Every 14th of the lunar calendar Hoi An celebrates the Full Moon Festival. During this festival the Old Town will be closed for traffic and lit-up by colourful lanterns, creating a romantic atmosphere which reminds of Hoi An’s golden age of centuries ago. Traditional music, dance and games will entertain all the visitors of the festival who will also be invited to join in the traditional custom of putting a floating candle on the river.
The Full Moon Festival is not only interesting for foreign tourists, it also attracts many Vietnamese who come from all over the country and even the locals from Hoi An itself are still being attracted by the magical atmosphere of the festival.
The Full Moon Festival finds its origin in the Buddhist religion; on this day the Vietnamese people can be seen burning incense and offerings in front of their houses or shops to honour their ancestors and to pray for good fortune. In Hoi An, over time, this special day developed into the festival it is now.
For everybody who is planning a holiday to Viet Nam the advice is: try to let your stay in Hoi An coincide with the Full Moon Festival, every 14th of the lunar calendar.
