Public holidays in Vietnam

Public holidays

Public holidays in Vietnam are days when workers get the day off work. Prior to 2007, Vietnamese workers observed 8 days of public holiday a year, among the lowest in the region. On 28 March 2007 the government added the traditional holiday commemorating the mythical Hùng kings to its list of public holidays,[1] increasing the number of days to 10. As in most other nations, if a holiday falls during the weekend, it is observed on the following Monday.

Public Holidays[2]
DateEnglish NameLocal NameLength (days)Remarks
January 1New Year's DayTết dương lịch1International public holiday
From last day of the last lunar month to 5th day of the first lunar monthVietnamese New Year (Tet)Tết Nguyên Đán5Lunar New Year
Largest and most important holiday of the year, occurring around late January to early February
10th day of the 3rd lunar monthHung Kings CommemorationsGiỗ tổ Hùng Vương1Commemoration of the ruling of ancient Hung Kings (2879 BC–258 BC), according to Vietnam's legend and history
New holiday since 2007, occurring around April (adopted by the government on March 28, 2007[1])
April 30Day of Southern Liberation and National ReunificationNgày Giải phóng miền Nam, Thống nhất Đất nước1Liberation of Saigon and reunification of Vietnam in 1975 after the Vietnam War
May 1International Workers' DayNgày Quốc tế lao động1Also known as "Labor Day"
International public holiday in many former and current communist and socialist countries
September 2 (with an adjacent date)National DayQuốc khánh2On 2nd September 1945, President Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam's independence from France's and Japan's occupation, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam

Other holidays and festivals

There are also many other holidays and festivals that are held in Vietnam either nationally or locally. These holidays and festivals do not involve day-off but are widely observed and celebrated across the country.

Gregorian calendar
Other Gregorian-calendar holidays and observances
DateEnglish nameLocal name Remarks
January 9Vietnamese Students' DayNgày Học sinh - Sinh viên Việt Nam Commemorating the death of Trần Văn Ơn in 1950.
Adopted by the National Students' Congress in 1950
Traditional day of Vietnamese Students' Association
Honors students
February 3Communist Party of Vietnam Foundation AnniversaryNgày thành lập Đảng Commemorating the foundation of the Communist Party of Vietnam in 1930
February 27Vietnamese Physicians' DayNgày Thầy thuốc Việt Nam On that day in 1955, Ho Chi Minh delivered his address on the occasion of Medical Staff Conference. Adopted by the Council of Ministers in 1985
Honors physicians, doctors and people working in the medical industry
March 8International Women's DayNgày Quốc tế Phụ nữ The day of common struggle of working women all over the world is to show the will to fight of women all over the world to fight for national independence, democracy, peace and social progress; for the welfare of women and children
Also commemorating the uprising of Trưng Sisters (AD 40), the first two national heroines
April 21Vietnam Book Day[3]Ngày Sách Việt Nam Encouraging and develop reading movements in the community; Raising awareness of the people about the great significance and importance of reading to the development of knowledge, skills and development of thinking, educating and training human personality
Adopted by the Government in 2014
Also commemorating the publication of Ho Chi Minh's Đường kách mệnh in 1927
May 7Dien Bien Phu Victory DayNgày Chiến thắng Điện Biện Phủ Battle of Dien Bien Phu's victory
May 19President Ho Chi Minh's BirthdayNgày sinh Chủ tịch Hồ Chí Minh The birth of Ho Chi Minh in 1890
June 1International Children's DayNgày Quốc tế Thiếu nhi
June 28Vietnamese Family DayNgày Gia đình Việt Nam
July 27Remembrance Day (Day for Martyrs and Wounded Soldiers or Vietnamese War Invalids and Martyrs’ Day)Ngày Thương binh Liệt sĩ
August 19August Revolution Commemoration DayNgày Cách mạng Tháng 8
October 10Capital Liberation DayNgày Giải phóng Thủ đô
October 13Vietnamese Entrepreneur's DayNgày Doanh nhân Việt Nam
October 20Vietnamese Women's DayNgày Phụ nữ Việt Nam Commemorating the foundation of Vietnamese Women's Association in 1930
Honors women and mothers
November 7October Revolution DayNgày Cách mạng Tháng Mười
November 20Vietnamese Teacher's DayNgày Nhà giáo Việt Nam
December 22National Defence Day (People's Army of Viet Nam Foundation Anniversary)Ngày hội quốc phòng toàn dân (ngày thành lập Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam) Commemorating the foundation of the People's Army of Vietnam in 1944
Honoring those who serves in the military
December 25ChristmasLễ Giáng Sinh (Noel) Commemorating the nativity of Jesus Christ
Christian holiday

Lunar Chinese calendar
Other Lunar-calendar holidays and observances
Date (lunar)English nameLocal nameRemarks
January 15Lantern FestivalTết Nguyên Tiêu
Tết Thượng Nguyên
(Rằm tháng giêng)		Full moon of the 1st month of the year. Poets' Day
Buddhist festival
Not fixed,
but always Sunday in March or April		EasterLễ Phục SinhCommemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ
Christian festival
March 3Cold Food FestivalTết Hàn thựcCommemorating the death of the Jin nobleman Jie Zitui in the 7th century BC under the Zhou dynasty in China
April 15Buddha's BirthdayLễ Phật Đản
Lễ Vesak		Birthday of Gautama Buddha (born in 563 BC or 480 BC in Lumbini) - the founder of Buddhism
Formerly held on April 8 (in Chinese calendar) until 1959.
Buddhist festival
May 5Dragon Boat FestivalTết Đoan ngọThe day the sun is closest to the Earth - overlapping with the Summer solstice
Also called the festival of eliminating insects and pests to protect the farms
July 15Ghost FestivalLễ Vu Lan
(Rằm tháng bảy)		Full moon of the 7th month of the year
Commemorating ghosts and spirits of the deceased ancestors
Paying tribute and respect to father and mother
Buddhist festival
August 15Mid-Autumn FestivalTết Trung thu
(Rằm tháng tám)		Also called Children's Festival
Full moon of the 8th month of the year
Celebrating a successful harvest
December 23Kitchen God FestivalLễ cúng Ông Táo về trờiDeparture of Kitchen God from Earth to Heaven to meet the Jade Emperor, marking the end of the year

References
  1. Thông qua phương án xây nhà Quốc hội và nghỉ ngày giỗ Tổ
  2. Article 115 Labour Code, 2012 (Vietnamese)
  3. VNA (February 25, 2014). "April 21 to be Vietnam Book Day". Vietnam Plus. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
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