Full-Moon Festival (Tet Trung Thu)

Full-Moon Festival is held on 15th day of the eighth lunar month to celebrate biggest full- moon in the year. In Vietnam, this festival is for children specially and children are center of all activities on that day.

Vietnam is a tourist hub for culture tours in Asia thanks to its variety of traditional festivals and events, the Full-Moon Festival is a top significant Vietnamese festival. It is a joyful event with colorful lanterns, scrumptious moon cakes, and ecstatic vibes. In the occasion of Full-Moon Festival, moon cakes are usually used as gifts of people to the others, especially their parents and grandparents. Vietnamese also put moon cakes and variety of fruits on ancestral altar to offer their ancestor. At night, all members of family will gather around a lavish tray of fruits and of course, moon cakes, and savor it together while admiring the full moon.

Full-Moon Festival in Vietnam is celebrated in the night of the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, corresponding to mid-September to early October in the western calendar with a full moon at night. However, different to other countries, the Full-Moon Festival in Vietnam is mainly for children. The 15th of the 8th lunar month is said to be the time of the year when the moon is roundest and brightest. In Oriental cultures, the full moon is the symbol of rejuvenation and rebirth. The locals offer sacrifices to the ancestor and the moon with the hope of a new bountiful harvest and a happy life.

Though this fascinating Vietnamese festival only takes place within one day, it’s a delightful time with several interesting activities to attend. Each family would prepare a tray of sacrifices to offer to the Moon, including Moon Cakes – a special cake in Vietnamese cuisine, fruits, joss papers, etc. After the incenses have burnt out, all the family will gather together to enjoy the food together. When the moon is on, the streets are lightened by paper lanterns of different colors. Kids parade down the streets, wearing masks of different characters and holding lanterns in their hands. In the past, the star lantern is the only item that kids can have but nowadays, several interesting and beautifully-designed lanterns, from the paper lanterns using candles to modern stuff using battery, are full on streets. The night has become much more delightful with the lion dances, the sounds from the drums, the laughter of the kids, and their singing also. The whole town is hence in an exceptionally festive mood.

The Mid-Autumn Festival (Tết Trung Thu), celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month (around October, 2025), transforms Halong Bay, Quang Ninh Province, 160 km from Hanoi, into a vibrant cultural hub, drawing thousands to its UNESCO World Heritage shores. The festival’s highlight, mooncakes, comes in two iconic types: bánh nướng(toasted flour cake, $0.50–$5, 12,500–125,000 VND), filled with egg, fried onion, pork fat, and mung beans, and bánh dẻo (sticky rice cake, $0.50–$5), stuffed with lotus seeds, mung beans, and pumpkin seeds, symbolizing luck, happiness, health, and prosperity. Streets like those in Bãi Cháy glow with lanterns and décor, creating a cheery vibe for kids and adults alike. Legend Travel Group’s Quang Ninh Tours offer an immersive, eco-friendly Quang Ninh Travel experience, blending overnight Halong Bay cruises ($50–$150, 1,250,000–3,750,000 VND) with festival celebrations, sustainable practices like biodegradable décor, and visits to Thien Canh Son Cave and culinary delights like chả mực($1–$3, 25,000–75,000 VND). Contact Legend Travel Group at www.legendtravelgroup.com, info@legendtravelgroup.com, or (+84) 825862222 to browse our featured tours and book your eco-friendly adventure today!
Ready to immerse in Halong Bay’s Mid-Autumn Festival? Reserve your sustainable tour with Legend Travel Group and celebrate Vietnam’s cultural masterpiece!

Author Bio: Written by Tony Bùi, with over 20 years of experience in the travel industry, guiding 100,000+ travellers across Southeast Asia. This guide draws from firsthand insights, guest feedback from Legend Travel Group surveys.

Sources:

• Mid-Autumn Festival and Halong Bay Information: vietnam.travel, vietnamtourism.org.vn, vinpearl.com, halongbaytours.com, swancruiseshalong.com, vietnamnet.vn, originvietnam.com