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With only a few days left until the New Year, Hang Ma Street is covered in a dazzling, vibrant red color, with hundreds of decorative items for the Lunar New Year. Just a few strolls around, and you can breathe in the joyful and exciting atmosphere of Hanoi's Tet holiday.
Hang Ma Street gradually becomes bustling in the last days of the year.
During Tet, Hang Ma Street seems to never sleep, with the bustling atmosphere of buyers and sellers continuing from before the Kitchen God Festival (23rd day of the 12th lunar month) until noon on the 30th day of Tet.
The vibrant yellow and red colors of Tet decorations such as red envelopes, lanterns, images of the God of Wealth, red couplets, models of banh chung (traditional rice cakes), firecrackers, and many other offerings according to folk customs... are displayed in many shops. Items symbolizing good fortune, peace, and happiness in the coming new year are widely available, with designs updated to reflect this year's trends.
Handicrafts are also popular this year.
For centuries, Hang Ma Street has been considered a "shopping paradise" during the Lunar New Year. Besides supplying Hanoi residents with New Year decorations, vendors also wholesale goods to tourists from other provinces.
A small business owner on Hang Ma Street said: "Like every year, this year there are more diverse items in terms of design due to high customer demand. 2024 is the year of the dragon, so the decorations also feature images of this mythical creature in a variety of styles."
The shop on Hang Ma Street is impressively decorated with a large dragon mascot.
The entire street was covered in the vibrant colors of lanterns, couplets, lucky strings, tinsel decorations, and votive offerings for the Lunar New Year.
Hang Ma Street transforms into a dazzling little corner in the heart of the capital, adorned with vibrant red decorations and bustling with the atmosphere of welcoming the New Year. In the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), it becomes an ideal "check-in" spot and a popular place to capture memorable moments, attracting many young people. Because of this, the street is much more crowded and lively than usual.
Many traditional Tet decorations such as red couplets, banh chung (traditional rice cake) models, firecrackers, calligraphy... are on display in a variety of sizes for customers to choose from.
Join Travellive in exploring Hang Ma Street in the days leading up to the Lunar New Year:
The atmosphere on Hang Ma Street is lively, with many stalls decorated in a style that reflects traditional culture.
Red and gold – the two most prominent colors, symbolizing good fortune, abundance, and prosperity in the traditional Lunar New Year celebration.
Every year, from around the 20th day of the 12th lunar month until the afternoon of the 30th day of the 12th lunar month, the antique market on Hang Ma Street becomes bustling.
A collection of rare antiques
Come here to hunt for things that were once "famous in their time".
Lucky cat figurines seem to be bestsellers every year.
Products featuring the dragon as the mascot for 2024.
Red couplets, a decorative touch for Tet (Lunar New Year).
A variety of colorful artificial flowers
The streets are bustling with buyers and sellers.
Hang Ma Street is also a popular spot for taking photos. Many young people wear traditional ao dai dresses and pose next to the colorful Tet decorations.
Go hunting for antiques in the Old Quarter.
