Our local guide team at Lang Dua Xanh created this comprehensive guide to the best Hoi An full moon lantern festival activities for international travelers.
Held once every lunar month when the town extinguishes electric streetlights, this nocturnal celebration transforms the UNESCO Ancient Town into a shimmering sea of silk lanterns and candlelit river reflections.
In this 2026 guide, we detail essential festival rituals, official ticket prices starting from $0.20 USD, an hour-by-hour evening schedule, and insider tips to avoid tourist crowds.
Top 6 activities at the Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Festival
1. Releasing floating candle lanterns (Tha Hoa Dang) on Hoai River
Releasing a small paper flower lantern onto the Hoai River is the central spiritual ritual of the full moon night. Known locally as tha hoa dang, this Buddhist-influenced tradition symbolizes releasing bad luck, honoring ancestors, and making silent wishes for health, prosperity, and inner peace.
Local vendors craft these octagonal or lotus-shaped origami lanterns using colored cardboard, gold foil borders, and small central tea-light candles. You purchase a lantern, receive a light from a long incense taper, make a quiet wish, and lower the lantern into the water using an extendable bamboo pole provided along the concrete riverbanks.
- Official Price: $0.20 – $0.80 USD (5,000 – 20,000 VND) per lantern
- Best Location: Bach Dang riverside promenade between the Japanese Covered Bridge and An Hoi Bridge
- Prime Time: 18:30 – 20:30 when ambient twilight fades into deep night
2. Wooden sampan boat rides along the Thu Bon waterway
Boarding a traditional wooden sampan rowed by local boatmen provides the most scenic vantage point of the illuminated town. From the middle of the river, you view thousands of glowing silk lanterns hanging from ancient timber shophouses without shoulder-to-shoulder street crowds.
Boats depart continuously from concrete boarding steps along Bach Dang Street. Standard rides last 20 minutes and include life jackets and two paper lanterns per passenger.
- Official Price: $6.00 – $8.00 USD (150,000 – 200,000 VND) per boat for 1 to 4 passengers
- Best Location: Central boat piers opposite 45 Bach Dang Street
- Prime Time: 18:00 – 19:30 for sunset river reflections and early lantern flotillas
3. Playing traditional Bai Choi musical folk bingo
Bai Choi is an intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO that combines folk singing, improvised poetry, acting, and community bingo. Performed in an open courtyard near the An Hoi Bridge, the game draws enthusiastic crowds of locals and international visitors.
Participants purchase wooden playing cards mounted on bamboo sticks. Two lead performers (Hieu singers) pull marked wooden counters from a bamboo cylinder and sing rhythmic folk verses containing clever riddles before announcing the chosen card. If your card matches three called symbols, you win a traditional silk lantern or local ceramic prize.
- Official Price: $0.80 – $1.20 USD (20,000 – 30,000 VND) per round card
- Best Location: Bai Choi Courtyard, intersection of Bach Dang Street and Nguyen Phuc Chu Street
- Prime Time: 19:30 – 21:30
4. Strolling heritage pedestrian streets free of electric lights
From 18:00 until 22:00, the Hoi An People’s Committee turns off modern fluorescent street lighting and motorized vehicle access across the Ancient Town. Only multi-colored silk lanterns, candles, and oil lamps illuminate yellow ochre facades, wooden colonnades, and mossy terracotta rooftops.
Walking along Tran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc, and Bach Dang streets feels like stepping back into a 17th-century Southeast Asian merchant enclave. Without motor scooter engines, the town fills with acoustic sounds: wooden clappers, bamboo flutes, and classical Vietnamese zithers played from upper wooden balconies.
- Official Price: Free pedestrian access (Ancient Town admission ticket required for historic interior sites)
- Best Route: Start at the Japanese Bridge, walk down Tran Phu, loop back along Bach Dang riverside
- Prime Time: 19:00 – 21:00
5. Incense offerings at historic pagodas and assembly halls
The 14th night of the lunar month holds immense religious importance for Hoi An’s Buddhist, Taoist, and Chinese merchant communities. Family shrines, communal temples, and guildhalls open their heavy wooden doors for festive worship.
