Tet Nguyen Dan (Vietnamese Lunar New Year)
Vietnam Lunar New Year (or Tet Holiday) is considered as the biggest and the most important Vietnam holidays of the year. It is originally celebrated by Vietnamese locals to thank the gods for the arrival of spring, a ritual date back thousands of years ago. Today, it is the time for the Vietnamese paying respects to their ancestors and welcoming the New Year with family members.
You can also find locals lighting fireworks, visiting temples with your families and the interesting radiant colors of Vietnamese flag, lanterns, flowers stalls at every corner. It takes place on the 1st day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar.
Hoa Ban Festival (Ban Flower Festival)
When it comes to the flower types which symbolizing the soul of the northwestern Vietnam, people will immediately figure out plum, peach, and especially Ban flower. Ban flower is supposed to show up the image of a beautiful Northwest girl and the pure love as well.
Each spring is drawing near, most mountainous regions of the Northwest are covered by the white of Ban flower, creating a striking and charming painting. That is the reason why it is chosen as a background of Hoa Ban Festival, a spring festival in Vietnam, and nowadays it has become more and more popular with both domestic and international travellers. The festival is also the special occasion in which young boys and girls can meet, date, and join fascinating activities, e.g. dancing, playing pan-pines, drum and gong.
Huong Pagoda Festival
Being one of the most impressive Buddhist festivals on the northern Vietnam, Huong Pagoda Festival is believed to play a key role in the Vietnamese Buddhists’ spiritual life and significant to Vietnamese culture in general. Normally, a Vietnamese festival will consist of two parts, one is about ceremonies, and another is regarding entertaining activities.
As for ceremonial rituals, Monks and Buddhists will offer flowers, fruits, candles, and incense, and perform traditional dances. Meanwhile, entertaining activities are experiencing boat cruise, climbing mountains, and visiting holy caves. It takes place on the 15th day of the first month of the Vietnamese lunar calendar.
Yen Tu Festival
Held from the 10th day of the first lunar month, Yen Tu Festival lasts for three months for the religious demand of Vietnamese Buddhists. During this spring festival in Vietnam, countless pilgrims take a long trip to Yen Tu, known as the Buddhist land with the aim of expressing their aspiration and religious belief.
Sightseeing is the essential part of your pilgrimage’s journey to Yen Tu. There are 11 main pagodas along with a system of hundreds of beautiful temples and monasteries. One challenge for your Yen Tu Trip is trekking to Dong Pagoda which is 1,068 meters above the sea level. Flocks of local tourists come to this festival to pray for luck, health, and prosperity for themselves and their family.