January 21–24, 2004 / February 8–11, 2005
Tet is the most important of all Vietnamese festivals. Tet is a time for family members to get together and greet a new lunar year in the hope of good fortune for the coming year. During the run-up to Tet, people are busy shopping for new clothes, food, flowers and miscellaneous decorations. Houses are whitewashed and re-decorated. Traditional dishes such as banh chung, cu kieu, etc. are made. At Tet, people visit and extend their best wishes to relatives, friends and neighbours. Fireworks, unicorn dances, music shows and flower fairs are often seen on this occasion. Tet is especially loved by children because they are given tien li xi which is “lucky money” put in special small, red envelopes. The oft-repeated phrase for foreign visitors to practise at this time is Chuc mung nam moi (Happy New Year).

On 14th night of each lunar month
This event is held monthly on the 14th night of the lunar month in the ancient town of Hoi An. On that night, the streets of Hoi An are all lit up with traditional hand-made silk lanterns in all the colours of the rainbow. Along the streets, traditional local dishes such as cao lau noodle soup, su se pasties, etc. are put on sale. In front of the houses, old men in traditional costumes play chess. Traditional games such as lottery, earthern pot beating, etc. are seen here and there in the town. Folk songs are exchanged between young men and women on boats in the Hoai River. All of these make the night in Hoi An enchanting and romantic.

January 27 – February 6, 2004 / February 14–21, 2005
This festival takes place every year at An Duong Vuong Temple in Dong Anh District on the outskirts of Hanoi. The Co Loa Festival is dedicated to Thuc Phan An Duong Vuong, King of Au Lac, the second Vietnamese dynasty. King An Duong Vuong is famous for building the Co Loa Citadel in a spiral shape. The highlight of the celebration is the An Duong Vuong procession and a sword-offering ceremony staged by twelve hamlets. There are also swinging or rice-cooking competitions and ca tru and cheo performances.

January 27 – May 3, 2004 / February 14 – April 23, 2005
Perfume Pagoda or Huong Pagoda, the biggest pilgrimage site in northern Vietanm, is situated in Huong Son Village, My Duc District, Ha Tay Province, approximately 70km south-west of Hanoi. The Perfume Pagoda Pilgrimage is the longest festival in Vietnam. It begins after Tet and lasts until the 3rd lunar month. On this occasion, scores of thousands of pilgrims and visitors come to admire the beautiful landscape, the grottoes and caves, and to implore Buddha for happiness and good luck in the numerous pagodas scattered in the mountains. A sampan ride on the Yen stream surrounded with high mountains, deep forests and rice fields is probably the most memorable experience for visitors and pilgrims alike.

January 29, 2004 / February 16, 2005
Vieng Fair takes place in three days in Vu Ban District and Nam Truc District, Nam Dinh Province. This spring fair displays handicraft products and ornamental plants. Different kinds of goods such as farming tools, carved and inlaid wooden products, lacquerware, knives, bronzes, etc. can be traded here. People come to the fair not only to buy and sell things but also to wish for a more prosperous and lucky year.

February 6, 2004 / February 21, 2005
This festival takes place in Lim, Tien Son District, Bac Ninh Province. It is related to a local tradition which involves quan ho singing. Quan ho is a type of folk singing originating from the exchange of songs between young men and women. The Lim Festival is also dedicated to Hieu Trung Hau, the founder of quan ho. It consists of a procession, quan ho singing contests and other games such as swinging, human chess, wrestling, etc.

End of January to end of April 2004 / February to April, 2005
About 14km from Uong Bi, Quang Ninh Province, the mountainous region of Yen Tu is a complex of 11 pagodas and nearly 100 shrines and towers. It is also the birthplace of the Buddhist sect of Truc Lam. Being the second biggest pilgrimage site in northern Vietnam for many centuries, it attracts to its yearly ceremonies thousands of pilgrims and tourists who come not only to express their devotion to Buddha and commemorate a heroic episode of the country’s history, but also to admire the beautiful landscape of this mountainous area. The festival lasts nearly three months.

