Once a month during the full moon, love and light spring into harmony at the Hoi An Lantern Festival in Vietnam.
Words & Photography: Irvin Hanni
1. The dark yet colourful ambiance
This festival takes place on the 14th day of every lunar month, when the moon is at its fullest and brightest. Much of the festivities are centred at the Cau An Hoi Bridge and along the banks of the Hoai River, where throngs of people sailing off paper lanterns in various colours build up the lively atmosphere. All the buildings located within the ancient city of Hoi An start to turn their electricity off from 8pm to allow soft lights from the lanterns to illuminate the surroundings.
2. Scenic locations
Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999, the ancient town is a fabulous place for photography, whether you want to be behind or in front of the lens. Whenever I go to Vietnam (be it Hanoi, Ho Chi Min City, or Da Nang) I always encounter sweet young couples taking romantic engagement photos, and the festival provides a lovely backdrop for this. Among the most popular sites here are the Japanese Covered Bridge, Fujian Assembly Hall, Cau An Hoi Bridge, and the giant fishing net on Hoai River.
3. Adorable peddlers
Speaking of camera action, the lantern sellers make pretty interesting photography subjects as well. You can get your lanterns, which go for about VND 5000 or USD 1, from the elderly ladies who look like they’ve been through it all, or from adorable kids dressed in traditional attire. There is even a pair of twins along the banks of the river that have gained a little bit of popularity thanks to their cute matching outfits.
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4. Wonderful wishes
Once you’ve gotten your lanterns, the peddler will loan you a makeshift stick to drop the lantern into the river, or you can send it off from the riverside by yourself. The locals believe that happiness, luck, and love will follow every lantern that sails with a good wish. What would you wish for? World peace? True love? Or perhaps health and wealth?
5. Serene sampan rides
Another way to sail your lantern off is from the river itself. If you have VND 100,000 (more or less, depending on your bargaining skills) to spare, a traditional boat ride along the river is a nifty way to experience the cheerful night. Your lantern won’t be caught in a traffic jam with most of the other floating lanterns, and best of all, you will get to enjoy views of the ancient town and the bright full moon on a serene ride.
6. Entertaining traditional shows and games
People in traditional costume singing Vietnamese folk songs should keep you entertained for a good 15 minutes or so. But what’s more popular here is bai choi, the Vietnamese bingo game. In a nutshell, it’s a musical bingo played with chess characters on cards. It’s hard to play without a local-speaking guide, but as a tourist it’s still fun to watch.
SEE ALSO: A Weekend in Saigon: Ho Chi Minh City on Foot
7. Yummy street food
When in Vietnam, it’s good to eat like a true local, which is by sitting down on their mini stools and tables. The Vietnamese people love their pork, and it can be found in a lot of their street food such as cao lao (rice noodles with pork and veggies) or banh bao (steamed rice dumplings with pork and mushrooms). Non-pork eaters can try banh vac (steamed rice dumplings with ground shrimp and veggies) or banh dap (rice crackers with steamed rice pancakes and anchovy sauce), or savour their delicious desserts like banh xoai (mango cake) or xi ma (black sesame pudding).
Check out the 2016 dates for the Hoi An Lantern Festival below to start planning your trip!
- 23 January
- 21 February
- 22 March
- 20 April
- 20 May
- 18 June
- 17 July
- 16 August
- 14 September
- 14 October
- 13 November
- 12 December
GETTING THERE Hoi An can be reached by car in just 30 minutes from Da Nang. For flight info and lowest fares, visit airasia.com.
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