Good to know
Good to Know
- Book accommodation 2–4 months in advance for major festival weeks (Tet, Mid-Autumn, First Full Moon), especially riverside properties which sell out quickly.
- Lunar calendar dates shift yearly; festivals follow the lunar calendar, not Gregorian dates. Verify exact dates with local tourism centers closer to your travel date.
- During peak festivals, vehicles are banned from parts of the Old Town; expect to walk or cycle. Book tours and transportation early.
- Ancient Town entrance ticket (120,000 VND / ~$4.56) grants access to five heritage sites including old houses, assembly halls, museums, and the Japanese Covered Bridge.
- Pagoda visits during festivals are typically free; dress modestly and show respect at spiritual sites.
- February–August are ideal festival months with cooler, clearer weather. October–November are wet; festivals may be affected by rain or flooding.
- Buy floating candle-lanterns and crafts from local vendors to support families who have been part of the festival tradition for generations.
- Light your lantern with a wish or prayer before release, and use biodegradable lanterns only; respect the spiritual significance of the ritual.
- Peak festival nights (March 2, September 24) draw heavy crowds; arrive early (6:30–7:00 PM) to secure good viewing spots. Consider quieter festival nights in January, November, or December if you prefer fewer people.
- Many shops and restaurants close for several days during Tet; plan meals and activities accordingly. Some attractions become quieter during Tet.
- Most festivals are free to walk through; costs arise if you participate in activities like boat rides, lantern releases, or entering heritage sites.
- Photography is encouraged; iconic shots include the Thu Bon Riverbank, Japanese Covered Bridge, and lantern-lit alleyways.
Events
Monthly Lantern Festival (Full Moon Festival)
- Timing
- 14th day of every lunar month
- Best Times
- March 2, 2026 (first full moon of lunar year) and September 24, 2026 (eve of Mid-Autumn) are grandest; consider January 2, February 1, April 1, May 30, June 28, July 27, August 26, October 23, November 22, December 22
- Significance
- Commemorates ancestors, prays for good fortune, health, and happiness
Costs
- Entry
- ₫120,000
Walking through festival is free; Ancient Town entrance ticket may apply
- River Boat Ride
- ₫160,000
45-minute boat ride, approximate range 120,000–200,000 VND
- Floating Candle Lantern
- ₫30,000
Approximate price range 20,000–40,000 VND
Main Activities
- Electric lights turned off in Old Town; lanterns illuminate streets
- Release of floating candle-lanterns on Thu Bon River
- Folk music performances and traditional games
- Street food and cultural performances
- Shopping for handmade crafts
Tet (Lunar New Year)
- Timing
- 14th–22nd February 2026 (lunar calendar varies yearly)
- Significance
- Vietnam's most important holiday; honors ancestors, celebrates new beginnings, prays for peace and prosperity
Costs
- Ancient Town Entry
- ₫80,000
Domestic visitor rate; various sources
Key Villages
- Cam Ha Kumquat Festival (late January/early February): showcases traditional kumquat-growing craft with competitions, culinary fairs
- Tra Que Vegetable Village (7th day of 1st lunar month): honors farming heritage, organic produce showcase
- Kim Bong Carpentry Village (12th day of 1st lunar month): ancestors honored at Tien Hien Temple
Main Activities
- Visits to pagodas and temples for ancestral worship
- Lantern festivals and decorations throughout Ancient Town
- Dragon and lion dances
- Flower markets and spring displays
- Boat racing competitions
- Traditional games and performances
- Street food and communal feasts
Mid-Autumn Festival (Tết Trung Thu)
- Timing
- 15th day of 8th lunar month (September 17, 2026)
- Significance
- Second-most important festival in Vietnamese calendar; celebrated as children's holiday with family reunions
- Note
- Hoi An's Mid-Autumn is notably larger in scale than elsewhere in Vietnam; the night before (September 24) and the festival night itself are the most elaborate
Main Activities
- Children's lantern parade on streets with star-shaped and animal-shaped lanterns
- Mooncake demonstrations and tastings
- Lion dances and dragon dances
- Bài chòi (regional folk song-game) performances
- Expanded floating-candle ceremony on river
