27 Most Unique Traditional Festivals in Vietnam Attract Tourists

In Vietnam, festivals are considered an indispensable part of people’s spiritual life. Festivals, large and small, are held all over the world, helping to best reflect the customs and practices of each region. The following article will introduce you to the most famous festivals in Vietnam in all three regions.

Traditional festivals are an opportunity for people to exchange and pass on morals and ethics about noble aspirations; at the same time recalling many stories about objects of worship such as heroes against foreign invaders, people with meritorious services against natural disasters, killing wild animals, saving humanity… or people with meritorious services.

Traditional festivals help wash away daily worries and help people find serenity in a spiritual place. And that is also the reason why traditional festivals in Vietnam often attract a large number of locals and tourists from near and far.

Here is a list of the 26 most famous traditional festivals in Vietnam

Vietnam’s Wandering Souls Day

Vietnam’s Wandering Souls Day or Vu Lan Festival is a major Buddhist holiday to pay filial piety to parents, grandparents, and ancestors. This is one of the biggest festivals in Vietnam, next to the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. Vu Lan festival is held on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month every year. Not only in Vietnam, on this day, pagodas all over the world solemnly hold the Vu Lan festival, creating opportunities for Buddhists to come to the temple to offer incense to pray for their parents to be healthy and peaceful. and their parents in the past seven lives were freed from the sufferings of hell and reborn in happy heaven. Therefore, when it comes to Vu Lan Festival, people immediately think it is the Day of Honoring Parents.

Long Tong Festival

It is a typical traditional festival of the Tay community, held annually in January and February of the lunar calendar according to each locality. The festival is an opportunity for people everywhere to pray for good fortune, good crops, peaceful and happy life. Many traditional folk games such as throwing arrows, blindfolded catching goats, singing gliders, etc. are held during this festival.

Muong village praying festival

It is a traditional festival of the Thai people in Mai Chau, Thuan Chau, Moc Chau, and the Muong people. Muong village praying for peace festival is an important cultural and religious activity for ethnic minority communities in the Northwest region. The festival is usually held at the end of January and the beginning of February of the lunar calendar every year; The festival is associated with the custom of killing buffaloes and giving thanks to the gods, expressed through the images of water gods, waterfowl, etc. The festival has many activities related to material, spiritual, spiritual life, crops, or the health of the whole community. during the year the festival takes place.

Ban flower festival

Also known as Xen Ban Festival, Xen Muong – a festival of the Thai ethnic group. The festival is held during the blooming season of white flowers in the Northwest mountains, that is, on the occasion of the second lunar month. Hoa Ban Festival is known as the festival of love between couples, the festival of family happiness, the festival to pray for a good harvest, prosperous life in the Muong village, and also an opportunity for relatives and tourists to attend. participate in games, competitions, and love songs on moonlit nights.

Hung Temple Festival (Anniversary of Hung Kings) – Phu Tho

This is a festival of the whole nation dedicated to remembering the merits of building and defending the country of the Hung Kings. The ceremony will start 2 days before the official festival. The time of the event is usually from the 8th to the 10th of the third lunar month every year. The festival will start at the foot of Nghia Linh mountain and make a pilgrimage along many different roads until reaching Hung Temple.

Perfume Pagoda Festival – Hanoi

Going to the Huong Pagoda Festival in the spring is no longer strange to many Vietnamese people in general and people in the North in particular. When the Perfume Pagoda festival is not only to worship Buddha but also to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the mountains and rivers here, to feel the wonderful and peaceful things that nature brings to each of us in this land.

The annual Perfume Pagoda Festival takes place from January 6 to the end of the third lunar month. It is considered as one of the festivals taking place for the longest time, attracting a large number of tourists to come here to go to the ceremony to pray for fortune and luck combined with tourism to enjoy.

Yen Tu Festival – Quang Ninh

Referring to Yen Tu, people will remember the sentence: “One hundred years of cultivating virtue – Not yet going to Yen Tu, not yet achieving cultivation results” is not wrong. Coming to Quang Ninh, besides Ha Long Bay which is one of the 7 natural wonders of the world, it is impossible not to mention Truc Lam Zen Monastery – a sacred place that any Buddhist wishes to visit even once…

According to legend, Yen Tu was the Buddhist center of ancient Dai Viet, the birthplace of the Truc Lam Zen sect. Coming to Yen Tu Pagoda Festival, visitors will have the opportunity to escape from the mundane world, to make a unique religious pilgrimage in the midst of majestic nature.

