Spring Festivals in Vietnam: A Complete North-to-South Guide

Spring Festivals in Vietnam’s Northern Region

Northern Vietnam is the heart of Vietnam’s spiritual spring season, where festivals often blend Buddhism, legends, and community rituals. Many events follow the lunar calendar, so dates shift yearly, but the atmosphere stays the same: lively, sacred, and unforgettable.

Perfume Pagoda Festival (Hanoi)

Perfume Pagoda is one of the unbeatable spring festivals in Vietnam. Running from the 1st to the 3rd lunar month, it combines a peaceful pilgrimage with stunning landscapes. Highlights include a boat journey through limestone valleys, climbing to sacred caves, and incense offerings for luck, health, and fresh beginnings.

Long Tong Festival (Ha Giang)

Among Tay ethnic communities in Ha Giang, spring begins with Long Tong festival, a celebration of agriculture and prosperity. It’s usually held in the early first lunar month, welcoming a new farming season. Expect vibrant traditional clothing, joyful folk games, and prayers for good weather. The festival atmosphere feels warm, communal, and beautifully “mountain Vietnam.”

Tran Temple Seal Opening Festival (Nam Dinh)

For many Vietnamese families, this festival signals the “real start” of the year’s ambitions. The Tran Temple Seal Opening Festival happens around the 14th–15th of the first lunar month, when people gather to pray for career and academic success. The highlight is the solemn midnight ceremony, followed by huge crowds seeking blessings and good fortune.

Yen Tu Festival (Quang Ninh)

Spring at Yen Tu is a journey upward, literally and spiritually. Beginning around the 10th day of the first lunar month and lasting until the end of March (lunar calendar), the festival draws pilgrims to sacred mountaintop pagodas. Highlights include cloud views, forest trails, and Buddhist rituals. Whether hiking or using the cable car, it feels deeply refreshing.

Lim Festival (Bac Ninh)

Music lovers should put Lim Festival on their spring calendar. Celebrated around the 12th–13th of the first lunar month, this festival is famous for Quan Ho folk singing, performed in a poetic call-and-response style. Highlights include performances in village spaces and sometimes on boats, along with traditional games and a charming local market vibe that visitors adore.

Saint Giong Festival (Soc Son)

Legends come alive at the Saint Giong Festival, held around the 6th day of the first lunar month in Soc Son near Hanoi. It honors a mythical hero who defended the nation, celebrated through processions and symbolic reenactments. Highlights include sacred offerings, traditional performances, and an energetic crowd atmosphere that feels like stepping into Vietnam’s living folklore.

Hung Kings Festival (Phu Tho)

Few events feel as meaningful as Hung Kings Festival, when Vietnam honors its national ancestors. Taking place from the 8th to 11th day of the third lunar month, the festival includes solemn ceremonies at Hung Temple and lively cultural performances. Highlights include incense rituals, traditional games, and a powerful feeling of unity that international travelers often find unforgettable.

Spring Festivals in Vietnam’s Central Region

Festivals in Vietnam bring different vibes in diffferent regions. From royal heritage to coastal rituals, the Central region offers spring festivals with unique “local power,” especially in Hue, Quang Nam, and Binh Dinh.

King Mai Temple Festival (Nghe An)

In Nghe An, the full moon of the first lunar month brings one of the region’s most important historical festivals. King Mai Temple Festival is held on the 15th day of the first lunar month, honoring King Mai Thuc Loan. Highlights include formal rituals and grand ceremonies, followed by folk activities like boat racing, singing competitions, and traditional games.

Sinh Village Wrestling Festival (Hue)

Not every spring festival is quiet and spiritual, and Sinh Village proves it. Held on the 9th–10th day of the first lunar month, this traditional wrestling festival is both fun and symbolic. Highlights include intense matches filled with pride and energy, plus prayers for health and peace. It’s a fantastic way to see Hue’s confident “martial spirit.”

Cau Ngu Festival (Hue and others)

Coastal spring festivals hit different, and Cau Ngu is a perfect example. In Hue, it’s traditionally organized every three years from the 1st to 12th day of the first lunar month. Highlights include ceremonial offerings, village processions, and folk performances. The main goal is praying for calm seas and rich fishing seasons across Central Vietnam.

