Hoi An Ancient Town hosts its lantern festival on 23 October
Published on 10/11/2026 at 08:12 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSKey points in brief
- Hoi An Ancient Town hosts its 2026 lantern festival on 23 October.
- The festival follows the 14th day of the lunar month and switches off electric lights in the old town.
- Hoi An Ancient Town is a UNESCO-listed trading port on the Thu Bon River in central Vietnam.
- The October event runs during Hoi An's wetter season, when heavy rain and flooding can affect access.
Hoi An Ancient Town hosts its 2026 lantern festival on 23 October, when the historic streets in Hoi An, Vietnam, switch off electric lights for the monthly lunar celebration. The UNESCO-listed site is also known as an exceptionally preserved trading port, with the Thu Bon River shaping its historic layout.
Lantern festival returns to Hoi An on 23 October
The Hoi An Lantern Festival takes place on the 14th day of each lunar month. Vietnam Tourism lists 23 October as the ninth lunar month's festival date in 2026, placing the event within the current travel window. The same calendar gives 22 November and 22 December as the following 2026 dates.
During the October celebration, the old town switches off electric lights and streets glow with coloured lanterns. Paper lanterns are released onto the river, while the festival's traditional setting extends around the historic lanes and waterfront. The published programme describes the event as running from 6pm to around 9pm, with motorbikes barred from the old town during those hours. The 2026 lantern festival calendar carries the date and the Hoi An setting on the same page.
The date and venue are also listed by Travel Begins at 40, which identifies Hoi An Ancient Town as the venue and 23 October as the event date. Its description places the best-known activity around the covered bridge and An Hoi Bridge, where the old town meets the river island.
Hoi An Ancient Town links lanterns to its trading-port history
UNESCO describes Hoi An Ancient Town as a South-East Asian trading port active from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century. The property lies on the north bank near the mouth of the Thu Bon River and covers 30 hectares, with a 280-hectare buffer zone.
The heritage site contains 1,107 timber-frame buildings arranged in tight rows along narrow pedestrian streets. Their tiled roofs, wooden details, religious buildings, market and ferry quay reflect local traditions alongside Chinese, Japanese and later European influences. The lantern festival's riverfront setting therefore uses the same streets and waterway that shaped the town's commercial history. UNESCO's World Heritage description records these features and the eighteenth-century wooden Japanese bridge.
The night event also fits the site's continuing role as a living town rather than a preserved monument without residents. UNESCO says the old town remains occupied and functions as a trading port and centre of commerce, while its original street plan and traditional wooden architecture remain in place.
Visiting Hoi An Ancient Town: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The lantern festival takes place at Hoi An Ancient Town on 23 October 2026, the 14th day of the ninth lunar month.
- Electric lights are switched off during the celebration, and motorbikes are barred from the old town from 6pm to around 9pm according to Vietnam Tourism.
- The site is in central Vietnam on the north bank of the Thu Bon River, south of Da Nang and accessible via Da Nang International Airport.
- The heritage area has narrow pedestrian streets and tightly arranged historic buildings, so visitors should expect walking on an uneven, compact urban route rather than a vehicle-based attraction.
- Vietnam's official language is Vietnamese and its national currency is the dong.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Hoi An Ancient Town
When does the lantern festival take place at Hoi An Ancient Town?
The 2026 October lantern festival takes place on 23 October at Hoi An Ancient Town. It falls on the 14th day of the ninth lunar month.
What is Hoi An Ancient Town?
It is a UNESCO-listed South-East Asian trading port dating from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century. The site includes 1,107 timber-frame buildings and its historic street plan.
Where is Hoi An Ancient Town and how do you get there?
The site stands on the north bank near the mouth of the Thu Bon River in central Vietnam. Da Nang International Airport is the nearest major air gateway, with Hoi An lying south of Da Nang.
