VIETNAM TRAVEL GUIDE

Festivals & Holidays In Vietnam

The most important celebration is Tết, or the Lunar New Year, which takes place between the end of January and the beginning of March. The country is in the thick of preparations in the run-up to Tết. Motorcyclists hustle to deliver potted mandarin trees and blooming bushes, which are customary house decorations. People are a little anxious, and elbows are growing a little sharper, especially in big cities where traffic is nearly lethal. The pace then begins to calm a few days before Tết, as thousands of city inhabitants depart for their home cities in the regions. Finally, on the first day of the new year, there is a drastic change: the streets are silent, nearly deserted. For three days, almost all stores and eateries are closed (except for a few that mainly receive foreign visitors; hotels operate as usual).

In large cities, streets are lit up and public festivals are held, attracting thousands of people. However, for the Vietnamese, the Tết is mostly a private and family festival. On the eve of the New Year, families gather to share good wishes (from the young to the old) and “good luck money” gifts (from the older to the younger). On the first three days of the year, the hours of the day are allocated to visits: to families on the first day, to closest friends and key coworkers on the second day, and to everyone else on the third day. Many people visit the pagodas as well. People drink and play (male) or chat, play games, sing karaoke, and eat traditional snacks and sweets in the evening (women and children).

Visiting Vietnam during the Tết offers advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantages: Traffic is congested shortly before the holidays as many Vietnamese return to their hometowns; hotels are busy, particularly in small towns; and the selection of shops and restaurants is restricted in the early days of the New Year (some places are closed for up to two weeks). Pagodas are especially busy, museums and historical sites that are still open are free, and the foreign-oriented travel business, complete with backpacker buses and resort hotels, is expanding as usual. Visitors may also be welcomed to the celebrations, especially if they have local contacts or establish Vietnamese friends during their stay. If you are visiting Taiwan, it is best to find a place to stay at least two days before the New Year and avoid moving for a few days.

Less notable holidays include May 1st, the traditional Socialist Labour Day, September 2nd, the Vietnamese National Day, King Hung’s Lunar Calendar Day on March 10th, which celebrates former monarchs, and April 30th, Reunification Day, which commemorates the fall of Saigon in 1975. Trains and flights are frequently packed at this time, and it is difficult to obtain lodging on the beach or downtown Dalat. It is best to plan ahead of time.

Festivals In Vietnam

Festivals and holidays in Vietnam are vibrant experiences, frequently displaying national heritage, music and dance performances, and high-energy activities like dragon boat racing and street parades. Participate in the festivities and learn about the legends that have shaped Vietnam by attending one of these events during your visit. Here are the top ten festivals in Vietnam to add to your itinerary.

Hue Festival

Hue Festival is held in the UNESCO-listed Hue City as a tribute to the colorful and famous past of the Nguyen Dynasty. This spectacular festival features a one-of-a-kind display of numerous games, performances, and cultural reproductions. The formal commemoration of this festival began in the year 2000 as part of the effort to preserve Vietnamese traditions and customs. Street performances, cinema screenings, and art exhibitions, as well as the Dialogue of Drums and Percussions, Hue Poetry Festival, Ao Dai Fashion Shows, kite flying, human chess, and boat racing, make their way to the streets.

Hoi An Lantern Festival

This celebration is a magnificent combination of tradition and creativity, displaying the numerous colors of life in Vietnam. On the fourteenth day of each lunar month, all outlets, homes, and businesses in the Ancient Town turn off their electrical lighting and replace it with a dim candle placed in an elegant lantern. The entire city is illuminated by thousands of these paper lights, which is quite a sight. This village is transformed into a wonderful location by the gentle amber glow of the inner light against the night’s Kohl. During this time, access to all temples is free, and you may observe monks and villagers conducting lighted rites.

Buddha's Birthday

Buddhism is one of the most frequently practiced religions in Vietnam, and the birth anniversary of this deity deserves a spectacular celebration. This auspicious occasion occurs on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, and temples are gorgeously decked for the occasion. Devotees seek the God’s blessings by making offerings of flowers, fruits, and traditional Vietnamese delicacies. There are several street parades and prayer sessions, and the entire town pays homage to the Almighty.

Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year, or Tết, is Vietnam’s most important and greatest event. The emphasis is on family, with many people going to their hometown to celebrate. Nonetheless, there is much for visitors to enjoy around the country. Tết Eve, which usually occurs in January or February, is the most important day in the lunar calendar, and the excitement is tremendous! Enjoy the outdoor floral displays and toast the midnight fireworks with the residents.

It is always held on the first day of the lunar calendar’s first month.

Lim Festival

The Lim Festival, a joyous spring event, honors the festival’s originator while exhibiting the distinctive culture of the Red River Delta. The celebration has a unique ritual: quan h. Traditional clad men and women serenade each other from dragon boats while performing Quan h folk tunes. Take a seat and let their haunting vocals carry across the lake.

On the 12th or 13th day of the first lunar month, the Lim Festival is held.

Huế Festival & Huế Craft Village Festival

Hue, Vietnam’s historic capital and the birthplace of the last Vietnamese dynasty, is rich in cultural history. Every year in April, the Hue Festival or Hue Craft Village Festival is held. During the Hue Festival, stunning performances at the Citadel and across the city bring history to life. The Hue Craft Village Festival showcases exhibitions of artisanal crafts that have been manufactured for centuries in local communities.Hue’s yearly celebrations take place over a week in late April and early May.

Hùng Kings Temple Festival

The Hùng Kings Temple Festival honors Vietnam’s first king. The legend of King Vng is celebrated every year in either April or May as a testament to Vietnam’s epic history. To participate in the holiday, go to the Hùng Temple in Việt Trì City, where hundreds of lanterns are set aloft into the sky on the eve of the festival. On the festival day, watch pilgrim processions make their way up the mountain.

