HCM CITY — It is only halfway through 2018 but Vietnamese can begin planning their holidays for next year.

The country’s biggest holiday, Tết (the Lunar New Year), accounts for the lion’s share of days off, with Government offices and State-owned companies downing their shutters from February 2 to 10, which includes two weekends.

Schools and businesses around the country usually take their cue from Government offices, so it is safe to assume that the year’s main holiday will last nine days, the longest Tết break in three years.

The nine-day holiday had lasted for five years until it was cut short to seven in 2017 and 2018.

The Government has also approved the other public holidays in 2019 proposed by the Ministry of Labour.

Employees will have a four-day break for the Gregorian New Year, including a weekend followed by December 31 and January 1.

The Reunification Day-Labour Day holidays will last five days, with a weekend followed by April 29 and 30 and May 1. — VNS