Does Thailand celebrate Lunar New Year? Experience traveling to Thailand during Lunar New Year

In Thailand, Lunar New Year (Tet Nguyen Dan) is not an official holiday as in other Southeast Asian countries, but it is still celebrated by many people of Chinese descent in Thailand.

1. Lunar New Year in Thailand

1.1 How to Calculate Lunar Calendar

Similar to Vietnam and China, Thais also consider the Lunar New Year as the start of a new year according to the lunar calendar (perpetual calendar).

The Tet holidays will last about 3 days, from the first day of Tet to the third day of Tet, with characteristic activities of the Chinese origin.

1.2 How do Thai people celebrate Lunar New Year

Chinese Thais will hold traditional ceremonies such as ancestor worship, house cleaning, and decoration with lucky items like red envelopes and Tet's signature dishes. Families usually gather, eat and drink, and wish each other well.

Although Lunar New Year is not an official holiday in Thailand, major cities such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai and especially the Chinatown area (Yaowarat) will organize vibrant activities such as parades, lion dances, fireworks, ancestral worship ceremonies and cultural events characteristic of the Chinese.

During the Lunar New Year, areas such as Chinatown In Bangkok, it will become bustling with Tet markets, selling food, decorations, and feng shui products characteristic of Lunar New Year.

See more: How much does it cost to travel to Thailand? Compilation of necessary costs to know

1.3 Some Distinctive Cultural Features of Thai New Year

1.3.1 Chinatown Bangkok (Yaowarat) - Lunar New Year Center

Chinatown Bangkok (Yaowarat district) is the largest and most prominent place to celebrate Lunar New Year in Thailand. Here, you will immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere, with the characteristic activities of the Lunar New Year.

Lion Dance and Parade: The vibrant lion dances, lantern performances, and parades with traditional costumes will bring a lively atmosphere, blending folk festivals and street music.

The extremely grand and invested lion dance performances will take place continuously for 3 days of Lunar New Year and at various locations.

Ancestor Worship and Customs: Chinese families will hold ancestor worship ceremonies at home or at temples, praying for a prosperous and peaceful new year. You can also participate in these rituals at major temples in the Chinatown area.
Tet Market: Yaowarat will become a bustling market with stalls selling Tet jam cakes, chrysanthemums, traditional dishes such as dumplings, mango sticky rice, fresh fruits, and Tet decorations.
Fireworks: Fireworks are an indispensable part of Lunar New Year in Chinatown. The brilliant fireworks displays combined with the vibrant scenery in Chinatown will surely be unforgettable.

1.3.2 Visit Temples and New Year Worship Rituals

During Lunar New Year, Buddhist temples and pagodas in Thailand become crowded, especially those temples where Chinese descendants often come to worship during the New Year.

Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew): Located in the Royal Palace, this is one of the famous tourist spots in Bangkok and is a sacred place for people to come and pray for blessings, especially during the Lunar New Year.
Great Buddha Temple (Wat Arun): This is also a great tourist spot, where you can learn about the Thai people's belief culture during the Lunar New Year.
Ancestor Worship Ceremony: Chinese descendants in Thailand also organize ancestor worship ceremonies with solemn rituals, usually including incense, flowers, fruits, and characteristic dishes.

Visiting Thailand during Tet, tourists can enjoy the solemn atmosphere of the New Year at the famous temples and pagodas here and wish for themselves good luck.

1.3.3 Lunar New Year and Cuisine

Lunar New Year cannot be without characteristic dishes, and you can easily find these dishes at markets, restaurants, and areas like Chinatown. Basically, Thai cuisine does not focus too much on dishes specifically for Lunar New Year. However, Chinese cuisine will have a few typical dishes, usually prepared by locals during the 3 days of Lunar New Year:

Steamed Bun: Steamed Bun Meat or vegetarian fillings are often used during Tet.
Mango Sticky Rice: A popular dish during Tet, with sweet sticky rice served with ripe mango.
Long noodles: Symbolizes longevity and good luck.
Fresh Fruits and Tet Jam: Watermelon, oranges, and other types of fruit jams are widely sold during this time.

2. Experience Thailand Travel during Lunar New Year

2.1 What are the advantages of moving during Lunar New Year?

Because Lunar New Year is not the most important holiday for Thais and it is also not the peak tourist season in the Golden Pagoda country. Moving around the city or changing foreign currency rates will also be "easier".

Vietjet is also exploiting a lot flight from Vietnam to Thailand with extremely reasonable ticket prices, starting from only 330,000 VND, helps to make your travel plans more economical. Especially, the 0 VND ticket hunting program for domestic and international flights from 12h - 14h daily will help you save more costs than ever. View details HERE.

2.2 Weather

The Lunar New Year in Thailand falls on February annually. At this time in Thailand, it is the dry season, the weather is quite cool and pleasant.

Therefore, a trip to Thailand during this time would be ideal to explore many places or participate in interesting activities and festivals.

2.3 Lunar New Year Atmosphere in Thailand

Major streets in the Chinatown area and shopping centers such as Central World, Siam Paragon, will be lavishly decorated with red lanterns, apricot flowers, and Lunar New Year lucky symbols like kumquat trees, square sticky rice cakes, and feng shui items. The red lanterns, flags, and decorations rich in the colors of the New Year create a vibrant, cozy atmosphere.

Throughout the Tet holiday, a festive atmosphere fills the streets, with continuous lion and dragon dance performances. The sound of firecrackers echoes everywhere to ward off evil spirits and welcome good luck and prosperity for the new year. Traveling and experiencing the atmosphere of the new year in a new country can also be a unique experience, providing you with fresh inspiration for the next 365 days.

The people of Thailand still maintain the beautiful traditions of Lunar New Year such as New Year's greetings, ancestor worship ceremonies, or giving each other red envelopes.

3. Some travel tips during Tet holiday

Traveling to Thailand during Lunar New Year is an interesting experience, especially if you want to immerse yourself in the vibrant festival atmosphere of the Chinese community. However, there are also some important notes you need to know for a smooth and comfortable trip. Below are some notes when traveling to Thailand during Lunar New Year:

Shopping Centers and Attractions: Although major shopping centers like Siam Paragon, Central World, or MBK usually remain open during Lunar New Year, some smaller shops or restaurants may close on the first and second day of the New Year. You should check the opening hours before visiting any attractions or restaurants to avoid surprises.
Hotel: Large hotels and resorts usually operate as normal, but if you plan to stay in less touristy areas or small homestays, you should book early as many people will go back to their hometown or participate in festivals.
Traffic Congestion: Areas such as Chinatown (Yaowarat) and major shopping centers in Bangkok will be very crowded during Tet. If you move in these areas, be prepared for traffic congestion and crowds. The BTS and MRT overhead train lines are a good choice to avoid traffic congestion.
Restaurant: If you want to dine at famous restaurants or enjoy traditional Tet dishes, make a reservation in advance to avoid long waits or lack of seats. Restaurants in central areas like Siam or Chinatown will be very busy during this time.
Ticket to participate in the event: Events, exhibitions or entertainment programs such as lion dance, dragon dance, fireworks will attract a large number of tourists. Please book tickets in advance for major activities if you plan to participate to ensure seating and easy participation.

Hopefully, the article about traveling to Thailand during Lunar New Year will provide you with useful information for the upcoming Tet holiday. Don't forget the promotion program. Vietjet's 0 Dong Air Tickets from 12h - 14h Daily help optimize your travel costs.

See more: Where to go, where to stay for Lunar New Year holiday?

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