Southern region in spring: pilgrimage, leisure, festive spirit

Right after the Lunar New Year, a wide range of festivals will take place across the Southeast and Southwest regions, catering to early-year spiritual demands while offering cultural and tourism experiences.

Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh offers pilgrimage, hiking and cloud hunting trips (Photo: tapchihuongsac.vn)
Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh offers pilgrimage, hiking and cloud hunting trips (Photo: tapchihuongsac.vn)

Hanoi (VNA) - Right after the Lunar New Year, a wide range of festivals will take place across the Southeast and Southwest regions, catering to early-year spiritual demands while offering cultural and tourism experiences.

Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh offers pilgrimage, hiking and cloud hunting trips

As the largest spring pilgrimage site in the southern region, Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh draws throngs of visitors who come for incense offerings, cable-car rides, mountain trekking, cloud hunting and enjoying simple vegetarian dishes. The majestic landscape creates a sacred yet relaxing atmosphere, ideal for short spring trips.

Colourful procession at Thien Hau Temple in Ho Chi Minh City

Held in mid-first lunar month, the Thien Hau Temple Festival features a large-scale procession, lion–dragon dances and resounding drums. Beyond the rituals, visitors can immerse themselves in festive activities and street food, reflecting the lively urban culture of the South.

lehoiviabachuaxu-163878241198736752786620260121135300.jpg
Ba Chua Xu Festival at Sam Mountain, An Giang province (Photo: tapchihuongsac.vn)

Ba Chua Xu Festival at Sam Mountain, An Giang province: pilgrimage to borderlands

One of the Mekong Delta’s largest folk belief festivals, the Ba Chua Xu Festival spans several days with traditional rituals, folk art performances, rural markets and riverine cuisine. Many visitors combine their pilgrimage with trips to Sam Mountain, Cham villages and nearby eco-tourism sites.

capture20260121135540.jpg
The festival at Tran Hung Dao Temple in Ho Chi Minh City retains a quiet atmosphere (Photo: tapchihuongsac.vn)

Tran Hung Dao Temple in Ho Chi Minh City: worship in urban heart

Amid the city’s bustle, the festival at Tran Hung Dao Temple in Ho Chi Minh City retains a quiet atmosphere. In the early days of the year, people come to pray for national peace and prosperity while learning about the nation’s historical and cultural heritage values. Its compact setting suits day trips for families.

Spring over river lands: Markets, festivals and community activities

Across the Mekong Delta, spring festivals blend extended Tet markets, village festivals, folk games and traditional Don ca tai tu (southern amateur music) performances. Visitors can pair temple visits with orchard tours, soaking up the unhurried rhythm that defines life in southern Vietnam./.

VNA

See more

On the sidelines of the HOLIDAY & SPA EXPO 2026, Vietnamese Ambassador to Bulgaria Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet met with Bulgarian Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam's tourism sector makes strong impression at HOLIDAY & SPA EXPO 2026

The Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria, in coordination with the Vietnam Cultural & Tourism Association in Europe (VNCT), organised a national booth highlighting the country’s destinations, people and signature products. The event provided Vietnamese firms with opportunities to introduce services, seek partners and tap into not only the Bulgarian market but also neighbouring Balkan countries.

Foreigners visit Da Nang in early 2026 (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese Tet pulls in foreign travellers

For over a decade, The Cliff Resort & Residences in Mui Ne of Lam Dong province has turned its signature Chung Cake Festival into a staple draw for foreign tourists exploring the Phan Thiet–Mui Ne area and beyond.

Horse racing at the finals of the Expanded Traditional Bac Ha Horse Racing Festival in Bac Ha, Lao Cai. (Photo: VNA)

Lively Tet tourism season unfolds across Lao Cai

During the 2026 Tet holiday, Sa Pa is expected to remain one of Vietnam’s most sought-after destinations for both domestic and international visitors. With a long holiday break and a growing preference for cultural, nature-based and festive early-spring experiences, visitor numbers are forecast to spike, particularly from the first day of Tet through the full-moon period of the first lunar month.