Visitors can step inside communal sites like the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall and Quan Cong Temple to observe local elders lighting giant spiral incense coils suspended from high rafters. Burning incense purifies spiritual energy and sends prayers of gratitude to the sky gods and ocean deities who historically protected merchant fleets.
- Official Price: Included in the Ancient Town 5-site pass ($4.80 USD / 120,000 VND)
- Best Location: Phuc Kien Assembly Hall (46 Tran Phu) and Quan Cong Temple (24 Tran Phu)
- Prime Time: 18:00 – 19:30 before inner gates close for private ceremonies
6. Savoring night market street food and folk art games
Across the footbridge on An Hoi islet, the An Hoi Night Market buzzes with food vendors, handicraft stalls, and street games. You can sample classic Hoi An delicacies including crispy banh xeo crepes, sweet mango cakes (banh xoai), grilled pork skewers on lemongrass sticks (nem lui), and iced lotus seed sweet soup (che hat sen).
Beside the food stalls, local youth organize traditional street games including pot-smashing blindfolded (dap noi dat) and tug-of-war, accompanied by brass gongs and rhythmic drums.
- Official Price: $1.00 – $3.00 USD (25,000 – 75,000 VND) per street food portion
- Best Location: Nguyen Phuc Chu Street and An Hoi sculpture garden
- Prime Time: 20:00 – 22:00
Hour-by-hour evening schedule and itinerary
17:30 – 18:15: Early arrival, sunset views and temple visits
Arrive at the Ancient Town perimeter by 17:30 before police barriers block taxi drop-offs. Walk directly to the riverside near the Japanese Covered Bridge to watch the golden sunset over the Thu Bon River. Visit the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall or Quan Cong Temple to see the initial incense coils lit before temple doors close to general tourists at 18:30.
18:15 – 19:15: Electric lights off and wooden sampan ride
At precisely 18:00 to 18:15, municipal electrical grids switch off modern streetlights, and shop owners illuminate their silk lanterns. Head immediately to the Bach Dang boat pier to secure a wooden sampan before boarding queues form. Enjoy a 20-minute float along the river while launching your paper flower lanterns into the water currents.
19:15 – 20:15: Riverside dinner and lantern photography
Disembark and find a riverside balcony restaurant along Bach Dang or Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. Savor local Hoi An specialties such as Cao Lau pork noodles and White Rose dumplings (banh bao banh vac) while admiring the floating candlelight reflection across the river surface.
20:15 – 21:15: Bai Choi singing and ancient street walk
Walk over to the An Hoi Bridge courtyard to participate in a round of Bai Choi musical bingo. Afterward, take a leisurely stroll down Tran Phu Street to admire heritage timber merchant houses, listen to traditional instrumental performances, and browse artisan handicraft stalls.
21:15 – 22:00: An Hoi Night Market, street desserts and return
Cross to the An Hoi Night Market along Nguyen Phuc Chu Street. Treat yourself to fresh mango cakes and banana coconut crepes. By 21:45, crowds begin to thin, offering great final photo opportunities along the riverbank before streetlights turn back on at 22:00.
How Much Do Hoi An Festival Activities Cost?
Participating in full moon festival activities is remarkably affordable compared to global cultural events. Most activities cost between $0.20 and $8.00 USD, allowing budget travelers and families to enjoy a memorable evening for under $20.00 USD total.
- Paper Flower Lanterns ($0.20 – $0.80 USD / 5,000 – 20,000 VND): Elderly artisans and children sell origami paper lanterns with candles along the riverbank. Paying 10,000 VND ($0.40 USD) per lantern is the standard fair price.
