Cao Bang, a province in northern Vietnam, is rich in cultural heritage and home to many ethnic minority groups such as the Tay, Nung, Dao, and H’Mông. The region hosts several unique festivals throughout the year, reflecting its vibrant traditions and spiritual beliefs. Here are some of the most famous festivals in Cao Bang.
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Ky Sam Temple Festival - Hoa An District
- Time: 10th day of the first lunar month
- Location: Ngan Village, Vinh Quang Commune, Hoa An District, Cao Bang Province
Ky Sam Temple Festival is named after Ky Sam Temple - a solemn temple worshiping Khau Sam Dai Vuong Nung Tri Cao. This is a historical figure, a brave hero of the Tay ethnic group who made great contributions to the cause of building and defending the country. He was a man of unparalleled military talent and intelligence, known as Nhan Hue Hoang De - a hero who led the army to fight and defeat the invading Song army. Later, he was greatly respected and admired by people and has been passed down and praised to this day.
To commemorate the outstanding general Nung Tri Cao, people built a temple to worship him in Vinh Quang Commune, Hoa An District, Vinh Quang, Hoa An, Cao Bang Province. Every year on the 10th of January, locals and tourists from all over the world come to Ky Sam Temple to burn incense and pay their respects to him. After that, tourists on Cao Bang tours can join the Ky Sam Temple festival with locals, playing many interesting folk games such as lion dance, throwing con, etc. This is an opportunity for tourists to visit the scenery, walk around the temple and pray for good luck for the whole year.
King Le Temple Festival - Hoa An District
- Time: 6th day of the first lunar month
- Location: Den Village, Hoang Tung Commune, Hoa An District, Cao Bang Province
King Le Temple is a place to worship King Le Loi Cao Hoang De (King Le Thai To) to express gratitude and sincerity to one of the most talented and outstanding kings in the history of Vietnamese culture. The temple belongs to the Na Lu citadel relic complex, which has been recognized and ranked by the State as a National Historical and Cultural Relic.
In the past, the King Le Temple area was the cultural, political and economic center of many eras in feudal history. Later, the temple was also associated with the difficult and arduous days of our Party's war. Therefore, every year, tourists traveling to Cao Bang flock to the temple on the 6th of January to offer incense, pray and express their gratitude to King Le Thai To, then participate in unique folk games such as tug of war, stick pushing, chess, etc., which are extremely bustling and exciting.
Invitation to the Moon Mother Festival - Tay ethnic group in Phuc Hoa district
- Time: Starting from the 30th of January of the lunar calendar, the main festival is on the 22nd of March of the lunar calendar.
- Location: Tien Thanh commune, Phuc Hoa district, Cao Bang province
The Moon Mother Festival, also known as the Lady Hai Festival, is a major festival of the Tay ethnic group living in Cao Bang, held about 10 to 15 days after Tet.
The Moon Mother Festival is held separately in each Tay ethnic group village, but visitors can still join them. The main purpose of this festival is to invite the Moon Mother to bring good news and blessings to the people, help the weather be favorable, and have a bountiful harvest...
Every year during the festival season, a virtuous middle-aged woman with a happy life will be chosen by the villagers to be the Moon Mother, along with about twenty beautiful girls who will transform into gentle fairies. In addition, the two most handsome young men in the area are also chosen to pave the way for the Moon Mother and the fairies to gracefully return to heaven.
During the festival, Cao Bang tour visitors can immerse themselves in the culture of the Tay ethnic group and participate in games such as bird's nest, spinning top, cockfighting, etc. Along with the fun in the bustling festival atmosphere, visitors can also feel the harmony between reality and fantasy, between the fairyland and the mundane life in a moment.
Ban Gioc Waterfall Tourism Festival
- Time: the first week of October, around October 5 - 7
- Location: Ban Gioc Waterfall tourist area, Dam Thuy, Trung Khanh, Cao Bang
Ban Gioc Waterfall is an extremely famous tourist destination in Cao Bang. In addition to the increasingly developed and expanded tourism services, the Ban Gioc Waterfall tourism festival is also a place to attract tourists to visit Cao Bang. The festival is held to promote the image and traditional values of the highlands.
The Ban Gioc Waterfall Festival is held near the waterfall area, helping visitors to experience the bustling atmosphere of the festival season and admire the majestic and wild waterfall. The festival is divided into two parts. Visitors can participate in the ceremony at the Truc Lam Ban Gioc Buddhist Temple with ritual activities such as carrying sacred water, praying for national peace and prosperity, etc. The festival is held afterwards with games, folk dance performances, culinary culture exploration, art exhibitions, etc., making visitors on the Ban Gioc Waterfall tour all day without running out of joy.
Long Tong Festival - Tay - Nung ethnic group
- Time: 2nd - 30th of the first lunar month
- Location: districts and communes in Cao Bang where Tay - Nung people live
This is the biggest traditional festival of the year for the Tay-Nung ethnic groups living in Cao Bang. The Long Tong festival means going down to the fields, held on a large field to pray for the God of Agriculture to bless the people, and to pray for a bountiful harvest in the new year.
The festival takes place from the 4th to the 10th of January with main rituals such as offering incense and worshiping the gods. Next, the owner will lead a strong buffalo down to plow the first furrow, opening the new crop season. Finally, tourists traveling to Cao Bang can participate in folk cultural games such as tug of war, martial arts, throwing con, etc.
Only when you visit all the beautiful landscapes of Vietnam can you see how beautiful Vietnam is. Only after experiencing all the Vietnamese festivals can you see the unique cultural identity of Vietnam. As society develops and people's lives improve, people inadvertently forget the traditional values of the nation. Therefore, the remaining quintessence of Vietnamese national identity in these festivals needs to be preserved and explored. If possible, come to Cao Bang, Ban Gioc waterfall to admire the unique cultural features, clearly and authentically depicting the life of the highland people and helping your soul to be more relaxed and peaceful!
For an unforgettable trip to Ha Giang - Cao Bang, consider booking a tour with us. Contact us today via our hotline: +84329196074 and let us help you create the journey of a lifetime!