Every year, the festival lasts from January 10 to the end of the third lunar month, attracting many tourists from all over the world to visit the pagoda during the festive tourist season in Vietnam.

Dong Da mound festival – Hanoi

As a victory festival, held annually to commemorate the illustrious feats of King Quang Trung – the hero in the history of the nation against foreign invaders. Many fun games are held during the festival to show chivalry. In particular, the Thang Long Fire Dragon procession is said to be the most unique and impressive in the whole festival.

Dong Da mound festival takes place on the 5th day of Tet at Dong Da mound area, Quang Trung ward, Dong Da district, Hanoi.

Giong Temple Festival in Hanoi

Giong temple relic area includes Trinh temple, Mother temple, Dai Bi pagoda, Thuong temple, a statue of Saint Giong, Non-Nuoc pagoda, and tombstones recording details of the history and festival of Soc temple. In 2011, Giong Association was honored to receive as the representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity recognized by UNESCO.

Giong Temple Festival is held on January 6 of the lunar calendar every year and held in Phu Linh commune, Soc Son district (Hanoi). According to legend, this land is the last stop of Saint Giong before taking off his armor and flying to heaven. The festival takes place in 3 days with traditional ceremonies such as the inauguration ceremony, the procession, the incense offering ceremony, the offering of bamboo flowers to the Upper Temple, the place of worshiping Saint Giong, attracting the attention of locals and tourists. international.

Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival – Ninh Binh

As a spring festival, pilgrimage festival to the famous ancient capital of Hoa Lu, taking place from the 6th day of the Lunar New Year to the end of March, the Bai Dinh pagoda festival is held annually in Sinh Duoc village, Gia Sinh commune. Gia Vien district. As a large temple complex including the past and present, the Bai Dinh pagoda festival is considered a typical traditional festival of Vietnamese people.

In the opening season, millions of Buddhists throughout the country and tourists from all over the world are excited to visit the Bai Dinh pagoda festival, to feel the love of nature in the historical festival, and then look forward to the past to build the country. Visiting Bai Dinh Pagoda does not stop at the place of Buddha or the sky – the scene of the Buddha, but also at the contact and integration between people in front of the vast nature of a region.

Xoan Festival – Phu Tho

Every year, on January 7th, the Xoan festival takes place in Huong Nha village, Tam Thanh district, Phu Tho province. This is a festival to commemorate the talented female general Xuan Nuong of Hai Ba Trung insurgent army. The festival begins with a banquet to pray for the Spring Festival to offer to the Citadel, traditionally, people will prepare a vegetarian meal consisting of grated root and honey.

On January 10, there will be a job show at the riverbank in front of the village communal house with the roles of plowing, harrowing, sowing seeds, slapping the water, selling silkworms, selling attractive and unique cotton of the Xoan association.

Con Son Festival – Hai Duong

Con Son Festival (also known by other names such as Con Son Pagoda Festival, Hun Pagoda Festival) is derived from the death anniversary of Truc Lam the Third Patriarch – Huyen Quang, held at Con Son Thien Pagoda. Tu Phuc self – Con Son pagoda, located at the foot of Con Son mountain.

Con Son Pagoda Festival is held annually by the community of residents of Cong Hoa ward, Le Loi commune, Chi Linh town, Hai Duong province, and the Con Son – Kiep Bac Relic Management Board. The festival is held in January every year, lasting from the 15th to the 22nd of the month.

Lim Festival – Bac Ninh

As a major festival of Bac Ninh province, the Lim festival is held on January 13 every year, in the Tien Du district, which is considered as a unique crystallization of the Kinh Bac cultural region.

Over the years, the Lim festival has had many cultural classes, so far, people only hold the post-god sacrifice on January 13 to coincide with the Lim pagoda festival. Therefore, there is the Lim festival and this is also a unique general association of the region.

Tran Temple Festival – Nam Dinh

Also known as the Opening Ceremony of Tran Temple, the festival at Tran Temple takes place from the 13th to the 15th day of the first lunar month every year. The festival was solemnly celebrated with processions from surrounding communal houses and temples gathered and sacrifices at Thuong temple to worship 14 Tran kings. The incense offering ceremony included 14 virgin girls. The parts of Tran temple with various forms of activities such as martial arts performances of five generations, wrestling, lion dance, playing card chess…

The Tran Temple Festival is also an opportunity for each person in Nam Dinh in particular and Vietnamese people, in general, to be proud when remembering their roots and the kings and generals of the Tran Dynasty.