Hùng Kings Day falls on the eighth to eleventh day of the third lunar month.

Xến Xó Phốn Festival

Every year between April and May, the magnificent valley of Mai Châu hosts the Xen Xó Phon festival. The celebration is part of the calendars of the White Thai people, a minority community, and is primarily a rain-calling rite. This is accomplished through a variety of songs and offerings performed throughout the community. According to local legend, the larger the festival, the stronger the rains and the more bountiful the harvest.

The Xến Xó Phốn Festival is held in the fourth lunar month.

Ghost Festival or Wandering Souls Day

The Vietnamese believe that the ghosts of ancestors return to their earthly homes on one day in late August or early September. It is appropriate to pay tribute to the departed at this time when the spirit realm opens. The night before Wandering Souls Day, families will visit their ancestors’ graves and leave prayers, flowers, and fruits. Paper money and clothing are burned so that spirits might use them in the afterlife.

The Ghost Festival takes place on the 15th of the 7th lunar month.

Independence Day

On September 2, 1945, Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam’s independence from France in Hanoi’s Ba Dinh Square. With patriotic displays and banners covering alleyways throughout Vietnam, this annual event remembers that historic moment. Parades are held during the day in major cities like as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and fireworks are lit at night. Everyone is out on the streets celebrating, and visitors are free to join in the fun.

The 2nd of September is Vietnamese Independence Day.

Mid-Autumn Festival

Children are the stars of the Mid-Autumn Festival, with a plethora of toys, paper lanterns, and masks distributed as playthings. This festive day, celebrated between September and October, is famed for its lion dances and lantern processions. Many families gather in their gardens with tea and sweets to watch the harvest moon and watch passing dance troupes perform.

The Mid-autumn Festival takes place on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month.

Oóc Om Bóc

Oóc Om Bóc is a vibrant event held in early December by the Khmer people of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. This festival, held in Sóc Trăng province, where Khmer culture is prevalent, provides an outstanding view of Vietnam’s variety. Look for festivities such as eating, singing, and dancing to honor the moon god for the year’s harvest. Thousands of people assemble for the festival’s main event: a spectacular ‘Ngo’ boat race.

Oóc Om Bóc is observed on the night of the 14th lunar month.

New Year’s Eve

Oóc Om Bóc is a vibrant event held in early December by the Khmer people of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. This festival, held in Sóc Trăng province, where Khmer culture is prevalent, provides an outstanding view of Vietnam’s variety. Look for festivities such as eating, singing, and dancing to honor the moon god for the year’s harvest. Thousands of people assemble for the festival’s main event: a spectacular ‘Ngo’ boat race.

Oóc Om Bóc is observed on the night of the 14th lunar month.

Holidays In Vietnam

DateEnglish nameLocal nameComments
1 JanuaryThe New YearTết dương lịch 
From the last day of the last lunar month to the 5th day of the first lunar monthTết (Vietnamese New Year)Tết Nguyên ĐánThe biggest holiday of the year, takes place towards the end of January – beginning of February.
10th day of the 3rd lunar monthCommemorations of the Hungarian KingsGiỗ tổ Hùng VươngNew public holiday since 2007, around April (decided by the government on 28 March 2007).
30 aprilDay of the Liberation of the South for National ReunificationNgày Giải phóng miền Nam, thống nhất đất nướcLiberation of Saigon and reunification of Vietnam 1975
1 MayInternational Workers’ DayNgày Quốc tế Lao động 
2 SeptemberNational DayQuốc khánhVietnam declares independence and establishes the Democratic Republic of Vietnam

Other Holidays In Vietnam

DateEnglish nameLocal name
3 FebruaryAnniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of VietnamNgày thành lập Đảng
8 MarchInternational Women’s DayQuốc tế Phụ nữ
21 aprilVietnam Book DayNgày sách Việt Nam
7 MayDien Bien Phu Victory DayNgày Chiến thắng Điện Biện Phủ
19 MayThe birthday of President Ho Chi MinhNgày sinh Chủ tịch Hồ Chí Minh
1 JuneInternational Day of the ChildNgày quốc tế thiếu nhi
28 JuneVietnamese Family DayNgày gia đình Việt Nam
27 JulyMemorial Day (Day of Martyrs and Wounded Soldiers) or (Day of War Invalids and Vietnamese Martyrs)Ngày thương binh liệt sĩ
19 AugustDay of Commemoration of the August RevolutionNgày cách mạng tháng 8
10 OctoberCapital Liberation DayNgày giải phóng thủ đô
20 OctoberVietnamese Women’s DayNgày phụ nữ Việt Nam
20 NovemberVietnamese Teachers’ DayNgày Nhà giáo Việt Nam
22 DecemberNational Defence Day (anniversary of the founding of the People’s Army of Vietnam)Ngày hội quốc phòng toàn dân (ngày thành lập Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam)
5/1 (moon-shaped)Victory of Ngọc Hồi-Đống ĐaChiến thắng Ngọc Hồi – Đống Đa
15/1 (lunar)Lantern festival (full moon of the 1st month)Tết Nguyên Tiêu (Rằm tháng giêng)
15/4 (moon-shaped)Buddha’s birthdayLễ Phật đản
5/5 (lunar)Semi-annual festivalTết Đoan ngọ
15/7 (moon-shaped)Ghost FestivalRằm tháng bảy, Vu Lan
15/8 (lunar)Mid-Autumn FestivalTết Trung thu
23/12 (lunar)Caregiver in the kitchenÔng Táo chầu trời

Explore Best Places

Catalog of Categories

Choose a category and discover interesting places in Vietnam

153 Locations
130 Locations
96 Locations
58 Locations
46 Locations
31 Locations