The Saigon Travel and Service Company (Saigontourist) has launched a tour "Foreigners celebrate Tet in Vietnam" for foreign tourists in Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong River Delta.
The Mekong River Delta tours start from lunar December 23 to 29. Foreigners will have the chance to experience the bustling pre-Tet atmosphere in My Tho City and visit the local flower market and Vinh Trang Pagoda. In addition, the tour will take foreigners to local families to enjoy preparations for Tet, such as making Banh Tet (a bundle of sticky rice, fatty pork, and soy bean paste compacted into a banana leaf cylinder), traditional confectioneries, and customary festival meals.
The Tet tour in HCMC will run from lunar January 1 - 4 with numerous interesting activities. Foreigners will be taken to the spring flower fair in the Tao Dan Park, to pagodas or temples to pray for the lunar New Year, and Cho Lon's Chinatown. Moreover, they will have the chance to relax on a cyclo ride, and celebrate Tet by visiting local families where they will enjoy traditional meals and receive a present for lunar New Year's day.
Starting in 2003, this tour promotes the traditional culture of Vietnamese people to foreigners living and working in Vietnam, and those coming to Vietnam to travel during the period.