Ha Giang is one of the most attractive destinations in the North of Vietnam. This destination appeals to tourists through the magnificent natural landscapes and rich cultural and ethnic identities. Besides, Ha Giang is also well-known for its lively festivals, which are held yearly to celebrate different events and occasions. Let’s find out the top 03 vibrant festivals in Ha Giang with Handspan Travel Indochina!

Through this blog post, you will find detailed information about these festivals below.

Khau Vai Love Market Festival

Khau Vai Love Market Festival is one of the amazing festivals in Ha Giang that you may want to join. It is held on the 27th of the third lunar month annually in Khau Vai commune, Meo Vac district of Ha Giang province. The festival brings together ethnic minority groups from across the region, such as the Hmong, Tay, Nung, Dao, etc. 

Khau Vai Love Market Festival

Before holding festive activities, the village elder in the commune offers incense to the shrines and asks for permission to hold the festival. After the ritual is over, the festival officially started. At the festival, couples come to the market to sing, dance, and express their love for each other. They exchange gifts, make promises, and reminisce about their past memories.

Worship activities in the Khau Vai Love Market

Festive activities in the Khau Vai Love Market

Joining the festival, you will have a chance to immerse yourself in the cultural and traditional folk art space of the locals. You will see the Hmong pan-pipe performance, the Nung and the Giay’s folk songs, the bronze drum dances of the Lo Lo people, etc. Besides, there are many food stalls where you can try local delicacies. 

The Khau Vai Love Market festival is indeed a unique and charming cultural experience that provides tourists with a glimpse into the rich and diverse culture of the ethnic minorities in Ha Giang province. So, if you happen to be in the area during the festival, don’t miss joining the festival to meet and make friends with the locals!

Gau Tao Festival

Gau Tao Festival is also among the meaningful festivals in Ha Giang. It happens around the 1st to the 15th of January in the lunar calendar for three or nine days, depending on whether it is held for three consecutive years or annually. 

Gau Tao Festival

Hmong people in Ha Giang hold the festival to pray for peace, prosperity, health, abundant crops, and luck. The festival includes worship and festive activities. While the worship is extremely solemn with many rituals, the festive part is more vibrant. You will see many traditional games of the Hmong people. Martial arts, horse racing, crossbow shooting, wrestling, flute dancing, flute playing, and bird fighting, are some of them. The most exciting part of the festival is the singing competition for love. In this competition, the Hmong boys and girls sing together and the Hmong men show off their skills in playing the pan pipe while doing movements such as flipping, spinning, and kicking their legs. 

Let’s attend the festival, immerse yourself in the crowded atmosphere and learn about the Hmong people’s culture! 

Long Tong Festival

A featured activity in the Long Tong Festival

Long Tong Festival is a significant festival of the Tay ethnic people in Ha Giang. It takes place from the 4th to the 10th of January in the lunar calendar. The locals hold it to wish for bountiful crops, a happy and prosperous life, and a favorable weather climate. Like other festivals in Ha Giang, Long Tong Festival also has ritual and festive activities. 

Long Tong Festival’s ritual activities

The ceremony begins with a ritual of the Tay ethnic group offering incense to the village god, and mountain god to ask for holding the festival. In the festival, the ritual of going down to the field plays a very important role. The villagers will choose a prestige man with the best plowing skill to represent the people in the village to plow the first plow to the field for a smooth crop. After that, the locals will continue to choose a beautiful and spacious field and begin to make offerings to the gods, including rice, chicken, and alcohol. 

Ritual activities in the Long Tong Festival

Ritual activities in the Long Tong Festival

Long Tong Festival’s festive activities

After finishing the ritual part, everyone will enjoy a range of activities, including traditional dances, singing, and games. There is a number of sports competitions, such as tug-of-war, horse racing, and traditional wrestling. Besides joining these activities, you can also enjoy traditional food and drink at the festival. 

Festive activities in the Long Tong Festival

The Long Tong festival is indeed an important cultural event in Ha Giang province. Let’s join the festival if you are in Ha Giang during the festival time!

In conclusion, you have just known about the three significant festivals in Ha Giang. If you are here during the festivals, don't miss seeing them. For more information about Ha Giang, please refer to our blog post: Ha Giang travel guide: Things you should know before you travel to Ha Giang.