Hoian Ancient town, Things to do
Things to do in Hoi An Lantern Festival 2025
Hoi An is not only famous for its ancient architecture, peaceful alleys and attractive street food. This city also owns another specialty that captivates many tourists, which is the Hoi An Lantern Festival. If you are planning your trip, let’s explore the wonderful things that the Hoi An Lantern Festival 2025 brings. This is not only an event but also a unique cultural feature, bringing a magical shimmering beauty to the ancient town.
Hoi An – The Place of Ancient Beauty
Hoi An is not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site with ancient houses with mossy tiled roofs, small cobblestone alleys and charming bridges across the river. It is also a vibrant city with a diverse culture, rich cuisine and especially the Lantern Festival – a unique highlight that makes Hoi An’s brand.
Every night, especially on full moon nights, Hoi An seems to put on a new, sparkling and magical coat. Thousands of colorful lanterns of all shapes and sizes are lit up, hung along the streets, in front of houses, on bridges and even on boats sailing down the Hoai River.
The sparkling picture of Hoi An Lantern Festival 2025
Hoi An Lantern Festival is not only an annual event but also a symbol of the ancient town, a time when the entire neighborhood lights up in the magical light of thousands of lanterns of all colors and shapes. The streets are splendidly decorated, from traditional round and square lanterns to lanterns with unique shapes, all meticulously handcrafted. When night falls, the light from the lanterns and the moonlight create a magical, romantic scene.
| Whether you need to travel from Da Nang airport to Hoi An or a longer journey like Hoi An to Quy Nhon, traveling by private car offers superior convenience and comfort. With a private car, you will be picked up at your door and transported to your destination without worrying about public schedules or bulky luggage. Enjoy privacy, and the flexibility to stop whenever you want. A local driver who knows the route will ensure your journey is safe, fast and efficient. |
When will Hoi An Lantern Festival 2025 take place?
Hoi An Lantern Festival is held periodically on the 14th night of the lunar calendar every month. On this night, the entire ancient town of Hoi An will turn off all the electric lights, the warm, sparkling lights from the lanterns begin to appear. If you want to experience the festival atmosphere to the fullest, plan to visit Hoi An during these days.
However, there are some larger festival days that are especially attractive to tourists, often coinciding with important traditional holidays such as Tet Nguyen Dan, Ram thang 1, Tet Doan Ngo, Tet Trung Thu. On these occasions, the scale and decoration of the festival will be much more magnificent, with rich cultural and artistic activities.
Hoi An Lantern Festival Schedule 2025
| Year | Month | Dates |
| 2025 | January | January 13th, 2025 |
| 2025 | February | Feb 11th, 2025 |
| 2025 | March | March 13th, 2025 |
| 2025 | April | April 11th, 2025 |
| 2025 | May | May 11th, 2025 |
| 2025 | June | June 9th, 2025 |
| 2025 | July | July 8th, 2025 |
| 2025 | August | August 7th, 2025 |
| 2025 | September | September 5th, 2025 |
| 2025 | October | October 5th, 2025 |
| 2025 | November | November 3rd, 2025 |
| 2025 | December | December 3rd, 2025 |
Great things you can do at Hoi An Lantern Festival 2025
To fully enjoy the Hoi An Lantern Festival 2025, please refer to the suggestions below:
Take a leisurely walk around Hoi An old town
This is the best way to feel the beauty of the Lantern Festival. When the electric lights are turned off, the light from thousands of lanterns will guide you. From ancient houses to mossy bridges, everything is illuminated by brilliant lanterns. Don’t forget to bring a camera to capture these beautiful moments. The best areas to see lanterns are usually around the Japanese Covered Bridge, along the banks of the Hoai River and main streets such as Tran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc, Bach Dang.
