Fireworks light up Vietnam’s skies as people welcome Lunar New Year 2026

At exactly midnight on February 17, marking the start of the Lunar New Year 2026, fireworks displays across Hanoi are launched simultaneously, illuminating the capital’s skyline with brilliant bursts of colour.

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During this year’s Lunar New Year celebrations, Hanoi organizes fireworks displays at 34 launch sites across 33 locations in various wards and communes throughout the capital. The programme includes 11 high-altitude fireworks displays combined with 23 low-altitude and pyrotechnic shows, creating a widespread and synchronised spectacle to mark the arrival of the Lunar New Year.

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The pedestrian zone surrounding Hoan Kiem Lake in Hoan Kiem Ward is among the designated locations for high-altitude fireworks displays in Hanoi, drawing large crowds who gathered to witness the midnight spectacle.

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“After a year of hard work, standing with my family to watch the fireworks at midnight is truly meaningful. This year the city organises more viewing locations, so people do not have to crowd together as much,” says Nguyen Van Hung, a resident of Ba Dinh Ward.

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“I would like to send my New Year’s greetings to everyone and hope that the coming year brings good health and good fortune,” says Ngoc Huy, as celebrants welcome the Lunar New Year in Hanoi.

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Among the spectators are foreign visitors who choose to stay in Vietnam to fully capture the moment as local residents welcome the Lunar New Year, joining the crowds in Hanoi to witness the midnight celebrations.

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In Ho Chi Minh City, thousands of residents gather early at Nguyen Hue Walking Street, Bach Dang Wharf and major downtown roads to await the stroke of midnight. The bustling atmosphere transforms central streets into a vibrant scene, as residents and visitors alike prepare to welcome the Lunar New Year together.

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At exactly midnight on February 17, the first day of the Lunar New Year, the initial bursts of fireworks are launched simultaneously from the area at the entrance to the Saigon River tunnel in Ho Chi Minh City, lighting up the skyline as crowds cheer the arrival of the new year.

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As the fireworks burst into the sky, the sea of spectators at Bach Dang Wharf lift their heads in unison, erupting in cheers that echoes along the riverside in a wave of excitement.

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Many in the crowd seize the moment to capture the dazzling display on their mobile phones, preserving images of the fireworks as a keepsake of the first moments of a peaceful and hopeful new year in Ho Chi Minh City.

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In that sacred moment, many couples share sweet kisses, marking the beginning of a new year filled with love and hope amid the celebrations.

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Many foreign visitors choose Ho Chi Minh City as their destination to ring in the Lunar New Year, immersing themselves in the city’s vibrant festive atmosphere as it welcomes the first moments of the new year.

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“This is the first time I have watched a fireworks display in Ho Chi Minh City in person. It is truly spectacular and moving. I hope the new year will bring joy and good fortune to everyone,” says Thanh Nha, a resident of Go Vap Ward.

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This year, in addition to the main display at the Saigon River tunnel area, Ho Chi Minh City organses a total of 17 fireworks sites on Lunar New Year’s Eve. Of these, four locations feature high-altitude displays combined with low-altitude fireworks, creating multiple vantage points for residents and visitors to welcome the new year.