Drenched in the golden light of colorful lanterns, the Lantern Festival Da Nang is a monthly festival that brings the essence of Central Vietnam alive. Held in the historic charm of Hoi An and deeply rooted in the rich energy of Da Nang, this full moon festival is a sensory delight rather than a visual wonder, it’s a cultural treasure trove. As part of the event Da Nang scene, the festival provides travelers with an unforgettable fusion of tradition, street food, river rituals, and performances. If you’re searching for a magical, authentic experience, the Lantern Festival Da Nang is your glowing gateway to the lot.
Location: Hoi An Ancient Town, Quang Nam Province – approximately 30 km south of Da Nang city center
Time: From 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Festival Dates (2025): Monthly on the 14th day of the lunar calendar, featuring important event Da Nang nights like:
The Lantern Festival Da Nang is a monthly festival based on traditions dating back hundreds of years. It started in the 16th-17th century when Hoi An used to be a busy trading port receiving Chinese and Japanese merchants. These merchants brought the Chinese and Japanese tradition of suspending colorful lanterns for good fortune and peacefulness soon adopted by the local populace. The event has now become one of the most representative cultural happenings in Central Vietnam.
Spiritually, Lantern Festival Da Nang expresses profound Buddhist and ancestral values. Locals and tourists release lanterns on every full moon night on the Hoai River as a method of releasing wishes for well-being, good fortune, and concordance. It’s a time of reflection and communion.
What makes the festival unique is the contrast between the tranquil beauty of Hoi An and the energetic bustle of Da Nang. In Hoi An, the streets darken and the town illuminates from the light of lanterns. Da Nang introduces a festive and contemporary approach, resulting in the Lantern Festival Da Nang as a union of old and new and of tradition and celebration.
Being a recognized intangible cultural heritage, the festival forms a proud part of Vietnam’s heritage. It’s also a highlight of the event Da Nang calendar, drawing thousands every month. Whether for the scenery or cultural significance, the Lantern Festival Da Nang is a wondrous highlight of any Vietnam trip and an event Da Nang not to be missed by any traveler.
Lantern Festival Da Nang (Sours: teambuildingvitnam)
Step into the storybook lanes of Hoi An, where every lane shines with a thousand colorful lanterns. Main streets like Tran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc, and Nguyen Phuc Chu become golden boulevards for your nighttime promenade. No cars and electric lights remain on, so the soft glow of the lanterns creates the perfect scene for dreamlike pictures and calm strolls. It’s free of cost and thus becomes one of the most satisfying activities at the Lantern Festival Da Nang.
Wander the Lantern-Lit Ancient Town (Sours: travelplusvn)
One of the most poignant moments from the Lantern Festival Da Nang is the release of a handmade lantern onto the tranquil waters of the Hoai River. Such handmade lanterns may be purchased for 5,000-10,000 VND (approximately $0.20-$0.40). Release them from the riverbank or enjoy a traditional sampan boat trip at a cost of usually 150,000-200,000 VND per boat (around $6-$8) per 15-20 minute experience. Each floating light has a wish for peace, good fortune, or happiness, moored in generations of Vietnamese spirituality. The act is so simple and yet so representative of the festival’s essence, and a must-do for any event Da Nang.
Release Lanterns on the Hoai River (Sours: mia)
With lanterns aglow overhead, the streets fill with movement and joie de vivre. From Bai Choi, a musical card game endorsed by UNESCO, to lion dances, Vietnamese chess, calligraphy exhibitions, and recitals of verse, you will be immersed in living tradition. The performances are all free and take place in the streets and squares along the Hoai River, in front of Chua Cau, or at An Hoi Square, so you will be immersed in the action without parting from a single dong. These cultural performances make the Lantern Festival Da Nang a true highlight in the event Da Nang calendar.
Traditional Performances (Sours: drtdanang)
Starving for something quintessential? The Lantern Festival Da Nang goes hand in hand with the rich tastes of Hoi An’s popular street food. Prices are very reasonable:
Shop at the Hoi An night market, where local traders establish vibrant stalls containing speedy foods, traditional street food, and fresh drinks teeming with local charm and flavor. Vegetarian food options abound and are clearly labeled.
Savor Hoi An’s Street Food (Sours: xanhsm)
Do not depart the Lantern Festival Da Nang without a souvenir of its radiant allure. Stop by local workshops or the night market and scan a wonderful assortment of handmade silk lanterns in every shape and size imaginable available here. Prices generally run from:
Support local artisans through the purchase of handmade accessories made from natural silk and bamboo and assist the preservation of a traditional craft while carrying a radiant memory of your experience away.