Dong Da Festival (Tay Son, Binh Dinh)

If you’re chasing adrenaline, Dong Da Festival is the one. Celebrated around the 4th–5th day of the first lunar month, it honors Emperor Quang Trung and Vietnam’s historic victory. Highlights include Tay Son martial arts shows, boat racing, and traditional theater. Many parts of the festival recreate heroic battles, making it dramatic and unforgettable.

Hoi An Lantern Festival (Quang Nam)

Hoi An looks magical year-round, but during its lantern nights, it becomes pure romance. The festival happens every full moon, and spring is one of the best seasons to enjoy it. Highlights include lantern-lit streets, cultural shows, and candle lights floating on the river. It’s gentle, photogenic, and extremely traveler-friendly, even for first-timers.

Bai Choi Spring Folk Festival (Quang Nam – Binh Dinh – Phu Yen)

You’ll often hear laughter before you even see Bai Choi happening. Popular during Tet and the early lunar months, Bai Choi combines folk singing with a playful game that feels like street theater. Highlights include witty lyrics, audience participation, and live cultural energy. For international visitors, it’s one of the easiest spring festivals to enjoy without language barriers.

Spring Festivals in Vietnam’s Southern Region

Spring festivals In Vietnam’s Southern region feel warmer, louder, and more open, with strong Chinese-Vietnamese influences and large crowds of pilgrims. Many celebrations are perfect for visitors because they’re visual, colorful, and easy to join in respectfully.

Nguyen Tieu Festival (Ho Chi Minh City)

Lantern lovers will have the best night of their Vietnam trip at Nguyen Tieu. Celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month, this event is strongest in Chinatown (District 5). Highlights include temple ceremonies, lantern displays, and vibrant street energy. The mix of incense smoke, lights, and community celebration feels cinematic and uniquely southern.

Ba Den Mountain Tet Festival (Tay Ninh)

A spring festival on a mountain? Say less. Ba Den Mountain Tet Festival runs from early Tet until the end of the first lunar month, drawing pilgrims from across Southern Vietnam. Highlights include worship at sacred sites, peaceful temple rituals, and breathtaking panoramic views. Taking the cable car up at sunrise is especially memorable for travelers.

Lady Thien Hau Pagoda Festival (Binh Duong)

This festival blends spiritual devotion with a lively cultural parade. Held for three days from the 13th to 15th of the first lunar month, it honors Lady Thien Hau, believed to protect people at sea. Highlights include ceremonial offerings, a traditional street procession, and lantern blessings for smooth luck in business, travel, and everyday life.

Ba Chua Xu Temple Festival (An Giang)

In the Mekong Delta, few festivals feel as powerful as Ba Chua Xu. It takes place from the 23rd to 27th day of the fourth lunar month at Nui Sam in Chau Doc. Highlights include major rituals like bathing ceremonies and processions, plus huge pilgrimage crowds. Many visitors come to pray for prosperity, protection, and peace.

Ok Om Bok Festival (Soc Trang)

If you’re curious about Vietnam’s multicultural side, Ok Om Bok is a must. This Khmer Moon Worship Festival is usually held in the 10th lunar month, but it often appears in festival travel planning for Southern Vietnam. Highlights include Khmer pagoda ceremonies, cultural performances, and joyful community gatherings that feel welcoming for international visitors.

Duc Thanh Tran Temple Festival (Ho Chi Minh City)

History fans will appreciate the depth of this spring event in Ho Chi Minh City. Duc Thanh Tran Temple Festival runs from the 8th to 10th day of the first lunar month, honoring Tran Quoc Tuan, Vietnam’s legendary general. Highlights include respectful ceremonies, traditional offerings, and a strong educational spirit that connects visitors to Vietnamese national pride.

Final Thoughts

From mountain pilgrimages to lantern nights, spring festivals in Vietnam offer travelers a rare chance to see living culture in action. If you want the best experience, plan ahead, respect temple etiquette, and travel with a local-friendly route. Stay at Quiri Hostel Hanoi and book a Vietnam tour to chase festivals smoothly.