When traveling to Hoi An, be sure not to miss its unique festivals. Among them, the Hoi An lantern festival is one of the most fascinating cultural events. Let’s explore it in detail with HoaBinh Tourist!
1. What is the Hoi An Lantern Festival? Origins and Historical Significance
The Hoi An Lantern Festival is a full-moon celebration rooted in centuries of cultural traditions. Hoi An’s lanterns gained prominence during the 16th–17th century when the bustling trading port welcomed Chinese and Japanese merchants, who placed lanterns in front of their homes as symbols of good fortune and a reminder of their homelands.
The festival evolved over time into a monthly full moon event to celebrate harmony, gratitude, and the preservation of traditional lantern craftsmanship. Hoi An’s lanterns are now more than decoration – they represent heritage, spiritual reflection, and communal identity.
Lanterns in Hoi An carry centuries of history, lighting the path between past traditions and present festivals.
2. Dates of the Hoi An Lantern Festival in 2025
In 2025, the Hoi An Lantern Festival will take place on the 14th day of each lunar month, coinciding with the full moon. These are the confirmed dates:
- January 13, 2025
- February 11, 2025
- March 13, 2025
- April 11, 2025
- May 11, 2025
- June 9, 2025
- July 8, 2025
- August 7, 2025
- September 5, 2025
- October 5, 2025
- November 3, 2025
- December 3, 2025
These monthly evenings, especially the one following Lunar New Year, are Hoi An’s most magical nights, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in a nightly lantern spectacle.
Mark full-moon nights as your calendar’s highlight – when Hoi An quietly glows like no other place.
3. What Makes the Hoi An Lantern Festival Special?
The Hoi An Lantern Festival transforms the town into a glowing celebration of cultural heritage and spiritual warmth, especially during the full-moon night. Learn what distinguishes this monthly spectacle from any other Vietnamese festival.
3.1. Stroll Through Lantern-Lit Streets Lantern Parade
On festival nights, the Ancient Town’s streets – especially Tran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc, and Bach Dang – are draped with vivid lanterns, casting soft light for peaceful evening walks. The ambiance feels like stepping into a kaleidoscope of tradition and tranquility.
Wander beneath a canopy of lanterns and let Hoi An’s warm glow lead your way.
3.2. Take a Boat Ride to Admire the Sparkling Night River Views
A lantern boat ride on the Hoai or Thu Bon River during the festival offers a magical water-bound vantage point. Wooden boats drift past illuminated riversides, with lanterns reflecting like stars upon the surface.
Glide across candlelit waters for a dreamlike view of Hoi An’s night glow.
3.3. Release Floating Lanterns on the Thu Bon River
Locals and visitors alike buy small floating lanterns (often lotus-shaped), attach wishes, and set them gently afloat. This moving ritual fills the river with warm lights amid serene reflections – each lantern carrying hopes for prosperity and peace.
Let your lantern carry your wish downstream under Hoi An’s moonlit sky.
3.4. Visit Ancient Temples in the Old Town
During festival nights, select temples and pagodas offer candlelit blessings or traditional rituals. Their silent courtyards during the lantern glow become spaces of calm introspection and spiritual harmony.
Candlelight frames sacred stillness in Hoi An’s ancient temples.
Read more:
Buses from Da Nang to Hoi An: Routes, prices, & travel tips
Hoi An to Cham Island Ferry & Speedboat Guide For Travelers
3.5. Join Traditional Games with Locals
Interactive folk games such as bai choi, tug-of-war, and human chess add a cheerful sense of community to the festival. They are fun, inclusive, and offer a playful window into local customs.
3.6. Watch Unique Traditional Performances
The lantern festival features folk music, lion dances, and bai choi performances, often set amid riverside thickets or heritage buildings. These artistic expressions enrich the festival’s sensory tapestry.
3.7. Savor Delicious Local Cuisine
Lantern night enthusiasts can indulge in Hoi An specialties like cao lau, white rose dumplings, banh mi, and mooncakes from street stalls or local eateries, creating a multi-sensory feast of flavors.
Savor the rich flavors of Hoi An as aromatic dishes mingle with lantern light.
3.8. Buy Lanterns as Souvenirs
The town hosts numerous lantern workshops and stalls during festival evenings. Handmade silk or bamboo lanterns, unlike most electric street lanterns, are unique keepsakes – bright, portable, and rich in meaning.
Take home a piece of Hoi An’s light with a handcrafted lantern of your own.
4. Travel Tips for Visiting Hoi An Lantern Festival
4.1. Best Times to Arrive
The Hoi An Lantern Festival begins around 8:00 PM when most public and commercial lights are dimmed to let the lantern glow shine. Locals and tourists alike gather beforehand to enjoy dinner and the sunset before the town lights up in lantern magic.
4.2. Where to Watch
Prime viewing spots include:
- An Hoi Bridge, Cau An Hoi, and along the Thu Bon River, where floating lanterns drift, reflecting off the water’s surface .
- Tran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc, and Bach Dang Street, where overhead lanterns cast soft radiance on pedestrians.
From riversides to lantern-lit lanes, every corner of Hoi An glows under candlelight.
4.3. Local Customs & Spiritual Meanings
The festival is deeply rooted in Buddhist lunar traditions and ancestor veneration. The full moon is considered auspicious – marking birth, enlightenment, and family reunions. Lanterns symbolize light, hope, and a guide toward prosperity, dispelling darkness in more ways than one.
Under the full moon, lanterns whisper prayers of peace, prosperity, and remembrance.
5. Experience Hoi An’s Lantern Magic with HoaBinh Tourist
Immerse yourself in the timeless enchantment of the Hoi An Lantern Festival, where the glow of silk lanterns, the melody of folk music, and whispering river lanterns light up the ancient town under a full moon.
Here are a few Hoi An tours you might want to check out:
Ngu Hanh Son – Hoi An Ancient Town
Bay Mau Coconut Forest – Hoi An Ancient Town
With HoaBinh Tourist, your journey becomes effortless and deeply meaningful:
- VIP Transfers in Comfort & Style: Enjoy private transportation via limousine or spacious van – from Da Nang airport or your hotel – so you arrive refreshed and ready to explore Hoi An at your own pace.
- Hassle-Free Full-Moon Planning: We handle your Hoi An lantern festival tour itinerary, including expert advice on arrival times (around 6–6:30 PM is ideal) and pre-arranged bookings for lantern boat rides and traditional experiences.
- Cultural Immersion Through Local Guides: Our guides illuminate the stories behind Hoi An’s lantern tradition – from Chinese and Japanese merchant roots in the 16th–17th centuries to contemporary ritualistic procession.
- Moments Beyond the Main Event: Cap your evening by capturing floating lanterns set gently adrift or wandering quiet courtyard cafes. Let our seamless bookings and insider recommendations enhance the magic of every moment.
Let HoaBinh Tourist guide you softly through Hoi An’s lantern-lit nights, transforming moments into memories.
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