Shop for Handmade Lanterns (Sours: atlys)
The golden hour for photography at the Lantern Festival Da Nang is from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM when the sun sets and the lighting on the lanterns comes on full strength. The sky retains a lingering hint of blue, and the contrast between this and the soft candlelight makes it a perfect backdrop for photography. To achieve the optimum viewing angle, take pictures from low levels to capture the multi-tiered effect of hanging lanterns above street level or make reflections off the Hoai River for a double-lit, dreamlike effect.
Pro tip: Get there a little bit early and grab your spot, particularly on peak event Da Nang when crowds tend to be packed.
For the sake of doing justice to the atmosphere of Lantern Festival Da Nang, minimal gear will suffice. Pack a camera with manual settings so you can manipulate ISO (begin at 800-1600), shutter speed (1/60 or slower), and aperture (as large as possible, e.g., f/1.8). A miniature tripod or smartphone stabilizer will minimize blur at low light levels. Night mode or third-party apps supporting manual adjustment for cleaner photographs on phone users will be useful.
Lighting must be soft and delicate refrain from flash as it will overwhelm the soft light of the colorful lanterns.
There are a few must-see spots at the Lantern Festival Da Nang, which are sure to provide spectacular sights:
Hoai Riverbank (Sours: danangprivatecar)
08:00 – Hotel Pickup in Da Nang
Start your day off right with a personal car or minivan pickup from your Da Nang hotel. Prepare for a day of adventure and cultural charm!
08:30 – Visit Marble Mountains (Ngu Hanh Son)
10:30 – Transfer to Hoi An Ancient Town
Take a scenic 45-minute drive through rolling coastland and rice paddies as you arrive at the UNESCO-listed charm of Hoi An.
11:30 – Check in at your hotel in Hoi An
Relax, refresh, and prepare for the colorful evening ahead.
12:30 – Lunch at a local restaurant
Indulge in traditional favorites such as cao lau, white rose dumplings, or mi Quang in the center of the old city.
14:00 – Free time to explore Hoi An Old Town
Stroll through quaint alleys and old homes, browse for souvenirs, or take a Vietnamese coffee at a café lit by romantic candles.
17:00 – Join a Traditional Lantern-Making Workshop
Design your own colorful lantern under a local craftsman’s tutelage. Discover the symbolism of the shapes, colors and patterns comprising the essence of the Lantern Festival Da Nang.
Fee: ~100,000-150,000 VND (includes materials and lantern to take home)
18:00 – Begin the Lantern Festival Experience
As the electric lights of the town are dimmed, Hoi An becomes aglow with a colorful lanterns of moonlit and glowing lanterns. Here lies the essence of the Lantern Festival Da Nang, a highly awaited event Da Nang nights.
18:30 – Sampan Boat Ride on the Hoai River
Release your handmade candle lantern (5,000-10,000 VND) on the river as a token of peace, good fortune, or a tender wish and see the river become a canvas of floating light.
Boat ride cost: ~150,000-200,000 VND for 15-20 minutes
19:30 – Visit Hoi An Night Market
Visit colorful stalls selling local street food, silk lanterns, and traditional crafts. Sample a banh mi Phuong or a glass of mot herbal tea.
21:00 – Capture the Magic
Capture pictures at landmark locations such as the Japanese Covered Bridge, the lantern-lit Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, and by the radiant Hoai River.
Overnight: Accommodation in a 3- or 4-star hotel in Hoi An (upon request)
Marble Mountains (Sours: vietnamnomad)
07:00 – Breakfast at hotel
08:00 – Visit Tra Que Vegetable Village
Experience traditional methods of organic farming passed down for generations. Join a local family in harvesting herbs and watering crops with a traditional tool, and even take a buffalo ride!
Optional cooking class available: ~250,000-350,000 VND
10:30 – Explore Bay Mau Coconut Forest by Basket Boat
Paddle through the groves of nipa palms in a traditional bamboo round boat. Enjoy local folksinging, crab catching, and bamboo boat spinning demonstrations.
Entrance + boat ride: ~150,000-200,000 VND/person
12:00 – Lunch at a riverside restaurant
13:30 – Free time for last-minute shopping or coffee
15:00 – Return to Da Nang
Your driver will take you and return you to Da Nang at approximately 16:00-16:30. If you have time, add on a journey to Ba Na Hills or look at the event Da Nang calendar for additional cultural events and celebrations.
Tra Que Vegetable Village (Sours: vietnamtravel)
The Lantern Festival Da Nang is not just a celebration but a time of light, of cultural heritage, and heart and soul connection. As you see elegant colorful lanterns sail on the river, you will sense the heart of Hoi An awaken. Don’t forget to look at the next event Da Nang and make early arrangements for the experience of a lifetime. Begin your journey by making a wish and finish it by making a memory that will forever be cherished.