The ticket policy allows families to enjoy a more flexible and fulfilling spring holiday at Ba Na during Tet 2026 (Photo: Sun Group)

Ba Na Hills welcomes Tet with three-day pass, million tulips in bloom

For the Year of the Horse, Sun World Ba Na Hills continues to attract families with this upgraded cable car policy. Starting January 1, each cable car ticket is valid for three consecutive days. This breakthrough initiative grants guests unlimited cable car rides within 72 hours from first use, offering unprecedented flexibility in planning their holiday.

International tourists visit Ho Chi Minh City's downtown area by double-decker bus. (Photo: VNA)

Golden opportunity for Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism sector to make breakthroughs

Market research reports indicate that Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism sector still has large room for growth if the special mechanisms under Resolution 98, Resolution 260 and Resolution 62/2025/NQ-HDND on incentives for attracting MICE visitors are effectively implemented. These policies are considered practical, helping enhance competitiveness, service quality and the city’s standing as a destination.

The Malta-flagged Celebrity Solstice, carrying 3,016 passengers, docks at Ha Long International Cruise Port in Bai Chay ward, Quang Ninh province. (Photo: VNA)

Quang Ninh expects surge in international cruise arrivals during Tet

With cruise tourism identified as a strategic growth segment, Quang Ninh has refreshed its tourism products to appeal to high-spending travellers. Newly designed short tours include Ha Long city sightseeing, visits to the provincial Museum–Library, local culinary experiences, and cultural and spiritual attractions.

Luxury cruise ship Le Jacques Cartier marks first international arrival in Con Dao in 2026. (Photo: Published by VNA)

Con Dao welcomes first international cruise ship in 2026

In 2025, Con Dao welcomed more than 612,000 visitors, including around 25,600 international arrivals. The arrival of Le Jacques Cartier early in the year is expected to provide fresh momentum for the island’s tourism growth in 2026.

During the two peak days ahead of Tet, the 26th and 27th days of the last lunar month, which fall on February 13 and 14, Tan Son Nhat International Airport is projected to operate up to 1,017 flights per day (Photo: Tan Son Nhat International Airport)

Tan Son Nhat airport expected to handle over 1,000 flights per day during Tet peak

Notably, during the two peak days ahead of Tet, the 26th and 27th days of the last lunar month, which fall on February 13 and 14, the airport is projected to operate up to 1,017 flights per day. Post-Tet peaks are expected on the 6th and 7th days of the first lunar month (February 22 and 23), with approximately 1,025 flights handled daily.

A tourist visits Ponagar Tower 2 in Khanh Hoa province. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese tourism sets historic milestone

According to official statistics, the country welcomed nearly 2.5 million international visitors in January, up 21.4% month-on-month and 18.5% year-on-year. A representative of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) noted that beyond its impressive scale, this figure reflects a notably positive and balanced growth structure across source markets.

First Koreans arrive in Phu Quoc in 2026 (Photo: VNA)

Phu Quoc targets top three among Korean outbound spots

In 2025 alone, the island welcomed more than 8.1 million visitors, including over 1.8 million foreigners, with the RoK and India emerging as dominant source markets that together drove more than half of foreign arrivals.

A festival in Yen Tu (Photo: VNA)

Yen Tu Spring Festival 2026 to open following UNESCO acclaim

This year, the festival will be much larger than before, spreading across Vang Danh, Yen Tu, Thuong Yen Cong, Phuong Dong, and Bac Son wards, instead of just a few spots like in the past. The highlight will be an evening music show on February 26, broadcast live on Quang Ninh newspaper and radio-television, with modern lighting and sound to bring the story and spirit of Buddha King Tran Nhan Tong to life.

Con Dao is listed among theworld’s best honeymoon spots for 2026 (Photo: Booking)

Con Dao among top honeymoon destinations for 2026

According to the article, Con Dao ranked fifth worldwide and Vietnam is the travel destination on everyone’s lips for 2026, and for those eager to experience the Southeast Asian country’s most marvelous landscapes, minus the crowds, Con Dao is just the ticket.