The monthly lantern night at a glance
The Hoi An lantern festival is not one big yearly event. The Old Town hosts a lantern night every month. A local city portal describes it as the Hoi An Legendary Night, held on the 14th night of each Vietnamese lunar month, with community music, poetry, chess and traditional performances.
Because it follows the lunar calendar, the date on the regular calendar changes every month. It is also not tied to the astronomical full moon or to a fixed clock time, so a moon table from abroad will not give you the right evening. Use the dates below, and ask your hotel to confirm the night a few days before you go.
Lantern night dates, October 2026 to December 2027
Dates are converted from the Vietnamese lunar calendar (UTC+7) and taken from local calendar listings, not from an annual announcement. Dates for 2027 are provisional.
| Month | Lantern night | Status |
|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | October 23, 2026 | Listed |
| November 2026 | November 22, 2026 | Listed |
| December 2026 | December 22, 2026 | Listed |
| January 2027 | January 21, 2027 | Provisional |
| February 2027 | February 19, 2027 | Provisional |
| March 2027 | March 21, 2027 | Provisional |
| April 2027 | April 20, 2027 | Provisional |
| May 2027 | May 19, 2027 | Provisional |
| June 2027 | June 18, 2027 | Provisional |
| July 2027 | July 17, 2027 | Provisional |
| August 2027 | August 15, 2027 | Provisional |
| September 2027 | September 14, 2027 | Provisional |
| October 2027 | October 13, 2027 | Provisional |
| November 2027 | November 11, 2027 | Provisional |
| December 2027 | December 11, 2027 | Provisional |
None of these dates is a guarantee that the evening takes place. Check again close to your trip.
Our picks: lantern evenings
Two evening tours that include lanterns and a boat ride.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Evening food tour with a boat ride
Seven dishes at four stops, coffee and a drink, a 15-minute boat ride and a lantern for each guest. The Ancient Town ticket, hotel transfer and tips are not included.
Check availability →Old town, night market and boat ride from Da Nang
Hotel transfer, a basket boat ride, an old town tour, a regional dinner, a Hoai River boat ride, a flower lantern and the night market. Tips and personal expenses are not included.
Check availability →Hoi An evening and lantern tours
Guided evenings in the Old Town and boat trips on the river, with live prices and availability.
What happens on the night
The events listed for the Legendary Night are community activities: music, poetry, chess and traditional performances. No fixed start or end time is published for the whole evening, so treat any exact schedule you read elsewhere with caution.
Walk the lanes, cross the river and watch the boats. Many visitors combine the evening with a meal and a stroll through the Hoi An night market on the far bank, reached over the An Hoi bridge. For the Old Town itself, tickets and opening hours, see the Hoi An Ancient Town guide.
Lantern boats and floating candles
Short boat rides run on the Hoai River next to the market. Prices below come from local listings in 2026 and are not a fixed tariff. Agree the price before you board.
| What | Price (2026) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Rowboat, 1 to 3 people | VND 150,000 | Per boat |
| Rowboat, 4 to 5 people | VND 200,000 | Per boat |
| Floating paper candle | VND 5,000–20,000 | Per candle |
Another local guide lists VND 150,000–200,000 for 2 to 4 people, so boat capacity differs by operator. Boat rides are short, about 15 to 20 minutes, and are a separate purchase from any Old Town ticket. They are not a long cruise on the Thu Bon River. Availability is not guaranteed, and the queue can be long on lantern night.
Plan your lantern evening
Late afternoon
Arrive before dusk to find a place to eat and see the streets in daylight. Check the vehicle rules: as of March 2026 the Old Town core is closed to most traffic from 09:00 to 21:30 in summer and 09:00 to 21:00 in winter, and Phan Chau Trinh opens to walkers from 17:30. The season dates are not specified, so ask your hotel.
After dark
Walk the lanes and the riverfront, then cross to the market side. Decide on a boat early, because queues grow as the evening goes on.
Getting back
No last bus time for the evening is published. If you stay outside Hoi An, arrange the return ride in advance. Our Da Nang to Hoi An page lists the options. If you are choosing a base, read where to stay in Hoi An.
Rain, floods and other limits
October and November are the wettest months. In the Da Nang climate norm for 1991–2020, the nearest station, October averages 658 mm (26 in) of rain and November 486 mm (19 in). Hoi An flooded in late October 2025, and heavy rain also hit Da Nang on October 8, 2026. Rain can change or cancel an evening and affect boat rides. Read our Hoi An weather guide and look at a forecast just before you go.
A separate International Lantern Festival is announced for December 3 to 6, 2026, according to a local listing. The full program is not confirmed, so check it before you plan around it, and do not count on extra installations.
If you want to see more of the area by day, cycling tours around Hoi An are covered by Cam Thanh, and the full list of ideas is on our things to do in Hoi An page.
Hoi An lantern festival: frequently asked questions
When is the next Hoi An lantern night?
The next listed date is October 23, 2026, followed by November 22 and December 22, 2026. These come from local calendars. Confirm with your hotel before you go.
Is the lantern festival on the full moon?
It is held on the 14th night of the Vietnamese lunar month. That is close to the full moon but not a fixed moon time, so do not rely on a full-moon table.
What time does the lantern night start?
No fixed start or end time is published for the whole evening. Plan to be in the Old Town before dusk and stay as long as you like.
How much is a lantern boat ride?
Local listings in 2026 give VND 150,000 per boat for 1 to 3 people and VND 200,000 for 4 to 5 people. Floating candles cost about VND 5,000–20,000. Agree the price before boarding.
Is the lantern festival held every month?
Yes, the lantern night is a monthly event, though weather or floods can disrupt a given evening.
Can floods stop the lantern night?
Heavy rain and flooding can disrupt the evening and the boats. This is most likely in October and November, so watch the forecast.