We went on a private trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, the whole trip plan was organized for us by the Impress Travel Company from Vietnam, the company did an amazing job, the whole trip was organized in a wonderful way with an amazing match between the various parties, their choices were correct and the quality of the hotels chosen were very high quality and it is important to note that the price was low in comparison To other agencies, thanks to Impress Travel and especially to Daniel who was tolerant and open to changes and organized the route for us.
Impress travel were amazing. Did my bookings with Daniel for our tour of Vietnam and I must say Daniel was very professional and prompt with his services. All the arrangement, plans, pick-up & drop-off services, hotels, vehicles, sightseeing tours and guides were spot on and excellent. Did 4 nights Hanoi, 1 night Hà Long Bay cruise, 3 nights Hoian, 4 nights Saigon and 1 night in Can Tho. It was totally awesome. Every part of the journey was superbly arranged and planned. I will highly recommend Impress Travel for anyone interested in visiting Vietnam. Very organized and reliable!
I booked with Impress Travel in July. My contact person was Tommy Thang. He is an amazing person. He was very helpful. He changed my program twice for me. Very accommodating!
We started our holiday in the north (Sapa)of Vietnam and travelled down to HCMC.
The tour was fantastic, Tommy's arrangements were to the"T".
I will always use them if I have to visit the area again and recommend them to one and all.
Thank you once again Mr.Tommy and the Impress Team.
Sulaiman Pochee
Great value for money with 4 stars hotel accommodation for 4 couples. The tour guide has been very helpful and brought us to amazing places in Sapa. We want to thanks Thuy the tour guide and especially Mark from Impress Travel for his great service and assurance throughout our trip. We’ll definitely use his service for other tour packages in other parts of Vietnam.
This is the second time we travel to Vietnam with IMPRESS Travel. First time, we booked our holiday to Hanoi, Halong Bay & Sapa during Dec 2018 with Impress.
Second time, we travel to Hoi An, Hue & Danang (Central Vietnam) during Jan 2019.
My friends & I are very glad & happy with all the hotels stay in Central Vietnam, the meals provided are delicious. We are greatly appreciated with all the tour arrangement by Tommy & his team (tour guide).
Especially, Mr. NHAT C.V. He is helpful, cheerful, knowledgeable and very professional. He always volunteer to take a nice pictures for six of us (group) .
We enjoyed our holiday with Impress travel. We will definitely come back to Vietnam again with Impress
Our Danang & Central Vietnam Package tours and tour packages to explore the Central region and we always strive to ensure that visitors have the most enjoyable experiences with optimal service in terms of price, quality, and overall value. If you are finding a tour in Danang & Central Vietnam. You do the connection with us for planning your trip to explore the most beautiful and interesting places in the region, including Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue, My Son, and Phong Nha Ke Bang. We will assess your requirements and then provide the most suitable offers to ensure you have an impressive. To tell us what you want to do in Danang & Central Vietnam via email at danang@impresstravel.com or talk directly with travel experts via WhatsApp at (+84) 912379189.
Impressive Central Vietnam Tour for 4 days and 3 nights will take you to visit the most typical and beautiful places in the central region of Vietnam. This journey brings you to explore Hoi An – Ba Na Hill – Hue – Da Nang. These are the core locations and most attractive destinations of nature, culture, history in Central Vietnam
Our trip will explore Central Vietnam (Danang – Hue – Hoi An) with cultural heritage sites recognized by UNESCO in Hue and Hoi An. Visit the poetic, bustling, colorful coastal city of Da Nang. Majestic scenery opens up when you take a trip through Hai Van Pass and the pristine beach of Lang Co on the way from Hue to Hoi An.
Our trip will be traveling in the central part of Vietnam with cultural heritages and coastal cities in Hue imperial city, Danang coastal city & Hoi An ancient trade town, where the legendary and romantic land of the ancient capital of Hue, passes over Hai Van Pass to the coastal city of Da Nang and then to the ancient town of Hoi An
Central Vietnam is one of the historical & cultural lands with many beautiful, majestic landscapes and the most attractive of sandy and windy beaches. This is a very suitable trip for tourists who lovely nature, culture, and history. We will provide visitors with an amazing 5-day/4-night tour package
Da Nang is one of five centrally run cities in Vietnam, located in the South Central Coast region. It is the central and largest city of the entire Central region. The city is known as the coastal city and being important hub for the region’s economy, culture, sports, and tourism, particularly for resort tourism and conferences in this beautiful coastal city and region.
We offer tailored-made tour programs, package options, and special route tours for small groups of visitors from all over the world. Our products cater to customer groups who are interested in a strong affinity for nature, culture, and history, as well as those seeking business investment opportunities in Vietnam. Additionally, we provide special trips for couples celebrating honeymoons, birthdays, and wedding anniversaries, as well as specific trips designed for families and vacation trips for business or government organizations.