February 21, 2004 / March 11, 2005
Located on the Ngoc Tran Mountain, Hon Chen Temple is dedicated to the Holy Mother Thien Yana who, according to Cham legend, created the land and the trees and taught people the art of growing rice. During the festival, a procession is held at night on the Huong River from Hue Nam Temple to the Hai Cat communal house. This is a traditional popular ceremony in Hue, endowed with a sacred atmosphere in natural, romantic scenery. The festival attracts thousands of visitors and worshippers.

March 2, 2004 / March 21, 2005
The Duong Lam Temple Festival takes place annually in Duong Lam Village, about 4km from Son Tay, Ha Tay Province. It is organized in honour of King Phung Hung, leader of a peasant revolt in the 3rd century. The festival involves religious ceremonies, games, etc.

April 19–28, 2004 / April 9–18, 2005
Located in Kim Thai Hamlet, Vu Ban District, Nam Dinh Province, Phu Giay Temple is a place of worship dedicated to Princess Lieu Hanh. In popular beliefs, Princess Lieu Hanh is deified as “the Holy Mother”, one of the four Vietnamese Immortals. The main ceremonies are the Holy Mother procession and a display of Chinese characters. Other performances such as cheo, hat trong quan, hat xam and hat van as well as wrestling competitions, cock fights and human chess are also organized.

April 25, 2004 / April 15, 2005
Built in Sai Son Village, Quoc Oai District, Thay Pagoda is devoted to the cult of Buddha Sakyamuni and of Tu Dao Hanh, a Buddhist monk who created Vietnamese water puppetry and was appointed as a royal tutor by King Ly Thanh Ton. During the festival, a statue-washing ceremony and other entertainments and games are held, the water puppet shows at the Thuy Dinh House being the most favourite. Besides, visitors may also go hiking, rock climbing or simply contemplate the natural landscape of the Doai region.

April 24, 2004 / April 14, 2005
The Tay Phuong Pagoda Festival takes place at Tay Phuong Pagoda. The pagoda was built in the 8th century on the Cau Lau Mountain in Ha Tay Province, about 40km south-west of Hanoi. More than 200 stone steps must be climbed before reaching the pagoda which consists of three parallel single-level structures built on a hillock said to resemble a buffalo. Hundreds of statues carved from jack-fruit wood are the best examples of traditional Vietnamese statuary art dating from the later Le Dynasty.

April 26–28, 2004 / April 16-18, 2005
The festival is held in Hoa Lu, the capital of Vietnam in the 9th and 10th centuries during the Dinh and Le dynasties. This is an important event in the region, attracting many participants. The ceremonial festival commemorates King Dinh Tien Hoang, who reunited the country, and King Le Dai Hanh, who defeated foreign invaders. The three main events comprise the lighting of joss-sticks, a mock battle with reed flags and an exhibition of Chinese characters.

April 28, 2004 / April 18, 2003
The Hung Temple Festival is organized at the Hung Kings’ Temple on the Nghia Linh Mountain, Hy Cuong Hamlet, Phu Tho Province. This festival commemorates the death anniversary of King Hung I, who founded Van Lang, the first name of the Vietnamese nation. The festival offers an opportunity for Vietnamese people to visit their motherland. At present, the Hung Temple Festival is regarded as a national event, with representatives of the central government and the People’s Committee of Phu Tho Province taking part in the incense lighting ceremony. It features a procession with traditional banh chung and banh day cakes, bronze drum beating and other traditional entertainments such as robe climbing, wrestling, swinging, a sword performance, a Xoai folk song contest, etc.

May 3, 2004 / April 23, 2005
The festival is held annually at Do Temple in Tu Son District, Bac Ninh Province, in commemoration of the eight kings of the Ly Dynasty. The festival lasts four days and features a procession, folk games, human chess, wrestling competitions, etc.

April 30
This date is the anniversary of the liberation of South Vietnam and national reunification. The event is observed throughout the country, especially in Ho Chi Minh City where cultural activities such as musical performances, art exhibitions and theatrical shows about the victory of April 30th, 1975 are organized.

