Northwest spring festivals are rich in highland cultural identity

Traveling to the Northwest in spring is an opportunity for tourists to immerse themselves in Northwest spring festivals and learn more about the unique culture of highland ethnic minorities.

Explore spring festivals in the Northwest

1. Long Tong Festival

Long Tong Festival is one of the famous Northwest spring festivals, also known as the rice field festival. This is a festival of the Tay, Dao, and Nung ethnic groups that takes place on the 8th day of the first lunar month. Tourists traveling to Lao Cai in early spring will have the opportunity to participate in this festival and discover the traditional culture of the Dao and Tay people.

On January 8, the Tay people celebrate the Long Tong festival with many special activities. Photo: @smiletravelhn

Long Tong Festival consists of two main parts: the ceremony and the festival. The ceremony includes rituals of land procession, water procession, field plowing, worshiping ceremony, etc. The festival part with many cultural activities and folk games is very fun, attracting a large number of local people and tourists. Guests from all over participated.

Long Tong Festival is solemnly held with many traditional rituals. Photo: @smiletravelhn

For local people, this festival is held to pray for a new year with good harvests, good rain and wind for a prosperous and happy life. In addition, this is also an opportunity for people to meet, exchange cultures and promote the beauty of traditional culture of the Northwest people. For the Tay, Dao, and Nung people, this is a festival associated with agricultural life, conveying good wishes.

2. Hoa Ban Festival

If you are planning to travel to the Northwest in the spring, wait until the second lunar month to have the opportunity to see the beautiful flower season and participate in the Hoa Ban festival. This festival is also known as the Xen Muong festival, a traditional festival of the Thai people, held on the 5th day of the second lunar month every year.

Spring is the time when flowers bloom throughout the Northwest. Photo: @vieteratours.com.vn

The second month of the lunar calendar is the time when the weather becomes warmer, and it is also the time when flowers bloom throughout the Northwest mountains and forests. Thai people believe that the ban flower is a symbolic flower of love, gratitude and filial piety. Today, Hoa Ban festival is held in many localities such as Moc Chau, Dien Bien,… with many attractive activities.

Hoa Ban Festival has existed for a long time and has been maintained for many generations. This festival is held to commemorate the gods, pray for good weather, peaceful country and people, and peaceful and happy families. Like many other Northwest spring festivals, Hoa Ban festival includes a ceremony with solemn rituals and a festival with many attractive activities.

If you have the opportunity to go to the Northwest during this festival, you will join the village boys and girls in many interesting activities such as performing arts, picking flowers, performing Tham Le dance, playing the flute,… Especially during this festival, the boys also compete to climb the highest banyan tree to pick flowers to give to the girl they like.

3. Gau Tao Festival

Gau Tao Festival is also a unique Northwest spring festival, this is a traditional festival of the Mong ethnic people in localities in Lao Cai province. In the bustling atmosphere of the new spring, Gau Tao festival is held to pray for children and pray for a lucky new year and a prosperous life.

This festival is held to pray for luck and peace. Photo: @dung_jin_

Depending on the locality, Gau Tao festival will be held on different days. However, traditionally, this festival will take place on the 2nd – 4th day of the Lunar New Year. In some places, Mong people will choose to celebrate on Dragon Day to pray for good harvests, a fuller and happier life in the new year.

The venue for the Gau Tao festival is usually a place with flat land and large space for many people to participate. Most Mong people will hold their festivals on the hill, which is both comfortable for festival activities and ensures the space is large enough so that not only indigenous people but also tourists can participate.

Each Northwest spring festival is associated with a unique custom in the traditional culture of ethnic minorities. The common point of these festivals is that they take place in the spring and are solemnly held with two main parts: ceremony and festival. Having the opportunity to come to the Northwest at the beginning of the new year, visitors will have the opportunity to participate in these festivals to better understand the beauty of highland culture.