Polish tourists join Vietnam’s Mekong Delta communities for hands-on Lunar New Year experience
More than 70 tourists from Poland joined local residents in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta in early February to experience traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) customs, as travel firms expand culture-focused tours for inbound visitors.
Polish tourists ride horse-drawn carts on Thoi Son islet in Dong Thap Province, southern Vietnam, February 5, 2026. Photo: Huu Hanh / Tuoi Tre
The group arrived in Thoi Son Ward in Dong Thap Province on Thursday, days ahead of the Lunar New Year, to take part in activities ranging from making ‘banh tet’ (traditional cylindrical sticky rice cake) to cooking candied coconut, receiving calligraphy blessings, and exchanging ‘li xi,’ or lucky money.
For many of the European visitors, it was their first time handling banana leaves, sticky rice, and mung bean fillings, or squatting over a stove to stir coconut jam, a customary Tet treat in southern Vietnam.
Eva, a tourist from Poland, reacts upon arriving at the Thoi Son community tourism site in Dong Thap Province, southern Vietnam, February 5, 2026. Photo: Huu Hanh / Tuoi Tre
Organizers said the program was designed to let tourists temporarily step into the role of local residents rather than observe celebrations from a distance.
Travel company Vietluxtour, which organized the trip, said the tour combined ecological travel in the Mekong Delta with hands-on cultural experiences, aiming to help visitors understand the traditions and stories behind Vietnam's Lunar New Year food and rituals.
Polish tourists watch calligraphy artist Le Phan Nguyen Huu Thuan write traditional Lunar New Year characters at the Thoi Son community tourism site in Dong Thap Province, southern Vietnam, February 5, 2026. Photo: Huu Hanh / Tuoi Tre
One participant, Miroslaw Borek, said learning to wrap ‘banh tet’ required patience and skill, adding that the experience helped explain why the dish is valued for its texture and flavor during Tet.
Vietluxtour chief executive Tran The Dung said European travelers are a key market for the company, accounting for more than 35 percent of its inbound business.
Calligraphy artist Le Phan Nguyen Huu Thuan writes traditional New Year characters for visitors at Thoi Son islet in Dong Thap Province, southern Vietnam, February 5, 2026. Photo: Huu Hanh / Tuoi Tre
He said arrivals from Poland rose by more than 45 percent in 2025, alongside steady demand from Britain, France, Germany, and Russia.
Similar ‘celebrate Tet like a local’ tours have been offered by Vietnamese travel firms in recent years, mostly centered in Ho Chi Minh City.
Polish tourists pose with Vietnamese calligraphy artworks at Thoi Son islet in Dong Thap Province, southern Vietnam, February 5, 2026. Photo: Huu Hanh / Tuoi Tre
Organizers said bringing international visitors to the Mekong Delta this year allowed them to engage more deeply with southern Vietnamese traditions.
Tourism businesses said the Lunar New Year period marks a peak season for inbound travel, and that culture-rich products focused on local customs are helping Vietnam differentiate its tourism offerings and attract long-haul visitors.
Miroslaw Borek (L, 2nd) from Poland and friends learn to wrap ‘banh tet’ (Vietnam’s traditional cylindrical sticky rice cake) during a Lunar New Year experience at the Thoi Son community tourism site in Dong Thap Province, southern Vietnam, February 5, 2026. Photo: Huu Hanh / Tuoi Tre
Polish tourists take part in traditional Lunar New Year cultural activities at Thoi Son islet in Dong Thap Province, southern Vietnam, February 5, 2026. Photo: Huu Hanh / Tuoi Tre
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Thuy (in red) prepares candied coconut at the Thoi Son community tourism site in Dong Thap Province, southern Vietnam, February 5, 2026. Photo: Huu Hanh / Tuoi Tre
Polish tourists pose for a group photo at Thoi Son islet in Dong Thap Province, southern Vietnam, February 5, 2026. Photo: Huu Hanh / Tuoi Tre
Tourists observe a traditional southern Vietnamese five-fruit tray and learn about ancestral worship rituals during Lunar New Year at Thoi Son islet in Dong Thap Province, southern Vietnam, February 5, 2026. Photo: H.T.
Bao Anh - Huu Hanh - Nhu Binh / Tuoi Tre News