Interested in day tours or excursions for solo traveler in Vietnam for 3 nights/4 days arriving in Ho Chi Mihn. Also hotel or airbnb recommendations.
Ha Giang is not only attracted by its majestic and pristine nature but is also known for its many unique festivals. Join Ama Journey to explore the bustling atmosphere of Ha Giang festivals in the article below!
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Buckwheat Flower Festival
This festival is an opportunity for Ha Giang to promote its heritage beauty, cultural features and tourism potential. Normally, the Buckwheat Flower Festival takes place in the second half of November every year. Each year, the venue may change, it can be at Dong Van town stadium, Khau Vai love market, etc.
Local hill tribe ladies in the buckwheat flower field in Ha Giang
Coming to the Buckwheat Flower Festival in Ha Giang, tourists will have the opportunity to admire and delight their eyes with the beauty of this flower in the vast fields. Besides, you can also experience many tournaments, contests and other interesting activities: buckwheat flower cake making contest, boat race to conquer Tu San canyon, etc. Stops to take photos with flowers are distributed in many districts in Ha Giang such as Dong Van, Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Meo Vac, etc.
Fire dancing festival
Fire dancing festival (also known as fire praying festival) is a festival of the Pa Then ethnic group in Ha Giang, held on the 16th day of the 10th lunar month every year. This is the time when crops have been harvested, starting at the harshest point of winter. According to the Pa Then people, fire is the highest god, symbolizing peace and luck. The purpose of the fire dancing festival is to pray for a good harvest, good health, as well as to ward off all bad luck.
Fire dancing festival in Ha Giang
This festival usually takes place according to each family. The offerings used to offer to the gods are a rooster, a bowl of rice, wine, paper money, incense, etc. After worshiping to call the gods for about 5-7 hours, then from 8 pm, the worshiping ceremony will begin. The young men sitting opposite the shaman will jump over the blazing fire for 3-4 minutes without any burns or pain, like true artisans.
Moon Praying Festival
Moon Praying Festival is a festival in Ha Giang with the cultural beauty of the Tay ethnic people, held on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month (Mid-Autumn Festival). For the Tay ethnic people in Ban Loan village, Yen Dinh commune, Bac Me district, Mother Moon is the one who blesses the earth. People organize this festival to welcome Mother Moon and fairies to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, praying for peace, luck, and a good harvest.
Women dancing in the Moon Praying festival
The ceremony is usually held first on the 14th and the festival will be on the full moon day. Coming to Ha Giang during this festival, visitors will enjoy traditional Tay ethnic cuisine, listen to folk songs, and participate in extremely interesting folk games.
Gau Tao Festival
This is the most important and largest festival of the H'Mong ethnic group, held from January 1st - 15th. The purpose of the ceremony is to pray for good fortune or good fate.
-Praying for blessings: This is for homeowners who do not have children, have few children or only have children of the same gender. The family asked their brother and sister-in-law (this person must have both a son and a daughter) to cut down a tall apricot tree with a long top and leaves to erect a Neu tree.
Gao Tao festival in Ha Giang
- Pray for destiny: The homeowner has someone in the house who is sick, weak, has a dead child, etc. The family must appoint two young men to cut an apricot tree and set up a Neu tree.
There are many activities and games taking place in the festival such as spinning top, archery competition, horse jumping, flute dancing, etc.
Cap Sac Festival
Cap Sac Ceremony is a traditional ceremony only for men of the Dao people. This long-standing Ha Giang festival is usually held at the end of the year (November and December) or January. This is an extremely important milestone, marking the maturity of those awarded the distinction. They will begin to participate in important village affairs, support the shaman, and will be reunited with their ancestors when they die.
This ritual is also highly educational, guiding people towards good life goals and not doing evil. The Red Dao, Dao Tien, and Dao Ao Dai people have different organizing days and regulations on the number of people and the ages of people receiving the ceremony. As the holiday approaches, the family of the person receiving the ceremony will bring offerings to invite the shaman, and that person must abstain from certain things such as singing, sleeping together, arguing, etc.
Colorful Cap Sac Festival in Ha Giang
During the ceremony, there are 6 shamans performing it. During the rituals, a number of offerings are prepared, including pigs, rice, wine, etc.
Hopefully with the above sharing, you have memorized the top 5 most famous Ha Giang festivals. If you have the opportunity to travel to Ha Giang, don't forget to visit the villages and immerse yourself in the cultural space of the mountains and forests here!
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