accommodation prices rise accordingly, so international travelers can plan around it to avoid peak domestic travel flows.
Tet holiday (Lunar New Year)
If there is one holiday that defines Vietnam, it’s Tet. In a little over a month, workers in Vietnam will enter the longest holiday of the year, Tet.
With the approval of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced that civil servants, public employees, and workers will be off for the Tet 2026 holiday from February 14 (the 27th day of the last lunar month of the Year of the Snake) to February 22 (the sixth day of the first lunar month of the Year of the Horse). In total, the Tet holiday will last nine consecutive days, including five statutory Tet holidays and four weekend days.
Next year Tet 2027 falls on Saturday, February 6th with official public holidays expected lasting a similar 7–9 day stretch depending on calendar alignment, from February 5th to February 11th, 2027 (exact schedule to be announced).
Professor Le Van Trinh, chairman of the Association for Occupational Safety and Health Science and Technology, said the country’s number of official public holidays remains low compared to that in many developed countries.
“It is time to study ways to amend the Labor Code to increase the number of annual holidays and reduce working hours as the country’s socioeconomic conditions gradually improve,” he shared to VnExpress.
Regarding which holidays should be added, Trinh said many people want the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday to be extended beyond the current five official days. However, its timing often falls out of sync with global schedules. Instead, he proposes adding holidays around the Gregorian New Year to better align Vietnam with international rhythms.
Hung Kings’ Commemorations Day
The Hung Kings Temple Festival takes place from 1st to 10th of the third lunar month (April 17th to April 26th) in Phu Tho province, with a solemn ceremony held on the main day of the festival (March 10th lunar). During this time, people from all over the country flock to Phu Tho to offer incense and commemorate the Hung Kings, legendary founders of the Vietnamese nation.
It reflects a powerful idea embedded in Vietnamese identity that regardless of regional differences, all Vietnamese people share a common origin:
Dù ai đi ngược về xuôi,
Nhớ ngày Giỗ Tổ mùng 10 tháng 3.
(No matter who goes back and forth
Remember the Ancestor’s Death Anniversary on the tenth day of the third month.)
At the 11th National Assembly session in 2007, the amended Labor Code was passed, allowing workers to take a day off for the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day starting from 2007.
Vietnam’s Reunification Day
Vietnam’s Reunification Day (April 30), or Liberation Day, is a major public holiday marking the 1975 ending the Vietnam War, leading to the change of power and starting the nation’s reunification. It is typically paired with International Labor Day (May 1st), creating one of the longest continuous breaks besides Tet.
This year celebrates the 51st anniversary with many cultural activities. Ho Chi Minh City will host a 15-minute high-altitude fireworks display at 9 PM on April 30, 2026, from locations including the Saigon River Tunnel. Furthermore, a special program titled “Non Sông Thống Nhất” (National Unification) will be launched, along with street lighting displays, exhibitions of historical images at Nguyen Van Binh Book Street, and an outdoor symphony in Hanoi.
International Labor Day
Labor day emerged from a movement for shorter work days in Chicago on May 1, 1886, when hundreds of thousands of workers across the United States went on strike, demanding an eight-hour workday.
In Vietnam, Labor Day became intertwined with the country’s revolutionary history in the early 20th century. Influenced by Marxist-Leninist thought introduced by Ho Chi Minh, early labor movements began to take shape, with notable strikes such as the Ba Son shipyard strike in 1925.
After the country gained independence, Labor Day was officially recognized in 1946 as a national holiday, with hundreds of thousands participating in the first public celebration in Hanoi. Today, May 1st in Vietnam is both a public holiday and a reminder of the country’s historical journey to honoring workers’ contributions.
In 2026, Reunification Day on April 30 falls on a Thursday, while International Workers’ Day on May 1 falls on a Friday which the holiday will last four consecutive days thanks to the adjoining weekend.
Vietnam’s Independence Day
September 2nd is known as a significant annual holiday commemorating the day that President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence at Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi. On September 2, 1945, the Declaration of Independence marked the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and ending decades of French colonial rule.
Interestingly, the date is also when President Ho Chi Minh passed away on September 2, 1969. At the time, the announcement of his death was delayed to avoid overlapping with National Day. Today, the Independence Day in Vietnam is celebrated with various events and activities taking place across the country to reaffirm Vietnam's rich history and national identity.
Vietnam Cultural Day
The newest paid public holiday - Vietnam Cultural Day on November 24th, currently under consideration by the National Assembly. The proposal, presented by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, aims to institutionalize a Politburo directive while granting workers a fully paid day off.
Beyond simply adding another holiday, the initiative is part of a broader strategy to elevate culture as a national priority to supporting creative industries. If approved through amendments to the Labor Code, this new holiday would not only recognize the value of cultural identity, but also signal Vietnam’s long-term commitment to building a sustainable cultural industry.
