7 OF THE BEST FESTIVALS IN VIETNAM
Vietnam has an quality culture that has undergone over the millennia. This leads khổng lồ numerous special festivals where it shows belief and tradition of Vietnamese people clearly. Apart from admiring breathtaking natural landscapes, it is also worth enjoying some of the festivals in Vietnam to lớn get a better understanding of this peaceful country.
Bạn đang xem: 7 of the best festivals in vietnam
Vietnam is divided into 3 regions: the North, Central, & the South. The unique characteristics of each region is clearly shown in their festivals.
Below are the 10 biggest and most popular festivals in Vietnam, celebrated all year round, that you should not miss.
1. Lunar New Year (Tet Nguyen Dan)
When it is held: Beginning of Lunar New Year
Recommended place: Hanoi, Vietnam
Lunar New Year, or Tet, is considered the most important festival and holiday in Vietnam. All schools, companies, factories are temporarily closed. It is the occasion for family unions and gatherings when people return to their families. Lớn prepare for this special day, most Vietnamese people prepare by cleaning and decorating their houses as well as cooking delicious foods. There are a lot of special Vietnamese customs during this time that you could learn. For example, the importance of the first person visiting the house on the new year, wishing greetings of New Year, ancestral worship, và giving lucky money to elderly people & children (aka “Li Xi” in Vietnamese language). During Tet, Vietnamese people will visit their relatives, go to lớn pagodas và temples khổng lồ pray for a better upcoming year.
2. Hung King Temple Festival
When it is held: 8th khổng lồ 11th day of the 3rd lunar month
Recommended place: Hung Temple, teo Tich village, Hy Cuong commune, Phong Chau district, Phu Tho province.
Hung King Temple festival is a national sự kiện that is held in Phu Tho. As its name suggests, it takes place annually lớn commemorate Hung Kings the founder of the nation. During the festival, people from all over the country and those living abroad head for the main temple on Nghia Linh, Phu Tho khổng lồ take part in this meaningful festival. The atmosphere of the festival is always bustling with many different folk games including human chess, bamboo swings, rice cooking competitions, “nem con”, wrestling, lion dance, etc. The highlight of the festival is the procession up lớn Den Thuong (Upper Temple) with participation of governmental leaders, villagers, và many visitors.
Xem thêm: 3 Anh Em Nhà Tây Sơn - Thân Thế Ba Anh Em Nhà Tây Sơn
3. Giong Festival
When it is held: 6th khổng lồ 8th day of 1st lunar month
Place: Soc Temple, ve sầu Linh mountain, Phu Linh commune, Soc Son district, Hanoi
In spring time annually, local people are excited khổng lồ attend the Giong Festival. The festival is mainly held in Phu Dong Temple, Soc Son, to lớn commemorate Saint Giong, one of the 4 Vietnamese immortals. It is so meaningful & notable that it was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of mankind by UNESCO. During the festival, visitors can witness ceremonies including processions, cleaning the statue of Saint Giong, and incense offerings. The stories will let you know information about Saint Giong and the reason why he became one of the 4 immortals in Vietnam.
Besides, you also have a chance to immerse yourself in interesting folk games và enjoy traditional singing. For local people, it is an occasion not only to lớn commemorate the Saint but also to lớn pray for abundant harvest & happy lives. Giong Festival could be held in different places but Soc Temple và Phu Dong Temple are the 2 most well known ones. Don’t forget khổng lồ attend this interesting festivals in Vietnam.
4. Lim Festival
When it is held: 12th khổng lồ 13th day of the 1st lunar month
Place: Lim Town, Tien Du district, Bac Ninh province
The menu of traditional festivals in Vietnam would not be complete without Lim Festival. Held around the 12th and 13th day of the first lunar month, this festival dates back more than 300 years. It takes place in Bac Ninh where “Quan Ho” singing features. Lớn start the festival, the representatives of the villagers will offer incense and flowers at the pagoda to lớn worship Nguyen Dinh Dien the man who brought great honour khổng lồ Lim town & also founded the festival. Undoubtedly, “Quan Ho” singing is one of the main highlights that many tourists have on the menu of must-dos when travelling lớn Vietnam.
