On the night of the 14th lunar day of each month, Hoi An does something that few places dare to: turn off all the electric lights. The ancient town is only illuminated by the light of paper lanterns – thousands of bright red, yellow, and orange lanterns hanging from the eaves down to the street. Anyone who gets lost on the full moon night in Hoi An says that it is a moment that makes them forget they are in the 21st century.

The lantern festival begins at 6 PM, when the loudspeaker announces the lights out throughout the ancient town. On the Hoai River, small boats slowly paddle, carrying tourists to release flower lanterns – small paper lanterns prepared by vendors for 10,000 – 20,000 VND each. The shimmering lights floating on the water create a brief but unforgettable galaxy.

Alongside are cultural activities: singing bài chòi in the Hoai River square, lion dance performances around the Covered Bridge, making tò he, and painting lanterns by hand. Children wear paper masks, families sit by the banyan tree, eating hot cao lầu and drinking corn tea – every corner is a beautiful everyday photo that tugs at the heart.

The festival takes place monthly, but the full moon of January (Tet Nguyen Tieu) and the Mid-Autumn Festival are the busiest – so book hotels 2–3 weeks in advance. Go in the late afternoon to stroll through the lantern market on Nguyen Thai Hoc street, buy a few to take home as gifts; the average price is 80,000 – 150,000 VND each, with a compact version that can be easily taken on the plane. Be careful with bicycles and street vendors – the pedestrian street is crowded but there are still people pushing carts. A full moon night in Hoi An does not need electric lights but still has enough light, enough memories to remember all year – that is the magic that this heritage city has preserved from the past to the present.

Content compiled by AI. Illustrative image: iVIVU.com. Reference information: Hoi An tourism portal, Vietnamese Wikipedia, and reputable domestic travel sites.