Hoi An Lantern Festival

One occasion that offers the most gorgeous photos is Hoi An lantern festival, also known as Hoi An Lantern Festival. The Hoi An lantern festival is held on every 14th day of the lunar year, the time when colourful lanterns are lit up with candles when there is a full moon. It is a really spectacular sight for visitors to endorse.And Hoi An Fun Bike Tours would like to recommend some unique and fun things to do during Hoi An lantern festival

Photo by lindaandandy

What to explore during hoi an lantern festival

During the night, electricity use in the old quarter is minimized and fluorescent lighting is totally banned, the government bans motorbikes from the narrow streets so that tourists can enjoy a truly magical and charming ancient town with the beauty it has kept for centuries. People also present offerings to shrines and burn incense to pay homage to the deities and ancestors. There will be artistic performances held by the riverside.

Photo by Binh Dang

Tourists can simply enjoy the scene of numerous lanterns sparklingly lightened the town, wandering the streets while soaking up the special atmosphere. It will be among the unforgettable moments in one’s trip to Hoi An.
And they can also partake by sending lanterns down the river. Locals believe that lanterns help deliver good wishes of people releasing them. Elderly ladies or kids sell a lantern for VND 5,000-10,000, equivalent to 25 or 50 cent. Sellers can help tourists lower the lanterns into the river.

Photo by Keith Mac Uidhir

Otherwise, visitors can take a sampan boat ride in the river to release the lanterns into the water themselves at a price of around VND 100,000 (USD 5), getting away from the noisy streets. Boats manned by locals lined near the riverbank and are easy to get.

Besides, tourists can watch performances of folk songs by singers dressed in traditional costume and bai choi singing, a type of Vietnamese music bingo game played with chess characters on cards.

Last but not least, local food deserves trying. The best restaurants are local one by the streets with mini plastic stools and tables. Typical specialties of Hoi An are savoury cao lau, banh bao and banh dap , or delicious desserts like banh xoai (mango cake) or xi ma (black sesame pudding).

How to get the best experience during Hoi An Lantern Festival

• The banks of the river offer good views to endorse the whole scene and are not the most crowded destinations.
• Street cafes or balcony seats in a restaurant overlooking the river are therefore the best and most relaxing places for tourists.
• The festival is very crowded so tourists need to be careful to avoid any unwanted incidents.
• Tourists need to buy a ticket of VND 120,000 (USD 6) to enter the ancient town and visit historic sites there.

When does the Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Festival take place?

Photo by Peter Hunziker

Full moon Calendar for 2016 AND 2017

Below is the calendar for Full Moon Night Festival in Hoi An Town. There are 13 lantern festival nights in 2017.

• Saturday 23 January 2016
• Sunday 21 February 2016
• Sunday 21 February 2016
• Wednesday 20 April 2016
• Friday 20 May 2016
• Saturday 18 June 2016
• Sunday 17 July 2016
• Tuesday 16 August 2016
• Wednesday 14 September 2016
• Friday 14 October 2016
• Sunday 13 November 2016
• Monday 12 December 2016
• Wednesday 11 January 2017
• Friday 10 February 2017
• Saturday 11 March 2017
• Monday 10 April 2017
• Tuesday 9 May 2017
• Thursday 8 June 2017
• Friday 7 July 2017
• Saturday 5 August 2017
• Monday 4 September 2017
• Tuesday 3 October 2017
• Thursday 2 November 2017
• Friday 1 December 2017
• Sunday 31 December 2017

Note:

• There are 2 Full Moon nights in December 2017
• Lunar New Year falls in 27 January 2017

Best place to experience Hoi An lantern festival

Photo by [ E.Y.E.S Team ] Xeko Fotography

The festivals take place in the old town center where motorized vehicles are banned. So during the 14th in lunar calendar every month, the local government cuts off the electricity in the ancient town and you will see the lights of the colorful lanterns only. Walking along the Hoai river in the area between the Japanese Covered Bridge and the An Hoi bridge, you will see plenty of people there trying to release the paper lanterns to the river for good luck. It’s even stuck on the An Hoi bridge sometimes when people just staying there with their lanterns. You can stand on the river bank around that area or on the second floor of some restaurants on Bach Dang St. or Nguyen Phuc Chu St. to admire Hoi An full moon’s beauty.

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