Traveling to Vietnam, besides visiting famous destinations, you should also learn about Vietnamese culture. One of the best ways to get acquainted with Vietnamese culture is by joining festival activities. In Vietnam, holding festivals is one of the indispensable parts of spiritual life. Festivals are held all over the country, reflecting the customs and practices of each region. Let’s find out the top 05 famous festivals in Vietnam with Handspan Travel Indochina!

Through this article, you will learn detailed information about these festivals below.

Tet Nguyen Dan (Lunar New Year)

Tet Nguyen Dan (Lunar New Year) is one of the biggest festivals in Vietnam. This festival is calculated according to the lunar calendar, often lasting two weeks from December 23. Kitchen God Day, New Year's Eve, three first days of the New Year are some crucial timelines. 

Tet Holiday in Vietnam

Tet is no doubt among the most important festivals in Vietnam. During this time, Vietnamese people have typical Tet customs showing the beauty of Vietnamese culture. At this time, you can immerse yourself in the busy atmosphere to prepare food, flowers, and decorations for your home. Cleaning and decorating the house before the Tet holiday means saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new year. Therefore, the preparation for this time is highly meticulous. 

Making Chung Cake for the Tet Holiday

Offering trays on the ceremony of the Kitchen Gods

For more information about Tet Holiday in Vietnam and traveling during this time, please refer to our article: Tet Holiday in Vietnam: things to know and tips for traveling. 

Hung King Temple Festival

Hung King Temple Festival is one of the great festivals in Vietnam, held annually on the 10th day of the third lunar month at Hung Temple in Viet Tri City of Phu Tho Province. This festival commemorates the merits of the Hung Kings who have built and defended the country. 

Hung King Temple Festival

On this day, people from all over the country gather at the Hung King Temple to offer incense to the Hung Kings. Besides the procession ceremony and offering incense ceremony, you can find many traditional folk games such as wrestling competitions, tug of war, bamboo swings, or swimming competitions spread at the confluence of Bach Hac river, etc. Especially, the Xoan singing ritual, the precious intangible cultural heritage of Vietnam, is extremely important in the Hung King Temple Festival. Let’s visit Hung King Temple this day and immerse yourself in the crowded atmosphere of the festival!

Procession ceremony in the Hung King Temple Festival

Xoan singing ritual in the Hung King Temple Festival

Perfume Pagoda Festival (Huong Pagoda Festival)

Perfume Pagoda Festival is among the most popular festivals in Vietnam, especially in the North. It is held from the 6th of lunar January until lunar March in the Perfume Pagoda, Huong Son Commune, My Duc Province, Hanoi.

 

Huong Pagoda Festival

The festival is not only an ordinary spring travel festival but also has a significant meaning, imprinted with the cultural and religious beliefs of the North. The ceremony shows the worshiping religions of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Pilgrims come here to offer incense, express sincerity to the Buddha, and pray for a prosperous year. Besides, they can also participate in cultural activities of the festival such as boating, mountain climbing, rowing, singing, etc. 

Huong Pagoda Festival

Full Moon Festival (Mid Autumn Festival)

Full Moon Festival is one of the long-standing festivals in Vietnam, marking the time when the moon is full and brightest on the 15th of lunar August. On this day, Vietnamese families make a feast for their ancestors in the morning, which can be a vegetarian meal or a salty meal. Another feast will be prepared in the evening, including fruits, candies, moon cakes, and tea. At this time, parents and children stay together and admire the full moon. 

Five-fruit tray in the Mid-Autumn Festival

Traveling to Vietnam during the Full Moon Festival will catch up with vivid streets full of colorful lanterns and decorative lights. Besides, you will have a chance to see these activities below. 

Mid-autumn lantern procession

The mid-autumn lantern procession is always the most exciting activity on the Mid-Autumn Festival night. Children can go around the area, sing, shout, talk, and hold colorful lights in their hands. 

Lion Dance

Lion Dance is popular in the Mid Autumn Festival and Lunar New Year. The lion dance team usually consists of a person wearing a lion's head and dancing to the beat of the drum. 

Lion dance in the Mid-Autumn Festival

With its exciting activities and cultural meanings, the Full Moon Festival is indeed among the festivals in Vietnam you should join. Let’s arrange your time and enjoy Vietnam on this day!

Hoi An Lantern Festival

Unlike other festivals in Vietnam, Hoi An Lantern Festival is held monthly on the 14th - 15th lunar calendar and is the most vivid in the Full Moon Festival. This festival is an activity to preserve cultural beauty, symbolizing peace and good luck to every home. Let’s explore attractive things at the Hoi An Lantern Festival!

Immersing yourself in the ancient town’s poetic space

During the festival from 05.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m., all the traffic will stop, shops and families will turn off the lights, and the whole ancient town will be filled with thousands of brilliant lanterns. The poetic beauty of the town will bring excitement and peace.

Hoi An Lantern Festival

Releasing flower lanterns on the Hoai River

Releasing flower lanterns on the Hoai River is the most awaited activity at the Hoi An Lantern Festival. According to the locals, each lantern is a prayer for health and good things, dispelling all sorrow and suffering.

Releasing flower lanterns on the Hoai River

Admiring unique art performances

In addition to releasing flower lanterns, you will also have a chance to watch art performances such as lion dances and folk dances or participate in traditional games such as tug of war, chess, singing, etc. 

Besides these official festivals in Vietnam, there are many other festivals held in each region of Vietnam with unique characteristics. If you have any concerns or want information about any detailed festival, please do not hesitate to contact the Handspan team.