Thousands of flower pots, together with decorative miniatures featuring the horse mascot along the two banks of the Perfume River, have emerged as a focal point of the Binh Ngo Tet (Lunar New Year of the Horse) 2026. The urban space of Hue has thus preserved its ancient charm while creating a distinct touch of modern beauty.

As the final days of the lunar December slip away, street corners, parks, and public gathering spots in Hue are dressed in vivid blooms, heralding the arrival of Binh Ngo Spring. In the mild, lingering chill of the year’s end, the city takes on a new charm, bright yet gentle, warm in its own way.

According to the information announced on the afternoon of February 14 by the Department of Tourism, the number of hotel bookings for the 9-day Binh Ngo Lunar New Year holiday is projected to increase by 53% year-on-year.

By 3 a.m., Le Thi Thu Trang’s bakery is already blazing. Batch after batch of traditional cakes and preserves from My Loi Village (Vinh Loc Commune) emerge from the oven, their rich aroma filling the air in time for the Tet (Lunar New Year) market.

Not as common as apricot blossoms or chrysanthemums, daffodils can still be found in a few homes in Hue whenever spring returns. Enthusiasts carefully trim the bulbs, change the water, and watch the buds day by day, hoping the flowers will bloom exactly at the turn of the Lunar New Year – an elaborate pastime to welcome the new year.

On the morning of February 11 (December 24th in the Year of the Snake), at the courtyard of the Thai Hoa Palace (Hue Imperial Citadel), the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre organized a reenactment of the Nguyen Dynasty’s Imperial New Year court ceremony. The event attracted large numbers of local residents and visitors, helping to recreate the traditional Lunar New Year atmosphere within the historic royal court setting.

While the morning mist still lingers over the streets, Hue’s flower market is already awake before dawn. At the market along Ngo Kha Street in Phu Xuan Ward, near the wholesale market, warm yellow lights spill over bundles of flowers still in bud. The sharp revving of motorbikes, vendors calling out to one another, and brisk bargaining create a unique rhythm of the final days of the lunar year.

On the evening of February 12, at Phu Bai International Airport, the City Labor Federation organized a welcome and gift-giving program for union members and workers on the “Trade Union Flight - Spring 2026,” returning home to celebrate Binh Ngo Lunar New Year 2026.

This year’s Lunar New Year market has recorded a marked diversity in product categories, designs, and origins, ranging from traditional goods to newly launched domestic and imported products.

On the evening of February 11 (the 24th day of the 12th lunar month of the Year of the Snake), in the shimmering garden setting of the Royal Treasury Palace, Hue Imperial Citadel, Hue Monuments Conservation Center organized the “Royal Tet” program, opening a spring celebration space rich in ancient royal tradition. Being held over two nights, February 11 and 12, the program attracted a large number of locals and visitors.