Hoi An Festivals: 4 Real Events Worth Timing
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Hoi An doesn’t need a special calendar date to feel festive: the lanterns come out every night for free. But 4 events genuinely change the town, for better or for busier, and it’s worth knowing which is which before you book.
The Full Moon Lantern Festival (monthly)
This is the big one, and it happens every month, not once a year. On the 14th day of each lunar month, the Old Town cuts street electricity, closes to traffic, and the Thu Bon fills with floating candle-lanterns from around 6-10pm, peaking 8-9pm. You can float a lantern on any ordinary night; this is simply the amplified version with the whole town joining in. 2026 second-half dates (verify): 28 June, 27 July, 26 August, 24 September, 23 October, 22 November, 22 December.
Tet (Vietnamese New Year)
Tet falls around 17 February 2026. Hoi An stays notably more open than most of Vietnam during Tet, but plan around some closures anyway: many tailors shut for roughly 2 weeks and some restaurants close for around 10 days. Crowds and prices both rise in the run-up.
Mid-Autumn Festival
Held around September-October (exact 2026 date, verify, since it depends on the lunar calendar and sometimes conflicts with other dates), this festival typically coincides with one of the year’s bigger lantern nights on the river.
Cham festivals at My Son
My Son Sanctuary, the Cham Hindu ruins about an hour from Hoi An, hosts occasional Cham cultural festivals and traditional dance performances tied to the site’s heritage. These run on their own schedule separate from Hoi An’s town-wide events, so check current dates before planning a trip around one specifically.
Do I need to time my trip around the Full Moon Festival?
Not really. Since it happens monthly, most multi-day trips will land on one without any planning at all. The lanterns are lit every single night regardless, so the “regular” version is still worth seeing even if your dates miss the 14th.
2026 event dates at a glance
| Event | When | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Full Moon Lantern Festival | 14th day of the lunar month | Monthly |
| Tet | ~17 February 2026 | Annual |
| Mid-Autumn Festival | ~September-October (verify) | Annual |
| Cham festivals at My Son | Varies (verify) | Occasional |
Book accommodation early if your dates land on Tet or a Mid-Autumn weekend, since both push local prices up. Search places to stay ahead of peak dates, or book a lantern boat ride for festival nights when demand is highest. Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Sanctuary are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, inscribed in 1999 (Hoi An listing , My Son listing ), and most travelers need an e-visa first through the official evisa.gov.vn portal. For a full day-by-day plan around any of these dates, see our 3-day itinerary .