Hoi An Lantern Festival

Hoi An Lantern Festival, which takes place on the 14th day of the lunar month, is a distinct feature of Hoi An. Additionally, this is an occasion for travelers from around the globe to visit and take in the historic town's distinctive charm.

When is Hoi An Lantern Festival celebrated?

The Hoi An Lantern Festival is a monthly event that celebrates the full moon. It is held on the 14th day of each lunar month when the moon is at its fullest and brightest. This celebration is centered around lanterns. The brightly colored paper lanterns that carry our hope for health and peace are tastefully lit with candles that are positioned at the bottom of the lanterns. They are placed on the Hoai River as an offering to God as well as our ancestors.

The Hoi An Lantern Festival is a monthly event that celebrates the full moon

What are the origins of the Hoi An Lantern Festival?

The full moon has long been regarded as a crucial period in the lunar month in Vietnam because of the country's strong Buddhist heritage. During the 16th and 17th centuries, when the port city of Hoi An was a significant commerce hub, the local lantern tradition came to be.

Hoi An was bustling with international traders, including Japanese people who had brought with them a variety of shaped lanterns to place in front of their homes. The locals started to mimic this in a similar effort to bring luck to their homes.

Since then, Hoi An has preserved its rich cultural diversity and is now very well known for its lanterns. The Hoi An Lantern Festival is believed to have been combined in 1998 by the local government, and ever since then, both Vietnamese and foreign tourists have flocked to Hoi An to take part in the festivities.

The Hoi An Lantern Festival is believed to have been combined in 1998

How is the Hoi An Lantern Festival celebrated?

As the name suggests, the biggest feature of this festival is the lanterns. With a desire for joy, fortune, and love, little lanterns of various colors are lit with candles and set out on the Thu Bon River. At 8 pm, all of the fluorescent lights are switched off, leaving only the floating lanterns to cast a mystical aura over Hoi An.

There are usually performances held along the river with music (bamboo flutes, drums, and fiddles) and poetry readings at the Hoi An Lantern Festival. Locals will congregate for Bai Choi, a musical variation of bingo, while others will play board games outside their homes.

Along the river, street food stalls provide a lot of delicious food. It's a terrific time to shop at the bustling night markets and sample delectable moon cakes. The celebrations end around 10 pm.

There are usually performances held along the Thu Bon River at the Hoi An Lantern Festival

Things to do at Hoi An Lantern Festival

There are many things you can do at the Hoi An Lantern Festival.

Relish a serene sampan ride

On the Hoai River, releasing lanterns is thought to bring good luck and a romantic relationship. The most effective method of doing so is to sit in a sampan and set your lantern on the water's surface. You may experience Hoi An's atmosphere on a sampan ride without worrying about a traffic snarl blocking your lanterns. Take your time and chat with the friendly ferrymen who will tell you more about this historic town.

Releasing lanterns is thought to bring good luck and a romantic relationship

Watch traditional Bai Choi performance

Bai Choi is an interesting folk game of Central Vietnam that combines music, poetry, acting, painting, and literature. It is a complicated card game with rules involving folk singing and card drawing that was first played by peasants in the Quang area. The songs of Bai Choi are about working and living a normal life, and they stand for communal cohesion and civic pride. To the Hoi An Lantern Festival, this game adds a lively and glitzy ambiance.

Bai Choi is an interesting folk game of Central Vietnam

Enjoy delicious street foods

Cao Lau is the must-try food in this dreamy city. This cuisine was influenced by the Japanese and Chinese cultures that were brought to Hoi An by international traders. When compared to other Vietnamese cuisines, this meal has certain distinctive characteristics: the broth is Vietnamese, the rice crackers and pork are Chinese, and the thick noodles are similar to Japanese udon.

Street food vendors in this area offer a wide variety of delectable dishes, including banh bao (steamed rice dumplings with pork and mushrooms), banh dap (rice crackers with steamed rice pancakes and anchovy sauce), and banh vac (steamed rice dumplings with ground shrimp and veggies).

Cao Lau is the must-try food in this dreamy city

Take photos of stunning lantern view

There are various locations for your photo session here, including the Japanese Covered Bridge, Fujian Assembly Hall (Phuc Kien), Cantonese Assembly Hall (Quang Trieu), and Tan Ky Ancient House, in addition to the amazing river filled with lanterns. Under the illuminating space of bright lanterns, these locations appear even more wonderful.

Japanese Covered Bridge in Hoi An

Visiting a temple

The full moon is a time to remember departed family members and ancestors in connection with the lantern festival. Throughout the Hoi An Lantern Festival, local tourists congregate at Quan Cong Pagodas or other gathering places in Hoi An to make good luck and happiness wishes.

At the Hoi An Lantern Festival, local tourists usually visit the temple or pagoda

During the Hoi An Lantern Festival, the ancient town is at its most charming with colorful lanterns sparkling under the light of the full moon. The festival is a great opportunity for travelers to explore the town to the fullest. Together with an array of exciting activities catering to tourists of all ages, the festival is a great stop for your upcoming vacation!