Keo Pagoda Festival – Thai Binh

As one of the most famous ancient temples in Vietnam, Keo Pagoda is located in Duy Nhat commune, Vu Thu district, Thai Binh province. The steeple of Keo pagoda is also a rare unique wooden artwork amidst the vast green of Thai Binh rice countryside.

Keo Pagoda Festival with the custom of worshiping Zen master Khong Lo attracts all ages and all classes of residents in the area to visit. The festival is held two times a year: the Spring Festival is held on the 4th of the Lunar New Year and the Autumn Festival is held on September 13, 14, and 15.

In addition to the Buddha festival, the Keo pagoda festival also has entertainment competitions associated with agricultural residents’ activities such as duck catching, rice cooking, and firecracker throwing competitions.

Festival of Queens of Kho – Bac Ninh

As a big festival in the North, it is most meaningful for the business world, doing business. The custom of “paying debt at the end of the year, borrowing money from princess Kho at the beginning of the year” has become a long-standing custom in Vietnam. Goddess Kho Temple is located in Co Me village, Vu Ninh ward, Bac Ninh city. The Ba Chua Kho festival opens on January 14 of the lunar calendar with the custom of offering incense and borrowing money from Ba Chua (symbolically) to “pray for fortune” for a prosperous business year.

Thay Pagoda Festival – Hanoi

Thay Pagoda is located in Sai Son commune, Quoc Oai district, about 20 km from the center of Hanoi to the southwest, along the Lang – Hoa Lac highway. Coming here, visitors will have the opportunity to admire the charming landscape, enjoy the unique water puppet shows that the stage performs in front of Thuy Dinh. Visitors will be able to know about puppet shows such as Thach Sanh, Tam Cam, or scenes of folk activities such as plowing, duck herding, wrestling…

The annual Thay Pagoda Festival is held from the 5th to the 7th day of the third lunar month. The festival begins with a ceremony to worship Buddha and play the lute (a religious performance with a combination of ethnic musical instruments).

In addition to the above festivals, tourists can visit many other festivals such as Vi Khe Flower Festival – Nam Dinh, Vieng Market – Nam Dinh, Co Loa festival (Hanoi), Do Son buffalo fighting festival  – Hai Phong…

Fish festivals – Hue City

It is a festival of the people of Thai Duong Ha village (in Thuan An town, Phu Vang district, Thua Thien Hue province), held on the 12th day of the first lunar month every year. Once every three years, the village holds a very grand festival.

The festival commemorates Truong Quy Cong (nicknamed Truong Thieu) – the village’s tutelary emperor. He is a native of Thanh Hoa and has been instrumental in teaching the poor how to fish and trade in fishing nets.

Cau Ngu festival features games depicting the daily life of fishing, especially the image of “netting” with the meaning of skill level, boldly depicting folk rituals of coastal residents.

Lam Kinh Festival – Thanh Hoa

Taking place at Lam Kinh relic (in Xuan Lam commune, Tho Xuan district, Thanh Hoa province), the homeland of the national hero Le Loi and many famous generals of the Lam Son uprising. Lam Kinh site is also a large-scale relic of the kings and royal families of the post-Le dynasty and famous generals of the time.

On the 22nd day of the 8th lunar month every year, people in the Northern regions eagerly flock to Lam Kinh Palace to attend the memorial ceremony of Le Loi and famous generals of the Le Dynasty – who had merits in defeating the invading Minh invaders. , gain independence for the nation, and build the country.

During the festival, the procession of the palanquin from the mausoleum of King Le Thai To to the temple is held very solemnly and solemnly. At the end of the incense offering ceremony, visitors will have the opportunity to visit the Lam Kinh relic complex, watch dances such as Xuan Pha dance or play traditional folk games such as Binh Ngo breaking the battle…

Dinh Thay – Thim Festival – Binh Thuan

For a long time, this festival has become a unique cultural feature of Binh Thuan province. On the 14th to 16th day of the 9th lunar month every year, right at the historical and cultural relic Dinh Thay – Thim (Tan Tien commune, Lagi town, Binh Thuan province) a big festival takes place on the occasion of the death anniversary of Thay – Thim.

