Tet has arrived in Truong Sa Islands

THE HANOI TIMES — Tet (the Lunar New Year of the Horse) 2026 has come to Truong Sa archipelago in quiet simplicity amid wind and waves, but spring is shaped by comradeship, solidarity between soldiers and civilians and the pride of those standing guard at the nation’s frontline.

While the mainland rushes toward Tet, Truong Sa Island in the Truong Sa Special Zone of the central province of Khanh Hoa prepares in its own steady rhythm, as spring comes with softer sea winds, clear golden sunlight and the hum of daily duty.

At the pier, officers and soldiers gather to receive the last supply ship of the year.

After crossing hundreds of nautical miles with daily necessities, Tet gifts, young trees, spring publications and handwritten letters from the mainland, the vessel makes the distance feel shorter with every package unloaded, as if spring itself has finally reached the island.

Lieutenant Colonel Vu Duc Quynh, Commander of Truong Sa Island, said that despite challenges, the unit strives to ensure a full and warm Tet for both troops and residents.

Caring for material and spiritual life is not only a responsibility but a strengthening resolve to firmly safeguard national sovereignty at sea.

Preparations begin with cleaning and decorating the barracks.

The yard is swept and the buildings dressed with flags and red couplets, while pots of kumquat and carefully tended apricot and peach blossoms bloom on cue in the salty wind, their petals carrying the quiet joy of patience.

Inside the cultural house, spring publications are neatly arranged and New Year melodies drift from a small loudspeaker, as Tet gently settles into every corner of the island, modest yet warm.

To preserve the flavors of home, the banh chung (sticky rice cake) wrapping contest becomes the most anticipated activity.

From early morning, soldiers and civilians prepare sticky rice, green beans, pork and dong leaves for banh chung. Hands accustomed to rifles and boat wheels now fold leaves and tie bamboo strings with care. Those experienced guide newcomers. Laughter rises above the year-end sea breeze.

When the cakes simmer in red fires, teams take turns keeping watch through the night. In the glow of the flames, stories of family and hometown are shared. Banh chung is not only a traditional dish but a symbol of reunion and roots carried across the open sea.

Senior Captain Tran Hoang Hai, a platoon leader on the island, said this is his first time joining the contest in Truong Sa. What matters most is not the perfect square cake but the spirit of unity and coordination among comrades. Far from home, preserving tradition makes Tet feel real.

At the same time, island households are immersed in their own preparations, cleaning homes, carefully arranging ancestral altars and working together to prepare the New Year feast, as children eagerly assist their parents in small but meaningful tasks.

The Tet meal may be simple, with green banh chung, braised pork, vegetable soup and familiar seafood dishes, yet it is filled with warmth, while rows of vegetables cultivated on white sand stand as proof of diligence and creativity, brightening daily life and adding color to the island.

In the days leading up to Tet, soldiers and civilians join hands to clean their surroundings, plant trees and tend vegetable gardens, and as the island grows greener and tidier, a shared sense of encouragement spreads through the community.

That spirit of solidarity is also reflected in visits and gifts for policy beneficiary families, children of wounded veterans and households facing difficulties, where the material value may be modest, but the care and connection are deeply felt.

On the final afternoon of the year, the island yard transforms into a stage for a spring music program, with songs about the homeland, spring and naval soldiers echoing across the vast sea and sky beneath the flying national flag.

In such a situation, a shared meal between troops and residents fills the evening with laughter that softens homesickness at the moment of transition.

Tet 2026 arrives in Truong Sa quietly yet solemnly, shaped by solidarity and resilience, as calm waters and confident smiles carry the spirit of spring from the nation’s outermost edge back to the mainland.

compiled by Linh Pham