Vietnam is a land where every season brings a celebration of history, faith, and community. From the sacred pilgrimages of the north to the vibrant coastal festivals of the south, cultural holidays in Vietnam reveal a living heritage passed down through generations. These celebrations combine artistry, spirituality, and local life, allowing travelers to experience the nation’s identity in its most authentic form.
Tet Nguyen Dan, or the Lunar New Year, is the most anticipated event in Vietnam. It marks the beginning of the lunar year and expresses wishes for happiness, health, and prosperity. In the weeks leading up to Tet, families clean and decorate their homes, display kumquat trees and peach blossoms, and prepare traditional foods such as Banh Chung and Banh Tet. These dishes are offered to ancestors as a sign of respect and gratitude.
During the holiday, families reunite, visit relatives, and exchange good wishes. Children and the elderly receive red envelopes containing lucky money. Many people go to temples and pagodas to pray for good fortune, while the streets are filled with flower markets and bright red decorations symbolizing luck.
Visitors can experience the excitement in Hanoi’s Old Quarter or at Nguyen Hue Flower Street in Ho Chi Minh City, where the atmosphere is both joyful and spiritual. Firework displays, traditional music, and the scent of incense make Tet an ideal time to witness Vietnam’s culture at its most authentic.
During Tet, Vietnamese families avoid placing artificial flowers on ancestral altars, as only fresh blossoms are believed to bring life and blessings to the home.
The Hung Kings Temple Festival commemorates the nation’s legendary founders, the Hung Kings, who established the first Vietnamese state. Recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, this festival is one of the country’s most respected national events.
The celebration lasts several days, culminating in grand ceremonies at the Upper Temple. Offerings of fruits, incense, and the symbolic Banh Chung and Banh Giay represent gratitude for the nation’s origins. Traditional performances include Xoan singing, rice-cooking contests, and human chess games. Colorful flags and the rhythmic sound of drums guide pilgrims up Nghia Linh Mountain to pay tribute to the ancestors.
Travelers can join thousands of participants in the procession to the temple, observing how history and faith blend into one powerful experience. From the temple’s summit, visitors enjoy a panoramic view of the landscape and feel the cultural unity shared by Vietnamese communities across generations.
During the main ritual, a symbolic bamboo pole is driven into the ground while bronze drums are played. This act represents vitality and national strength.
The Lim Festival celebrates Quan Ho singing, a unique form of duet folk music from northern Vietnam. Men and women, wearing traditional clothing such as the ao tu than and non quai thao, perform lyrical exchanges expressing friendship and affection. These songs, recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, are an important part of northern Vietnamese identity.
The festival also features folk games including human chess, swinging, and wrestling. Visitors can hear Quan Ho songs performed on boats in Lim Lake or on temporary stages surrounded by locals. The melodies and simple village setting create a memorable experience for anyone who wants to discover Vietnam’s traditional music and community life.
Before each performance, local artisans adjust the tone of ceremonial drums by applying a thin layer of cooked rice paste to the drum surface. This method enhances the sound’s depth and warmth.
The Perfume Pagoda Festival, or Le Hoi Chua Huong, is the largest Buddhist pilgrimage in Vietnam. Each year, thousands of devotees and travelers journey through a stunning landscape of limestone mountains, rivers, and caves to reach the sacred pagoda complex. The route to the pagoda begins with a peaceful boat ride along the Yen Stream, where travelers pass through scenic rice fields and misty cliffs before hiking up to Huong Tich Cave, considered one of the most sacred sites in northern Vietnam.
Inside the cave, pilgrims offer incense, flowers, and candles while praying for health, prosperity, and spiritual clarity. The atmosphere combines natural beauty with deep cultural meaning. During the festival season, local vendors line the paths with small food stalls and souvenirs, creating a lively and communal experience that reflects Vietnam’s traditional hospitality.
Travelers visiting during this time can join in prayers, observe local customs, or simply enjoy the scenic harmony of mountains, rivers, and sacred architecture. The Perfume Pagoda Festival is a spiritual and cultural highlight that allows visitors to understand why Vietnamese Culture Festivals hold such significance in everyday life.
The Hue Festival celebrates the rich imperial heritage of Vietnam’s former capital. Set against the backdrop of the Hue Citadel and the Perfume River, this event combines traditional art, history, and performance in a week-long cultural celebration. It was established to preserve and promote the values of the Nguyen Dynasty while fostering international cultural exchange.
Visitors can enjoy royal parades, traditional music performances, and elaborate re-creations of royal ceremonies. Nha Nhac Cung Dinh Hue (Hue royal court music), recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, is a highlight of the festival. Art exhibitions, calligraphy displays, and theatrical shows present both ancient and contemporary interpretations of Vietnamese culture.
In the evenings, the city becomes an open-air stage, where lights, sound, and art installations transform the Citadel and riverbanks into a grand cultural showcase. The Hue Festival draws both domestic and international visitors, offering an immersive experience that bridges history and creativity.
Ancient stone instruments are sometimes presented in performance exhibitions, reflecting the enduring connection between sound, spirituality, and heritage.
The Thap Ba Ponagar Festival honors the Goddess Po Nagar, revered as the mother of the Cham people and the protector of the land and sea. The festival takes place at the ancient Cham temple towers overlooking the Cai River in Nha Trang. It brings together devotees and visitors who come to express gratitude and seek blessings for happiness and prosperity.
