{"id":949,"date":"2020-03-13T10:55:20","date_gmt":"2020-03-13T02:55:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/?p=949"},"modified":"2020-12-22T09:43:20","modified_gmt":"2020-12-22T01:43:20","slug":"vietnamese-festivals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/vietnamese-festivals\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Traditional Vietnamese Festivals And How You Can Celebrate Them With Locals"},"content":{"rendered":"

Vietnamese festivals and how to celebrate them<\/h2>\n
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Vietnam\u2019s stunning natural scenery is a good enough reason to visit our country, but with a rich heritage of over 50 different ethnicities living here as well, there are heaps of cultural festivals to celebrate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you happen to be in the right place at the right time, you might find yourself part of a major celebration. Below are 8 traditional Vietnamese festivals you can celebrate with the locals.<\/span><\/p>\n

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National festivals<\/b><\/h3>\n
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These are festivals celebrated in every town and village across Vietnam – so wherever you find yourself in the country, you\u2019ll be able to join in the fun.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Tet festival (January or February) <\/b>\u2013<\/b> celebrating the Lunar New Year with blossoms and lucky money<\/b><\/h4>\n
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\nImage credit: <\/span>@putyputyshop<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Celebrating the end of a lunar year and the beginning of the next, <\/span>Tet <\/b>is the biggest festival in Vietnam. People from all over the country set aside work during this occasion to return to their hometowns and reunite with their families.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n<\/span>Tet is a time for family reunions<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>quynh.lyphuong<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

If you visit the metropolises during this occasion, you\u2019ll get to see a whole new side to them: one that\u2019s much quieter and peaceful than the usual hustle and bustle, with the smell of incense always present in the air. Go to Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi or the Nguyen Hue walking street in Ho Chi Minh City on New Year\u2019s Eve to mingle with locals under the fireworks.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>@shashi_pham94<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

During Tet, temples and pagodas are always packed full of people coming to pray, while the streets are adorned with peach blossoms in the north and apricot blossoms in the south. <\/span>
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\n<\/span><\/i>A calligrapher drawing a peach blossom under his work<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>@vii.van<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Pay a visit to Hanoi\u2019s Temple of Literature or the Calligrapher\u2019s Road on Pham Ngoc Thach Str., Ho Chi Minh City to bring home some beautiful calligraphy for good luck.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\nFriends celebrating Tet with red envelopes, used to hold lucky money<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>@lengkeng000<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Clad in their best attire – most often the traditional <\/span>ao dai<\/span><\/em> f<\/span><\/i>or women and western suits for men – locals go about with a smile and the phrase \u201cch\u00fac m\u1eebng n\u0103m m\u1edbi\u201d (happy new year) always on their lips, rewarding children with red envelopes containing money that represents blessings and good fortune. You can practice that greeting for the occasion, and even prepare some red envelopes if your friends visit with their kids.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Hung Kings festival (April) <\/b>\u2013<\/b> when Vietnamese pay tribute to their ancestors<\/b><\/h4>\n
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\n<\/span>The plaza of the Hung Kings Temple in Phu Tho with murals of traditional Vietnamese ceremonies<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>@nvhien17<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The\u00a0Hung Kings Festival<\/b> on the 8th to 10th day of the third lunar month (usually in April) is also one of the biggest Vietnamese festivals \u2013 the only one aside from Tet that has a national holiday dedicated to its celebration, in fact. It is a day when locals pay tribute to the Hung Kings <\/span>\u2013<\/span> believed to be descendants of a dragon god and a mountain fairy, and also the ancestors of the Viet people.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n<\/span>Millions of locals visit the temple on the 10th day of the third lunar month to pay tribute to the Hung Kings<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>@phung.thi.linh.2000<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Many Vietnamese take this simply as an occasion to take a day off and relax, but if you want to truly feel the festive atmosphere, visit the Hung Kings Temple in Phu Tho province, where millions of locals gather to offer tribute at the temple\u2019s altar.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n<\/span>Locals dressed up as soldiers and government officials of ancient dynasties carrying palanquins of offerings to the main temple<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>NamViet Event <\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Here, you can enjoy performances of the traditional <\/span>xoan<\/span><\/em> singing, or watch parades wherein locals from surrounding villages dress up as soldiers and government officials from ancient dynasties and carry colorful palanquins containing offerings to the main temple.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, in view of the COVID-19 situation, the festival activities originally scheduled for 2nd April 2020 have been cancelled. Stay tuned to major Vietnamese newspapers for updates on the 2021 festival if you plan to visit next year.<\/p>\n

Location:<\/b><\/span> Hung Kings Temple, Viet Tri City, Phu Tho
\n<\/span>GPS coordinates:<\/b><\/span> 21\u00b022’01.6″N 105\u00b019’16.3″E\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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Mid-Autumn festival (September or October) <\/b>\u2013<\/b> feast on mooncakes and stroll below hanging lanterns<\/b><\/h4>\n
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\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>@oanhh.3112<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Taking place on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, which is usually in September or October, the <\/span>Mid-Autumn Festival <\/b>is when people honor the full moon and celebrate a bountiful harvest with lion dance performances and mooncakes<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>@nhg.meo<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Try both popular mooncake variations: <\/span>b\u00e1nh d\u1ebbo<\/span><\/em> (sticky cake) and <\/span>b\u00e1nh n\u01b0\u1edbng<\/span><\/em> (baked cake). They come with different fillings such as mung bean, matcha, and salted eggs.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>@visharadsaxena<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Though this is a nationwide festival, the best places to experience the festive atmosphere are the walking streets in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hoi An. Here you can find lanterns hanging across the streets, vendors displaying treats, masks, and toys for sale<\/a>, and troupes performing lion dances to the beat of drums.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get moon cakes at:
\n<\/span><\/strong>Hanoi:<\/span><\/p>\n