The Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam is a cherished cultural celebration that illuminates the country with lanterns, delectable mooncakes, and age-old traditions. Let’s explore this festival with Handspan Travel Indochina!

Through this blog post, you will find these pieces of information below.

General information about the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam

The Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. On this day, the moon is fullest and brightest compared to other days of the year. Originating from China, over time, this festival has had a strong Vietnamese cultural imprint with unique characteristics. 

Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam

For Vietnamese people, the Mid-autumn festival has a profound meaning. It embodies the country's deep-rooted traditions, love for family, and appreciation for the beauty of the moon. The festival is a time for family members to gather, eat, and share stories. On this day, Vietnamese families make a feast for their ancestors in the morning, which can be a vegetarian meal or a salty meal. In the evening, they will prepare another feast, including fruits, candies, moon cakes, and tea. At this time, parents and children stay together and admire the full moon. 

Five-fruit tray in the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam

One of the most captivating elements of the Mid-Autumn Festival is the colorful lanterns that adorn the streets and homes. Besides, the moon cake with diverse fillings is also an integral part of the celebration. 

Things to do at the Mid-autumn Festival in Vietnam

The Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam has a wide range of activities and traditions to enjoy. Here are some of the fantastic things you can do at this festival. 

Admiring colorful lanterns and Mid-autumn lantern parades

During the Mid-Autumn festival in Vietnam, the streets are adorned with lanterns of various shapes, sizes, and colors. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to admire the creativity of lantern makers and enjoy the vibrant displays. 

Lantern procession in the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam

The mid-autumn lantern procession is always the most exciting activity at the festival. The parades often involve children and their beautifully crafted lanterns. Children can go around the area, sing, shout, talk, and hold colorful lights in their hands. Let’s join a parade or simply watch as the procession passes by.

Savoring the Mooncakes

Mooncake is an indispensable part of the Mid-Autumn festival in Vietnam. While the square-shaped mooncake represents the earth and solidity, the round-shaped mooncake is the symbol of the full moon, completeness, and fulfillment in life. Trying the mooncake in the Mid-autumn festival shows Vietnamese people’s wish for lasting peace and happiness. 

Enjoying mooncakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam

Visiting Vietnam during the festive time, you may not want to miss savoring this cake. There are two types of mooncakes: baked mooncakes and soft sticky rice mooncakes. Besides the traditional mooncake with lime leaves, lotus seeds, lard, sausage, peanuts, sesame, and melon seeds as fillings, you can also choose coconut mooncake, green tea mooncake, lotus seed paste mooncake, mooncake filled with stir-fried young green rice, etc. 

Seeing the lion dance performances

The lion dance is a traditional custom in the Mid-Autumn festival in Vietnam. If you are in Vietnam at this time, you can catch up with lively and colorful lion dance performances. These performances are a symbol of good luck, fortune, and protection against evil spirits. 

Lion dance in the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam

The performance typically involves two people, one at the head and another at the tail of the lion costume which is decorated with intricate patterns. There is a team of musicians playing traditional instruments like drums, and gongs accompanying the lion dance performance. The performers will dance to the beat of the instruments and bring the lion to life. 

Lion dance in the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam

Let’s immerse yourself in the exciting lion dance performances!

Best destinations to enjoy the Mid-Autumn festival in Vietnam

No matter where you are in Vietnam, you can still enjoy the crowded atmosphere of the Mid-autumn festival. However, it is the most vibrant at the destinations below. 

Hanoi

Hanoi is among the best destinations to enjoy the Mid-Autumn festival in Vietnam. During this time, the city becomes crowded and bustling with sparkling star lights, brilliant lanterns, and rich, colorful moon cake stalls. Depending on your age, style, and whether you travel with your kids, there are many spots in Hanoi you can choose to visit. You can refer to these places below.

• Hang Ma Street

Hang Ma Street is always crowded with both local people and tourists during the Mid-autumn festival. There are various stalls selling all kinds of lanterns, star lamps, and Mid-Autumn festival toys from traditional to modern, attracting all ages. The scene becomes more brilliant at nighttime. 

Hang Ma Street during the Mid-Autumn festival in Vietnam

Hang Ma Street during the Mid-Autumn festival in Vietnam

• Hoan Kiem Lake

Hoan Kiem Lake, where large lanterns are displayed and traditional games are played, is also an attractive spot. Besides, you can also see numerous parades and cultural performances here. 

• Imperial Citadel of Thang Long

Imperial Citadel of Thang Long is an ideal choice for families with kids. It is the place where many activities imbued with Vietnamese folk identity take place such as music performances, lion dances, mandarin square capturing, etc. 

Decoration in the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long

Hoi An

Mid-Autumn festival in Hoi An

Lion dance in Hoi An

Hoi An is also an ideal destination to explore the Mid-Autumn festival in Vietnam. Visiting Hoi An at this time, you will see glistening lanterns covering the whole town. Here are some amazing experiences you should not miss. 

• Taking a boat ride and releasing lanterns on the Hoai River

Boating along the Hoai River in Hoi An this time, you will come across a stunning image of floating lanterns, illuminating an entire river. Releasing lanterns on the Hoai River carries a spiritual and traditional cultural value to the Vietnamese people.

Releasing flower lanterns on the Hoai River

• Participating in exciting traditional games 

Joining exciting folk games is also an unmissable experience when visiting Hoi An in the Mid-autumn festival. You can find many traditional games and activities during the festival, such as playing cards, displaying five-fruit trays, blindfolded pot smashing, etc. 

• Joining a lantern-making workshop

Joining a lantern-making workshop is also worth taking. Please contact us if you want to join one. 

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in Vietnam, also celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival in grand style. Like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City’s atmosphere at this time is exceptionally crowded with both the locals and domestic and international tourists. Below are some spots attracting many tourists in the Mid-autumn festival. 

• Luong Nhu Ngoc lantern street

Luong Nhu Ngoc Lantern Street, located in District 5, is a popular spot during this time. The street is full of stalls selling lanterns and festive accessories. 

Luong Nhu Ngoc Lantern Street

• Nguyen Hue Walking Street

Hue Walking Street is one of the attractive spots in Saigon. The street becomes more bustling and sparkling in the Mid-Autumn festival with strings of lanterns decorated along the road. 

• Le Thi Rieng Park

Le Thi Rieng Park is also an ideal place to enjoy the Mid-Autumn festival in Saigon. During the festival, there are many exciting performances in the park, such as circus, magic, music, lantern parade, lion dance, etc. 

Overall, the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam is a time of joy, cultural richness, and togetherness. Let’s experience the wonder of this festival in Vietnam and have your own lasting memories!