3 most popular festivals in Vietnam

Natural beauty, history, tradition, culture, hill and tribes, everything is included when someone talks about Vietnam. Vietnam is one of the most exotic and compelling countries to visit. Their tasty street food, sea cruise and adventures, hiking and trekking every attraction will make you ask for more. Their festivals are unique and worth to enjoy. This is a country of various festivals. They follow the lunar calendar. So every event is scheduled according to that. They follow Buddhism. So you will find the touch of Buddhism in many festivals and events.

Mid-Autumn Festival (September 13)

The Mid-Autumn Festival(Tết Trung Thu) is considered one of the most popular in Vietnam. It also has other names, such as Full Moon Festival and Children’s Festival. Normally, this is celebrated in late September or early October depending on the calendar. The day has to be in the middle (14^th or 15^th) of the eighth lunar month. Also it has to be a full moon night.Many tourists visit the country at this time to witness the traditional event. The origin of this festival is from China. Many countries in Asia celebrate it by including their own traditions.It is almost a 4,000 years old traditional event. This festival marks the successful completion of rice harvest. Vietnam is still very much dependent on agriculture. The harvesting work keepsparents busy and makes it almost impossible to spend time with children. So this festival is a very joyful occasion to spend time with the closed ones. Children are the main focus of this occasion. People go to their hometown to spend time with their loved ones. Worshipping the Moon is one of the main attractions. For them, the moon represents unity and harmony. They honor the Moon God by offering food. On the yard, a platform is set with fruits, mooncakes and snacks as offerings. Then the whole family comes together and enjoys the food under the full moon. They stay there up to midnight and slowly finish the whole food. In most houses, a special set up with food is arranged for kids to let them relish the food anytime. Moon cakes are a special kind of sweet treat made for this festival. Making, sharing and eating cakes together is the symbol of reunion. Normally there are two types,one is called Banh Deo and other one is Banh Nuong. Banh Nuong is like the shape of moon with a wheat crust, whereas Banh Deo is made like a fish shape and tastes like soft mocha texture cake. These cakes can also be either round or square with flower. Geometric or carp designs. Another significant tradition is to light lanterns. Children gather under the open sky with the paper lanterns. Song and games are there to entertain. Kids visit the entire neighborhood and ask the house owner whether they can perform the lion dance. If the owner agrees, the kids will perform. After the show they are rewarded with money. The mesmerizing lion dance is performed by a huge group of kids aging from small to teenagers. Drumbeats and parades can be enjoyed at every corner. There are also many attractions like art and literary activities, lantern fair and dragon boat races. You will find various food stall with local snacks. You can visit cities like Ho Chi Minh, Hoi an and Hanoi or any rural areas to enjoy the festival.The city streets are filled with joy and laughter along with lanterns, masks and many souvenir shops. Dancers, Musical shows and parties are being arranged everywhere. If you want to visit, book your accommodation early.

Hoi An Lantern Festival (March-December)