Late April to early May, 2004 (2 weeks)
With the desire to promote Hue as a festival city, the authorities of Vietnam’s tourism have organized a great cultural festival in Hue every 2 years since 2000. The event offers opportunities to enjoy open-air performances of folk singing, water puppetry, fashion, drama, dancing, etc., to sample genuine Hue cuisine including royal dishes which used to be served to kings at banquets in bygone days, and to gain an insight into Hue folklore through exhibitions, seminars and countryside excursions. Moreover, many art troupes from France, China, Japan, Africa, America and Southeast Asia are invited to make the festivities more colourful and spectacular.

May 26, 2004 / May 15, 2005
This festival is held at Dau Pagoda in honour of Mrs. Man Nuong, who was credited with successfully fighting “drought” in Thuan Thanh District, Bac Ninh Province. It features a procession and many folk games.

May 27, 2004 / May 16, 2005
The Giong Festival is held in Phu Dong Village, Gia Lam District, Hanoi in commemoration of Saint Giong, a legendary boy who worked miracles to defeat Chinese invaders. It features a procession of the Command Flag, a show portraying the battle against Chinese troops and a triumphal party.

June 10-14, 2004 / May 30 – June 3, 2005
This festival is celebrated at Ba Chua Xu Temple on the Sam Mountain in Chau Doc, 2km from the border between Vietnam and Cambodia. The temple is dedicated to Lady Chua Xu, the goddess of the region. The event, also called the Via Ba Festival, attracts a great number of pilgrims and visitors, who take this opportunity to travel and contemplate the breathtaking landscape of An Giang Province. The highlights of the festival are the stat

ue-washing ceremony, the procession of the goddess and the performance of traditional southern singing. Whole roast piglets used as offerings will certainly make good pictures.

September 2
Vietnam’s National Day commemorates the proclamation of the Declaration of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in Hanoi in 1945 by President Ho Chi Minh. The historic event is observed in all parts of the country with official ceremonies, music shows, art exhibitions and especially a military parade (not yearly) in Ho Chi Minh City or on Ba Dinh Square where the proclamation was made.

September 11, 2003 / September 28, 2004 / September 18, 2005
The Mid-Autumn Festival is observed around the middle of the 8th lunar month throughout the country with moon cakes made of wheat flour and filled with lotus seeds, watermelon seeds, egg yolks, sausages and sugar. It is an occasion for children to fully enjoy themselves with singing, dancing, beating drums, eating pastries and parading paper lanterns of various shapes and colours.

September 11–16, 2003 / September 28 – October 3, 2004 / September 18-23, 2005
The Con Son Festival is held at Con Son Pagoda, Chi Linh District, Hai Duong Province in memory of Nguyen Trai, a great Vietnamese military scholar and outstanding statesman in the 15th century.

Late September to early October every year
This is the biggest and the most joyful festival in Ninh Thuan Province, where there is a large Cham population. The ceremony is held at the Poklong Garai Tower, the Po Rome Tower and the Po Nagar Temple in memory of the national heroes, ancestors, deities, and also of King Poklong Garai and King Porome of the Champa Kingdom. It features a female medium and a male magus washing and changing costumes on the stone statue of King Poklong Garai, followed by singing and dancing.

October 8–10, 2003 / October 26–28, 2004 / October 15-17, 2005
Keo Pagoda is located in Duy Nhat Village, Vu Thu District, Thai Binh Province. The festival, held in honour of a Buddhist dignitary named Duong Khong Lo, who cured King Le of a serious illness, consists of religious rites, various games as well as art performances reflecting the life style of the population living along the river. The activities bear the distinctive traits of the agricultural community of the Red River Delta.

October 10–15, 2003 / October 28 – November 2, 2004 / October 17-22, 2005
The Co Le Pagoda Festival is held in Co Le, Truc Ninh District, Nam Dinh Province, in memory of a Zen Buddhist and sorcerer called Nguyen Minh Khong, the inventor of bronze casting.

November 8, 2003 / November 26, 2004 / November 16, 2005
Dedicated to the moon, this ritual ceremony is organized by ethnic Khmer in Soc Trang Province. The ceremony starts when the moon appears and participants pray to the Moon Goddess to bring abundant crops and big catches from the rivers, as well as good health to all the villagers. Offerings of green rice flakes, ripe bananas, fresh coconuts and potatoes are displayed in the pagoda yard. The ceremony winds up with a “ngo” boat race. Ngo boats are a sort of wooden boat curved at both the bow and the stern.