On the occasion of the festival, a large number of locals and tourists come to pray for health and happiness for their families, relatives, and successful businesses. In addition to the old rituals still preserved, in the festival, there are many attractive folk games such as Ba Trao rowing, recitation of Thay’s story, martial arts performance, basket-shaking contest, walking fish, dragon dance… creating a festive atmosphere.

Kate Festival – Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan

It is the largest and most crowded festival of Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan provinces, where a large number of Cham ethnic people live. Held at Poklong Garai tower or other Cham towers, the Kate festival (also known as the memorial ceremony for the father) takes place on the 1st of July of the Cham calendar (about from September 25 to 5-10 of the solar calendar) every year…

Kate festival to commemorate national heroes, ancestors, grandparents, gods, and Kings Poklong Garai, King Prome. During the festival, people in the surrounding areas will gather on the tower to do a simple ceremony.

The shamans will conduct sacrifices in the yard after the teachers consider the religion. After that, visitors enter the tower, witness with their own eyes the ball and the shaman bathing, changing clothes for King Poklong Garai (stone statue), reciting sutras, and singing folk songs. This ceremony ends with the sacred dance of the lady in the tower.

New rice festival – Central Highlands

For ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands, the god of rice is respected no less than other gods. After the annual harvest, people hold a ceremony to eat new rice, to give thanks to the gods, and to express their joy in enjoying the results of a tiring process.

The harvest festival of the Ma is the biggest festival of the year and usually lasts 7 days. The Bana people’s new rice-eating ceremony takes place only for three days when the harvest has begun. And Somah Kek festival takes place during when mass rice harvest. Finally, the closing ceremony of the warehouse.

Elephants racing Festival – Dak Lak Province

Held annually in the third lunar month, the festival takes place in Buon Don or in the sparse forests along the Sevepoc river.
Before entering the race, a horn sounded and each group of elephants controlled by the mahout stood at the starting position. When there is a command to start, the elephants will race forward in the sound of gongs, drums, cheers, and cheers echoing through the mountains.

Dinh Co Festival – Ba Ria – Vung Tau

It is a temple with quite monumental architecture located on both sides of Long Hai beach (in Ba Ria – Vung Tau province). This is a place to worship a girl rich in compassion, who was injured after a trip to the sea. Every year, the Dinh Co festival lasts 2 days from the 10th to the 12th of the second lunar month, organized by Long Hai fishermen according to traditional rites.

Elders (celebrants) often wear dignified vestments and pray for good weather and peace. Then, start the ceremony at sea with splendid flower boats.

Ba Chua Xu Festival – An Giang

It is the largest folk festival in the South. The festival is held from the night of the 23rd to the 27th of the fourth lunar month every year. During the holidays taking place at Ba Chua Xu Temple in Sam mountain (An Giang province), many cultural activities such as ball dancing and boi singing take place.

On the night of the 23rd, the Ba bathing ritual took place attracting a large number of viewers. Then the statue was brought down and used rainwater mixed with perfume to bathe. The annual Ba Via festival attracts tourists from all over the world to attend folk festivals, pray for fortune, and also an opportunity to admire the beautiful natural scenery in Sam Mountain and surrounding historical sites such as the Tomb of Thoai. Ngoc Hau, Tay An Pagoda…

Ok Om Bok Festival – Tra Vinh

The festival, also known as the Moon worshiping ceremony of the Khmer ethnic group in the South, is held on the full moon day and begins when the moon rises.

Stemming from folk beliefs, the moon is known as the god of crop protection, so the Khmer people often organize the Ok Om Bok festival on the full moon day of the 10th lunar month every year to thank the gods for giving favorable rain. According to the Khmer custom, after the moon worshiping ceremony, there will be a Nge Ngo race, attracting tens of thousands of people to participate.

Flute Kite Festival in Ba Duong Noi Village – Hanoi

The Flute Kite Festival in Ba Duong Noi Village (Hong Ha Commune, Dan Phuong District, Hanoi) is a traditional festival in Vietnam that has existed for thousands of years and is an indispensable spiritual dish every full moon occasion. 3 every year by the people here.

According to the genealogy of many families in Ba Duong Noi village, the hobby of kite-making and kite-making in the village has existed for thousands of years. This hobby is associated with the story of General Nguyen Ca, a talented general in the reign of King Dinh Tien Hoang.

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