During the celebration, the temple complex is filled with the rhythm of Cham drums and the graceful movements of traditional dancers. Rituals include offerings of incense, flowers, and food, as well as the re-enactment of ancient worship ceremonies performed by Cham priestesses. The event reflects both spiritual reverence and community spirit, preserving cultural ties among the Cham people and the broader Vietnamese population.
For travelers, Thap Ba Ponagar offers a rare opportunity to experience an ancient civilization’s beliefs and aesthetics within a modern coastal setting. The festival showcases how ethnic diversity contributes to Vietnam’s shared cultural identity.
Cham artisans historically selected rhyolite-porphyry stones for crafting ceremonial lithophones, an ancient musical practice that symbolizes durability and divine resonance in their rituals.
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Nghinh Ong Festival – Worshipping the Whale God in Southern Vietnam
The Nghinh Ong Festival is one of southern Vietnam’s most meaningful maritime celebrations. It is dedicated to the Whale God, known locally as Nam Hai Tuong Quan, whom fishermen believe protects them from storms and brings plentiful catches. This festival reflects the region’s seafaring traditions and the community’s respect for the sea.
During the festival, the highlight is a grand boat parade that sails across the Can Gio River. Each vessel is beautifully decorated with colorful flags, offerings, and flowers. Fishermen perform rituals to express gratitude to the Whale God and pray for calm seas and safety during the year ahead. Onshore, cultural performances, lion dances, and folk games add to the excitement, attracting thousands of visitors.
Travelers can experience a truly local atmosphere, witnessing the unity of coastal communities as they celebrate both devotion and livelihood. The event also offers a chance to explore seafood markets, traditional houses, and coastal scenery unique to southern Vietnam.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, or Tet Trung Thu, is one of the most joyful cultural events in Vietnam. Traditionally known as the “Children’s Festival,” it celebrates family togetherness, the harvest season, and the beauty of the full moon.
In the weeks leading up to the festival, streets are filled with stalls selling lanterns, masks, and mooncakes. On the festival night, families gather to share tea, watch lion dances, and enjoy the moon’s soft light. Children parade with brightly lit lanterns shaped like stars, animals, or flowers, creating a warm and cheerful atmosphere.
Hoi An’s Ancient Town is a favorite destination during this festival, where thousands of lanterns float along the Thu Bon River, turning the entire town into a glowing landscape of color and light. The Mid-Autumn Festival embodies the values of love, joy, and unity that lie at the core of Vietnamese Culture Festivals, making it a wonderful time for both locals and visitors to celebrate together.
The Kate Festival is the largest annual celebration of the Cham people in central Vietnam. It honors their ancestors, deities, and heroes while marking the beginning of a new agricultural cycle. The event also reinforces cultural ties within the Cham community.
Ceremonies include carrying sacred costumes to the temples, bathing deity statues, and offering traditional food. Dancers perform with vibrant costumes, accompanied by rhythmic drums and the sounds of gongs and horns. Visitors can also see artisans weaving textiles, creating pottery, and playing traditional instruments, showcasing the Cham people’s rich artistic legacy.
The festival atmosphere is both spiritual and festive, offering travelers insight into one of Vietnam’s oldest cultures.
Creating Cham traditional attire can take several months. Each design and fabric pattern preserves the memory of ancestors, emphasizing the importance of heritage among the Cham people.
The Yen Tu Spring Festival is a significant Buddhist pilgrimage in northern Vietnam. Each year, tens of thousands of monks, nuns, and pilgrims travel to Yen Tu Mountain to pay respects to King Tran Nhan Tong, who renounced his throne in the 13th century to live as a monk and establish the Truc Lam Zen sect.
The journey to Yen Tu is both physical and spiritual. Pilgrims walk or take the cable car to reach the Dong Pagoda, located near the mountain’s summit. Along the path, they stop at various temples and shrines to light incense, meditate, and reflect. The mountain’s misty scenery, combined with the sound of temple bells, creates a tranquil atmosphere ideal for contemplation.
For travelers, participating in this festival is an opportunity to experience Vietnam’s deep Buddhist heritage and natural beauty. The pilgrimage represents a search for peace and mindfulness, reminding visitors of the spiritual balance between humanity and nature.
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When visiting temples or taking part in local ceremonies, wear modest clothing, remove shoes before entering sacred spaces, and keep a calm attitude. Always ask permission before photographing people or rituals.
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The Tet Holiday (Lunar New Year) is the most celebrated event in Vietnam. It marks the start of the lunar year and symbolizes renewal, prosperity, and family unity. During Tet, families gather to pay respect to ancestors, prepare special foods like Banh Chung and Banh Tet, and decorate their homes with peach blossoms or kumquat trees. Streets across the country become vibrant with flowers, markets, and fireworks. It is both a time for reflection and a joyful celebration that unites the entire nation.
Vietnam has several public holidays recognized nationwide. These include:
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Ancestor worship is one of Vietnam’s most recognized and enduring traditions. Nearly every household has an altar where offerings of fruit, flowers, and incense are made to honor deceased family members. This practice reflects deep respect for heritage and the belief that ancestors continue to guide and protect the living. Festivals like the Hung Kings Temple Festival and the Vu Lan (Ghost Festival) expand this belief into communal ceremonies, showing how gratitude and remembrance remain central to Vietnamese values.
Exploring cultural holidays in Vietnam is more than visiting landmarks—it is an opportunity to share in the country’s enduring spirit of gratitude, harmony, and creativity. Each festival reflects a different chapter of Vietnam’s past while celebrating the unity of its people today. Vietpower Travel, with its experience and cultural expertise, invites travelers to join these meaningful celebrations through responsible, personalized tours designed to preserve and honor Vietnam’s cultural heritage
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