Where the Moon Shines Brightest: Experiencing Vietnam’s Mid-Autumn Festival 2025

Every September, Vietnam transforms into a glowing landscape of lanterns, laughter, and togetherness. The Mid-Autumn Festival, or Tết Trung Thu, is one of the country’s most cherished cultural celebrations — a time for families to reunite, for children to parade with bright lanterns, and for travelers to witness Vietnam at its most poetic.

In 2025, the festival will fall on September 8, offering the perfect opportunity to explore Vietnam’s many faces — from ancient towns and mountain villages to vibrant cities — all illuminated by the full harvest moon. Here’s a guide to the most enchanting destinations, activities, and flavors to experience during this magical season.

1. Hanoi – A City of Lights and Traditions

In the capital city, Tết Trung Thu brings the streets alive with sound, color, and excitement. Hàng Mã Street, nestled in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, becomes a dazzling spectacle of lanterns, masks, and festive toys. Vendors line the narrow road, their stalls glowing with every color imaginable — red for luck, gold for prosperity, and blue for peace. Families stroll beneath the lanterns, while the rhythmic beats of lion drums echo around Hoàn Kiếm Lake.

Joining locals in traditional activities offers an authentic taste of Vietnamese joy. Travelers can make their own lanterns or watch lion dance performances that combine athleticism, music, and folklore. Afterward, a walk around the Temple of Literature or a visit to the Đồng Xuân night market reveals how Hanoi blends ancient charm with modern energy.

For food lovers, the festival also means mooncake season. The aroma of freshly baked bánh nướng and bánh dẻo fills the air. A visit to Bảo Phương Bakery (201 Thụy Khuê Street) is a must — this family-run shop has made traditional mooncakes for over 60 years. Pair one with a cup of lotus tea at Đông Phương Restaurant, overlooking Hoàn Kiếm Lake, for a truly local experience.

2. Hội An – A Lantern Dream by the River

Few places embody the spirit of Mid-Autumn like Hội An, where history, art, and serenity meet under the moonlight. When the festival arrives, the ancient town turns off its electric lights so that thousands of silk lanterns can illuminate the cobblestone streets. Their soft reflections dance across the Thu Bồn River, creating an almost dreamlike scene that feels timeless.

Along the riverbanks, locals and visitors release floating lanterns carrying handwritten wishes for love, prosperity, or peace. The view from An Hội Bridge or the Japanese Covered Bridge is breathtaking — a mosaic of colors mirrored on the calm water.

A few minutes away, Cẩm Thanh Coconut Village offers an equally magical experience. Here, travelers can take a basket boat ride through the nipa palm forest, where fishermen demonstrate net casting and “boat dancing.” Watching the lantern-lit forest from the water at sunset is one of the most peaceful moments you can have in central Vietnam.

To taste Hội An’s culinary treasures, stop by Morning Glory Restaurant for its signature cao lầu noodles or Cargo Club for lantern views and local desserts. And for those wanting souvenirs, browse the family-run lantern shops along Nguyễn Thái Học Street, where artisans will happily customize your lantern to take home.

3. Ho Chi Minh City – A Modern Celebration with a Traditional Heart

Down south, Ho Chi Minh City celebrates the festival in its own dazzling way. The city’s Chinatown (Chợ Lớn) transforms into a sea of colors, filled with lion dances, mooncake stalls, and light displays. The energy here is infectious — a mix of Vietnamese and Chinese influences that gives the festival a cosmopolitan flair.

On Nguyễn Huệ Walking Street, families gather to admire lantern parades while skyscrapers twinkle in the background. The air buzzes with laughter, music, and the aroma of roasted chestnuts and grilled corn — street snacks that define Saigon nights.

Visitors shouldn’t miss:

• Kinh Đô Boutique (Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard): Known for its beautifully packaged mooncakes and creative flavors like durian or tiramisu.
• Nhà Hàng Ngon (138 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa): A colonial-style villa serving traditional dishes such as bánh xèo (crispy pancakes) and bún bò Huế.
  For a grand view, head to the Bitexco Tower Skydeck — where the entire city glows under the full moon.

4. Sa Pa – A Peaceful Mountain Festival

Far from the bustling cities, Sa Pa in the northern highlands offers a Mid-Autumn Festival rooted in community and nature. During September, the terraced rice fields shimmer gold with harvest, and the mountain air feels crisp and pure. Under the full moon, ethnic Hmong and Dao families gather for music, storytelling, and dancing by lantern light.

Visitors can join homestay dinners, where hosts prepare specialties like five-colored sticky rice and grilled mountain pork, sharing stories about local customs. In the main square, children carry handmade bamboo lanterns, their laughter echoing through the misty valleys.

A ride on the Fansipan cable car rewards travelers with a breathtaking view — terraces, clouds, and moonlight blending into a scene straight from folklore.

5. Flavors of the Festival – Mooncakes and More

Food is at the heart of Tết Trung Thu. Every bakery and market fills with the scent of mooncakes, a symbol of reunion. Traditional varieties feature lotus seeds, mung bean, and salted egg yolk, while modern bakeries experiment with matcha, chocolate, and fruit fillings.

• In Hanoi, try Bảo Phương Bakery for handmade mooncakes wrapped in nostalgia.
• In HCMC, visit BroDard Bakery or Kinh Đô Boutique for premium, creative versions.

Beyond mooncakes, street stalls offer simple delights like bánh trôi nước (sticky rice balls in sweet syrup), roasted chestnuts, or warm cups of herbal tea — small yet memorable tastes that capture the season’s warmth.

A Journey Beneath the Moonlight

From the lantern-lit alleys of Hội An to the bustling joy of Saigon, and the quiet beauty of Sa Pa’s hills, Vietnam’s Mid-Autumn Festival is a living story — one told through light, laughter, and love.

For travelers, it’s not just a celebration to watch but a feeling to experience. Under the glow of the full moon, Vietnam opens its heart — inviting you to walk, taste, and dream alongside its people.