In Buddhist calendar, the full moon is a very sacred time. So in Vietnam, many traditions and rituals are observed on full moon night. Hoi An Lantern Festival is also one to celebrate during full moon. The festival is celebrated on the 14^th day of every lunar month when it is full moon. So no matter which time you visit, you can attend the event. But the celebration held at the time of lunar New Year (normally in February) is the biggest. The small town Hoi An is a great attraction and visited regularly to witness the stunning occasion. The Hoai River banks and the An Hoi Bridge are the main places where various activities are arranged. The festival starts after the sun has set and continues till 9-10 pm at night. In the past Hoi An was an important port, but now it is appreciated for the sceneries, traditions, architectures and lantern. Lots of lantern stores are there to admire the vibrant and artistic creations by the local skilled experts. At 8pm, the electricity is turned off. So there is only the soft glow of lanterns which creates a magical moment. As this is a festival of lanterns, lots of colorful and spectacular lanterns are lit by candles and released on the river for spreading love and bringing good fortune. The surrounding created by the floating candles is majestic and stunning. On the side of the river, music and poetry reading shows are arranged. You can enjoy the local music shows or take part to lantern-making classes. Many locals visit the shrines, pagodas or temples to pray for prosperity and offer fruits, flower and incense. You do not need any fee to enter any temple. If you want to buy any lantern, you just need to pay for that. You can take a sampan ride on the river to release the lantern. A folk game named Bai Choi is arranged. Vietnamese cuisine is inspired from Chinese and Japanese region. You will get many street food stalls to enjoy mouthwatering meals like cao lau a dish with pork, veggies and rice noodles, broth, banh bao made by veggies, rice dumplings and pork, chicken rice etc. there also deserts like banh xoai a mango cake and black sesame pudding named as xi ma. You can also visit other places like Old House of Tan KyFujian Assembly Hall (Phuc Kien), Japanese Covered Bridge and Cantonese Assembly Hall (Quang Trieu). All kind of transports are banned for this festival. So make sure to wear comfortable shoes to explore the city on foot. The city becomes crowded. So start early to save a good spot to view the events. The nearest airport from Hoi An is in Da nang. You can book a domestic flight from Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi or Hue. You can hire a transport like taxi or car or even go there by bus from Da nang to the town.

Hue Festival (April-May)

Hue Festival is another popular festival in Hue, the ancient capital of Vietnam. The city is famous for historical sites. This grand festival brings joy, pride and excitement to the whole country. The event, organized for six days in the month of April,is full of shows, performances, art exhibitions and many cultural activities. A fashion show named Ao Dai fashion show is held. The show is mainly focused on traditional attire created from Vietnamese silk. They take inspiration fromHue folk art, modern Ao Dai styles and traditions. Incredible performances are arranged at the Perfume River. Floating stages are set for the performances. Drum is a major part in Vietnam’s celebrations. Many drum troupes from different regions come to participate as well.You will enjoy numerous concerts in An Dinh palace. There is a special performance which depicts many historical incidents and story in a sequence. Dramatic dances and music are there to make it more glorious. International artists also come to participate and share their own culture. You can also wander around the town and taste the local cuisine. Many street performances like slit walking, dance or music are really enjoyable. You may enjoy the chess game,dragon boat race or hot air balloon show. At the DuyetThi Duong Royal Theatre, a royal banquet is arranged at 7.30 pm. You can taste the feasts like a true royal. You can fly from Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi to the Hue’s internationalairport. You can also take train from different cities to travel Hue city. Hiring car or motorbike is also possible from Da Nang city. But make sure to approach the right one for your safety. There also good hotels and motels. But book early to avoid overpricing.

Now it’s on you to pack your bags in order to experience at least one of these festivals in person, but before you leave, make sure to check out the German website from Backpackertrail. There you can find more information about what to expect during your stay in Vietnam.

List of other major festivals

January-

• 1st January- International New Year’s Eve

February-

• 14^th February- Valentine Day

o Jan/Feb (1^st day of 1^st month of Vietnamese calendar)Tet Nguyen Dan

• Feb-Apr (date depends on the lunar calendar)-Perfume Pagoda Festival
• Feb 17^th (likely)- Lim Festival

March-

• Mar-Tet Nguyen Tieu

April-

• Apr 7^th-12^th (likely)-Phu Giay Festival
• Apr 9^th-12^th (likely)-Thay Pagoda Festival
• Apr 14^th-15^th (likely)-Hung King Temple Festival
• Apr24^nd– May 2^nd (likely) – Hue festival

May-

• 1^st May-International Labor Day
• 12^th May (likely)-Buddha’s Birthday (Vesak)

June-

• June 7^th (likely)-Tet Doan Ngo

July-

• Jul-(date depends on the lunar calendar) Ong Pagoda Festival

August-

• Aug/Sep- Wandering Soul Day

September-

• 2^nd September-Vietnam Independence Day
• 13^th September (likely)-Mid Autumn Festival

October-

• 31^st October- Halloween

November-

• Nov (date depends on the lunar calendar)-Ha Thach Festival

December-

• 25^th December-Christmas Day