Most of the festivals, anniversaries and traditional cultural events of Vietnam are in accordance with its lunar calendar. Annually, joining in the modern breathes of the world, Vietnam also celebrates the International New Year Day on the first day in Western Calendar - January 1st.

I. FESTIVALS

1. Khau Vai love market festival – Ha Giang, ~ 400 km from Hanoi, 200 km from Ha Giang city (26^thand 27^th in the third lunar month)

A multiple-day trip is more recommended to visit this market as the distance is very significant, the landscape of Ha Giang is magnificent as well.

Hanoi – Ha Giang (Day 1), Ha Giang - Dong Van (Day 2), Dong Van – Meo Vac (Day 3) is a good itinerary to enjoy landscape and avoid being exhausted.

Book all essential things (hotel, motorbike, car) beforehand when you are still in Hanoi so as not to become too shocked by the effects of the language barrier.

Bring a list of essential Vietnamese phrases to communicate with locals

Bring along your passport! Foreigners occasionally get their identity checked when traveling near Vietnam’s border.

Foreigners are also required to apply for a permit when traveling to Ha Giang. The cost is 230 000 VND. Hostel/hotel staff in Ha Giang can help you arrange this. Otherwise, you can visit the immigration office in Ha Giang city (415A Tran Phu St.) to obtain this permit.

How to get there:

Bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang: night bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang mostly run from My Dinh station 

Get to Ha Giang from Sapa/Lao Cai: There are 2 daily coaches (6 am and 11 am) that depart from Lao Cai to Ha Giang City. The coach takes around 5-6 hours and costs VND 120 000 / ticket (around US$6). If you’re in Sapa, this means you need to go back to Lao Cai the night before departure to Ha Giang.

Rent a private car or a motorbike is a good way to explore this place.

There are not many good hotels in Ha Giang, stay in a homestay or 2* hotels are the only choice.

2. Hung Kings Commemoration Day – Phu Tho (from 8^thto 11^th day of the third month in Lunar Calendar)

• A visit to Hung temple should be a day trip
• The most tourist attractions: Lang cave, Ao Chau, Xuan Son national park, hot spring
• How to get there: Hanoi – Hung Temple: ~ 100 km ~ 1.5-hour drive, you can take a bus from My Dinh station at around either 8:00 am or 2:00 pm or rent a car or a motorbike for more comfort.

3. Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival - Ninh Binh (the 6th day of the lunar first month - the end of the third lunar month)

• A day trip should be started at around 6:30 or 7:00 to Bai Dinh from Hanoi so that you can visit Trang An nearby also. A boat trip to Trang An is the most common way to explore this area.
• A multiple- day trip is more recommended as Ninh Binh has many other interesting places to visit such as Tam Coc – Bich Dong, Hoa Lu, Thung Nham, Kenh Ga, Phat Diem cathedral. There is a wide range of good hotels varies from homestay to 5* hotels for your choice.
• Some special food in Ninh Binh you should try is Ninh Binh goat meat, Ninh Binh chicken, Kim Son wine, Ninh Binh burned rice, etc.
• The security in Bai Dinh Pagoda is good but you should save your luggage and put the trashes in the garbage cans.

How to get there: (95 km ~2 hours from Hanoi):

• Bus: Take a bus to Ninh Binh from the bus station in Hanoi, every 30 minutes will have a bus to go there, from 5 am to 11 pm every day. The names of Ninh Binh bus are Sao Viet, Cuong Hung, Hoang Long, Vu Thuong, Gia Minh, Hien Tinh, etc. The price ticket is from 70000 VND to 100000 VND per person. It will take you around 2 hours to get there
• Car, motorbike: Start in Hanoi, go to Giai Phong street, turn to Phap Van – Cau Gie highway, keep moving to Ninh Binh province. It will take you about 90 minutes from Hanoi to Bai Dinh pagoda
• Train: Take a train in Giai Phong train station and it will drop you in Ninh Binh train station, then you will have to take a taxi or motor taxi to go to Bai Dinh pagoda.

4.  Huong Pagoda Festival – My Duc, Hanoi (70 km ~ 2-hour drive from Hanoi) (6^thof the first lunar month to the end of the third lunar month)

• Please wear suitable clothes to visit the pagoda and temple complex (long-sleeve and long pants or skirts, comfortable clothes and shoes for walking, and bring a hat and sunscreen
• A day trip is enough for this site.
• Though the festival is an interesting place to see, during the festival, there will be around 30 000 people each day making this place very crowded and the price surges, especially on the weekends. Avoid festival time is a better option.
• if hiking to the top of the mountain is a challenge for you, there is a 5-minute cable car ride (4USD) to the top of the mountain

How to get there:

• Buy a tour is more recommended as there are some the buses to My Duc from Hanoi but you need to change some different buses
• Rent a motorbike if you are good at driving and be familiar with Vietnam traffic.

5. Co Loa Citadel Festival – Dong Anh, Hanoi (6th to 16th day of the first lunar month) (20 km ~ 40 minutes drive)

An easy day trip is enough to visit this site

The opening hours 8 am – 5 pm, the ticket fee: 5,000 VND

Wear suitable clothes to visit the pagoda and temple complex (long-sleeve and long pants or skirts).

How to get there: The Citadel can be reached by leaving Hanoi to the northeast. Take the Chuong Duong bridge over the Hong River out of town to where the road joins up with Highway 1. You’ll cross another river 11km later via an old, narrow steel bridge. Take the immediate left, and follow that road as it meets Highway 3, keep straight, and after about 4km there’s a sign on the left marking the turn for the site on the right. Turn off for the Citadel. It’s another kilometer further down that road and well marked.

II. HOLIDAYS

1. Tet Holiday or Lunar New Year (1^st, 2^ndand 3^rdday in Lunar Calendar ~ Late January and early February)

Most stores and supermarkets will be closed for the first few days of the lunar new year. If you are running low on shampoo or other daily use items, make sure you stock up before the new year comes.

• During this festival, any place hosting events will be packed with people which will increase the risk of being pickpocketed, please bear in mind a great caution for your belongings.
• Do not hesitate to eat or do anything weird when you are invited to try.
• If you would like to buy anything on these days, do not try to haggle as it will be considered to bring bad luck for the whole new year.
• Get to know what “lucky money” is. Especially when you experience homestay during this festival, it would be highly appreciated that kids and the elderly are given lucky money in the red envelope to wish them the longevity and health and also show your respectability.
• Where to go:

Northwest Vietnam: Sapa and Ha Giang are the best places to see peach blossom.

Central and Southern islands: sunny beaches and green island in Phu Quoc or Mui Ne or Con Dao

2. Reunification Day – April 30^thand International Labor Day – May 01^st

• It is normally very expensive and difficult to travel during those days as most Vietnamese people travel to celebrate Reunification days with family and friends. Most tourist attractions are full of Vietnamese tourists. It’s not recommended to travel on those days.
• Be well – prepared, especially money exchange as most offices are closed. Other activities in the city are still happened as usual.

3. National Day - September 02^nd

• It is normally very expensive and difficult to travel during those days as most Vietnamese people travel to celebrate Reunification days with family and friends. Most tourist attractions are full of Vietnamese tourists. It’s not recommended to travel on those days.
• If you are highly interested in traveling on this day, reserve all services (flights, visa, transport) in advance.
• Be well – prepared, especially money exchange as most offices are closed. Other activities in the city are still happened as usual.
• Pickpockets have been known to operate. Leave valuables in your safe at the hotel and try not to carry bags.

Holidays and Traditional Festivals in Vietnam