Saigon During Tet

2026-02-10

Hey guys.

If you woke up in Saigon this morning, walked out to your balcony, and thought you had gone deaf... don't worry. Your ears are fine.

It’s just Tet.

The roar is gone. That 24/7 soundtrack of honking, drilling, and motorbike engines that usually drives you crazy? It’s vanished. The air actually smells like... air. The wind is rustling through the tamarind trees. It feels like the apocalypse happened while we were sleeping, but in the most peaceful way possible.

If you are an expat sticking around Saigon for the Lunar New Year, I know exactly how you feel right now. It feels surreal, doesn't it? You walk down the street looking for your morning latte, and your favorite spot is closed. You check Grab, and the prices are insane. You look around, and the city feels like a movie set after all the actors have gone home.

You might be feeling a little bored. Maybe a little lonely. Maybe you're wondering: "Where the hell did everyone go?"

Well, I’m writing this post to tell you: I’m still here. And looking around, I see a lot of us are still here.

We are the leftovers. The ones who didn't go home. And honestly? I think we need to talk. Because this year, I realized that you (the Expat) and me (the Local) are a lot more alike than we thought.

The Heavy Silence of a City That Never Sleeps

Travel guides will tell you Tet is loud. They talk about fireworks, lion dances, and drums. And sure, that happens. But the real Saigon Tet? It’s this. It’s this heavy, golden silence hanging over the streets.

For a tourist, this is cool. "Wow, empty streets! Photo time!" But for us locals, this silence hits differently. It’s heavy. It echoes.

When we see those red shutters pulled down, it’s a reminder. It reminds us that right now, millions of families are gathering. They are eating Bánh Chưng, laughing, and arguing about politics or marriage. They are together.

And we are... here.

In Vietnam, Tet isn't just a holiday. It’s a spiritual magnet. It pulls you home. Not going home for Tet feels wrong. It feels like you’ve lost your way. So, staying in this empty city isn't just "relaxing." It’s a constant reminder of what we are missing.

Does that feeling ring a bell?

The "Christmas vs. Tet" Mirror

Christmas vs. Tet

Let’s get real for a second. The reason I’m writing this is because I saw you guys two months ago.

Remember December 25th, 2025? I remember. I was walking past the bars in District 1. I saw you guys wearing those cheap Santa hats, sweating in the tropical heat, drinking beer with your friends. You were laughing, sure. But I saw the other moments too.

I saw you step out to the sidewalk to FaceTime your mom. I saw your face drop when you hung up. I saw you scrolling through Instagram, watching your friends back in London, or New York, or Melbourne opening presents in the snow.

You were physically here, but your heart was thousands of miles away. You were an outsider in your own holiday. You couldn't go home because flights were $1,500, or you had work, or life just got in the way.

Well, look at us now. Flip the calendar to February. Now it’s my turn.

Now I’m the one scrolling through Facebook, looking at photos of my cousins in the countryside. I’m the one checking flight prices to my hometown and realizing a round-trip ticket costs two months of my rent. I’m the one sitting in a cafe, pretending I don't care, while my heart aches a little bit.

We are twins, you and I. We just take turns being the lonely one.

The Art of the "Happy Video Call"

The Art of the

I bet you mastered this skill on Christmas: The Fake Happy Call.

Your parents call you. You put on a big smile. You show them the view. You say: "Don't worry Mom! Vietnam is amazing! I'm having a blast! The weather is great!" You don't tell them you're eating takeaway pizza alone. You protect them from your loneliness.

Guess what? Right now, millions of young Vietnamese people in Saigon are doing the exact same thing.

We are video calling our villages. We are showing off our new clothes. We are saying: "Con bận lắm, công việc tốt lắm!" (I'm so busy, work is going great!). We don't tell them we are eating instant noodles in a rented room because we sent all our savings home.

We live far away from family not because we don't love them. We stay away because we love them enough to lie. We sacrifice our presence to provide for their future. You moved to Vietnam for a better life. We moved to Saigon for a better life.

We are both chasing a dream that requires us to be alone on the days that matter most.

Why Are We Still Here? (The Real Talk)

You might wonder, "If family is everything in Vietnam, why did you stay?"

Look at the guy serving your coffee today. Look at the Grab driver. Look at me. Why are we here?

It’s not because we hate the countryside. It’s the hustle. It’s the grind.

1. The "Golden Handcuffs"

Let's talk money. Working during Tet pays 300% to 400% of our normal wage. For a student or a young worker, that’s life-changing money. Five days of work now = a new laptop later. Five days of loneliness now = paying off debt later. We trade our memories for security. It’s a cold trade, but we make it.

2. The Ticket Price Nightmare

Imagine if a flight home for you cost $2,000. Would you go every year? For a factory worker earning $300 a month, a $200 bus ticket is a fortune. We stay because we can't afford the hug.

3. The "Global" Responsibility

And for my corporate friends - the IT guys, the managers - we stay because the world doesn't stop. Your clients in the US don't care it's the Year of the Horse. The servers have to run. The emails have to be answered. We stay because we are responsible. Just like you were responsible on Christmas Day when you answered that work email during dinner.

The "Tet Orphans" Club

The

So, here we are. The leftovers. The Tet Orphans.

Saigon feels like a ghost town right now, but it’s actually the most honest version of the city. Without the noise, without the smog, without the chaos... all that’s left is the people.

If you’re feeling a bit lost today, don't hide in your apartment watching Netflix. Go outside. Find a street stall that’s still open (look for the plastic stools). Order a Cà phê sữa đá. Look at the person sitting next to you.

Maybe it’s a student working extra shifts. Maybe it’s a driver. Maybe it’s another Expat. We are all in this secret club together. We are the ones keeping the lights on.

And hey, if you talk to a local this week, try something different. Don’t just say "Happy New Year." Look them in the eye. Smile - a real smile. If you know a little Vietnamese, ask: "Bạn không về quê à?" (You didn't go home?).

You’ll see their customer-service mask drop. They might smile a real, sad smile and say: "Dạ không, vé đắt quá" (No, tickets are too expensive).

And in that moment? You’re not a foreigner and a local anymore. You’re just two people who understand what it costs to chase a dream.

Enjoy the Silence

So, to my Expat friends: Enjoy the empty streets. Drive your motorbike a little faster than usual. Breathe the clean air. But remember, this peace is built on the sacrifice of the people serving you.

We are here. We are a little lonely. But we are resilient. Just like you.

See you on the other side of the holiday, when the roar comes back.

Happy New Year. Chúc Mừng Năm Mới.

Khoa Nguyen - Operation Manager

Honestly, I'm just obsessed with vintage Vespas. There's nothing quite like the feeling of riding a classic scooter—the style, the sound, the freedom. My job is to make sure each one is in perfect shape, because I truly love these machines. My goal is to share that amazing feeling with you, so you can explore Ho Chi Minh City in the coolest way possible.

Saigon Travel