Read more: things to do Hoi An old town
Releasing flower lanterns on the Hoai River
One of the activities not to be missed at Hoi An Lantern Festival 2025 is releasing flower lanterns on the Hoai River. You can buy small, pretty flower lanterns from street vendors or at souvenir stalls. When releasing the lanterns into the river, send your best wishes for yourself and your family. Thousands of flickering candles drift gently on the water, creating a magical and romantic scene. This is not only a spiritual experience but also an opportunity for you to enjoy peace and relaxation in the midst of the bustling festival space.
Boating on the Hoai River
Renting a small boat and cruising around the Hoai River at night is a wonderful experience. From the boat, you will have a panoramic view of the sparkling beauty of the ancient town with lantern lights reflecting on the water. This is also an extremely “valuable” photo angle. Boat rental prices usually range from 100,000 – 200,000 VND for a trip of about 20-30 minutes, depending on the number of people.
Participate in folk games
Hoi An Lantern Festival 2025 is not only about lights and colors but also a place to preserve many traditional cultural features. During the festival nights, you will have the opportunity to participate in interesting folk games such as smashing clay pots, singing Bai Choi, or playing Chinese chess. These are activities that help you understand more about local culture and immerse yourself in the joyful and bustling atmosphere of the festival.
Enjoy Hoi An street food
Hoi An Lantern Festival 2025 makes the dining atmosphere even more attractive. Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy Hoi An specialties such as Cao Lau, Quang noodles, Phuong bread, wonton, sweet soup… Food stalls will be scattered throughout the old town.
Souvenir shopping
Hoi An is a paradise of exquisite handicrafts. During the festival night, you can find many unique souvenirs such as lanterns of all sizes, silk clothes, ceramics, or hand-painted paintings. Choose your favorite items as gifts or souvenirs of this memorable trip.
Visit historical and cultural sites
In the shimmering lantern light, Hoi An’s historical and cultural sites become more mysterious and ancient than ever. Take the time to visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, the Tan Ky Ancient House, or the Tran Family Temple. These architectural works are not only witnesses to history but also wonderful highlights in the festival space.
Tips for the best experience at Hoi An Lantern Festival 2025
- The lantern festival usually starts when it gets dark, around 6-7pm and lasts until around 9-10pm. To avoid the crowds, you can come a little early to take advantage of the peaceful atmosphere before the festival really explodes.
- You will have to walk a lot, so choose the most comfortable shoes.
- Because it is a crowded place, be careful with your personal belongings, always keep your wallet, phone and other valuables close.
Attractive tourist destinations near Hoi An Ancient Town
In addition to experiencing the Hoi An Lantern Festival 2025 in the heart of the ancient town, you can also expand your journey to neighboring locations to make your trip more complete and diverse.
Read more: Hoi An old town entrance ticket 2025
Tra Que Vegetable Village
Only about 3km from the old town, Tra Que Vegetable Village is where you can experience the peaceful countryside life and learn about traditional organic vegetable growing methods. Coming here, you can not only admire the lush green vegetable beds but also participate in gardening activities with the locals such as hoeing, sowing seeds, and watering vegetables. After that, you can enjoy dishes made from the fresh vegetables here, such as banh xeo, nem lui or special salads. This is a great destination to relax and get close to nature.
Thanh Ha Pottery Village
Located about 4 km from Hoi An ancient town, Thanh Ha Pottery Village is a traditional craft village with a history of more than 500 years. When you come here, you will witness the process of creating sophisticated ceramic products from the skillful hands of artisans. You can try your hand at molding small ceramic items, buy unique souvenirs or admire elaborate ceramic works of art.
An Bang Beach
Famous for its pristine beauty, fine white sand and rows of green coconut trees. This is an ideal place for swimming, relaxing on a lounge chair under the shade of coconut trees, or enjoying fresh seafood at coastal restaurants.
Hoi An Lantern Festival 2025 promises to bring you an unforgettable travel experience, where you can admire the ancient beauty of the old town, immerse yourself in the vibrant festival atmosphere and explore the unique cultural features of Vietnam.