Vietnam Lunar New Year Traditions: Exploring Banh Chung and Banh Tet Through Slow Travel

During Vietnam’s Lunar New Year, known locally as Tet, families across the country prepare traditional rice cakes called Banh Chung and Banh Tet to welcome the arrival of spring and honor their ancestors. Made from sticky rice, mung beans, and pork, these symbolic dishes are more than festive foods — they represent harmony between heaven and earth and reflect the deep-rooted values of family reunion.

For slow travelers, participating in the preparation of these traditional cakes offers a rare opportunity to experience Tet beyond fireworks and street celebrations. From gathering ingredients to wrapping banana leaves and tending the boiling pot overnight, the process of making Banh Chung and Banh Tet reveals the cultural heartbeat of Vietnam during its most important annual celebration.

What Is Banh Chung?

Banh Chung is a traditional Vietnamese rice cake commonly prepared in Northern Vietnam during Tet. Square in shape, the cake is made using glutinous rice, mung beans, fatty pork, and banana leaves. Its form is believed to represent the Earth, reflecting the ancient Vietnamese philosophy of harmony between nature and humanity.

Traditionally, families gather several days before Tet to prepare Banh Chung together. The process of washing rice, seasoning pork, folding banana leaves, and tying the cakes with bamboo strings becomes a shared ritual passed down through generations.

What Is Banh Tet?

While Banh Chung is widely associated with Northern Vietnam, Banh Tet is more commonly found in the southern and central regions. Made with similar ingredients, Banh Tet is cylindrical in shape and wrapped tightly in banana leaves before being boiled for many hours.

The round form of Banh Tet symbolizes prosperity and continuity, making it an essential offering on family altars during Tet celebrations. Today, variations of Banh Tet may include sweet fillings such as banana or mung bean paste, reflecting regional tastes and evolving culinary traditions.

Why are Banh Chung and Banh Tet important during Tet?

Beyond their role as festive dishes, Banh Chung and Banh Tet carry deep cultural and spiritual meaning such as honoring ancestors, strengthening family bonds, celebrating agricultural heritage, wishing for prosperity. Preparing these rice cakes is a way for families to express gratitude to their ancestors and pray for abundance in the coming year.

The act of making the cakes together — often involving extended family members across different generations — reinforces bonds that are central to Vietnamese culture. In many households, the cakes are boiled overnight in large pots, creating moments of storytelling, reflection, and reunion around the fire.

How These Traditional Tet Rice Cakes Are Made

The preparation of Banh Chung and Banh Tet begins with soaking glutinous rice and mung beans, followed by marinating pork with fish sauce and pepper. Banana leaves are cleaned and softened before being used to wrap layers of rice, beans, and meat into carefully shaped packages.

Once tied securely, the cakes are boiled continuously for 10 to 12 hours. Maintaining the fire throughout the night is an important part of the tradition, often involving family members taking turns to watch over the pot.

Experiencing Tet Traditions as a Slow Traveler

For visitors seeking a deeper cultural connection, Tet presents a meaningful opportunity to engage with everyday Vietnamese life. Instead of observing celebrations from a distance, slow travelers can take part in hands-on experiences such as:

• Joining local families in wrapping rice cakes

• Learning traditional cooking techniques

• Participating in community Tet preparations

• Sharing meals prepared for ancestral offerings

These activities offer insight into the rhythms of rural life and the enduring customs that shape Vietnam’s identity.

Where Travelers Can Experience Banh Chung and Banh Tet Making in Vietnam

In many rural communities across Northern Vietnam and the Mekong Delta, local households continue to prepare Banh Chung and Banh Tet using time-honored methods. Community-based tourism initiatives and village homestays often invite guests to participate in Tet cooking sessions, providing a more immersive alternative to conventional sightseeing.

By taking part in these traditions, travelers gain a deeper appreciation for the cultural significance of Tet and the values of togetherness it represents.

If you are seeking a more immersive and sustainable way to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Vietnam, you can enjoy a slow travel experience by joining a traditional cake-making activity in the Mekong Delta with us.

Participating in this hands-on activity allows travelers to experience the Lunar New Year in Vietnam through meaningful cultural exchange—not just as spectators, but as part of the tradition itself.

Celebrate Lunar New Year in Vietnam the Authentic Way

Banh Chung and Banh Tet are not only staples of Vietnam’s Lunar New Year cuisine but also enduring symbols of family unity and cultural continuity. For those embracing slow travel, participating in the making of these traditional rice cakes offers a meaningful way to experience Tet from within — connecting with local communities through shared rituals that have been preserved for generations.

With Innoviet, visitors don’t just observe the Lunar New Year in Vietnam - they experience it slowly, authentically, and in harmony with local life.

Wrap your own Banh Chung, share stories by the fire, and welcome the new year the Vietnamese way through meaningful cultural exchange.

Book your authentic Tet experience today and create unforgettable cultural memories!Book your authentic Tet experience today and create unforgettable cultural memories!

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