- Lantern decorations throughout Old Town
- Family gatherings and communal feasts
First Full Moon Festival (Tet Nguyen Tieu)
- Timing
- March 2–4, 2026 (14th–16th days of 1st lunar month)
- Significance
- National Intangible Cultural Heritage; marks first full moon of lunar year with 'Heaven's Blessing of Four Graces' folk belief
Main Activities
- Classical opera (tuong) performances
- Bài chòi folk games
- Photo exhibitions
- Incense offerings and processions (8:30 AM on March 4 at Hoi An Communal House and Quan Cong Temple)
- Reenactment of 'Night in Hoi An Ancient Town in early 20th century' (evening of March 2)
- Candlelit and lantern-lit streets
Vu Lan Festival (Wandering Souls Day)
- Timing
- 15th day of 7th lunar month (typically August 26, 2026)
- Significance
- Deeply spiritual occasion honoring ancestors and filial piety; prays for loved ones
Main Activities
- Candle-lit offerings and river lantern releases
- Buddhist ceremonies and prayers in pagodas
- Traditional gratitude rituals
- Cultural performances
- Family gatherings
Festival of Light & Heritage
- Timing
- February 17 – April 30, 2026
- Location
- Hoi An Memories Land
- Significance
- New in 2026; blends art with modern lighting technology; celebrates local heritage and traditional crafts through Vietnamese-Japanese cultural exchange
- Note
- Main show typically runs 8:00–9:00 PM (closed Tuesdays)
Main Activities
- Heritage Tet period (Feb 17 – Mar 1): 'Li Xi' (Lucky Money) Festival and Tet customs from all three Vietnamese regions
- Grand Opening (Mar 4): drone light show
- Silk & Pottery Weeks (March – early April): workshops and art performances honoring traditional craft villages
- Massive artistic lantern display 'The Red Seal Ship – A Heritage Portrait' recreating 17th-century Faifo trading port
- Coordinated drone performances
- Closing Ceremony (Apr 30): sky lantern and floating flower lantern release
Cau Bong Festival (Tra Que Village)
- Timing
- 7th day of 1st lunar month
- Significance
- Honors farming heritage, prays for bountiful harvest and community prosperity
Main Activities
- Ancestors commemorated
- Organic produce showcased
- Traditional folk games
Thien Hau Festival
- Timing
- 23rd day of 3rd lunar month
- Significance
- Traditional Chinese community festival honoring Bà Thiên Hậu, the sea goddess and protector of fishermen and merchants
Main Activities
- Procession of Bà Thiên Hậu's palanquin with traditional costumes, flags, drums, and gongs
- Solemn worship rituals at temples and shrines
- Lion dances and dragon dances
- Traditional art performances
- Rituals praying for peace and good fortune
Cam Chau Field Festival
- Timing
- December 28 (annually)
- Location
- An My vegetable village, Cam Chau ward
- Significance
- Expresses gratitude to nature; prays for bountiful harvest; preserves traditional wet rice civilization values
Main Activities
- Solemn rituals
- Rice planting demonstrations
- Buffalo riding experiences
- Clay pot cooking contests
- Blindfolded duck catching games
- Bài chòi singing
- Local agricultural product displays
- Farmers' cuisine sampling
International Choir Competition
- Timing
- Biannual event; next scheduled April 2025 (future dates TBD)
- Significance
- Organized since 2011 by Hoi An authorities and INTERKULTUR; elevates Hoi An as global music exchange hub
- Note
- Dates and program vary annually; consult interkultur.com for upcoming 2026+ dates
Main Activities
- World-class choirs from around the world compete
- Musical performances and cultural exchange
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this signature annual events research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
- 1.hoiannow.com
- 2.hoianmemoriesland.com
- 3.hoianit.com
- 4.hoiandaytrip.com
- 5.namiariverretreat.com
- 6.royalhoianvillas.com
- 7.vietone.travel
- 8.festivation.com
- 9.lasiestaresorts.com
- 10.lanytrip.com
- 11.hoiandaytrip.com
- 12.nghevilla.com
- 13.idctravel.com
- 14.nghevilla.com
- 15.holidify.com
- 16.sungetawaystravel.com
- 17.travelbeginsat40.com
- 18.gastrotravelogue.com
- 19.vinpearl.com
- 20.wafaifo.com
- 21.vietdovetravel.com
- 22.odynovotours.com
- 23.asiakingtravel.com
- 24.en.nhandan.vn
- 25.all.accor.com
- 26.vietnam.travel
- 27.vietnamtour.com
- 28.tradingeconomics.com
- 29.lanytrip.com
More About Hoi An
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.