Hội An’s Full Moon Lantern Festival | Hoi An
Celebration
The Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Festival takes place on November 3 and December 3, 2025, and on January 2, February 1, March 2, April 1, May 30, June 28, July 27, August 26, September 24, October 23, November 22, and December 22, 2026.
Hoi An's Full Moon Lantern Festival takes place on the 14th day of the first lunar month each year, transforming the UNESCO World Heritage-listed ancient city into a river of lights. In Buddhist tradition, the full moon is considered an ideal time for meditation, reflection, rituals, and ancestral worship.
At sunset, the city's electric lights go out, and the streets are almost entirely illuminated by silk lanterns hung from balconies and in alleyways. Vendors set up stalls along the Thu Bon River, selling paper lanterns with small candles. Locals and tourists alike place these lanterns on the river to pray for good luck, health, or happiness.