VIETNAM: THE MAGIC OF FESTIVAL TIME

Mumbai: October 2016: A country that offers unique and unforgettable lessons in culture, cuisine, architecture and so much more, Vietnam has it all, so what better way to experience the soul of this country than through its festivals?

For instance, wintertime and springtime are when Vietnam’s festivals start in full swing, also making this period,

the best for tourism. To start with the Vietnamese Lunar New Year Festival, which often falls between late January and early February, and is an extremely important holiday in Vietnam. During this festival, the Vietnamese thank the Gods for the arrival of spring after a cold and harsh winter. The festival also offers a privileged occasion for family members to reunite, celebrating a new year filled with new beginnings, while closing the chapter on the old year.

After this, the spring festival of Bai Dinh Pagoda starts on the 6th day of the first lunar month and lasts till the end of the third lunar month. This is also the perfect time to tour Bai Dinh Pagoda, as you can experience the festival’s wonderful cultural activities—apart from sightseeing, which is available all year round. Similar to every other festival in Vietnam, the Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival consists of two parts: ceremonies and games. Ceremonies include worshipping the Buddha through incense offerings, commemorating Saint Nguyen Minh Khong, giving oblations to God Cao Son, and attending Goddess Thuong Ngan’s audience. The games and entertainment activities of Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival include playing folk games, sightseeing and enjoying the performances of cheo, catru and xam singing.

We also have the Lim festival. About twenty kilometers away from Hanoi, in the Lim Village of Bac Ninh province, is the "hometown" of Quan Ho folk songs, one of Vietnam's intangible cultural heritages. In order to enhance and promote the tradition of Quan Ho singing, Lim Festival is eagerly celebrated among local residents as well as pilgrims from every part of the country around the 12th or the 13th day of the first Lunar month.

“Besides these key festivals, Vietnam has a lot more to offer in the way of cultural experiences and activities”, says Viren Batra, Nirvana Excursions’ co-founder. “An extremely versatile and kid-friendly destination, there’s something for everybody here, right from cultural activities to adventure sports and unique sightseeing opportunities.”

Tweet

Subscribe to receive free email updates: