From the dizzying heights of the Tet Festival to the more low-key celebrations of the Lim Festival, there are dozens of different ways to experience the local culture in Vietnam. Year-round discover the local traditions through festivals, holidays and celebrations. Even the lesser-known events can be just as spellbinding as the big T-E-T. Tet Festival …
Hoi An Lantern Festival
The Hoi An Lantern Festival takes place every 14th day of the lunar month. Expect lovely floating lanterns cruising gently on the river and a slew of people enjoying the event’s merry atmosphere. We’ve listed a few reasons why going to the Hoi An Lantern fest is best for your wandering soul. The dates for …
Lim Festival – Vietnam
Celebrated on the 12th to the 13th day of the first lunar month, the Lim Festival is a national cultural activity. It honors beloved folk songs unique to the Bac Ninh Province of Vietnam as well as the Red River Delta region. Expect to be impressed if not moved by the event’s most distinguishing feature: …
Hung Kings’ Temple Festival – Phu Tho Province
Held every year from the 8th until the 11th day of the third Lunar month, the Hung King Temple Festival, also known as the Death Anniversary of the Hung Kings, is considered a public holiday in Vietnam since 2007. The festival commemorates the contribution given by Vietnam’s first emperors and founders. Kinh Durong Vurong was …
Buddha’s Birthday – Vietnam
Buddha’s Birthday is a festival held every 15th day of the fourth month in the Lunar Calendar. The event takes place on the day of the full moon and is considered one of Vietnam’s most important religious and national festivals. Buddhism’s inherent importance in Vietnamese society makes this as one of the most celebrated events …
Tet Festival: Vietnamese Lunar New Year
Celebrated during late January and early February, the Tet Festival marks the start of spring and the end of winter in the Lunar calendar. It’s known as the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, and coincides with the Chinese New Year. Tet is an abbreviated form of Tết Nguyên Đán which, when translated from Vietnamese, means ‘The …
Phu Giay Festival – Nam Dinh Province
The Phu Giay Festival is one of Vietnam’s biggest national festivals. The event celebrates and pays tribute to Lieu Hanh, the Goddess or “Holy Mother” of Vietnam. She is one of four immortal gods, and the sole god based on a real 16th-century princess who died young. Locals believe that their entire community is a …
Mid-Autumn Festival – Vietnam
More than a family event, the Mid-Autumn Festival is an event that seems to be specially made for Vietnamese children. Street dances, star-shaped lanterns, and sumptuous mooncakes are few of the fun elements to expect in this celebration referred to as Tet Trung Thu in Vietnamese. The festival takes place on the 15th day of …
Perfume Festival
The Perfume Festival is a three-month Buddhist event held in the most popular Buddhist pilgrimage site in Vietnam. It’s attended by tons of pilgrims annually. The festival takes place in Perfume Pagoda, the country’s largest pagoda complex. Located 75 km south from the capital of Hanoi, the area is nestled in the midst of Huong …
Buon Don Elephant Races
The Buon Don Elephant Races is an annual spectacle that occurs on the third month of the Lunar Calendar, specifically in March. The festival is hosted by the Buon Don District’s Don Village. Months prior to the race, the elephant owners prepare their four-legged wards by helping them gain sufficient energy. The elephants are also …
Wandering Souls Day (Vu Lan) – Vietnam
Wandering Souls Day is celebrated during the 15th day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar. Equivalent to the All Souls’ Day celebrated in Christian cultures, this festival, however, is observed by both Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. Hon and Via According to the country’s traditionally held belief, a human being possesses two souls: a …
Hue Festival – Vietnam
Every two years during the month of April, Hue city in Vietnam celebrates the international cultural event dubbed as the Hue Festival. The event’s intent is to honor Hue’s priceless heritage. History Originally referred to as the Vietnamese-French Festival, the first ever Hue event took place back in 1992. It was eight years later when …