The Mid-Autumn Festival, or Tết Trung Thu, takes place each year at the full moon of the 8th lunar month. It is one of the highlights of the Vietnamese calendar, blending family rituals, paper lanterns and mooncakes. Hội An, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City each offer a different reading of the festival, between illuminated river, old town streets and Sino-Vietnamese celebrations in the Chợ Lớn district.

Why attend the Mid-Autumn Festival

• A vibrant festival, centered on children and families, accessible to visitors without admission fees.
• Three very different atmospheres depending on the city: intimate in Hội An, popular in Hanoi, multicultural in Ho Chi Minh City.
• Seasonal cuisine to taste on-site: bánh nướng and bánh dẻo, sold only in the weeks leading up to the full moon.
• A useful reference point to schedule a trip: the festival falls in September or early October, just as monsoon season ends in central Vietnam.

Origins: the legend of Cuội

The festival is associated with the legend of Cuội, a woodcutter who discovers a magical tree capable of resurrecting the dead. Accidentally carried away with his tree to the moon, he has remained there ever since. According to tradition, the shadow seen on the full moon is that of Cuội sitting beneath his tree. On the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, children parade with lanterns to light the way for the hero's return to earth.

The festival coincides with another cycle, that of the rice paddies: mid-autumn marks the end of major agricultural work and the celebration of the harvest. This is what makes it at once a childhood festival, a lunar festival and a peasant festival.

What to see and do during Tết Trung Thu

The lanterns

Traditional lanterns are made from bamboo and colored paper, often in the shape of a star. Children carry them through the streets on the evening of the full moon. Industrial models and LED versions are also available today, but the handcrafted object remains central, particularly in Hội An and Hanoi's old quarter.

The mooncakes

Two cakes structure the festival:

• Bánh nướng: baked cake with golden pastry, filled with pork fat and lotus seeds, sometimes with a salted egg yolk evoking the moon.
• Bánh dẻo: unbaked cake made from sticky rice and mung beans, with white and tender pastry.

Bakeries also offer modern variations: chocolate, durian, green tea, dried fruits. Gift boxes are exchanged between families, colleagues and neighbors in the weeks leading up to the festival.

Family rituals

Families pay homage to the God of the Earth and their ancestors. Offerings bring together mooncakes, fresh fruit and incense, shared afterward while gazing at the full moon.

Lion dance and processions

The lion dance, accompanied by drums, animates the streets, school courtyards and shops. In the evening, children parade singing traditional songs, lantern in hand.

Where to celebrate the festival: three atmospheres

Hội An

The old town hosts a lantern festival spread over several days around the full moon. Floating lanterns are placed on the Thu Bồn river, and pedestrian streets are lit only by oil lamps. This is the most photogenic option, and the gentlest for family audiences.

Hanoi

The old quarter concentrates the celebrations, particularly on Hàng Mã Street, specialized in toys and lanterns, and Phùng Hưng Street. The Heritage House (87 Mã Mây) hosts demonstrations of traditional crafts and toys. The atmosphere is dense, popular, especially in the evening.

Ho Chi Minh City

Celebrations are concentrated in the Chinese quarter of Chợ Lớn (districts 5 and 6), where the Sino-Vietnamese community blends Vietnamese and Cantonese traditions. Lanterns, lion dances and cake stalls are particularly active here.

When to go

The festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, either in September or early October depending on the year.

• 2024 edition: September 17.
• 2025 edition: October 6.

The atmosphere builds gradually: bakeries sell mooncakes about three weeks before, commercial streets start decorating one to two weeks ahead. To experience the full intensity of the festival, targeting the three to five days surrounding the full moon remains the best option.

Practical information

• Access: free celebrations in the open air, except for certain paid activities (lantern boat on the Thu Bồn in Hội An, for example).
• Crowds: heavy on the evening of the full moon, especially in Hội An and Hanoi's old quarter. Book accommodation several weeks in advance.
• With children: Hội An is the most suitable option, with pedestrian streets and a calm pace.
• Weather: still hot and humid in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, more unstable in the center (end of rainy season in Hội An).

How to get there

• Hanoi → Hội An: flight to Đà Nẵng (about 1 hour 15 minutes), then taxi or shuttle to Hội An (allow 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic). By train or overnight bus, allow 16 to 18 hours to Đà Nẵng.
• Ho Chi Minh City → Hội An: direct flight to Đà Nẵng (1 hour 20 minutes), then road transfer. The Reunification train is a picturesque alternative, but lengthy (around 18 hours).
• Hanoi ↔ Ho Chi Minh City: direct flight (2 hours) is most practical, Reunification train possible for those wanting to traverse the country.

Also see in Vietnam

To extend your trip around the Mid-Autumn Festival:

• The floating market of Cái Răng, in the Mekong Delta, for another face of everyday Vietnam.
• Cát Bà, gateway to Lan Hạ Bay from Hanoi.
• The botanical garden and zoo of Ho Chi Minh City, a classic family outing.
• Bà Đen mountain, the highest point in southern Vietnam.

Frequently asked questions

Plan your trip

The Mid-Autumn Festival fits easily into an itinerary combining north, central and south Vietnam. To build a stay around this period, consult our ideas for travel in Vietnam.