It is easy khổng lồ realize local female singers by looking at their clothes. They wear their own traditional costumes including “ao tu than” the local traditional dresses with 4 panels, và “non quai thao” a big round hat. The males’ costumes are no less elegant. In some performances, you can listen to sweet love duets involving some couple singers. Apart from quan liêu Ho singing, there are also many Vietnamese traditional games to lớn join including rice cooking, human chess, wrestling and bamboo swings.
5. Perfume Pagoda Festival
When it is held: 6th of lunar January until March
Place: Perfume Pagoda, Huong Son commune, My Duc district, Hanoi
Perfume Pagoda festival draws visitors all over Vietnam khổng lồ the iconic Perfume Pagoda. As one of the most popular festivals in Hanoi, there are plenty of tour companies that operate day trips khổng lồ the pagoda during this festival. On the way to Perfume Pagoda, you will pass by many beautiful mountainous landscapes, rice fields, & limestone caves. After that, you can choose lớn climb 120-step stone stairways or take a cable car to the pagoda. During the 3 months, the temple is always decorated with beautiful garlands, candles, & gold. One of the most important activities in the festival is praying in the Huong Tich Cave. It is believed that if you pray here lớn get a son or daughter by touching the mountain, your wish will come true. And, if you cảm ứng the silver or gold trees in the cave, you can pray for wealth and prosperity.
6. Budda’s Birthday
When it is held: 9th day of lunar April
Recommended places: quan Su Pagoda, 73 quan tiền Su street, Tran Hung Dao ward, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
With more than 1/2 of the population following Buddhist practices, Buddha’s Birthday becomes a really important event to Vietnamese people. It is their chance to commemorate the birth, enlightenment, and the death of Buddha. In Vietnam, it is not just a religious festival but also a national festival. Before the festival, hundreds of monks và thousands of people will gather in big pagodas chosen to be the holding place. These pagodas will be cleaned và decorated with Buddha’s statue in the middle of a pink lotus. Around them, there are also many colorful lanterns, different kinds of flowers, & small lotus flowers.
Buddhist followers will gather in the early morning of the 15th day lớn prepare for the festival. Buddha’s Birthday has 2 main parts including the ceremony & entertaining activities. For thousands of years, sacred rituals like offering incense & flowers to celebrate the birthday of Buddha and pray for peace still remain. Also on this day, people will actively participate in charity activities lượt thích helping the unlucky, mental retarded và the elderly. Visiting the pagodas during the festival, you will have a chance to lớn enjoy delicious Vietnamese vegetarian dishes.
Xem thêm: Bài Viết Về Nghề Nghiệp Bằng Tiếng Anh, Những Bài Luận Tiếng Anh Hay Về Nghề Nghiệp
7. Mid-Autumn Festival
When it is held: 14th to lớn 15th day of the 8th lunar month
Recommended place: Hang Ma street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
Every Vietnamese child dreams of an amazing Mid Autumn Festival with a belly full of mooncakes và their own bright lantern. Mid Autumn is also called “Children’s Festival” or “Tet Trung Thu” in Vietnamese. Though this festival is also held in đài loan trung quốc and many Asian countries, Vietnam version is different with their own traditions and legends. It takes quite a long time khổng lồ prepare for this special event. In the weeks before it, you can see groups of lion dancers practicing on the streets, mooncakes, lanterns, và colorful masks sold in every corner.
During the festival, the atmosphere becomes more bustling. The streets are packed with so many people và their children. In certain places like Hang Ma street in Hanoi or riverside of Hoi An ancient town, music is louder and performances make the atmosphere hotter than ever. But, the most satisfying thing when joining in the Mid Autumn Festival might be seeing the happy faces of every child.