- Wooden Sampan Boat Cruise ($6.00 – $8.00 USD / 150,000 – 200,000 VND): The local boat cooperative enforces fixed rates of 150,000 VND for 1 to 3 passengers and 200,000 VND for 4 to 5 passengers for a 20-minute excursion.
- Bai Choi Game Ticket ($0.80 – $1.20 USD / 20,000 – 30,000 VND): Purchasing a wooden paddle card enters you into a complete singing round lasting approximately 15 minutes.
- Ancient Town Entry Ticket ($4.80 USD / 120,000 VND): This official ticket grants access to 5 designated heritage sites (assembly halls, historic homes, museums) and covers municipal preservation costs.
- Street Food Tasting ($4.00 – $8.00 USD / 100,000 – 200,000 VND): A full evening sampling Cao Lau ($1.60 USD / 40,000 VND), White Rose dumplings ($2.80 USD / 70,000 VND), and herbal Mot tea ($0.60 USD / 15,000 VND).
5 Tips to Enjoy Full Moon Festival Activities Safely
1. Secure boat tickets at fixed cooperative booths
Do not purchase boat rides from aggressive freelance touts who approach you on the street. Always walk directly to the official ticket kiosks marked “Hop Tac Xa Thuyen Du Lich Hoi An” along Bach Dang Street. Official tickets guarantee life jacket provisions, sober boatmen, and regulated pricing.
2. Protect valuables in dense bridge bottlenecks
The pedestrian bridge connecting the Ancient Town to An Hoi islet becomes extremely crowded between 19:30 and 21:00. Keep smartphones, cameras, and wallets secured in front zippered pouches or crossbody bags. Avoid carrying open backpacks in tight crowds.
3. Wear non-slip flat footwear
Ancient Town pavements feature polished flagstones and uneven curbs that become slick when water splashes from river steps. Wear sturdy walking sneakers or sandals with textured rubber soles. Avoid high heels or slick flip-flops.
3. Book riverside dinner balconies 2 days in advance
If you wish to dine overlooking the lantern-covered river during peak festival hours, reserve a table at least 48 hours prior. Balcony tables at popular heritage restaurants along Bach Dang Street fill completely on lunar full moon dates.
4. Combine with daytime Cam Thanh Coconut Forest tours
Maximize your travel day by visiting the Cam Thanh Water Coconut Forest in the morning or early afternoon before the evening festival. Located just 10 minutes east of the Old Town, Cam Thanh allows you to experience coconut basket boat spinning, crab fishing, and handmade lantern crafting before heading into town for the night celebrations.
5. Practical checklist for festival night
- Carry small Vietnamese Dong cash notes (10,000, 20,000, and 50,000 VND) for lanterns and snacks.
- Arrive at the town center before 18:00 to avoid vehicle roadblocks.
- Ensure your phone or camera battery is fully charged for low-light night photography.
- Confirm your sampan boat driver provides adult and child-sized life jackets before boarding.
- Keep an umbrella or compact poncho if visiting during rainy autumn months (October – November).
Frequently asked questions about Hoi An lantern festival activities
What is the single best activity during the Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Festival?
The single most iconic activity is releasing a floating paper candle lantern on the Hoai River from a traditional wooden sampan boat. Gliding through thousands of candlelit reflections while viewing glowing silk lanterns on historic shophouses provides the defining sensory memory of Central Vietnam.
Do I need to buy an entry ticket to experience festival activities?
Walking the pedestrian streets and observing the lantern-lit atmosphere is free. However, if you plan to visit historic Chinese assembly halls, communal family houses, or museums during your evening, you must purchase the official Ancient Town admission ticket for $4.80 USD (120,000 VND), which supports town conservation.
What time do the full moon festival activities start and end?
Official activities begin at 18:00 when streetlights are turned off and vehicle restrictions take effect. Peak festival energy occurs between 18:30 and 21:00. The festival winds down around 21:45 to 22:00, at which point normal municipal electric lights are restored and restaurants begin closing.
